[Gpdd] (Health) Re: Flaco Paco's toe

[Stacy Harvey]

Ginger,
   
  Topical Bacitracin is okay for guinea pigs on small areas. If Flaco Paco had a very large lesion on his body somewhere, then another topical (such as sulfatrim) might be called for. Since you have him on oral sulfatrim, I wouldn't worry about having put his foot in tap water; besides, if the toe was just swollen and the skin wasn't broken then he wouldn't have been exposed to any bacteria that might be in the water. 
   
  Was the Metacam prescribed by the vet you saw? Metacam is a great drug and most pigs like the taste, however, if he doesn't seem to be in any pain and he's holding his weight on that foot, it's probably better not to give him any. It is an NSAID and can cause upset tummy and anorexia (refusal to eat). Best not to give a drug if it's not needed. Also, it usually should not be given longer than 4 or 5 days in a row unless specifically called for by your vet (can cause liver damage if used long term).
   
  BTW, the usual dose of Metacam is 0.2 mg/kg by mouth once a day (with food or after they've eaten). To calculate that, say you have a 1kg (2.2lb) guinea pig and the concentration of the Metcam is 0.5 mg/ml. You figure out what your piggy needs in mg (0.2 mg/kg x 1kg = 0.2 mg) and then divide that by the concentration of the drug to get the amount in mls (0.2 mg divided by 0.5 mg/ml = 0.4ml). There is a good explanation of dosage calculations on the Guinea Lynx site.
   
  I must caveat this by saying I am *not* a vet and have not yet taken my licensure boards for vet tech; I just know this from experience. If your vet tells you otherwise, by all means, follow the vet's instructions.
   
  Hope this helps,
  Stacy and the Squee Squad