[Gpdd] HEALTH: Hershey's last stand

[warmbreath at comcast.net]

Below are some corrected typos and a link I left out, musta been tired, 
Sorry all


 Hi Joanie, I am continuing to research,  the three drugs that are commonly
 given for e.c. are (Albendazole( Albenza, Eskazole, and Zentel),
 Oxibendazole,  and Fenbendazole (Panacur), which are members of the 
Benzimidazole
 family, and one new drug studied in a paper by Esther Van Praag, the owner 
of
 medirabbit.com called pyrithramine, her article is here
 http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/cuniculi/pyrimethamine.pdf
I do not recommend for guinea pigs without finding other studies.
I include this in case it has been become standard recently.

 Flagyl ( metronidazole) is in the same family  as the ones ending in -zole,
 but I have never seen it used for e.c. Flagyl would be given in dogs and
 cats for worms and protozoa, I dont know why it doesn't work or isn't used
 in buns and g.p.'s. I think your vet thinks she has e.c. covered but she
 doesn't. E.c doesn't occur in dogs and cats but other parasites do that can 
be
successfully treated with Flagyl. The Oxibendazole or Fenbendazole are the 
ones
I see used, I suggest a switch, one of the references thinks the 
Oxibendazole
works best.

 I did find that e.c is treated also with an antibiotic because the
 parasite munching in her brain causes abscesses which become infected, the
 cause of death is a type of encephalitis, which is an infection that 
develops as a result
of the parasite's damage and causes an inflammatory
 response, which is why Baytril is often given together with the anti-
 parasitic drug AND the NSAID Metacam which also treats pain. So for e.c she
 needs 3 different kinds of drugs including one of the three -zole
 drugs, plus Baytril and Metacam,  plus she has to be slowly weaned off the 
Cisapride
 Please take the time to read these links, hopefully I have been clear 
enough that
 you can convince the vet, but I have been reading for hours every day and
have not found flagyl used in rodents for e.c. and I haven't found e.c. 
occurring
in dogs and cats

 The diarrhea was probably caused by the Cisapride, it's listed as a side 
effect and  Baytril
doesn't commonly cause it, banana is good for giving pills, you hide the 
pill in a dab and
 put it in her mouth. Have you watched the vet feed the Critical Care? I
 watched my vet and she got a lot more in than I did. She held him up right 
in her
 lap, while I had him more in a normal  piggy standing position.(all 4's)

 http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/cuniculi/pyrimethamine.pdf  this is
 an article  instructs about e.c.

Please know that I have no interest in making you more miserable, only in 
saving Hershey
but I dont think this vet has correctly diagnosed e.c. or treated it 
properly. For e.c.
 not only is the antibiotic given, but the Baytril and the NSAID Metacam I 
mentioned
 in the previous letter, it not only reduces the pain but reduces
 inflammation which is a side effect of the parasitic protozoa . As you read
 these articles you will see the specific progression of the infection. 
First
 she had the hind end paresis which is typical of the beginning infection, 
it
 goes to the kidneys then works its way up the spinal cord to the brain,
 where the head tilt comes in, the effects to eyes of nystigmus, she can
 go blind and it can affect her facial nerves.

 Here is an article written on allexperts.com by Dana Krempels PhD that will 
help
 explain your vets choices, I'm hoping the word guinea pig can be 
substituted
 for rabbit, that is what I have based my advise on, note the article is not
 about e.c.  Dosages would have to be adjusted for guinea pigs.
The stasis link is the same one I gave you last week on Dana Krempels 
website H.A.R.E.
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Rabbits-703/Sick-bunny.htm  please note this
 article also refers to ileus which is interchangeable in meaning with 
stasis as the disease
not e.c. but some of the info may help explain what I'm saying, also makes 
it clear how
 to use allexperts.com

 If it were to turn out that she has an ear infection the Baytril and 
Metacam
would also be indicated for that, here is a link about antibiotics in guinea
 pigs:  http://www.guinealynx.info/dangerous_medications.html  in order for 
you to avoid
the ones that piggies cant take, make sure you print this list for the vet.
Guinealynx says "They describe the PLACE rule as a rough guideline for
 antibiotics to avoid. [PLACE -- penicillin, lincomycin, ampicillin,
 amoxicillin, cephalosporins, clindamycin, erythromycin]

Between Dana Krempels and Esther van Praag you have the 2 finest rabbit vets
 and researchers I know of
If you have an questions please ask, I have thrown a ton at you
Best  regards
ps I wont be avail Saturday, going to a Pearl Jam concert