why won't the antibios work?

[Anna]

Furby's poop was really soft a while ago, like, disgusting and got everywhere, and all his giardia tests came up negative. Well, it came back and again, no Giardia. The vet suggested I put him on an antibiotic (the one that's used to treat Giardia usually listed on here, I forget the name I'm at school but I think it's metronidazole which I found in the Giardia thread) for 5 days. And I did that, and it cleared up right away when I started giving him the medicine. Well, his 5 day period ended and the soft, huge, disgusting poop came right back. I am at a loss here... should I have done it for longer? He gets a lot of hay, half a shreddie and eats a lot of both his pellets and his hay! (which is, as you may know, is a crazy change for Furby.)

P.S.
I use a Pur 3 stage filter and wash out the bottle every day
I feed him PANR (or whatever it's called now)
Timothy hay from oxbow.
Unsweetened shredded wheat.
Peppermint from Crysta
He seems to be okay and not acting weird at all. But I am so confuzzed. :/

Thank you all in advance!

 

[starleomach]

If he doesnt have giardia then that is why the meds dont work. it would be like me taking amoxocillin to prevent pregnancy. drugs work for specific things. And giardia is hard to clear up if that is the problem it takes more than just meds. And 5 days isn't long enough. You need to find the source and also sterilize the cage

 

[mishellyshel]

I would start by cutting out the peppermint. Herbs have different effects on different chins. If that doesn't work then I would cut out everything but hay. Also to help clear up the soft poop give 1 - 2 shredded wheat a day for 2 - 3 days. And if you have access to activated charcoal, you could try that.

 

[Anna]

My vet said it could be a bunch of bad bacteria.... I'll up the shredded wheat load and cut the peppermint, although it helped the soft poo clear up before...
I do have access to activated charcoal... what about pet pectillin I hear of?

And if the meds wouldn't work then I don't understand why the soft poop cleared up when he was on it... Oh well.

 

[kathiva]

I thought that with soft poop/diahrrea you are not supposed to give them pellets for a couple days, only hay, until the soft poop clears up.

 

[ticklechin]

5 days on, 3 off, 5 on is what my vet RXed for Meegus when she had giardia, we used albendazole.

 

[ticklechin]

Also nix the wheat, chins can become wheat intolerant and it can cause all kinds of digestive issues, D.J and Tito a father and son were diagnosed with it and Tito was so bad he had to be on a hay only diet . I would also ask the vet for a mild antibiotic like albon that works well on the digestive tract.

 

[StevieP]

Maybe the soft poop is bacterial and not parasitic

 

[Anna]

Maybe the soft poop is bacterial and not parasitic

yes!
his test for giardia came back negative but she said that there was a lot of bad bacteria so she put him on metrooowhatever. i'll ask for albon when i take his poop in again

okay,
so he's off the meds now...
he has timothy hay
some pellets, not many.. (should i get rid of those?)
no peppermint
and i can get activated charcoal.

they're like real gross... what should i give in terms of activated charcoal?

 

[ticklechin]

Pet pectillin sooths the digestive tract while binding, works well for digestive upset but if is infection then that needs to be addressed with a antibiotic like albon. Just curious, does the poo stink?

 

[Anna]

Pet pectillin sooths the digestive tract while binding, works well for digestive upset but if is infection then that needs to be addressed with a antibiotic like albon. Just curious, does the poo stink?

No, it doesn't. It just gets everywhere and is HUGE

 

[ticklechin]

Usually if it stinks it means infection, sounds like it could be just digestive upset so maybe start with a couple of days of the pet pectillin 3 ml twice a day and see if it helps before moving on to any further antibiotics, JMO.

 

[Anna]

okay thank you!!

 

[Tanya]

How is he doing now?
If poo is still not back to normal, you can try Oil of Oregano (mixed with syringe feed).