Recurring infection

[lauramills2306]

My 2.5 year old female gerbil was recently on baytril, loxicom and bisolvon for 3 weeks (originally 1 week but the vet increased the duration as it wasn’t clearing) due to a respiratory infection. Her infection seemed to completely clear up after the 3 weeks and she had no more symptoms. However, now she is off the medication it seems to have come back.

I know that I probably shouldn’t have done this but I decided to carry on with the medications as I hated seeing her poorly and this was when everything was shutting due to corona virus

Whenever I stopped giving the meds, she would get ill again but she’d be so much better a few hours after I treated her again. Has anybody got any ideas on what to do? Why does it keep coming back, will the infection ever completely go away?

She’s on a dust free bedding (torn up kitchen roll and paper) to see if that helped, and she’s eating and drinking fine - she sleeps a lot but is very active when she wants to be.

I will be contacting a vet however they do not seem very experienced with small animals so any help here would be appreciated. I’ve linked below a video of her after 1 day off the medications.

[catnut]

how is she doing now? how much of each med. was she given? it also may not be a respiratory infection but something to do with her organs not functioning properly. maybe ask at your vets if they know of a specialist that deals with gerbils or other small animals that either they can ask or you could go to near you? take care

[lauramills2306]

May 3, 2020 15:08:14 GMT -8 catnut said:

how is she doing now? how much of each med. was she given? it also may not be a respiratory infection but something to do with her organs not functioning properly. maybe ask at your vets if they know of a specialist that deals with gerbils or other small animals that either they can ask or you could go to near you? take care

She’s great when she’s on the medication, playing and eating fine but as soon as it stops, she gets ill again (squeaking, red nose etc). The vet said 0.1ml loxicom and 0.3ml of baytril every day.

The vet also did say she could have an X-ray to rule out any organ problems, however, i don’t know if it would be too stressful for her with the anaesthetic. I’ll have to contact the vets and see what they suggest. I’m just hoping she’ll be okay

Thank you for your help

[catnut]

I haven't done xrays on any of my pets due to fear of an anaesthetic killing them. I would ask if keeping her on an antibiotic long term is safe or maybe try another antibiotic that is stronger and just using one is a good option? baytril, I think is a weaker one but that is another question to ask, they tend to use that when they aren't sure and is the one they use first. Fingers crossed she will be okay.