From:
Celia Clinkinbeard
Date: 2002-01-21 07:44:00 UTC
Subject: [Ferret-Health-list] Re: antibiotic induced
Thanks for responding, Dr. Williams,
I realized after I posted that probably no one knew what
lactinex was since I only found out recently from a
pharmacist!! It is tablets of "Lactobacillus acidophilus
(gasseri) and L. bulgaricus". But, as the bottle doesn't say
how many of the critters are in each tablet, I guess it's
pretty impossible to figure out a dosage for ferrets. It's
nice to know her sporadic diarrhea is most likely not from the
stuff!
She is on antibiotics now to avoid infection from her IV port
(put in over 2 weeks ago to give dextrose-spiked fluids to
help bring down potassium and increase glucose). She was
originally on antibiotics for a tooth infection, and then we
switched to amoxicillin after that cleared up, but her lungs
sounded congested. (We were hoping it was an infection and
not cardiomyopathy worsening). When her lungs sounded much
better, and when the port was put in, she was switched to the
cephalexin.
She has improved, and we will check her electrolytes/sugar at
the end of the week. Hopefully the port will come out!
Thanks,
Celia
----- Original Message -----
From: dr_bruce_williams
To: Ferret-Health-list@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2002 9:37 PM
diarrhea
Dear Celia:
I can't tell you, as I don't know what is in it. However,
ferrets
are generally not lactose tolerant, so I' tend to suggest it
may not
be helpful in her case.
You don't mention why she is on antibiotics, or why we are
changing
so often. Amoxicillin on its own can cause an appetite
loss, but
does not generally cause a change in gut flora.
I'd like to know what she is on the antibitocs for, and if
stoping
the antibiotics altogether is an option.
With kindest regards,
bruce williams, dVM
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Celia Clinkinbeard"
wrote:
> Cokie has been on different antibiotics for about a month
now, and
her poop has gone from normal to formed but mushy to,
recently
diarrhea. I've been giving her a pinch of crushed lactinex
tablets
once a day in her food. The bottle doesn't have any
indication of
how much is in each tablet, but it says to take 4 tablets 3
or 4
times a day (for humans). Have lots of questions!!
>
> Does she even need it? Or is it giving her diarrhea? (It
says not
to use if you are sensitive to milk products, and I don't
know if
Cokie is!) Or am I not giving her enough???? I'm also
worried
because she takes alot of prednisone and may be "immune
compromised"--
what are the chances that my giving her this stuff could
hurt her?
>
> I've read somewhere that not all antibiotics cause
diarrhea, or
upset the "normal" fauna of the gut. Amoxicillin was
mentioned as
being one of the "disturbing" ones. She has been on
clindamycin for
10 days, then amoxicillin for 10 days, and now she's been on
cephalexin for almost 10 days. Should she even be on
lactinex? Or
is cephalexin okay for the necessary gut bacteria?? Her
poops were
fine until towards the end of the amoxicillin and beginning
of the
cephalexin. I started the lactinex towards the middle of
the
amoxcillin, and she's just had definite diarrhea last night
and this
morning!
>
> So should I increase the lactinex, stop it, or what??
(She won't
eat yogurt.) Any suggestions??
>
> Thanks!!
>
> Celia
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