From:
"Jeff"
Date: 2011-10-05 20:26:14 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Recurrant foul and watery poop
To: <ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com>
You keep pounding at the problem with amoxicillin, which seems to not be the best antibiotic at this point for the excess of bacteria that you are fighting. Itâs the bacteria that are causing the foul smell and, most likely, the diarrhea itself. Have you had a culture done to determine the specific type or types of bacteria that are present and apparently over-abundant? This could help identify a better antibiotic to use. By now they may have become largely resistant to the amoxicillin.
Ask your vet about Chloramphenicol. From what I was told when given it to combat a problem similar to what youâre experiencing, it was better suited to the bacteria that Dozer had, and better suited to specific problems in the G/I tract. It took a month of the chloramphenicol to finally help Dozer, and I also had to put him on a low dose of pred twice daily. He apparently had some really nasty and resistant bacteria, but finally the combination of the two did the trick. My belief is that the inflammation of his intestines probably made an environment that was very friendly for the enemy bacteria, and until the pred was added to combat the inflamed intestines, the bacteria kept coming back (after three different 2-week trials of antibiotics).
Heâs been off the Chloramphenicol for about 2 weeks now, and so far, so good, but I havenât yet completely weaned him off the pred. The vet feels that he may have IBD, based on the tests we ran and on what weâve done so far to try to fight it. But he remains symptom-free so far (no diarrhea, no smelly poops).
So, Iâd suggest that you ask your vet about a protocol of at least 4 weeks of the Chloramphenicol, in conjunction with a pro-biotic. If the Chloramphenicol itself doesnât help enough, then you may need to consider prednisolone also. You can also give pepcid as needed. I dissolve one pepcid AC tablet in 4.0 ml of water and give 0.4 â 0.5 ml as needed, keeping the solution in the fridge.
If you do end up using the Chloramphenicol, be aware that you have to be very careful when handling it. Your vet can explain more, Iâm sure.
Jeff
In Loving Memory of Neo, Trinity, Morphy, Possum, Pip, Pop, Sabrina, Minnie Mouse, Hunny, Misty, Frodo, Baggins, and Mr. Parker
Caring for Luna, Baby Girl, Dozer, Boomer, and Zoomer
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