Diarrhea-Non-Life Threatening

[hanksmom]

Just wanted to update: Stool is pretty much the same, with smell, no meds in a week now. Still eating and drinking water. Maybe it will just take a little longer for his gut to get back on track, but really hoping it’s sooner 🥴

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

Just wanted to update: Stool is pretty much the same, with smell, no meds in a week now. Still eating and drinking water. Maybe it will just take a little longer for his gut to get back on track, but really hoping it’s sooner 🥴

Hi HanksMom and thanks for the update!
If you don't mind; I will give you my UHNVO's (Unsolicited, Humble Non-Vet Opinions)! While it certainly seems or seemed worthwhile to simply hold off on any further medication for a period of time to let Hank's "gut get back on track;" especially in light of the fact that other than Hank's stooling issues; he was behaving normally! BUT, going back to the onset of Hank's gut problems; they were NOT preceded by medication, the medication came afterward with the hope of correcting the gut problems! As I mentioned before, even though some avocado appeared associated with the onset of the gut issues, it is difficult to define a mechanism for this and I just believe that his eating the avocado in the advance of his problems was a coincidence and that something else was going on!

It is certainly possible that whatever was going on initially has resolved and the gut issues; although seemingly identical, may be secondary to Hank's medications but again; while i do believe in coincidences and have seen plenty of them; my personal opinion is that the cause of the original gut issues is still the culprit! That being said; I would love to be proven wrong and I wish Hank a rapid transition to formed stools with no odor!

It still may be worth more time spent in watchful waiting and as hank continues his normal behavior; this is likely safe! I do wish that Hank could have been evaluated by a Veterinarian and I do wish along with that additional Fecal Flotation Testing could have been performed but in light of how things are; if there is not apparent improvement in Hank's gut issues within some as yet undefined period of time; are any further trial with medication being considered by you or the Vet you have been in touch with? By the way, I have talked with this Vet a number of times in the past and I have confidence in her professionally as a Veterinarian as well as being a knowledgeable and experienced Squirreler!

Please keep on with the updates!

Regards,
SamtheSquirrel

[hanksmom]

Hi HanksMom and thanks for the update!
If you don't mind; I will give you my UHNVO's (Unsolicited, Humble Non-Vet Opinions)! While it certainly seems or seemed worthwhile to simply hold off on any further medication for a period of time to let Hank's "gut get back on track;" especially in light of the fact that other than Hank's stooling issues; he was behaving normally! BUT, going back to the onset of Hank's gut problems; they were NOT preceded by medication, the medication came afterward with the hope of correcting the gut problems! As I mentioned before, even though some avocado appeared associated with the onset of the gut issues, it is difficult to define a mechanism for this and I just believe that his eating the avocado in the advance of his problems was a coincidence and that something else was going on!

It is certainly possible that whatever was going on initially has resolved and the gut issues; although seemingly identical, may be secondary to Hank's medications but again; while i do believe in coincidences and have seen plenty of them; my personal opinion is that the cause of the original gut issues is still the culprit! That being said; I would love to be proven wrong and I wish Hank a rapid transition to formed stools with no odor!

It still may be worth more time spent in watchful waiting and as hank continues his normal behavior; this is likely safe! I do wish that Hank could have been evaluated by a Veterinarian and I do wish along with that additional Fecal Flotation Testing could have been performed but in light of how things are; if there is not apparent improvement in Hank's gut issues within some as yet undefined period of time; are any further trial with medication being considered by you or the Vet you have been in touch with? By the way, I have talked with this Vet a number of times in the past and I have confidence in her professionally as a Veterinarian as well as being a knowledgeable and experienced Squirreler!

Please keep on with the updates!

Regards,
SamtheSquirrel

Baytril was mentioned by another vet that was reached out to. I can get another stool sample for another fecal and see if anything has changed. The stool today is still the same. Softer and smells.

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

Baytril was mentioned by another vet that was reached out to. I can get another stool sample for another fecal and see if anything has changed. The stool today is still the same. Softer and smells.

Hi HanksMom:
In what context was the Baytril mentioned by the Vet? Was that person suggesting that Hank be treated with Baytril for his stooling issues or was Hank treated with Baytril sometime recently and that is what the Vet suspects is the cause for the loose malodorous stool (I don't recall this being mentioned in your thread, however)?

Yes, I would suggest another Fecal Flotation Test is you can talk a Vet into performing it!
Regard,
SamtheSquirrel

[hanksmom]

Hi HanksMom:
In what context was the Baytril mentioned by the Vet? Was that person suggesting that Hank be treated with Baytril for his stooling issues or was Hank treated with Baytril sometime recently and that is what the Vet suspects is the cause for the loose malodorous stool (I don't recall this being mentioned in your thread, however)?

Yes, I would suggest another Fecal Flotation Test is you can talk a Vet into performing it!
Regard,
SamtheSquirrel

That was a recommendation on the Baytril & Bene-Bac, from another vet that was reached out to by the vet I am currently speaking with.

I can also take a stool sample to the local vet that did his first fecal for me back in February. Of course, we had to label him as a rat due to safety concerns for him. I collected the stool and they sent it off to a lab and I got results back the next day.

[SamtheSquirrel2018]

Again, my humble Non-Vet Opinions is that it sounds as if this consulting Vet is considering the possibility of an infectious diarrhea or an enteritis (generalized intestinal inflammatory condition but usually it refers to such a condition involving the small bowel) or colitis ( a limited intestinal inflammatory condition involving the colon which is also called the large bowel) as possibilities! These would include Clostridium, campylobacter and some others. It certainly may be a possibility and Baytril would ordinarily be a readily available and an appropriate empiric antibiotic (antibiotic treatment based upon experience, odds, expertise, etc rather that based upon a definitive diagnosis) therapy for these conditions. Hank's signs of gut issues are relatively low grade in comparison to how things can be with an enteritis or colitis but it probably would be worth trying this therapy!
Regards,
SamtheSquirrel

I had better clarify what I had posted as when I reread what I wrote, it was misleading and I had inadvertently stated that Baytril was an appropriate antibiotic for the conditions I listed but I actually meant that as general advantages; Baytril (or its close relative, Cipro) is a readily available antibiotic and it is appropriate for CERTAIN conditions but I did not intend to write for the conditions I listed! I was using certain gut conditions and bacteria as EXAMPLES but I did NOT mean to imply that Baytril is a definitive treatment for these listed bacteria or conditions! What I should have said is; before using any medication, including Baytril, please ask the Veterinarian to explain their rationale for using this! Hank has already been on Metronidazole which is commonly used to treat certain causes of diarrhea and intestinal inflammation. Baytril itself is not an antibiotic that would ordinarily be utilized as a first line medication for these conditions and my typing on my small phone from work resulted in my melding two distinct and separate issues! I apologize! Thankfully I read through what I had written but not before I had pushed the "submit" button!

The bottom line is that you should ask the Vet for a detailed rationale for use of Baytril or any antibiotic that they might recommend! Baytril is NOT an appropriate antibiotic for all the issue I listed. In fact, my small brain is aware of only one significant gut related issue that Baytril is an ideal antibiotic and that is a specific type of colitis that is associated with a strain of bacteria called E. coli! It may be that this is what the Vet was thinking about but this is not a common condition!

I will ask an Admin to delete my post above because I do NOT want anyone using Baytril or it closely related medication based upon my recent misleading and poorly composed post!

Thanks for your understanding!
SamtheSquirrel

[hanksmom]

I had better clarify what I had posted as when I reread what I wrote, it was misleading and I had inadvertently stated that Baytril was an appropriate antibiotic for the conditions I listed but I actually meant that as general advantages; Baytril (or its close relative, Cipro) is a readily available antibiotic and it is appropriate for CERTAIN conditions but I did not intend to write for the conditions I listed! I was using certain gut conditions and bacteria as EXAMPLES but I did NOT mean to imply that Baytril is a definitive treatment for these listed bacteria or conditions! What I should have said is; before using any medication, including Baytril, please ask the Veterinarian to explain their rationale for using this! Hank has already been on Metronidazole which is commonly used to treat certain causes of diarrhea and intestinal inflammation. Baytril itself is not an antibiotic that would ordinarily be utilized as a first line medication for these conditions and my typing on my small phone from work resulted in my melding two distinct and separate issues! I apologize! Thankfully I read through what I had written but not before I had pushed the "submit" button!

The bottom line is that you should ask the Vet for a detailed rationale for use of Baytril or any antibiotic that they might recommend! Baytril is NOT an appropriate antibiotic for all the issue I listed. In fact, my small brain is aware of only one significant gut related issue that Baytril is an ideal antibiotic and that is a specific type of colitis that is associated with a strain of bacteria called E. coli! It may be that this is what the Vet was thinking about but this is not a common condition!

I will ask an Admin to delete my post above because I do NOT want anyone using Baytril or it closely related medication based upon my recent misleading and poorly composed post!

Thanks for your understanding!
SamtheSquirrel

Thank you for clarifying! I think it was suggested because we have tried everything else. I’ve also mentioned using metro and SMZ again and waiting on a response. Perhaps that’s what they were thinking that it could possibly be Ecoli…hopefully these issues will come to an end sooner than later, we have definitely been through some couple of months 😔