Massive overdose on baytril! Please help

Pokebex · 07-18-2019, 01:51 PM

I took my hamster to the vets yesterday with a suspected respiratory infection and was prescribed 6 days of baytril to clear it up, however, the dose the vet prescribed was a huge 1.8mls daily! I have no experience in this kind of thing and blindly gave this to my hamster last night, and then decided to research the drug! Alarmed after finding the correct dosage is about 0.03ml I called my vets today and she apologised saying she'd made a mistake and accidentally prescribed a dose of over 100 times what he needed!!! She said this has never happened to her before and seems as clueless as I am. I have absolutely no idea what to do, the vets haven't been any help at all and have cost me over £50 to practically poison my pet! Any advice on what I can do for my hamster would be immensely appreciated 😭😭😭

souffle · 07-18-2019, 11:13 PM

It may pass through quite quickly but will likely blitz the bowel bacteria. Get to the vets and ask for a full refund as well as a probiotic to try and re-establish the bowel bacteria. Pro C or something like fibreplex (usually given to rabbits post op) might help carry the baytril out the system. Encourage drinking plenty and give some tasty foods to hopefully keep everything moving. Babyfood and fresh veg like brocolli may encourage eating. If your hamster already has a chest infection it is already in a weakened state so will need careful monitoring and nursing. The dose is normal literally a drop of the straight meds. Sometimes vets will prescribe the 1.5 or 1.8ml added to 100ml of water and changed daily. This dilution assumes they will drink about 10ml water and get a correct dosage but in my experience they seldom touch the water as Bayril has a horrid bitter taste to it. Is there another vet you can speak to who may be able to advise?
I do hope it passes through with no effects.

LunaTheHamster1 · 07-19-2019, 12:39 AM

Hi, I was literally talking about this on monday to a lady that runs a hamster rescue place, I can't remember her exact words but it was along the lines that a hamster can never have too much baytrill, it won't hurt them. i.e. if you put too much in the syringe to give to them. I'm impressed you managed to get 1.8mls into a hamster, i struggle with the 0.1/0.2. So fingers x'd your hammy will be ok, but I would not be impressed with that vets right now.

Pebbles82 · 07-19-2019, 01:37 AM

At least it wasn't Metacam. I think as Luna says - a large dose of antibiotic won't be too harmful (other than the gut bacteria as Souffle says). At least it will blast the chest infection! Your vet does sound clueless. Are you sure it isn't prediluted as mentioned above, and hence then it would be a larger amount? If you give the probiotic I think it's supposed to be best done at a different time of day than the antibiotic.

Pokebex · 07-19-2019, 03:26 AM

Thank you everyone who has replied, last night we woke him up and spoon fed him water and a little milk, he had a snuggle with me and we gave him lots of fresh veggies. He just seems very tired. The vet said on the phone yesterday it was her first day on the job which could explain the mistake, and that I could bring him in today for a free checkup however I'm going to pass on that as I think the stress would do him more harm than good. She couldn't stop apologising but never mentioned anything about any compensation or what to do next. I will definitely try get my money back and A probiotic. I can only hope when I stupidly gave him the medicine he spat some out and didn't get it all in. Will continue to closely monitor him over next couple of days

Pebbles82 · 07-19-2019, 03:42 AM

I wouldn't give milk

Hamsters don't digest dairy things really. The occasional bit of cheddar cheese is ok. You can get the Pro C that Souffle mentioned on Amazon or at Pets at home.

souffle · 07-19-2019, 03:50 AM

What type, size and age is your hamster? You can use a tiny bit of juice like Ribena (not citrus juices) to tempt him.

Pokebex · 07-19-2019, 04:16 AM

He's a big Syrian male and he's around 1 and a half. Will give a little cucumber later on tonight for some extra hydration. 😥 Honestly thank you everyone who replies, enormously more helpful than the vets have been.

souffle · 07-19-2019, 04:43 AM

It will have less effect on a larger hammy so that is good. He is however quite an elderly man now in hammy years. I'd ask to speak with the head vet at the practice if this was the vet's first day. I'd request a refund due to the stress you have been under and the worry over the overdose. If still no help then put it in writing to the practice manager. Any more worries then take him straight back. I would restart the baytril again tomorrow with the correct dose. This is a great website with clear explanation on giving meds : https://vectishams.com/blog/giving-y...er-medication/

Pokebex · 07-19-2019, 05:52 AM

Spoke to their receptionist once again (who was lovely and very understanding) and she said I'll get a call about the refund on Monday from the accounts manager, just waiting now to speak to a senior vet there who will hopefully be able to sort me out some probiotics, if not, off to pets at home I go. Will definitely give that article an in depth read thank you Souffle, the receptionist offered for me to bring Archie in to be seen but I don't think there's much they can do other than stress him out further. Im just going to nurse him as best I can, keep stress free and hopefully once I get these probiotics I can medicate my poor man properly