Respiratory Infections in Guinea Pigs

Pocket Pet · Cavia porcellus · typical adult weight 0.70–1.20 kg

6 cited drugs treat Respiratory Infections in guinea pigs: Azithromycin, Clarithromycin, Doxycycline, Enrofloxacin, Florfenicol, Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole.

Upper- and lower-respiratory bacterial, mycoplasmal, and fungal infection. Includes bovine respiratory disease complex (BRD) in cattle, pneumonia in companion species, and air sacculitis in birds. Antimicrobial choice often requires species-specific evidence.

The overview above describes Respiratory Infections across species; the citations below are the ExoticRx dose rules scoped to guinea pigs — a reference list, not new species-specific clinical guidance.

Azithromycin(Zithromax)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Duration	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	15–30 mg/kg	q24h	7-14 days	Respiratory infections	Weak	Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed

Full Azithromycin dosing in Guinea Pigs →Calculate for this guinea pig →

Clarithromycin(Biaxin)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Duration	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	12.5–25 mg/kg	q12h	14-21 days	Respiratory infections	Weak	Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed

Full Clarithromycin dosing in Guinea Pigs →Calculate for this guinea pig →

Doxycycline(Vibramycin)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Duration	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	2.5–5 mg/kg	q12h	10-14 days	Respiratory infections	Moderate	Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed

Full Doxycycline dosing in Guinea Pigs →Calculate for this guinea pig →

Enrofloxacin(Baytril)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Duration	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	5–10 mg/kg	q12h	10-14 days	Respiratory infections (Bordetella, Streptococcus)	Moderate	Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed

Full Enrofloxacin dosing in Guinea Pigs →Calculate for this guinea pig →

Florfenicol(Nuflor, Aquaflor)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Duration	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	25–30 mg/kg	q12h	7-14 days	Respiratory infections	Weak	Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed

Full Florfenicol dosing in Guinea Pigs →Calculate for this guinea pig →

Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole(Bactrim, TMS)

Antibiotic

Route	Dose	Frequency	Duration	Indication	Evidence	Source
PO	15–30 mg/kg	q12h	10-14 days	Respiratory infections	Moderate	Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed

Full Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole dosing in Guinea Pigs →Calculate for this guinea pig →

All drugs cited for Respiratory Infections →All drugs for Guinea Pigs →

Other conditions in Guinea Pigs

Bacterial Infections Sedation General Anesthesia Pain Management Coccidiosis Conjunctivitis Endoparasites GI Ulceration

Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice. Verify against current literature before clinical use.