4 Month Old Guinea Pigs Not Responding To Medication

[CatChurch]

Recently bought guinea pigs from a pet store (not the best way but the only way I could buy them - no breeders in my area) they have had trouble with lice which has been treated and sorted. Recently they both have been sneezing, Pippa the youngest of the two did it more frequently so I took her to the vet and was prescribed 10 days of baytril. (Is that ok for small guineas, as I have heard otherwise?) day four into the medication and it sounds as if she is getting worse. She actually sneezed on me today and mucus came out her nose which I had never seen before. I'm so worried as I know URIs are fatal and I love my piggies so much! They live in a warm garage with towels and fleece bedding with Timothy hay. I regularly put a hot compress under there bedding to keep warm on colder nights. I feed them fresh veg daily. Thoroughly clean there hutch weekly plus the odd change of hay during the week. Have vets appointment tomorrow for both just need some advice! Please help!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! Which country are located in? We have got a piggy savvy vet locator at the top for our UK members. With members from all over the world it helps us enormously with giving more specific advice if you added your country, state or (for the UK) your county/general area by clicking on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details/loaction. Thanks!

Baytril is often given as it is the only offically licensed antibiotic for guinea pigs. Are you giving them a pinch of probiotics about 1-2 hours after the antibiotic to help bolster their guts? Beytril especially is quite harsh on the guts. You can order probiotics like bio-lapsis or avipro plus online, but in a pinch, pet shop probiotics will do the trick, too.

Please weigh your youngsters daily at the same time in the feeding cycle instead of weekly to make sure that they are eating properly. The need to breathe comes before the need to drink and the need to eat in third place. Loss of appetite is usually the sign of a bad URI. The difference between a full/empty bladder and tummy can make up to 30g.

Bring them indoors if they are outside in a hutch.

Ask your vet for bisolvon powder, which helps to loosen any mucus. Is the mucus clear or coloured? If any of your babies is deteriorating quickly, have them seen before tomorrow as an emergency. If the breathing is getting bad/lungs are congested, you could ask your vet to consider a diuretic to help ease the breathing.

By the way, did you research the third option of getting your piggies from a rescue? We are a rescue friendly forum.

 

[CatChurch]

I'm located in UK, Guinea pig mucus is yellowy. Only one of them has mucus coming from there nose and it's only really just started. I've heard baby acidophilus powder is good for them too? Both pigs eating well and poop and wee is all normal. Hopefully caught it at early stages?

Did research all over the south west for rescue guinea pigs but none were there!

Hi! Which country are located in? We have got a piggy savvy vet locator at the top for our UK members. With members from all over the world it helps us enormously with giving more specific advice if you added your country, state or (for the UK) your county/general area by clicking on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details/loaction. Thanks!

Baytril is often given as it is the only offically licensed antibiotic for guinea pigs. Are you giving them a pinch of probiotics about 1-2 hours after the antibiotic to help bolster their guts? Beytril especially is quite harsh on the guts. You can order probiotics like bio-lapsis or avipro plus online, but in a pinch, pet shop probiotics will do the trick, too.

Please weigh your youngsters daily at the same time in the feeding cycle instead of weekly to make sure that they are eating properly. The need to breathe comes before the need to drink and the need to eat in third place. Loss of appetite is usually the sign of a bad URI. The difference between a full/empty bladder and tummy can make up to 30g.

Bring them indoors if they are outside in a hutch.

Ask your vet for bisolvon powder, which helps to loosen any mucus. Is the mucus clear or coloured? If any of your babies is deteriorating quickly, have them seen before tomorrow as an emergency. If the breathing is getting bad/lungs are congested, you could ask your vet to consider a diuretic to help ease the breathing.

By the way, did you research the third option of getting your piggies from a rescue? We are a rescue friendly forum.

 

[helen105281]

Acidophilus poweder may have dairy in it (I am vegan and have to be careful with this myself) and guinea pigs are lactose intolerant after weaning, therefore it is best to get the proper version for pigs if you can. I agree with recommendations for diuretic and Bisolvon. you may also find steam therapy helps, put a couple of drops of Olbas oil in a bowl of boiling water next to their hutch so they can inhale the steam. If you have an actual human steam inhlaler that goes over the nose that can be used too in 5 second bursts.

 

[Wiebke]

I'm located in UK, Guinea pig mucus is yellowy. Only one of them has mucus coming from there nose and it's only really just started. I've heard baby acidophilus powder is good for them too? Both pigs eating well and poop and wee is all normal. Hopefully caught it at early stages?

Did research all over the south west for rescue guinea pigs but none were there!

That is definitely looking like URI; please bring those issues up with your vet. You have caught it early on indeed!

PS: We have got a couple of good standard new guinea pig rescues listed on our rescue locator on the top bar, one in Cornwall and one in Devon.