Alternatives to a Vet?

[Cinnamon+Mocha]

Are there any alternatives to a vet? One of my pig had some green crust on their nose in the winter and I did not take it to the vet. Now it is summer it has gone away. Should I be worried?

 

[Chaz]

If it's gone away then I presume he or she is fine

 

[Wiebke]

Are there any alternatives to a vet? One of my pig had some green crust on their nose in the winter and I did not take it to the vet. Now it is summer it has gone away. Should I be worried?

Hi! A green crust is sign of a respiratory infection. if that has not been treated, then it is likely that the bacteria that have caused it are still present and can come back at some time in the life or that any damage they have caused can create problems later in life.

Right now it is a bit late and your vet won't likely find anything without a lab test. Please read the bit about the respiratory infection (URI). You need to see a vet promptly since ill guinea pigs cannot wait. Please save up for vet visits on a weekly basis as part of their normal living cost. Emergencies and illness never happens at a good time!
Early Signs Of Illness
List Of Life And Death Out-of-hours Emergencies
How Soon Should My Guinea Pig See A Vet? - A Quick Guide
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre

 

[Flutterby]

I'm glad your little one has seemingly recovered but please seek vet attention next time.

 

[Lady Kelly]

Unfortunately there is never an alternative to a vet. The vast majority of medications needed are prescription only and therefore a vet would need to be seen to obtain them. Home treatments often can make conditions worse or can mask some of the symptoms making it harder for the vet to work out what is going on which can then mean that it is more expensive to treat in the long run

 

[Cinnamon+Mocha]

Hi! A green crust is sign of a respiratory infection. if that has not been treated, then it is likely that the bacteria that have caused it are still present and can come back at some time in the life or that any damage they have caused can create problems later in life.

Right now it is a bit late and your vet won't likely find anything without a lab test. Please read the bit about the respiratory infection (URI). You need to see a vet promptly since ill guinea pigs cannot wait. Please save up for vet visits on a weekly basis as part of their normal living cost. Emergencies and illness never happens at a good time!
Early Signs Of Illness
List Of Life And Death Out-of-hours Emergencies
How Soon Should My Guinea Pig See A Vet? - A Quick Guide
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre

Would a lab test cost a great deal of money? I have tried to get my parents to take them, but they said she seems fine. Is she in any pain if she has URI? I have tried to listen to her breathing and it sounds like my other pig who didnt have the green crust. Please note: the crust was very subtle.

 

[Merab]

First port of call is always the vet.
You need a vet fund as the costs can be high and there’s a few of us who have recently had to pay a lot to vets for our piggies.
The need never comes at a good time and I was certainly very glad of my vet fund.
I’m glad your piggy is fine now but another time things could be different.

 

[Wiebke]

Would a lab test cost a great deal of money? I have tried to get my parents to take them, but they said she seems fine. Is she in any pain if she has URI? I have tried to listen to her breathing and it sounds like my other pig who didnt have the green crust. Please note: the crust was very subtle.

Lab tests are not cheap. We are not vets and cannot replace them because our advice is always only reliant on what our members report without recourse to the piggy itself - and that is often not the whole picture. We can also not necessarily judge how severe the reported symptoms are because for aworried and anxious owner any symptom can be massive while others ask for support in a small detail when their piggies are fighting for their lives...

A URI is a bit like a bacterial human chest infection or pneumonia, but NOT like a viral human flu (they don't get that) if that helps you? Only stronger and often getting bad a lot more quickly - sometimes within hours.
If your piggies stop eating because they are struggling to breathe, then you need to see a vet ASAP. if their sides are noticeably heaving, they are struggling for their lives as all their strength is going into the next breath.
Guinea Lynx :: URI

 

[Cinnamon+Mocha]

Lab tests are not cheap. We are not vets and cannot replace them because our advice is always only reliant on what our members report without recourse to the piggy itself - and that is often not the whole picture. We can also not necessarily judge how severe the reported symptoms are because for aworried and anxious owner any symptom can be massive while others ask for support in a small detail when their piggies are fighting for their lives...

A URI is a bit like a bacterial human chest infection or pneumonia, but NOT like a viral human flu (they don't get that) if that helps you? Only stronger and often getting bad a lot more quickly - sometimes within hours.
If your piggies stop eating because they are struggling to breathe, then you need to see a vet ASAP. if their sides are noticeably heaving, they are struggling for their lives as all their strength is going into the next breath.
Guinea Lynx :: URI

She has never ‘heaved for breath’ when I was around and she eats like my other piggy does. Is there anymore info thaf I need to know?

 

[Wiebke]

She has never ‘heaved for breath’ when I was around and she eats like my other piggy does. Is there anymore info thaf I need to know?

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