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Ashleigh Vets - Manchester

Toots33

Toots33

Junior Guinea Pig
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St. Helens, UK
I took Lily back to my local vets yesterday due to a stubborn uri and left feeling utterly devastated after being told that they could try another round of antibiotics but if that didn't work she'd probably get progressively worse and the prognosis wasn't good.

As they weren't even willing to try any treatment other than Baytril, I decided to get a second opinion. I searched the forum for vets that I could realistically get to that specialise in exotics and found Ashleigh Vets in Manchester mentioned quite a few times.

I took Lily to see Aiden today and he was lovely. He's prescribed a different antibiotic as a first course of treatment and will review in ten days. If the symptoms continue then an x ray will be taken and a nasal swab a week after the antibiotics course has finished.

I know that Lily is still poorly but I feel more positive having a treatment plan and seeing a vet that that was open to trying a different treatment instead of just writing her off.
 
Flutterby said:
Fantastic that they have listened to you! Ashleigh vets has a good rep with guinea pigs :)
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That's good to know thanks . It's so frustrating sometimes as I've seen three different vets at my local vet practice and they all say different things. Yesterday's visit was the last straw really especially as she's active, eating well and drinking. I was a bit shocked to hear such a pessimistic view of her prognosis.
 
What anitbiotics did they give you from Ashleigh vets? I usually go there for my guinea pig vet needs as they are really good. My latest poorly boy has to be treated by vets 4 pets and he is still sneezing etc but well in himself. Just looking to see what other antibiotics to ask them for.
I do highly recommend Ashleigh vets to anyone though as they have always treated my guineas really well.
 
Hank288 said:
What anitbiotics did they give you from Ashleigh vets? I usually go there for my guinea pig vet needs as they are really good. My latest poorly boy has to be treated by vets 4 pets and he is still sneezing etc but well in himself. Just looking to see what other antibiotics to ask them for.
I do highly recommend Ashleigh vets to anyone though as they have always treated my guineas really well.
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They prescribed Doxycycline and I did a quick check on the guinea lynx website and it is on the list of safe antibiotics in guinea pigs. The baytril appeared to work after a three week course but then a week of no antibiotics and it came back.
 
We’ve had doxycycline and marbocyl for URIs before from our vets - safe and they worked. Different vets are experienced with different antibiotics. So good that you sought a second opinion.
It’s good to give Lily a chance. Hope she soon picks up. X
 
VickiA said:
We’ve had doxycycline and marbocyl for URIs before from our vets - safe and they worked. Different vets are experienced with different antibiotics. So good that you sought a second opinion.
It’s good to give Lily a chance. Hope she soon picks up. X
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That's good to know as it was an antibiotic I haven't heard of before. I think I saw one of your posts on another thread about Cheshire Pets but unfortunately they couldn't fit me in with their exotic vet soon enough due to an exotic pet conference taking place over the weekend. They also recommended Ashleigh Vets to me and were very helpful when I spoke to them x x
 
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Lily appears to have made herself very comfortable on my shoulder. She’s quite snuffly tonight but seems to have been able to settle up there. I’m extremely uncomfortable and given she’s been there for half an hour, I think might be wee’d on very soon .
 
Toots33 said:
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Lily appears to have made herself very comfortable on my shoulder. She’s quite snuffly tonight but seems to have been able to settle up there. I’m extremely uncomfortable and given she’s been there for half an hour, I think might be wee’d on very soon .
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Aw bless her, give her a cuddle from me! But you can keep the wee, I get enough of that at home! :))
 
Aww she looks so cute and settled on your shoulder. When I took Daisy to Ashleigh vets she was also given doxycycline after a week course of baytril from a local vet didn't work. Was just asking as I didn't see Aiden this time I saw Liane who also specialises in exotics. She gave doxycycline coupled with metacam to take down inflammation of the throat.

Hope your little lady improves and feels better soon.
 
Hank288 said:
Aww she looks so cute and settled on your shoulder. When I took Daisy to Ashleigh vets she was also given doxycycline after a week course of baytril from a local vet didn't work. Was just asking as I didn't see Aiden this time I saw Liane who also specialises in exotics. She gave doxycycline coupled with metacam to take down inflammation of the throat.

Hope your little lady improves and feels better soon.
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Lily has been prescribed metacam as well. It's good to hear that two vets in the same practice prescribed the same treatment. I saw three different vets in my local practice who all gave me different advice. Lily is currently also having treatment for mites and Aiden's advice about that was to continue with the mite treatment. He thought that the mites are a secondary issue to the uri as her immune system is low. He wants to focus on treating the uri and hopefully when that's under control, her body will be able to keep the mites at bay like a healthy pig would.

If the antibiotics don't work, the next stage would be an x ray and nasal swab. My local vet said it wasn't worth doing an x ray because it wouldn't show anything other than there is damage to her lungs that is irreparable and instead I should accept that she's likely to deteriorate. That was when I decided to go elsewhere as I'm sure they wouldn't say that about a cat or a dog. I very much felt like the local vets view was she's "just a guinea pig" so why would you spend all that money trying to solve a problem that probably can't be solved anyway. I think everyone on the forum would completely disagree with that and go to the ends of the earth to help their pigs even if in the end the outcome isn't positive because at least we've tried.
 
I use Ashleigh vets and am pleased with them. My boys board there too when I go away.

Glad you got some competent treatment second time around. I hope Lily responds well
 
Posyrose said:
I use Ashleigh vets and am pleased with them. My boys board there too when I go away.

Glad you got some competent treatment second time around. I hope Lily responds well
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Great to know that they board guineas there as well. Definitely worth knowing in the future, especially if I am going away and have any sick piggies. Any ideas how much they charge for boarding?
 
Hank288 said:
Any ideas how much they charge for boarding?
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They charge about £10 for 2 in a cage, but I was shocked when I only needed to board one and they charged the same amount. They are good though, particularly with 'special needs' or elderly pigs. Good for peace of mind
 
Just thought I’d give a quick update about Lily. She’s been back for a follow up appointment after 12 days of Doxycycline and Metacam. Both Aiden and I thought there was definitely some improvement. As Lily probably went untreated for long time, it’s become a chronic condition so she’s been prescribed a six week course of Doxycycline to try and make sure that we completely get rid of the uri. If she gets worse during the six weeks or we finish the course and the uri comes back then the next step is an x ray and a nose swab.

I’m really pleased that we’ve got this far and there is a glimmer of light at the end of tunnel fingers crossed we keep heading in the right direction.
 
So pleased that thing seem to be working out for you. Glad you are pleased with the vets as well, they are very good.

When daisy went she had a 14 day course of doxycycline and no check up afterwards, vet said it would stress her out much if no need. But we caught hers very early.

Hope you continue to get some improvement for Lily.
 
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