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Bereavement and 2 sick piggies, e. cuniculi and crackly chest

Hannah Boyd

Hannah Boyd

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi all, I haven't been on here much recently with a house move and new job. but I have had a tricky week with 3 of my pigs:

First, Gingey (female, approx 5 - 6 years old) died suddenly and unexpectedly the Sunday before last overnight. She seemed healthy up until late Sunday night, no indication at all of any ill health (and I know pigs hide it). There was no sign on her body of any struggle or how she died. she was on her tummy and her eyes were open but soft. I didn't realise she had gone until I touched her.

Her cage mate, Hubert (female, approx 7 years), seemed down but ok afterwards. she was eating but not as much, and she was almost her usual self, but quiet. On Friday she stopped eating and would only sit and mostly ignore anyone else. I assumed depression / sadness at loss of Gingey and got another pig short notice after reading advice that in the case of depression and not eating, the isolation period can be overlooked. Hubert picked up quite a bit after having a cage mate, but on Tuesday morning she was wobbly and seemed like she had the early stages of head tilt. she went to the vet who diagnosed e. cuniculi and prescribed Loxicom, Baytril and Panacur wormer.

last night, new piggie Pia (female, 14 months old), had very crackly breathing. She seems otherwise ok (no runny nose or wheezing), but obviously i don't know her that well and she only sits under her box when I'm in their room because she's scared. anyway, I gave her some of Huberts baytril last night and this morning and she also had 20 mins in the nebulizer both times too. She is going to the vet tonight.

they are now both being hand fed critical care with probiotic and vit C. they are also now separate but in the same C and C cage with a 10cm or so ago between them and a towel.

My questions are:
- is there anything else I can do for them?
- should I remove Pia and put her in isolation even though she's already been introduced?
- is e. cuniculi contagious? what measures do I need to take to stop it spreading?
- how could Hubert have caught e. cuniculi?
 
I don’t have any E.C. Experience so I can’t offer advice, but I’m bumping the post up for you! I hope they’re better soon x
 
Sorry all I can offer is support. Hopefully you will some advice from the more medical savvy members of the forum soon.
 
Thank you everyone. That is really kind as I am trying to think of all the things I've done wrong and obviously know getting a new piggie with no isolation was risky but luckily I don't think that is actually where the bugs have come from. Hubert must have had the E.C before and loss of her friend triggered her to become ill. and I think the stress of Pia moving (she is a very nervous little pig) has caused a drop in her immune system and possible URI / pneumonia. And I don't know about Gingey, reading has suggested a heart attack or stroke.
 
I'm sorry for your loss and that the 2 girls are poorly. I don't know that much about E-Cuniculli. Has Hubert been near a rabbit at all? The treatment she is on is line with what I would expect, especially the Panacur. Poor Pia, it does sound like the stress of the move has brought on a URI or Pneumonia. I would not separate as they have been in the same air space up to now. I completely understand why you did not quarantine, sometimes needs must when a pig is pining for their friend. If the vet says that Pia has fluid, ask if they will give her diuretic by injection and then more to give at home, it can make all the difference.
 
thank you Helen. sorry for not replying quicker. Hubert has never been near a rabbit in the 6 years I have had her, and I don't have and haven't had contact with any rabbits.

Good news is Pia has not been showing any symptoms since Friday. but keeping her on the antibiotics and nebulizer until at least Wednesday so it's been a full week of treatment. would that be advised?

Bad news is that Hubert stopped improving on Saturday and we have a vet appointment at 5.30 as I think it is time for pts. She has a sadness in her eyes that I've never seen before and just wants to burrow into the darkest place she can find. apparently the ec can get into the brain and although she isn't as wobbly, she doesn't move normally and seems confused or forgetful. she isn't eating much if at all and I stopped syringe feeding on Saturday as she started to refuse and I had to force her then she became distressed. it is difficult to get even her medication in.
 
My Bramble has EC, it took months to see improvement but she was spunky and showed a will to live, so much so myself and the vet were reluctant to pts and it paid off as even though she's a little wobbly she lives a good life. Her companion has never caught it that I know of even though she had a relapse not too long ago and needed another 29 day course of panacur. There is a food called vermX that will kill the ec spores that are ingested by other pigs, it js spread via urine but if its dormant during treatment it wont be shedding spores as far as I know. I hope that was somewhat helpful, I'm sorry youre dealing with it, it was honestly the worst period of my life nursing her through those months not knowing if she would ever improve.
 
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how old was Bramble? sorry to hear you went through that but glad she has overcome it and can live a happy life. my thoughts at the moment are that Hubert is 7 and seems like she has given up on life. I don't want to put her through weeks or months of treatment if she might not get better, or her chance of getting better is low. be cause up until now she's had a healthy and happy life. she had an operation on her mouth in March this year but bounced back from that very quickly. will let you know what happens. thank you
 
I'm sorry she is so poorly. You know her best and it is the right decision to let her go if she has lost the will to fight bless her.
 
Bramble was only 1, you're right 7 is quite an age to be battling something like this, I missed how old she was. Brambles sister sadly passed away from what we now believe to be the same thing and she was also only 1, just presenting different symptoms and she had very much given up, looking back I do believe she should have been pts but our vet was confident about investigating and I think I put my own need to make things better ahead of what was best for her. The piggies are good at letting us know what they want, if Hubert is telling you she has had enough then I think you're making the right decision, we can only fight it so much for them, they also have to want it. Sending love and comfort from me and my lot.
 
thank you everyone. Hubert passed about an hour ago after the vet and I agreed that put to sleep was the best option. our only other options was continue as we were or go down the road of bloods and xrays even though the vet said she wasn't sure what they'd be looking for and it would be exploratory. I think it was the right thing for Hubert. She was a very characterful little pig and unfortunately had lost most of that in the last week.
 
I am so sorry for your loss. 7 was a great age, what a wonderful life Hubert had with you. PTS is such a horrible decision to have to make. I believe you did the right thing for Hubert, at her age lots of investigations with a chance of no clear outcome would have been too much for her. Sending you my very best wishes.
 
So sorry for your loss.
PTS is often the best gift of love we can give to our beloved piggies.
It’s hard on us though so remember that you gave Hubert the best possible care and a life filled with love.
7 is a great age.
Look after yourself and take time to grieve
 
thank you everyone. I will miss her very much. but she will join 2 friends and her sister over the rainbow bridge.
 
So sorry for your loss. Hubert was a great age for a piggy. You made the right decision as it was made out of love.
RIP little piggy.
 
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