Betsy's Guinea Pigs

Misty's had a runny nose on and off for the last few weeks but clear liquid not green gunky stuff. Yesterday her nose was running (still clear liquid) so much that I had to wipe it away so that she could breathe. I took her to the vet this morning and Misty has a mild uri and is on 0.3ml of Baytril for 5 days to clear it before it gets any worse. The nice vet lady also said that Misty has a heart murmur and is the first guinea pig she has seen with a heart murmur. Rainbow Piggy Shy Little Meg had a heart murmur and lived with it with no treatment until she died of old age at 6 and a half. Misty is now 4 and a half and is very healthy. Misty doesn't need treatment either.
 
Ah I’m sure Misty will get rid of that runny nose soon
She’s thriving under your care 🥰
 
Sounds like there is nothing to worry about and that she is getting everything that she needs. Hope you are ok.
 
The vet said for 5 days initially then if it's still not cleared carry on for up to 14. As there is no green mucus and the discharge is still clear the vet is hoping that I've caught it quickly so will not need antibiotics for long.
 
Betsy said:
Misty has been on the Baytril for 7 days now. She still has a runny nose so I'll keep going with it for another 7 days. She goes to the new boarders in a couple of weeks so I want it to be cleared by then.
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I hope lovely Misty is better soon 🙏❤️
 
Betsy said:
Misty has been on the Baytril for 7 days now. She still has a runny nose so I'll keep going with it for another 7 days. She goes to the new boarders in a couple of weeks so I want it to be cleared by then.
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I hope lovely Misty will be back to normal asap ❤️
 
Saxon is still not at all happy with being handled. I get him out every morning in a snuggle sack for his morning cuddle. I sit down in the cuddle chair and gently lift him out of the snuggle sack and onto my lap keeping the snuggle sack on my lap for him to go back into when he's had enough. I speak to him gently and stroke beneath his eyes and stroke his ears to let him know I want to be his friend. After about a minute he's had enough and goes straight back in his snuggle sack and is so stressed at having been handled, he starts to attack the inside of it with his teeth and only calms down when I mention coriander which he loves. Then he gets carried back to the run to spend the day with Misty and Bramble. He's a very friendly chap otherwise and loves a nose stroke when he's in the hutch.

Is there any other way I can get him used to being handled? I'm concerned that if/when he becomes ill and needs to be handled he will be so stressed and I don't want that for him. I adopted him at the end of November but was away for 5 weeks in January so really he's only been here for 6 months. He can also be quite free with his teeth. He has only ever nipped me to let me know he's had enough I've never had a full on bite.

He's a lovely boy who is starting to feel settled here with Misty and Bramble. He likes to inspect a clean hutch and run and make sure that everything is where it should be. He's very food orientated and when food is around he will quite happily take it from me to chomp so I know that some trust is there. I just need to help him build confidence in being handled and know that I'll only treat him with love and respect cos atm he doesn't trust me enough for that.
 
I think seeing you as the provider of all good things will endear you to him and once he has accepted you as one of the herd he should be more careful with his teeth. I think the cuddle sack will still get it on a routine basis. All you can do is keep handling him as you are doing. I stroked my pigs down their backs at lap time and that seemed to help bond with them. Perhaps it reminded them of being licked by mom as new borns. I'm glad I had a bond with Polo before I needed to start syringe feeding him Baytril as if he had wanted to bite me, he could easily have gotten hold of my fingers. He gave the syringe a good mauling at the start, but never tried to bite me. It is such horrible stuff and he was very patient. It is well worth gently persevering. I think what he is doing to the cuddle sack might not be a reflection of how he feels about you. I haven't been nipped for a long time. I think they mellow with age and improve with love and gentle handling ❤️
 
I agree with Piggieminder.

Wally especially hated to be handled, & detested the syringe, didn’t matter what was in it.

After a battle of wills, over Emerprid, and Metacam, we have gained a bit of an understanding & a few months on I don’t have to scoop him out for every dose. (Helped by an addiction to Metacam! .Luckily he’s not on the emeprid at the moment.)


I think little & often like you are doing with the offer of food is a fantastic way to start & you will have something to build on if/when the time comes.
 
Aww, I see now why you comb regularly 🥰
 
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