Ruby Inferno
Teenage Guinea Pig
My 6.5 year old boar Caramel has been breathing deeper and faster than normal, like he's putting more effort into it. I don't know if that's just his age though. The vet said she couldn't listen to his breathing properly because his chest cavity is too small even though she had a small stethoscope, and he was nervous and breathing erratically anyway, but based off what I told her she's treating it as a respiratory infection.
He's been prescribed 0.4ml of Baytril to be given twice daily, mixed with diluted pineapple juice or ribena. I asked about probiotics, and the vet said Baytril won't affect his gut flora very much, but what I've read on this forum suggests otherwise. I'm concerned that vet doesn't know much about piggies.
I do not have any other piggies I could get poop soup from. I used to have 4, but all except Caramel have since passed due to old age.
For some background: Caramel has had a fatty lipoma on his back near his rear for maybe a year, he suffers from impactions which I clear out regularly, and he has mild arthritis which I give him CBD for. The vet said if it's not a bacterial infection it could be tumours, or it could simply be nothing - could his lipoma turn out to be cancerous? (I took him to a vet when I first noticed the lipoma, they said it was likely benign)
He otherwise looks and acts normal, is eating etc., though he has had a very slight wheeze (which my other piggies had in their old age) for a while. His breathing is just deeper and faster than usual. I'm worried about him, and I don't want to put him through anything unnecessary especially because of his age.
I'm really not sure what to do. Does anyone have any advice? I love my baby so much, I don't want to lose him.
He's been prescribed 0.4ml of Baytril to be given twice daily, mixed with diluted pineapple juice or ribena. I asked about probiotics, and the vet said Baytril won't affect his gut flora very much, but what I've read on this forum suggests otherwise. I'm concerned that vet doesn't know much about piggies.
I do not have any other piggies I could get poop soup from. I used to have 4, but all except Caramel have since passed due to old age.
For some background: Caramel has had a fatty lipoma on his back near his rear for maybe a year, he suffers from impactions which I clear out regularly, and he has mild arthritis which I give him CBD for. The vet said if it's not a bacterial infection it could be tumours, or it could simply be nothing - could his lipoma turn out to be cancerous? (I took him to a vet when I first noticed the lipoma, they said it was likely benign)
He otherwise looks and acts normal, is eating etc., though he has had a very slight wheeze (which my other piggies had in their old age) for a while. His breathing is just deeper and faster than usual. I'm worried about him, and I don't want to put him through anything unnecessary especially because of his age.
I'm really not sure what to do. Does anyone have any advice? I love my baby so much, I don't want to lose him.