Discharge from nose

[andisafc]

Hi, I am stressed to bits. This morning when I have checked Bramble over I have noticed some brownish discharge out of his nostrils and you could see where it had gone down his fur a bit. Listened to his breathing and it was a tiny bit squeaky. I can't get him in to see a exotic savvy vet until 11 tomorrow. Do you think this is ok or should I see if I can get him to see just any vet today? I am so worried as we had to have his cage mate put to sleep 3.5 weeks ago as he had a chest infection that no guinea pig antibiotics would cure. Bramble is only 9 months old but a chunk! Thanks for any advice

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, I am stressed to bits. This morning when I have checked Bramble over I have noticed some brownish discharge out of his nostrils and you could see where it had gone down his fur a bit. Listened to his breathing and it was a tiny bit squeaky. I can't get him in to see a exotic savvy vet until 11 tomorrow. Do you think this is ok or should I see if I can get him to see just any vet today? I am so worried as we had to have his cage mate put to sleep 3.5 weeks ago as he had a chest infection that no guinea pig antibiotics would cure. Bramble is only 9 months old but a chunk! Thanks for any advice

Hi

Brownish discharge sounds rather like he has inhaled something like pellet dust or a crumbly poo etc. and has been sneezing it out? It is not illness related.

It is normal to be more jittery in the wake of a loss.

 

[andisafc]

Hi Wiebke, thanks for replying. Do you think it will be that even with the squeaky breathing? Thinking about it I thought I could see something last night but when my husband checked him there was nothing?

I will take him tomorrow to be sure anyway but even if if it is a URI do you think it would be ok waiting until tomorrow?

We have had such a terrible time (you kindly commented on my posts about poor Donnie).

 

[Wiebke]

Hi Wiebke, thanks for replying. Do you think it will be that even with the squeaky breathing? Thinking about it I thought I could see something last night but when my husband checked him there was nothing?

I will take him tomorrow to be sure anyway but even if if it is a URI do you think it would be ok waiting until tomorrow?

We have had such a terrible time (you kindly commented on my posts about poor Donnie).

Hi

If he has got something stuck in his nose (which seems to mostly have come out now), then some noises coming from the nose area are perfectly normal in the wake of it; it takes a little while to settle down. You will have a stuffy nose yourself after a major sneezing fit as well.
Guinea pig airways are very small and narrow; they are also not much in the way of mouth breathers so even the tiniest obstruction in the nose is immediately audible and can cause all sorts of alarming sounds, much more than we humans since we can always breathe through the mouth if needed.

The sounds that are actually indicative of a potential infection or a acute sensitivity to hay dust are crackling and rasping sounds coming from the nose/throat area. Any clicking and any crackling that is sitting in the chest area (lungs) and not echoing down it should be seen by a vet as soon as possible (potential pneumonia). Any thick mucus or constant clear fluid/sneezing over several hours with more than 5 sneezes per hour should also be vet checked if they persist.

The rest of the noises is usually just a bit of hay dust etc. that has got into the nose and that in most cases will go away on its own within a few hours.

You can always check where the problem sits by holding our ear against the nose, the throat and the chest to listen where the noise sits and is loudest. It doesn't replace a vet examination if one is needed but it can help to give you an idea of where the problem is sitting and how serious it is.

I hope that this helps you?

 

[andisafc]

Thanks very much Wiebke, that is very helpful. I only listened to his nose this morning where I heard the squeak noise from. I didn't hear him sneeze at all this morning or last night.

It started with a little bit of discharge with Donnie in January and after various antibiotics, nebulising we ended up doing a lung flush and found the resistant infection so you can understand why I am "up a height"?

I will still take him tomorrow for my own peace of mind otherwise I will stress myself to death!

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks very much Wiebke, that is very helpful. I only listened to his nose this morning where I heard the squeak noise from. I didn't hear him sneeze at all this morning or last night.

It started with a little bit of discharge with Donnie in January and after various antibiotics, nebulising we ended up doing a lung flush and found the resistant infection so you can understand why I am "up a height"?

I will still take him tomorrow for my own peace of mind otherwise I will stress myself to death!

Thank you for clarifying that.

But it still rather feels like something has got up the nose and not like an infection to me. The discharge would be either clear nd costant in the case of rhinitis symptoms or thick orange/yellow/greenish mucus/crusts around the eyes and nostrils in case of a well developed un- or undertreated URI.

 

[andisafc]

Last night it did look clear? Was just this morning that it looked brownish? Eyes are completely clear (Donnie did have the white crusty eyes).

So do you think even if it is something that it can wait til tomorrow? Hopefully it just something up the nose as he does like to get right into his forage?

 

[Wiebke]

Last night it did look clear? Was just this morning that it looked brownish? Eyes are completely clear (Donnie did have the white crusty eyes).

So do you think even if it is something that it can wait til tomorrow? Hopefully it just something up the nose as he does like to get right into his forage?

It's definitely NOT an emergency.

 

[andisafc]

Thanks so much for your help! I will try and settle my mind!

 

[fluffysal]

Our little friends do like to stress us out

 

[andisafc]

Our little friends do like to stress us out

You got that right fluffysal. I have had guinea pigs for over 25 years and I've have never had as much stress and issues as I've had in the last 5 months. Thankfully Bramble has been ok until now but having to lose his cage mate with a resistant URI really has not helped my state of mind with whatever is going on with Bramble

 

[fluffysal]

I would love to see pigtures. Here are my Beastie Boys,
Dignified Sir GeorgeMischievous Master Boris

 

[andisafc]

Aww they are gorgeous. Here is Bramble, he is 9 months old and a chunk! I am worried that he does have a URI as my husband has said there is clear discharge

 

[andisafc]

@Wiebke They couldn't see or hear anything when I went but then he decided to have a wash and she saw that there was more liquid than you'd expect to see. They have decided to try him on azithromycin (don't know what dosage yet as they have to order it in) as this was the only thing that may have had a chance at what his cage mate had. She said it is unlikely to be the same thing after 3.5 weeks but not unheard of. Never had any experience of this antibiotic.

 

[fluffysal]

Hopefully it works.

 

[andisafc]

Hopefully it works.

I really hope so

 

[Wiebke]

@Wiebke They couldn't see or hear anything when I went but then he decided to have a wash and she saw that there was more liquid than you'd expect to see. They have decided to try him on azithromycin (don't know what dosage yet as they have to order it in) as this was the only thing that may have had a chance at what his cage mate had. She said it is unlikely to be the same thing after 3.5 weeks but not unheard of. Never had any experience of this antibiotic.

Zithromax (active ingredient azithromycin) is a very strong last ditch antibiotic. Many piggies tolerate it well but when it does impact on the gut it usually means total loss of appetite with the need for round the clock feeding support and a slow return of the appetite after the course (or two) of the antibiotic.
Give plenty of probiotics or fibreplex (UK brand) or benebac plus and also 'poo soup' (i.e. live gut microbiome transfer from a healthy companion not on antibiotics themselves if that is possible. The latter you can give in combination to any of the first three
How to make poo soup correctly (it is not quite as gross as it sounds) and more information on support products: Probiotics Live Gut Microbiome Transfer ('Poo Soup'); Recovery Formula Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links and Transfer Recipe
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

I've had piggies on zithromax several times, from serious eye injuries where an eye removal op was not feasible to abscesses but it has been used with respiratory illnesses with a resistancy issues as well.

And yes, I have had to nurse piggies through two subsequent courses of zithromax with total loss of appetite where the alternative would have been euthanasia. It was very exhausting doing it for several weeks but worth it because mine thankfully all made it through, didn't need an operation and lived for up to 5 1/2 years longer in the case of Hywel and his very rare post neutering complication and in the case of Nosgan, his badly shrunken and bashed-in eye went back to looking normal again and he regained even a modicum of sight again.

Good for having her vet checked after it wasn't a one-off event. All the best!

 

[andisafc]

I have Pro-C which I use sprinkled on food and have fibreplex from when his cage mate was on various antiobiotics. There is just Bramble now so don't have the option of poo soup unfortunately. I so hope it won't affect him like that as I have syringe fed poor Donnie for over 3 months and it is so exhausting and I can't really have time off work any more? I am honestly on the edge with everything now.

 

[Wiebke]

I have Pro-C which I use sprinkled on food and have fibreplex from when his cage mate was on various antiobiotics. There is just Bramble now so don't have the option of poo soup unfortunately. I so hope it won't affect him like that as I have syringe fed poor Donnie for over 3 months and it is so exhausting and I can't really have time off work any more? I am honestly on the edge with everything now.

HUGS

Hopefully the zithromax won't affect the appetite this time. Over half of my own piggies were fine with it.

Dylan only needed support for one week right at the very end of his 4 weeks but it shrunk his jaw abscess right down over Christmas 2019 - and it never came back up again, which in view of the pandemic that followed soon after and would have majorly impacted on his abscess treatment if it had come up again just around Lockdown and my vet out of local reach...

Hywel was on it repeatedly, first for his post-neutering op gut adhesion issue and then towards the and of his life for a recurring jaw abscess 5 years later which required about 3 rounds of zithromax in all to get on top of it and in all live a year longer than he would have otherwise. He never had any problems with the zithromax and actually genuinely liked it.

 

[andisafc]

HUGS

Hopefully the zithromax won't affect the appetite this time. Over half of my own piggies were fine with it.

Dylan only needed support for one week right at the very end of his 4 weeks but it shrunk his jaw abscess right down over Christmas 2019 - and it never came back up again, which in view of the pandemic that followed soon after and would have majorly impacted on his abscess treatment if it had come up again just around the lockdown...

Hywel was on it repeatedly, first for his post-neutering op gut adhesion issue and then towards the and of his life for a recurring jaw abscess 5 years later which required about 3 rounds of zithromax in all to get on top of it and in all live a year longer than he would have otherwise. He never had any problems with the zithromax and actually genuinely liked it.

Thanks for the support! Pleased your pigs had such a lovely owner as you Yeah I can't imagine how that might have gone with his abscess during lockdown?!

They have given me 10 days dose so I can only hope that it doesn't affect him too much?

With regards to the hand feeding, I previously used Kavee Krucial Care, do you know if this is any good? It did seem to do the trick for the 1st couple of months but then I just couldn't get enough in Donnie? Tried Critical Care in the past and non have enjoyed the aniseed flavour which seems to be the go to in the UK?

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for the support! Pleased your pigs had such a lovely owner as you Yeah I can't imagine how that might have gone with his abscess during lockdown?!

They have given me 10 days dose so I can only hope that it doesn't affect him too much?

With regards to the hand feeding, I previously used Kavee Krucial Care, do you know if this is any good? It did seem to do the trick for the 1st couple of months but then I just couldn't get enough in Donnie? Tried Critical Care in the past and non have enjoyed the aniseed flavour which seems to be the go to in the UK?

It was more often a second course that did mine in but you have to play that by ear. Hopefully the 10 days course will do the trick.

I am not familiar with Kavee Krucial Care - but I would expect that to be a cheap version of some sort of Critical Care? I usually use emeraid with piggies with total loss of appetite, which goes down a lot better but it is not cheap and doesn't last.

 

[andisafc]

It was more often a second course that did mine in but you have to play that by ear. Hopefully the 10 days course will do the trick.

I am not familiar with Kavee Krucial Care - but I would expect that to be a cheap version of some sort of Critical Care? I usually use emeraid with piggies with total loss of appetite, which goes down a lot better but it is not cheap and doesn't last.

Knowing my luck I can guess what may happen?

It is Kavee the cage makers version, it is £14.99 for 400ml of feed. I do also have the Burgess Dual Care that a previous vet recommended.

I just can't lose Bramble too, he is only 9.5 months old (Donnie was 8.5mths old).

 

[Wiebke]

Knowing my luck I can guess what may happen?

It is Kavee the cage makers version, it is £14.99 for 400ml of feed. I do also have the Burgess Dual Care that a previous vet recommended.

I just can't lose Bramble too, he is only 9.5 months old (Donnie was 8.5mths old).

HUGS

You are stepping in very early with Bramble, so he will hopefully have a better chance.

The main things is to get enough feed into them whenever needed; which brand doesn't matter quite as much.

 

[andisafc]

HUGS

You are stepping in very early with Bramble, so he will hopefully have a better chance.

The main things is to get enough feed into them whenever needed; which brand doesn't matter quite as much.

Thanks very much, I will try everything in my power to get him better. He was supposed to be getting bonded at the weekend with a baby so obviously that has been put off for a couple of weeks!

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks very much, I will try everything in my power to get him better. He was supposed to be getting bonded at the weekend with a baby so obviously that has been put off for a couple of weeks!

HUGS

 

[andisafc]

HUGS

Sorry to be a pain but I’ve just weighed him & he has lost 27g since the 7th, do you think I should start support feeding now a little? I think I’m over thinking things now?

 

[Wiebke]

Sorry to be a pain but I’ve just weighed him & he has lost 27g since the 7th, do you think I should start support feeding now a little? I think I’m over thinking things now?

Hi

27g is the difference between a full belly and an empty one and still within the normal weight swing over the course of 24 hours.
We don't speak of weight loss before 50g for that reason.

You can find our weight loss guide lines in this link here: Weight - Monitoring and Management

 

[andisafc]

Hi

27g is the difference between a full belly and an empty one and still within the normal weight swing over the course of 24 hours.
We don't speak of weight loss before 50g for that reason.

You can find our weight loss guide lines in this link here: Weight - Monitoring and Management

Thanks, so do you mean 50g in one day? I’m so wound up, I’m sorry for asking loads of questions! Also, unrelated but do you write for Guinea pig magazine?

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks, so do you mean 50g in one day? I’m so wound up, I’m sorry for asking loads of questions! Also, unrelated but do you write for Guinea pig magazine?

50g in one or several days; but that is the degree of weight loss when stepping in with additional support and - if you are not yet on treatment - to book a vet appointment.

Please switch to weighing first thing in the morning when the weight is always lowest for best and most stable day-to-day comparison; this will also allow you to plan out the support level for the coming day.

And yes, I do write for Guinea Pig Magazine. You can see it in my signature underneath every post I write.

 

[andisafc]

50g in one or several days; but that is the degree of weight loss when stepping in with additional support and - if you are not yet on treatment - to book a vet appointment.

Please switch to weighing first thing in the morning when the weight is always lowest for best and most stable day-to-day comparison; this will also allow you to plan out the support level for the coming day.

And yes, I do write for Guinea Pig Magazine. You can see it in my signature underneath every post I write.

Thanks, I will change to mornings now, sorry I think I was told before but I forgot with everything that was going on previously?

Sorry I’m on my phone & it doesn’t show up on here about the Guinea Pig magazine.

Promise I’ll stop being a pain