Dutting sound

[andisafc]

Hello again! Just after a bit of advice again! I noticed that Bramble (nearly 3 year old male, with kidney disease) was making a "dutting" sound when eating things that he has to snuffle for. So managed to get him in at our exotic vet in a few hours. She couldn't really hear anything but his nostril was slightly wet. She did say that she couldn't hear many lung sounds (she also listened to his brother too for comparison) and was a bit concerned and said it could be fluid on his lungs, abscess or possibly heart issues but she said she didn't think it was that as his heart had no unusual beats? She suggested a 10 day course of co-trim and to see him again afterwards and possibly do an x-ray.

That was Saturday and the noises are getting more frequent. He is fine in himself, maintaining weight and drinking. I have a call out for one of the exotics to give me a call today but I was just wondering if anyone had a similar experience? Thanks x

 

[Wiebke]

Hello again! Just after a bit of advice again! I noticed that Bramble (nearly 3 year old male, with kidney disease) was making a "dutting" sound when eating things that he has to snuffle for. So managed to get him in at our exotic vet in a few hours. She couldn't really hear anything but his nostril was slightly wet. She did say that she couldn't hear many lung sounds (she also listened to his brother too for comparison) and was a bit concerned and said it could be fluid on his lungs, abscess or possibly heart issues but she said she didn't think it was that as his heart had no unusual beats? She suggested a 10 day course of co-trim and to see him again afterwards and possibly do an x-ray.

That was Saturday and the noises are getting more frequent. He is fine in himself, maintaining weight and drinking. I have a call out for one of the exotics to give me a call today but I was just wondering if anyone had a similar experience? Thanks x

Hi

Please let us know how you are getting on. The nasal passages are only very small and narrow, so the least obstruction, like pollen, a little hay etc. can easily become very audible. Even more so when they are eating and breathing at the same time.

I would frankly not worry about a respiratory infection. You can always check where the sound is coming from by holding your ear against the side of the face, the throat and chest as a kind of improvised stethoscope. As long as the lungs are clear, you are not dealing with an emergency. Nasal obstructions often clear within a few hours, not rarely with big old nose clearing sneeze.

 

[andisafc]

Hi @Wiebke , hope you are well? Thanks so much for replying, always much appreciated. They are going to check him over tomorrow. I should have said that he was at the vets originally for this on Saturday and it has gradually gotten more frequent a noise? My other boy - Fozzy does have this issue every now and again and like you say a big sneeze will clear it.

I guess the bit that has thrown me was the lack of lungs sounds and if it was a heart issue? I know they would have liked to give him metacam for inflammation but with his kidney issue they don't see that as an option?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi @Wiebke , hope you are well? Thanks so much for replying, always much appreciated. They are going to check him over tomorrow. I should have said that he was at the vets originally for this on Saturday and it has gradually gotten more frequent a noise? My other boy - Fozzy does have this issue every now and again and like you say a big sneeze will clear it.

I guess the bit that has thrown me was the lack of lungs sounds and if it was a heart issue? I know they would have liked to give him metacam for inflammation but with his kidney issue they don't see that as an option?

Hi

Please take a deep breath and see whether a bowl of steaming water next to the cage can bring a bit of ease. The link between hooting and heart issues is one of these unproven urban myths that somebody has brought up and that has impressed everybody without there ever been any research into it and that has been happily handed around by wannabe 'experts' trying to show off their 'knowledge'.
Unfortunately, this kind of online bible absolutely not helping anybody with even a hint of anxiety since neither searchers nor 'experts' usually have the medical background or personal depth of experience to judge what they are at.

It takes weeks of persistent hooting before I would go anywhere near that particular online rabbit hole. in the overhelming majority of times we have dealth with it on here was just a bit of pollen or a tiny particle of hay stuck in the nose. The remainder (one or twice) fits in nicely into the coincidence section, which you have to always factor in and which in my personal opinion is at the bottom of this particular myth. Seeing the time of year, it may simply be some pollen your boy is sensitive to.

Wishing you all my best.

Thank you for asking. I am still trying to recover from having been unwell for the last 4 months and my mood is currently not the best, having had to bury my old lady Dryw today. Sorry for the rant about online stuff. I get angry seeing how much distress these unproven and unquestioned urban myths are still causing to anxious owners.

 

[andisafc]

Hi

Please take a deep breath and see whether a bowl of steaming water next to the cage can bring a bit of ease. The link between hooting and heart issues is one of these unproven urban myths that somebody has brought up and that has impressed everybody without there ever been any research into it and that has been happily handed around by wannabe 'experts' trying to show off their 'knowledge'.
Unfortunately, this kind of online bible absolutely not helping anybody with even a hint of anxiety since neither searchers nor 'experts' usually have the medical background or personal depth of experience to judge what they are at.

It takes weeks of persistent hooting before I would go anywhere near that particular online rabbit hole. in the overhelming majority of times we have dealth with it on here was just a bit of pollen or a tiny particle of hay stuck in the nose. The remainder (one or twice) fits in nicely into the coincidence section, which you have to always factor in and which in my personal opinion is at the bottom of this particular myth. Seeing the time of year, it may simply be some pollen your boy is sensitive to.

Wishing you all my best.

Thank you for asking. I am still trying to recover from having been unwell for the last 4 months and my mood is currently not the best, having had to bury my old lady Dryw today. Sorry for the rant about online stuff. I get angry seeing how much distress these unproven and unquestioned urban myths are still causing to anxious owners.

Awww I am so sorry to hear about Dryw, thinking of you and her friends. Sending hugs, sounds like you need a big one today and especially after being ill for so long.

Thanks for your reply again, it really is appreciated.

Hoping that you’re right & I’m being anxious as you say. Which I am prone to! Hopefully I’m just adding to the vets Christmas party fund!

Will let you know what is said, seeing the lead exotic vet tomorrow. Bramble is hoping they take him off the meds! He hates it! Banana apparently isn’t good in liquid form! x

 

[Wiebke]

Awww I am so sorry to hear about Dryw, thinking of you and her friends. Sending hugs, sounds like you need a big one today and especially after being ill for so long.

Thanks for your reply again, it really is appreciated.

Hoping that you’re right & I’m being anxious as you say. Which I am prone to! Hopefully I’m just adding to the vets Christmas party fund!

Will let you know what is said, seeing the lead exotic vet tomorrow. Bramble is hoping they take him off the meds! He hates it! Banana apparently isn’t good in liquid form! x

Thank you for your hugs! I do need them today. I've had Dryw for over 6 years since she was a small baby.

I am keeping my fingers crossed for Bramble. Kidney disease is not nice and of course it weakens the whole body.

 

[andisafc]

Thank you for your hugs! I do need them today. I've had Dryw for over 6 years since she was a small baby.

I am keeping my fingers crossed for Bramble. Kidney disease is not nice and of course it weakens the whole body.

It is heart breaking when the time comes, I don't think it ever quite leaves you? Hope you managed to get a good nights sleep?

Thank you so much! Just got back from the Vets and she is confident that it is upper and not lower whatever is going on! She has advised a low (0.6ml) dose of metacam for anti-inflammatory properties once a day. I have to keep a close eye on him and stop it if he does start drinking more with his kidney disease. Do you have any experience with pigs taking it when they have kidney issues? Also I have nebulise him once a day.

He left a dirty protest as per usual Here is a little pic from Christmas!

 

[Wiebke]

It is heart breaking when the time comes, I don't think it ever quite leaves you? Hope you managed to get a good nights sleep?

Thank you so much! Just got back from the Vets and she is confident that it is upper and not lower whatever is going on! She has advised a low (0.6ml) dose of metacam for anti-inflammatory properties once a day. I have to keep a close eye on him and stop it if he does start drinking more with his kidney disease. Do you have any experience with pigs taking it when they have kidney issues? Also I have nebulise him once a day.

He left a dirty protest as per usual Here is a little pic from Christmas!

View attachment 282697

Hi

Most piggies like metacam since it contains a little honey. Painkillers for animals and children need to taste good because they are what needs to go down when they are feeling off.

What you were describing was a nose sound and not a lung sound but it is good that your vet is confirming it.

Increased drinking/very watery urine is a symptom of progressing kidney failure. Intake can sometimes change short-term during heat waves or when the indoors heating is starting and the air becomes suddenly drier or depending on their veg; but with kidney failure you are looking at a sustained trend.

Thank you. I do miss Dryw and I hate the goodbyes - as I miss all my previous piggies, going back to my childhood in over half a century; but with coming up to 100 piggies going through my life and with having had to take leave of over 70 of them by now, you grieve differently because you can skip some of the mechanics or at least recognise them for what they are. What never gets easier is the pain of losing another special and individual bond and a unique personality.

Dryw was an old lady and had been slowing down for the last few weeks, so I have been able to do some of the grieving before her passing.
I haven't had the guts yet to go through over 6 years of piggy pictures for her tribut and to add Dryw's death to my list of Tribe piggies (all the ones I have had since I joined the forum); but if you are interested, they are all in my signature link with a picture and their story. Here is the shortcut: Wiebke's Tribe Photo Gallery

 

[andisafc]

Hi

Most piggies like metacam since it contains a little honey. Painkillers for animals and children need to taste good because they are what needs to go down when they are feeling off.

What you were describing was a nose sound and not a lung sound but it is good that your vet is confirming it.

Increased drinking/very watery urine is a symptom of progressing kidney failure. Intake can sometimes change short-term during heat waves or when the indoors heating is starting and the air becomes suddenly drier or depending on their veg but with kidneys you are looking at a sustained trend.

I do miss Dryw and I hate the goodbyes - as I miss all my previous piggies, going back to my childhood in over half a century; but with coming up to 100 piggies going through my life and with having had to take leave of the majority of them, you grieve differently because you can skip some of the mechanics or at least recognise them for what they are. What never gets easier is the pain of losing another special and individual bond and a unique personality.
Dryw was an old lady and had been slowing down for the last few weeks, so I have been able to do some of the grieving before her passing.
I haven't had the guts yet to add Dryw's death to my list of Tribe piggies (all the ones I have had since I joined the forum), but if you are interested, they are all in my signature link with a picture and their story. Here is the shortcut: Wiebke's Tribe Photo Gallery

I think he is the only pig that hasn't liked it in the past? Do you think it would effect his already poorly kidneys? The Vet said there was a small risk so I was just wondering if you had ever given any of your many pigs metacam after diagnosed with kidney issues?

It is scary when you hear that sound, I have grown used to Fozzy's grunts etc. but Bramble hasn't ever done it before! The Vet did say that he was carrying a fair bit of weight too! Oops! He lost 100g when he was diagnosed with his kidney issues and has eventually put it back on and then a little more! I know that I am on borrowed time with him but I would hate to think that I missed something that could have been sorted?

I completely know what you mean, that bond is so strong with some of them. She sounds like she has had the best life with you all! You have had some beautiful guinea pigs over the years and fantastic characters! Such a lovely thread to read through. Dryw was a beauty!