Guinea Pig Breathing Fast

[Butterfluf]

Hi,

I have a video on YouTube of what I mean when I say he's breathing fast which I'll put here:

I was worried for an upper respiratory infection but I brought him to the vet on Tuesday and she said he sounded like he was breathing clearly through the stetiscope. I would appreciate anysuggestions as to what it could be so I can relay them to her to ask her to check. I have an appointment tomorrow at 5.30pm to get them their last lice injection so I'll be taking him then. I'm very worried about him he's lost 50g in a week and he fell asleep for 30-60mins on my lap yesterday.

The vet gave me tablets that I will attach a picture of. He's only around 5 months old and I want to do all I can for him. I'm currently crushing up half a tab daily and mixing it with water and syringe feeding that into him. The vet said that she couldn't feel any gas/bloating that his chest was clear and temp was fine. She said that he could be losing weight from stress of sharing a cage with 4 other males so I have separated him to be on his own, for the moment. Please any help would be appreciated I don't know what, it is and I want to get him better and back to himself.

My dad suggested the possibility that he might be allergic to the tablets, or the ivermectin injection or something else, is this possible?

 

[Piggies&buns]

That is definitely not normal. I don’t know what it could be, but I don’t think I’d wait until tomorrow to have him seen.

I will add though that you can only keep males in pairs as otherwise fights are highly likely occur. He doesn’t need to be on his own, but looking for a suitable permanent pairing with one of the other boys he gets on best with is the thing to do the for the long term.

 

[Butterfluf]

That is definitely not normal. I don’t know what it could be, but I don’t think I’d wait until tomorrow to have him seen.

I will add though that you can only keep males in pairs as otherwise fights are highly likely occur. He doesn’t need to be on his own, but looking for a suitable permanent pairing with one of the other boys he gets on best with is the thing to do the for the long term.

Unfortunately I'm at college all day today so I don't think I'd manage to get an appointment today. There were 3 baby males in the cage and one adult and the other adult chased this guy. I have another cage ordered and I think that one of the babies would be a good match for him. I'm worried about him though I don't know what could be wrong

 

[Butterfluf]

I have managed to get him an appointment at 4.30 today so hopefully they can find different results today. If anyone has any suggestions that I could say to her that would be great aswell thank you!

 

[Wiebke]

I have managed to get him an appointment at 4.30 today so hopefully they can find different results today. If anyone has any suggestions that I could say to her that would be great aswell thank you!

Hi!

Good that you have an appointment!

Please have the vet check both lungs and heart. If there is any sign of fluid either in the chest cavity or in the lungs, he will need a diuretic to help drain it and ease the breathing in addition to any other medication (antibiotics if it is pneumonia/respiratory infection) and other heart drugs in case of heart problems).

 

[Butterfluf]

Hi!

Good that you have an appointment!

Please have the vet check both lungs and heart. If there is any sign of fluid either in the chest cavity or in the lungs, he will need a diuretic to help drain it and ease the breathing in addition to any other medication (antibiotics if it is pneumonia/respiratory infection) and other heart drugs in case of heart problems).

She has given me odimar 5mg tabs for him to be crushed, mixed in water and syringe fed. I believe this is an antibiotic for dogs and cats, I cut it in half and give him half a day. She didn't give me any probiotics so I was thinking maybe he also could have an upset stomach if all his bacteria is being taken away. I will ask her to check lungs again and heart, I saw her Tuesday and she said his lungs were clear but I really don't. Think that they are.

 

[Wiebke]

She has given me odimar 5mg tabs for him to be crushed, mixed in water and syringe fed. I believe this is an antibiotic for dogs and cats, I cut it in half and give him half a day. She didn't give me any probiotics so I was thinking maybe he also could have an upset stomach if all his bacteria is being taken away. I will ask her to check lungs again and heart, I saw her Tuesday and she said his lungs were clear but I really don't. Think that they are.

I am not familiar with odimar but it is related to baytril and safe for guinea pigs.

The most effective gut prop is the cheapest - absolutely freshly made 'poo soup', which is basically transfer of live gut mircrobiome from a healthy piggy. It mimics natural behaviour in recovering piggies.
Here is the 'recipe'; the fresher the poos the more tailor-made live stuff will be transferred: Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

All the best!

 

[Butterfluf]

I am not familiar with odimar but it is related to baytril and safe for guinea pigs.

The most effective gut prop is the cheapest - absolutely freshly made 'poo soup', which is basically transfer of live gut mircrobiome from a healthy piggy. It mimics natural behaviour in recovering piggies.
Here is the 'recipe'; the fresher the poos the more tailor-made live stuff will be transferred: Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

All the best!

Thank you I hadn't heard of it either but hopefully it helps him. I will see what she says later Today. Do you think he'd get enough vit c to recover from the veggies I give him? I'll give the soup a go I'll see if she has any suggestions herself but it seems the best option thank you

 

[Butterfluf]

I am not familiar with odimar but it is related to baytril and safe for guinea pigs.

The most effective gut prop is the cheapest - absolutely freshly made 'poo soup', which is basically transfer of live gut mircrobiome from a healthy piggy. It mimics natural behaviour in recovering piggies.
Here is the 'recipe'; the fresher the poos the more tailor-made live stuff will be transferred: Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

All the best!

I do have another question please about the soup. All my piggies are getting ivermectin injections for lice at the moment so would it be a bad idea to use the soup if they have that in their system?

 

[Wiebke]

I do have another question please about the soup. All my piggies are getting ivermectin injections for lice at the moment so would it be a bad idea to use the soup if they have that in their system?

Ivermectin can be administered as a spot on, via injection or orally so that is not a problem at all.
Nor is there a lice or lice egg transmission problem.

 

[Butterfluf]

Ivermectin can be administered as a spot on, via injection or orally so that is not a problem at all.
Nor is there a lice or lice egg transmission problem.

So even if they have lice and are being treated for it I can make the soup for my little guy if the other piggies are reasonably healthy even with the lice?

 

[Wiebke]

So even if they have lice and are being treated for it I can make the soup for my little guy if the other piggies are reasonably healthy even with the lice?

Yes, you can.

You can also give extra vitamin C for 2-3 weeks as a booster. (Information is in the same link)

 

[Butterfluf]

Yes, you can.

You can also give extra vitamin C for 2-3 weeks as a booster. (Information is in the same link)

That's great thank you! I'll talk about it with the vet when I see her . Could I give him extra veg for the vit C or should I supplement it in the water etc?

 

[Butterfluf]

Hi I took him to the vet and by chance I git to see a different vet than normal and that one said he had pneumonia. He gave him an antibiotic injection and also gave me metadam to give daily too aswell as a liquid antibiotic. So we will see how he gets on, I forgot to ask about the probiotic, but should I just start doing that as soon as I give him the liquid stuff? Thanks

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hi I took him to the vet and by chance I git to see a different vet than normal and that one said he had pneumonia. He gave him an antibiotic injection and also gave me metadam to give daily too aswell as a liquid antibiotic. So we will see how he gets on, I forgot to ask about the probiotic, but should I just start doing that as soon as I give him the liquid stuff? Thanks

If you are going to give a probiotic, then it needs to be done between antibiotic doses, not at the same time so give antibiotic, wait an hour or two and then give probiotic

 

[Butterfluf]

If you are going to give a probiotic, then it needs to be done between antibiotic doses, not at the same time so give antibiotic, wait an hour or two and then give probiotic

Thank you, is it a good idea to give a probiotic or should I just leave him with the antibiotic for a bit?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you, is it a good idea to give a probiotic or should I just leave him with the antibiotic for a bit?

Not all piggies will get tummy troubles on antibiotics, and not all antibiotics will upset tummies. Giving probiotics won’t do any harm though, and in my opinion, it’s possibly best to try to head off any tummy troubles rather than wait until it happens and then have to deal with it - the choice it’s yours though

 

[Butterfluf]

Not all piggies will get tummy troubles on antibiotics, and not all antibiotics will upset tummies. Giving probiotics won’t do any harm though, and in my opinion, it’s possibly best to try to head off any tummy troubles rather than wait until it happens and then have to deal with it - the choice it’s yours though

Thank you I think I'll try the 'poop soup' on, the forum and syringe feed that to him and hopefully he will get better soon. I am a bit mad at the other vet who was telling me he was healthy and breathing fine when he really wasn't and he could have been getting better from earlier on. Poor guy :/

 

[Piggies&buns]

Yes, it is frustrating and sad for him that he had to get worse, but maybe the symptoms werent entirely obvious at the first check and his chest didn’t sound as bad maybe? I think us slaves can notice when things aren’t right even if the clinical signs aren’t yet able to be picked up on examination

 

[Butterfluf]

Yes, it is frustrating and sad for him that he had to get worse, but maybe the symptoms werent entirely obvious at the first check and his chest didn’t sound as bad maybe? I think us slaves can notice when things aren’t right even if the clinical signs aren’t yet able to be picked up on examination

Yes unfortunately that's the way. Maybe he hid them to get extra pampered! He's so spoilt but he's so tame and funny he's a real character I'm happy to have him. He was coughing and sneezing for a while and I was saying it to the vet she just couldn't hear anything I suppose. It was luck that I got to see a different vet today, I was late for my appointment and this guy said he could take a look and he had owned a pair of guinea pigs in the past. He seemed a lot more compassion towards him so I'm glad now he should hopefully recover

 

[Piggies&buns]

I do hope he gets well quickly. Keep us posted

 

[Butterfluf]

I do hope he gets well quickly. Keep us posted

I will, he has a check up scheduled for Wednesday all going well so hopefully he will be OK

 

[Butterfluf]

Hi, he's still not well today he's not eating or drinking so I am, syringe feeding and watering him. How much water should I give him and how often? If he hasn't improved with the antibiotic tomorrow I'm going to have leave him in there but they are not a small animal vet but, have some experience. I got a probiotic called nutraflora for cats and dogs but I can't see anywhere if its good or bad for Guinea pigs. Would anyone know can I give this to him somehow to help him?