• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Guinea pig has pneumonia:(

Becksbiv

Becksbiv

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Nov 15, 2018
Messages
13
Reaction score
9
Points
155
So I just got a guinea pig at pet smart almost 2 weeks ago. I have one that was given to me by a friend and he needed a partner so I got Penny at pet smart. I noticed she was sneezing and I am new to owning guinea pigs but I thought it was something normal. I’ve never heard my other guinea pig (whiskey) sneeze before but I didn’t think much of it. Well today I noticed that Penny hadn’t eaten her lettuce, which she loves, so I pulled her out and she didn’t want to move, she had dried mucus on her nose, and I could tell she wasn’t breathing right. I called pet smart right away because I had just gotten her and I couldn’t afford to take her to a vet but I would have anyways. They asked me to bring her in and they would have their vet check her tomorrow morning. Well they had me “return” her so that she could get treated for whatever she had and I have to buy her back as soon as she recovers. They just called me and said the vet ended up seeing her tonight and told me that she has pneumonia and that she would be on 2 different antibiotics. So they are going to treat and I won’t be able to see her. Do guinea pigs survive pneumonia? Even with treatment? And when I get her back how can I make sure she doesn’t get sick again? I need some answers
 
I don't know the answers but hopefully the fact they are treating her is a good sign. Praying she pulls through. The fact they took responsibility and have covered the vet fees etc is all good too.
 
Pneumonia is treatable certainly so i am sending your piggy lots of vibes. You cant guarantee you pets will not get sick. Pets are a commitment and can be costly please never underestimate that, no matter how well you look after pets they become sick like humans so you will always need money for a vet fund.

Sending your piggy lots of love
 
Pigwhisperer said:
I don't know the answers but hopefully the fact they are treating her is a good sign. Praying she pulls through. The fact they took responsibility and have covered the vet fees etc is all good too.
Click to expand...
Pigwhisperer said:
I don't know the answers but hopefully the fact they are treating her is a good sign. Praying she pulls through. The fact they took responsibility and have covered the vet fees etc is all good too.
Click to expand...
Thank you! I’ve been praying too.
 
Definitely starting a vet fund! Thank you
 
A vet fund is a must and definitely essential. My vet fund was seriously hit earlier in the year (has only just recovered!) as my Christian had to have a horrendous abscess removed that was the size of an egg and in parts was 1 cell thick (thin?) and was about to burst. It grew from the size of the top of my thumb to massive in 7 days.

I now have a very expensive but lovely and alive piggy. Here he is just for you.

Christian Tired Boy.webp
 
Ive had a pig that had pneumonia, he survived, he got better very quickly because i caught it straight away👍 the antibiotic nocked it right out. All the best to your pig.


I'm so sorry i didnt see your last post. Rip little one. You did all you could
 
I’m so sorry-
For me personally I could never shop there again, actually cannot believe they were going to charge you to have him back. Beyond belief

Once again sorry for your loss ❤️
 
Currently disinfecting everything and keeping a close eye on my other piggy. I’m really hoping that he didn’t catch it
 
What an awful experience you have had to go through, I'm so sorry 😔
 
I bought both Sundae and Spooky from a Pet Smart and had to “return” Spooky a week later as she developped ringworm. They made me return her in order to treat her, but kept me informed on her status. When she was fully recovered, they called me and I bought her back and picked her up. That was in May and she is all healed and fat and sassy ☺️ Sundae on the other hand was another story, I never returned her when she got sick as it was 3 vets deemed her problems on genetics and she died in Oct after teeth surgery. We miss her to this day and although Spooky still doesnt have a friend I just cant bear to go back to Pet Smart 😔

May I ask where you live?

I am very sorry for your loss.
 
SpookySundae said:
I bought both Sundae and Spooky from a Pet Smart and had to “return” Spooky a week later as she developped ringworm. They made me return her in order to treat her, but kept me informed on her status. When she was fully recovered, they called me and I bought her back and picked her up. That was in May and she is all healed and fat and sassy ☺️ Sundae on the other hand was another story, I never returned her when she got sick as it was 3 vets deemed her problems on genetics and she died in Oct after teeth surgery. We miss her to this day and although Spooky still doesnt have a friend I just cant bear to go back to Pet Smart 😔

May I ask where you live?

I am very sorry for your loss.
Click to expand...
I live in Arizona
 
Becksbiv said:
So I just got a guinea pig at pet smart almost 2 weeks ago. I have one that was given to me by a friend and he needed a partner so I got Penny at pet smart. I noticed she was sneezing and I am new to owning guinea pigs but I thought it was something normal. I’ve never heard my other guinea pig (whiskey) sneeze before but I didn’t think much of it. Well today I noticed that Penny hadn’t eaten her lettuce, which she loves, so I pulled her out and she didn’t want to move, she had dried mucus on her nose, and I could tell she wasn’t breathing right. I called pet smart right away because I had just gotten her and I couldn’t afford to take her to a vet but I would have anyways. They asked me to bring her in and they would have their vet check her tomorrow morning. Well they had me “return” her so that she could get treated for whatever she had and I have to buy her back as soon as she recovers. They just called me and said the vet ended up seeing her tonight and told me that she has pneumonia and that she would be on 2 different antibiotics. So they are going to treat and I won’t be able to see her. Do guinea pigs survive pneumonia? Even with treatment? And when I get her back how can I make sure she doesn’t get sick again? I need some answers
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome

It is sadly a bad practice of some shop chains to ask their customers to surrender ill piggies (which is their fault) and then buy them back again - it means that you lose your customer rights upon what is happening with the guinea pig and have no say in the matter if things go wrong. :(
What to check and look out for in new guinea pigs (vet checks, sexing, parasites&illness)

Whether she survives depends on what care (including syringe feeding care she is getting) and what is causing the pneumonia. If it is a straight forward bacterial neumonia that has been caught early enough, then there is a good chance she can survive. Keep sending her your loving and supportive thoughts! If you get her back, put her on a three week course of extra vitamin C (which you need to syringe) to boost her immune system. Please do not put her on high vitamin C long term as that can cause ironically scurvy symptoms as soon as the level is lowered. It is better to give a booster whenever a piggy is seriously ill/recovering from illness or very stressed. A good diet can also help to make her as fit as possible.
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

Older piggies with a fully developed immune system and without the stress of losing their family and several changes in surroundings can usually fend off a bacterial URI from a companion.

All the best for your poorly little girl!
 
Becksbiv said:
I was supposed to but I just received a call and she didn’t make it through the night 😞
Click to expand...

I am ever so sorry; I just saw this.

Please do not get another piggy from that shop if you can, as they are likely all carriers of the same bug. :(
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top