B
bjkeane1
Hey there, just thought Id post a new thread about my poor little piggies condition. I'm not sure if there is already another one about pneumonia on here, but just in case there isn't and another poor piggie fall ill...
A couple of days ago I found my poor munchkin Charlie struggling to breathe. I had gone to their cage for feeding time and normally Charlie is the first to come up and pop his head up for food, squeeking but this time I found him hiding under a little house. At first it seemed he was trying to squeak but couldn't, then I quickly realised he couldn't even breathe properly. I thought he was choking on grass I had fed them earlier..I quickly got him out of the cage and took him for a 25min drive to the only 24hr vet to get help...
The vet was unsure whether he was choking or had pneumonia, the xray didnt show anything and he didnt seem to be drooling, which apparently is common with food stuck in the throat..
Charlie was put on antibiotics straight away for either case, to keep him strong... I was given a medicine called "Clavulox" or something similar. I assumed the vet knew what he was doing, thought nothing of it, the next morning I gave Charlie another dose of his medication...His breathing had not improved, possibly worsened. He would stretch his throat out and gasp.. Very hard to listen to knowing he was struggling and I couldn't do anything more to help :-(
Later that day I read on the net that guinea pigs cannot be administered Amoxycilin or Penicillin...
That night I went to give him his 3rd dose as he was still in very bad shape and read on the box... it had in bold letters... Do Not Give to Herbivores eg/ Guinea Pigs.... I almost died!
I rang the vet straight away annoyed that he had given me something that was NOT to be used on guinea pigs! What was he thinking?!
I spoke to another vet there, who was confused as to why his colleague had administered that medicine as well and told me to stop immediately..Later I went back to the Vet and they had prepared a 2nd medication to give Charlie..This one was "Baltrin"
Now, 3 days later Charlie has slowly gotten his appetite back, just nibbling, only just and is no longer gasping for air..He is still a little slow and not chirpy but thats expected..Hopefully not too long now and he will be 100% better...I figured it was in the end pneumonia as it is common in Guinea Pigs and not him choking
So, for anyone else out there who finds their guinea pig gasping for air here is his symptoms and just a reminder to double check what the vet gives to your little buddy!
Symptoms: No appetite, no animation, gasping for air, sticking his nose up in the air when they breathe in, the noise sounds a little crackly, definately blocked, breathing is laboured, and mouth always wide open. Breathing also very shallow..Cannot make any noises, no squeeking, eeking, purring. Just gasps... :-(
Make sure you seperate your ill pig away from healthy ones as it is very contagious apparently. To help, make ure you give the right antibiotics, keep them warm, and comfortable. I also fed Charlie water with a seperate syringe and also blended a carrot with some water into a liquid so I could syringe that into him as well, for some nutrition, only little bits, as he wasnt eating or drinking. I think this helped a little.
Hope this helps anybody in the future..
A couple of days ago I found my poor munchkin Charlie struggling to breathe. I had gone to their cage for feeding time and normally Charlie is the first to come up and pop his head up for food, squeeking but this time I found him hiding under a little house. At first it seemed he was trying to squeak but couldn't, then I quickly realised he couldn't even breathe properly. I thought he was choking on grass I had fed them earlier..I quickly got him out of the cage and took him for a 25min drive to the only 24hr vet to get help...
The vet was unsure whether he was choking or had pneumonia, the xray didnt show anything and he didnt seem to be drooling, which apparently is common with food stuck in the throat..
Charlie was put on antibiotics straight away for either case, to keep him strong... I was given a medicine called "Clavulox" or something similar. I assumed the vet knew what he was doing, thought nothing of it, the next morning I gave Charlie another dose of his medication...His breathing had not improved, possibly worsened. He would stretch his throat out and gasp.. Very hard to listen to knowing he was struggling and I couldn't do anything more to help :-(
Later that day I read on the net that guinea pigs cannot be administered Amoxycilin or Penicillin...
That night I went to give him his 3rd dose as he was still in very bad shape and read on the box... it had in bold letters... Do Not Give to Herbivores eg/ Guinea Pigs.... I almost died!
I rang the vet straight away annoyed that he had given me something that was NOT to be used on guinea pigs! What was he thinking?!
I spoke to another vet there, who was confused as to why his colleague had administered that medicine as well and told me to stop immediately..Later I went back to the Vet and they had prepared a 2nd medication to give Charlie..This one was "Baltrin"
Now, 3 days later Charlie has slowly gotten his appetite back, just nibbling, only just and is no longer gasping for air..He is still a little slow and not chirpy but thats expected..Hopefully not too long now and he will be 100% better...I figured it was in the end pneumonia as it is common in Guinea Pigs and not him choking
So, for anyone else out there who finds their guinea pig gasping for air here is his symptoms and just a reminder to double check what the vet gives to your little buddy!
Symptoms: No appetite, no animation, gasping for air, sticking his nose up in the air when they breathe in, the noise sounds a little crackly, definately blocked, breathing is laboured, and mouth always wide open. Breathing also very shallow..Cannot make any noises, no squeeking, eeking, purring. Just gasps... :-(
Make sure you seperate your ill pig away from healthy ones as it is very contagious apparently. To help, make ure you give the right antibiotics, keep them warm, and comfortable. I also fed Charlie water with a seperate syringe and also blended a carrot with some water into a liquid so I could syringe that into him as well, for some nutrition, only little bits, as he wasnt eating or drinking. I think this helped a little.
Hope this helps anybody in the future..
x
|)