Guinea pig URI, Vicks, just need some comfort

[Sarah Jane]

Firstly, hi! I’m new here, but this website has already helped me a lot with a lot of my research regarding having piggies

First I will preface with my guinea pig has gone to the vet and was on a 10 day course of Doxycycline, which has been extended another 10 days at double the dose. It does seem to be working in her chest, but she has a popping sound in her nose that sounds like she has mucus. Her eyes and nose are bright and clear, but I still think perhaps there’s mucus she can’t get rid of it. When she sneezes it sounds like she has phlegm. I’ve had her in my shower (not getting wet but for the steam) and I’ve also added Vicks to the shower floor so the smell is in the steam a few times but it seems to have done nothing.
Tonight I made a last ditch effort to see if we could nip it in the bud and I added a very small amount to the top of her nose and a tiny, tiny bit to the sides of her nose. She didn’t really react, she didn’t care much about it. I then washed it off of her nose with some hand soap (I know, not the best option but it’s all I had right there). I’m now just kind of stressing that it’ll make her sick. She didn’t ingest any of it straight but did groom herself after I washed her nose. She should be ok, right? She is about 10 weeks old now and came home with the URI when I got her. I’ve given her a bunch of lettuce tonight and she pop corned in her cage and is happily munching away but I am just so scared of doing wrong by her and I want this URI gone so I can get her a cage mate already

Thank you in advance for any advice and I hope I don’t get mean comments as I did do research beforehand which is why I made sure to wash it off, but I didn’t realise it was absolutely toxic to them.

 

[Sarah Jane]

To continue on my last sentence, I didn’t realise it was absolutely toxic to them because so many people use it.

 

[Black piggies]

Aw it's a shame you've had to worry about her health so soon. At 10 weeks, she's too young to be alone. The best thing for her immunity would be a friend. Don't put vicks or soap on her, just follow vet advice and hopefully you'll get her well

 

[Sarah Jane]

Aw it's a shame you've had to worry about her health so soon. At 10 weeks, she's too young to be alone. The best thing for her immunity would be a friend. Don't put vicks or soap on her, just follow vet advice and hopefully you'll get her well

Aw it's a shame you've had to worry about her health so soon. At 10 weeks, she's too young to be alone. The best thing for her immunity would be a friend. Don't put vicks or soap on her, just follow vet advice and hopefully you'll get her well

But if I get her a friend, that pig will also contract a URI.
I also already did those things which is why I’ve posted the thread.

 

[Black piggies]

Youll get advice from one of the forum staff, my understanding is they don't pass URI to healthy pigs. I've got one pig being treated for URI, living with her 3 healthy cage mates. Vet said that's fine.

 

[Sarah Jane]

Youll get advice from one of the forum staff, my understanding is they don't pass URI to healthy pigs. I've got one pig being treated for URI, living with her 3 healthy cage mates. Vet said that's fine.

Oh really? I didn’t know that. I’ve had rats in the past and unfortunately one developed a URI and it spread through the rest of my lovelies. I miss them a lot.
I will have to ask my vet. But I’ve worked in isolation/quarantined sections at animal rescues as well as studied a cert in animal studies and due to RI’s having such a contagious nature I figured there’s no way to introduce a new piggy until she gets better.
Thank you for your comments!

 

[Black piggies]

How awful about your rats
I've read forum staff repeatedly saying that quarantine rules don't apply to guinea pig babies because they are social and can't thrive alone. But not sure whether that applies once you have a URI.
I see you've just joined, welcome to the forum, you'll get great advice here

 

[Sarah Jane]

How awful about your rats
I've read forum staff repeatedly saying that quarantine rules don't apply to guinea pig babies because they are social and can't thrive alone. But not sure whether that applies once you have a URI.
I see you've just joined, welcome to the forum, you'll get great advice here

Hm, okay. I haven’t read that but I will do some research on it now! I just can’t afford the extra extra vet bills if the other guinea pig catches a easily avoided illness.
Thank you so much! I am already learning so much here!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Oh really? I didn’t know that. I’ve had rats in the past and unfortunately one developed a URI and it spread through the rest of my lovelies. I miss them a lot.
I will have to ask my vet. But I’ve worked in isolation/quarantined sections at animal rescues as well as studied a cert in animal studies and due to RI’s having such a contagious nature I figured there’s no way to introduce a new piggy until she gets better.
Thank you for your comments!

I'm sorry to hear she is unwell.

Healthy piggies with a working immune system can quite easily fight off a URI. It’s entirely usual that when one piggy in a group gets a URI, the others don’t get it. But it’s quite different to knowingly introducing a new piggy when your piggy is already poorly.

If you were to simply to go to a pet shop and buy another piggy, aside from the compatibility issues, piggies from pet shops tend to be very stressed which in turn lowers the immune system making fighting the URI causing bacteria much harder.
(buying a piggy on spec from a pet shop for example to be a friend to an existing piggy always runs the risk of a failed bond, along with bringing In illnesses (although as said that gets put aside when dealing with piggies under four months - if a newcomer brings in illness then you have to treat them both due to the fact you cannot quarantine young piggies) and in sows the risk that they are already pregnant)

However, it is the case that piggies under four months of age must never be kept alone due to their high social needs. They are in a period of ‘school’ at that age where being with another piggy is so important for them. This is why you do not quarantine new piggies under four months of age.

I would contact a rescue centre to enquire as to their availability of other sows or even a neutered boar. Finding a new friend via a rescue centre is the safe thing to do to ensure they do indeed have compatibility and will have a successful bond, along with ensuring all piggies are healthy and that sows aren’t pregnant. You can get your name on their list for dating to find a friend for her but also explain to them that she is currently being treated for a URI

 

[Wiebke]

To continue on my last sentence, I didn’t realise it was absolutely toxic to them because so many people use it.

Hi!

Could you ask your vet whether they could give you something mucus-thinning? Here in the UK bisolvon powder is safe to give to guinea pigs. Mucus in guinea pigs can sometimes be hard to shift because their airways are so narrow and small and they are also not good mouth breathers.

Vicks won't kill your piggy but it is not good for them if applied regularly or in large quantities. I am not sure whether olbas oil is available in Australia because it is safe to put 2-3 drops in steaming water nearby?
Nebulising with a mild antiseptic like saline solution (which you can make yourself in a pinch) may help in the longer term, too, but it may not necessarily work quickly.

What I would recommend to do is to weigh her daily and to step in with syringe feeding support if needed because doxy can hit the gut microbiome, too. Keep in mind that hay and fresh green dog pee free grass are the mainstay of a piggy diet and that you cannot control that by eye.
I would also recommend to do a 2-3 weeks booster course of extra vitamin C to strengthen the immune system. Don't do it longer as the body accustoms to the higher levels and can then react with scurvy symptoms whenever that level drops for some reason even though the actual level is still above normal.
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links
First Aid Kit: Easily available non-medication support products for an emergency (includes the recipe for saline made at home)

A healthy, well cared for teenager or adult companion should not develop URI because their immune system will strong enough to fend it off. But you need to be absolutely sure that any new piggy will be totally healthy and strong enough. If in any doubt, please don't.
Bacterial URI is generally an opportunistic illness that hits the typically newly separated and highly stressed youngsters with a not yet fully developed immune system and the older or frailer piggies. Other, nastier bugs can affect the respiratory system and can spread quite quickly and also between rodent species with often fatal results. Bacterial URI is the most common.

If your piggy is able to hold their weight without extra feeding support, then it is a good sign. It means that the breathing is not so badly impacted that the need to breathe is killing the appetite (although the antibiotic may impact on the gut microbiome) and that your piggy's life is not at immediate risk.

There is unfortunately only so much we can do in this sitatuation and there are not always any quick fixes.

 

[Sarah Jane]

Hone

I'm sorry to hear she is unwell.

Healthy piggies with a working immune system can quite easily fight off a URI. It’s entirely usual that when one piggy in a group gets a URI, the others don’t get it. But it’s quite different to knowingly introducing a new piggy when your piggy is already poorly.

If you were to simply to go to a pet shop and buy another piggy, aside from the compatibility issues, piggies from pet shops tend to be very stressed which in turn lowers the immune system making fighting the URI causing bacteria much harder.
(buying a piggy on spec from a pet shop for example to be a friend to an existing piggy always runs the risk of a failed bond, along with bringing In illnesses (although as said that gets put aside when dealing with piggies under four months - if a newcomer brings in illness then you have to treat them both due to the fact you cannot quarantine young piggies) and in sows the risk that they are already pregnant)

However, it is the case that piggies under four months of age must never be kept alone due to their high social needs. They are in a period of ‘school’ at that age where being with another piggy is so important for them. This is why you do not quarantine new piggies under four months of age.

I would contact a rescue centre to enquire as to their availability of other sows or even a neutered boar. Finding a new friend via a rescue centre is the safe thing to do to ensure they do indeed have compatibility and will have a successful bond, along with ensuring all piggies are healthy and that sows aren’t pregnant. You can get your name on their list for dating to find a friend for her but also explain to them that she is currently being treated for a URI

Honestly I should have known this. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it. Of course it’s important! Thank you so much, I feel very silly for not realising.

 

[Sarah Jane]

Hi!

Could you ask your vet whether they could give you something mucus-thinning? Here in the UK bisolvon powder is safe to give to guinea pigs. Mucus in guinea pigs can sometimes be hard to shift because their airways are so narrow and small and they are also not good mouth breathers.

Vicks won't kill your piggy but it is not good for them if applied regularly or in large quantities. I am not sure whether olbas oil is available in Australia because it is safe to put 2-3 drops in steaming water nearby?
Nebulising with a mild antiseptic like saline solution (which you can make yourself in a pinch) may help in the longer term, too, but it may not necessarily work quickly.

What I would recommend to do is to weigh her daily and to step in with syringe feeding support if needed because doxy can hit the gut microbiome, too. Keep in mind that hay and fresh green dog pee free grass are the mainstay of a piggy diet and that you cannot control that by eye.
I would also recommend to do a 2-3 weeks booster course of extra vitamin C to strengthen the immune system. Don't do it longer as the body accustoms to the higher levels and can then react with scurvy symptoms whenever that level drops for some reason even though the actual level is still above normal.
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links
First Aid Kit: Easily available non-medication support products for an emergency (includes the recipe for saline made at home)

A healthy, well cared for teenager or adult companion should not develop URI because their immune system will strong enough to fend it off. Bacterial URI is generally an opportunistic illness that hits the typically newly separated and highly stressed youngsters with a not yet fully developed immune system and the older or frailer piggies. But I would not recommend to introduce a new piggy to one that is ill.

If your piggy is able to hold their weight without extra feeding support, then it is a good sign. It means that the breathing is not so badly impacted that the need to breathe is killing the appetite (although the antibiotic may impact on the gut microbiome) and that your piggy's life is not at immediate risk.

There is unfortunately only so much we can do in this sitatuation and there are not always any quick fixes.

Thank you so much! She’s doing fine with eating and drinking, eating all of her veggies, her hay and her GP mix (hay mix with pellets). She’s also going to the toilet well so I don’t need to worry about her not eating. She is going on a probiotic after this course of the antibiotics is finished but the vet said to wait until after it is finished.
Unfortunately she came to me already with the URI (not from a pet shop). I have been looking at getting her a friend but I was worried about as you said introducing a guinea pig to one that is ill. I’m not really sure what to do now. But thank you for your advice! I will be looking into a nebuliser. And ask about something mucus dissolving!

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much! She’s doing fine with eating and drinking, eating all of her veggies, her hay and her GP mix (hay mix with pellets). She’s also going to the toilet well so I don’t need to worry about her not eating. She is going on a probiotic after this course of the antibiotics is finished but the vet said to wait until after it is finished.
Unfortunately she came to me already with the URI (not from a pet shop). I have been looking at getting her a friend but I was worried about as you said introducing a guinea pig to one that is ill. I’m not really sure what to do now. But thank you for your advice! I will be looking into a nebuliser. And ask about something mucus dissolving!

I would still strongly recommend to weigh her daily at the same time instead of the usual life-long health monitoring weekly weigh-in since doxycycline is one of the antibiotics that can affect the gut more strongly. The poo output is always running a day behind events (or two with a very slow gut). The eye can be quite easily decieved but the kitchen scales don't lie (and as you are just monitoring weight chances and do not have to compute medical dosages, normal kitchen scales from the supermarket are perfectly OK). Weighing is one of the most important tools in health monitoring we have and it can and does save lives.
Weight - Monitoring and Management
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely

 

[Sarah Jane]

Ok well thank you. I feel like a ve

I would still strongly recommend to weigh her daily at the same time instead of the usual life-long health monitoring weekly weigh-in since doxycycline is one of the antibiotics that can affect the gut more strongly. The poo output is always running a day behind events (or two with a very slow gut). The eye can be quite easily decieved but the kitchen scales don't lie (and as you are just monitoring weight chances and do not have to compute medical dosages, normal kitchen scales from the supermarket are perfectly OK). Weighing is one of the most important tools in health monitoring we have and it can and does save lives.
Weight - Monitoring and Management
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely

Okay well thank you. I feel like a very very bad owner.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

It depends what the cause of the URI is. I was told to quarantine Tootie when two of her friends died after showing signs of URI. We felt sure that the one was in congestive heart failure and didn’t actually have a respiratory disease, as she was very elderly, but my vet advised a two week quarantine, just in case it was bordetella, which is contagious.

 

[Sarah Jane]

It depends what the cause of the URI is. I was told to quarantine Tootie when two of her friends died after showing signs of URI. We felt sure that the one was in congestive heart failure and didn’t actually have a respiratory disease, as she was very elderly, but my vet advised a two week quarantine, just in case it was bordetella, which is contagious.
Not sure what the cause is as the vet didn’t do a test.

 

[Wiebke]

Ok well thank you. I feel like a ve

Okay well thank you. I feel like a very very bad owner.

You are a very caring owner who is doing their best but is still learning - as we all are. Don't put yourself down by measuring yourself up against unrealistic expectations, as too many women seem to do these day. You'll never know everything and a lot of things you are going to pick up along the way - either by practical tips or by the way of a hard life lesson. Parenthood and pet keeping is never about getting it 100% right from the start (which is totally unrealistic and can only end with a fail for you reinforcing the negative loop); it is about developing both as a person and in your role and how you get up after a stumble. Mostly you muddle through as an adult and try to get better at it.

You have made a very good start and have your heart in the right place. You have done all the things that really count totally right (i.e. seeking medical care).
Our advice is there to help you to get through a difficult situation and help you get some useful long term strategies in place to help you even more in the future. A lot of my own knowledge has come the hard way because there wasn't much around on the internet or is predating the internet, going back to the first piggy just short of 50 years ago, when we were truly still in the stone age of pet keeping - but even then, we did the best we could at the time and we loved our piggies. Which is what truly counts.

Please don't compare yourself negatively as an unreflected default setting in your own mind but see our friendly and supportive forum as a place to learn things that have not come your way yet without getting bloody knees or lots of heartbreak. We have all started out knowing nothing and are still on the journey to improve - perfection is always out of our reach. We are a constructive opportunity for you and not a place you have to measure up to.
Parenthood and pet ownership are not like always having to run with a full glass, but starting with an empty glass and gradually filling it. As long as you fill it with the clear water of your love and care and putting your pets' wellbeing before your own fears, you are never going wrong. The rest is down to learning, experience and making mistakes and learning even more from them and to future developments and improvements. Available knowledge is not static, it is constantly evolving.

If you only ever allow yourself to serenely skate along the surface of perfection you will never really learn and never deeply understand. It is in the depths that you'll find your strength, your courage and where you make the connections between things, your empathy and understanding for others and the life skills that really count. Never be afraid to not being perfect or to have a fall. It's the bumps and the challenges in life and how you deal with them that you really grow by as a human being.

PS: Please don't rush out and get a companion; it is more important that your little one is better in herself as bonding in itself can be stressful. Give the higher dosage of doxy time to work.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

Personally I’d wait a couple of weeks before getting her a friend. Bonding could be stressful, especially if she’s feeling unwell, so better to get a friend in a couple of weeks time xx

 

[Sarah Jane]

You are a very caring owner who is doing their best but is still learning - as we all are. Don't put yourself down by measuring yourself up against unrealistic expectations, as too many women seem to do these day. You'll never know everything and a lot of things you are going to pick up along the way - either by practical tips or by the way of a hard life lesson. Parenthood and pet keeping is never about getting it 100% right from the start (which is totally unrealistic and can only end with a fail for you reinforcing the negative loop); it is about developing both as a person and in your role and how you get up after a stumble. Mostly you muddle through as an adult and try to get better at it.

You have made a very good start and have your heart in the right place. You have done all the things that really count totally right (i.e. seeking medical care).
Our advice is there to help you to get through a difficult situation and help you get some useful long term strategies in place to help you even more in the future. A lot of my own knowledge has come the hard way because there wasn't much around on the internet or is predating the internet, going back to the first piggy just short of 50 years ago, when we were truly still in the stone age of pet keeping - but even then, we did the best we could at the time and we loved our piggies. Which is what truly counts.

Please don't compare yourself negatively as an unreflected default setting in your own mind but see our friendly and supportive forum as a place to learn things that have not come your way yet without getting bloody knees or lots of heartbreak. We have all started out knowing nothing and are still on the journey to improve - perfection is always out of our reach. We are a constructive opportunity for you and not a place you have to measure up to.
Parenthood and pet ownership are not like always having to run with a full glass, but starting with an empty glass and gradually filling it. As long as you fill it with the clear water of your love and care and putting your pets' wellbeing before your own fears, you are never going wrong. The rest is down to learning, experience and making mistakes and learning even more from them and to future developments and improvements. Available knowledge is not static, it is constantly evolving.

If you only ever allow yourself to serenely skate along the surface of perfection you will never really learn and never deeply understand. It is in the depths that you'll find your strength, your courage and where you make the connections between things, your empathy and understanding for others and the life skills that really count. Never be afraid to not being perfect or to have a fall. It's the bumps and the challenges in life and how you deal with them that you really grow by as a human being.

PS: Please don't rush out and get a companion; it is more important that your little one is better in herself as bonding in itself can be stressful. Give the higher dosage of doxy time to work.

Wow. You have put me at complete ease. What a wonderful message. Thank you so much. I could cry. I was feeling absolutely awful, like pit of anxiety in my stomach stressed awful, I’m really glad I am doing right by her. Thank you for confirming the companion, I just don’t feel comfortable until she is feeling better. I know that I can never replace a companion for her, and I know that she does need one, but first I need to get a bigger cage to allow for another piggy and I also need her to be healthy - so I will focus on the larger cage first while she heals. She is still getting time out every day and lots of snuggles so I’m sure that’s enrichment, I bought her some cat toys to play with (supervised of course) and I do have dogs so once I find a patch of grass that they have not urinated on I will give her some outside time.
Honestly thank you so much. It means the world to me.

 

[Sarah Jane]

Personally I’d wait a couple of weeks before getting her a friend. Bonding could be stressful, especially if she’s feeling unwell, so better to get a friend in a couple of weeks time xx

Thank you! I’ve had her for a few weeks now but she still isn’t 100%. I also need to get a larger enclosure comfortable for 2 piggies so I will focus on that. Thank you so much for your comment.

 

[Scooter Pie]

omg HUGS!! Just read through all this and I know a great piggie owner when I see one AND I'm an expert at beating myself up. You are learning and it's sad there is so much misinformation out there. But to make the effort to get past that is awesome. You have definitely come to the right place!

Start reading up on bonding. It's definitely stressful (for humans just as much omg). I am right in the middle of the process right now...brought home a 12 week old for my bereaved 2 year old less than 48 hours ago. I'm tired

Good luck with everything!

 

[Sarah Jane]

omg HUGS! Just read through all this and I know a great piggie owner when I see one AND I'm an expert at beating myself up. You are learning and it's sad there is so much misinformation out there. But to make the effort to get past that is awesome. You have definitely come to the right place!

Start reading up on bonding. It's definitely stressful (for humans just as much omg). I am right in the middle of the process right now...brought home a 12 week old for my bereaved 2 year old less than 48 hours ago. I'm tired

Good luck with everything!

Your comment means the world to me. Thank you so much
Aw I hope the process goes smoother from here on out! Hopefully they’ll be great friends in no time.

 

[Flutterby]

Sending hugs xx

 

[Scooter Pie]

Your comment means the world to me. Thank you so much
Aw I hope the process goes smoother from here on out! Hopefully they’ll be great friends in no time.

Things are going really well. Whew. Here's my thread about it if you feel like reading it. I had a bonding failure or two so it always makes me nervous but it's so necessary for them to have a friend

A baby for my bereaved 2 year old?

 

[Sarah Jane]

Sending hugs xx

Thank you lovely xx

 

[Sarah Jane]

I’ll definitely give that a read! Thank goodness for things going really well! I hope they continue to do so

 

[Swissgreys]

I just caught up with the thread.
You are doing a great job for your girl and clearly have only her best interests at heart.
I am sure she will continue to improve with your care and attention.

And it's nice to have another Australian around.
We do have a few @Hannah_xx springs to mind - she is in Victoria.
I am also from Victoria originally, although now all of my family are scattered across NSW and Queensland.

 

[Sarah Jane]

I just caught up with the thread.
You are doing a great job for your girl and clearly have only her best interests at heart.
I am sure she will continue to improve with your care and attention.

And it's nice to have another Australian around.
We do have a few @Hannah_xx springs to mind - she is in Victoria.
I am also from Victoria originally, although now all of my family are scattered across NSW and Queensland.

Thank you so much. I was a bad owner when I was younger with a guinea pig I had and the guilt stays with me to this day, I was naive and didn’t know about guinea pigs at all and that guinea pig must have had an awful life.
All I want to do is give her the best life possible as well as her soon companion/s and honour my last guinea pig with the treatment she deserved. It’s also why I’m taking it so to heart. I’m a completely different person from who I used to be, and I only wish I could have a second chance with my Wombles. Honestly kills me sometimes. But that’s why I’m doing absolutely everything and anything I can for Piglet. I went out and bought a nebuliser today just for her to help with the mucus.

Yay for another Australian! A lot of my family is in Victoria and then QLD

 

[Hannah_xx]

Hello and welcome.
Sorry to hear you are already going through a tough URI with your girly.
I hope she feels better soon
I'm originally from England but moved to Australia, Victoria. A few years ago

 

[Sarah Jane]

Hello and welcome.
Sorry to hear you are already going through a tough URI with your girly.
I hope she feels better soon
I'm originally from England but moved to Australia, Victoria. A few years ago

Hi thank you so much!
Thankfully she seems to be getting better and I’m about to try some saline solution + a nebuliser tonight for her
Ah well a belated welcome to Australia! Hope we’ve been on our best behaviour