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Guinea pigs colds?

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Today ive noticed my male guinea pig, is breathing weirdly! his noise is abit watery, and its making a crackling sound, his heart seems like its beating reli fast :/ and he is just not himself :/ could this just be a common cold? whats the best treatment prefrably avoiding the vets! x
 
Sorry double - post due to things being so slow.
 
I agree with Wiebke. This is likely to be very serious. Please take your boy to see a vet asap. x
 
TAKE HIM TO THE VETS ASAP!

He has either got a serious heart problem or URI, a bacterial infection of the airways which can kill if not treated with an antibiotic.
http://www.guinealynx.info/uri.html

he dosnt have most of the symptoms tho :/ it says Labored breathing, wheezing theres no wheeze, and his breathing isn't slow, he has a runny noise tho, apart from *** he has no other symptoms he is eating and drinking fine toileting fine, hes purked up abit since before, will see how he is in the morning! x
 
The crackling noise is the crucial part, you need to take the guinea to the vet as apart from anything else noone on here knows your guinea personally and so is unlikely to feel confident passing on advice re treatment and cannot give you any medicine.

As a pet owner, if you have an issue with seeing a vet as is implied in your first post, I think you need to get over it - we all have to go to the vets sometime, it's part of being a responsible pet owner, if you dislike vets or can't afford them then you should consider this before owning an animal.

Guinea pigs are prey animals and as such it is in their nature to hide illnesses as this would leave them vulnerable to predators - which is why prompt action is needed when signs of illness are shown, as it can mean it's getting close to being quite serious.
 
i can;t get him to the vets untill tomoz! and *** only if my mum will let me take him cos she is gona have to pay for him, and she dunt have money like ***!
 
The crackling noise is the crucial part, you need to take the guinea to the vet as apart from anything else noone on here knows your guinea personally and so is unlikely to feel confident passing on advice re treatment and cannot give you any medicine.

As a pet owner, if you have an issue with seeing a vet as is implied in your first post, I think you need to get over it - we all have to go to the vets sometime, it's part of being a responsible pet owner, if you dislike vets or can't afford them then you should consider this before owning an animal.

Guinea pigs are prey animals and as such it is in their nature to hide illnesses as this would leave them vulnerable to predators - which is why prompt action is needed when signs of illness are shown, as it can mean it's getting close to being quite serious.

the only vet open now is 2 hours away! my mum is asleep i *** drive :/
 
So take him tomorrow, as early as you are able.

I'm sorry I'm not sure what the starred words are as text speak is blocked on here, I presume you meant that's and that. My vet would charge you around £20 - £30 for the consultation and then the cost of any medication - if you really can't afford this, you can go to the PDSA.

I'm very sorry but if you don't have the money for vet's bills you shouldn't own an animal, in the past year my guineas have cost over £300 in vets bills and my horse's are well over £1000, luckily I share her so I haven't had to pay all of this but if I didn't have the ability to pay such bills, I wouldn't have the animal. Maybe that's harsh but that's how I feel, sorry. I can't believe your mother would let a sick animal suffer surely?
 
So take him tomorrow, as early as you are able.

I'm sorry I'm not sure what the starred words are as text speak is blocked on here, I presume you meant that's and that. My vet would charge you around £20 - £30 for the consultation and then the cost of any medication - if you really can't afford this, you can go to the PDSA.

I'm very sorry but if you don't have the money for vet's bills you shouldn't own an animal, in the past year my guineas have cost over £300 in vets bills and my horse's are well over £1000, luckily I share her so I haven't had to pay all of this but if I didn't have the ability to pay such bills, I wouldn't have the animal. Maybe that's harsh but that's how I feel, sorry. I can't believe your mother would let a sick animal suffer surely?

yh it blocks t-h-a-t /s

ours is a 45 pound consultation, and she wudnt but she always thinks I'm being over dramatic about it cos i moan about every little thing thay have
 
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I have moved him into a create by my bed so I can keep an eye on him over night! Will see how he is in the morning and if he is still the same, take him to the vets, I just hope he lasts the night :/ x
 
How is he this morning?

Home treatments could help to a point but I have to agree, this pig does need a vet. Sudafed Expectorant, 0.2ml 2x daily may help to some small degree, as well as allowing the pig to sniff some Vicks Vaporub/Olbas Oil - but really, these will not fix him, they may just buy him a little time. From the symptoms you describe I would have the pig on antibiotics at least.

Maybe worth looking over this thread, don't take it personally, but it should put something into perspective with regards to who may be actually responsible for this guinea pig: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=36801
People won't drop the pleas to get your pig to the vet because there are times when it just has to be done. Depending on where you are, it may even be illegal to deny your pig medical treatment when it is clearly needed (as it is here).

I lost a guinea pig, very dear to my heart, less than two weeks ago. His only symptoms were weight loss, a snotty nose, watery eyes (for one day only) and not eating. He didn't even have the crackly breathing you describe, yet it was clear he had an Upper Respiratory Infection (URI). He was started on antibiotics (as well as being syringe fed, with him not eating) but I suspect the antibiotics were given at too low a dose; he passed away five days after symptoms started. URIs, when distinguished from other causes of the symptoms, are not something to take lightly. Untreated URIs will spread further down the respiratory tract, turning the condition into a lower respiratory infection i.e. pneumonia/"chest infection" - and you really don't want to have to try to have your pig recover from that. I have had a pig with pneumonia as well and can safely say, hand on heart, it was one of the hardest conditions I have had to get a pig through.

Whereabouts are you? Perhaps we know of a good vet in your area who charges less for a consultation than the one you see.
 
How is he this morning?

Home treatments could help to a point but I have to agree, this pig does need a vet. Sudafed Expectorant, 0.2ml 2x daily may help to some small degree, as well as allowing the pig to sniff some Vicks Vaporub/Olbas Oil - but really, these will not fix him, they may just buy him a little time. From the symptoms you describe I would have the pig on antibiotics at least.

Maybe worth looking over this thread, don't take it personally, but it should put something into perspective with regards to who may be actually responsible for this guinea pig: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=36801
People won't drop the pleas to get your pig to the vet because there are times when it just has to be done. Depending on where you are, it may even be illegal to deny your pig medical treatment when it is clearly needed (as it is here).

I lost a guinea pig, very dear to my heart, less than two weeks ago. His only symptoms were weight loss, a snotty nose, watery eyes (for one day only) and not eating. He didn't even have the crackly breathing you describe, yet it was clear he had an Upper Respiratory Infection (URI). He was started on antibiotics (as well as being syringe fed, with him not eating) but I suspect the antibiotics were given at too low a dose; he passed away five days after symptoms started. URIs, when distinguished from other causes of the symptoms, are not something to take lightly. Untreated URIs will spread further down the respiratory tract, turning the condition into a lower respiratory infection i.e. pneumonia/"chest infection" - and you really don't want to have to try to have your pig recover from that. I have had a pig with pneumonia as well and can safely say, hand on heart, it was one of the hardest conditions I have had to get a pig through.

Whereabouts are you? Perhaps we know of a good vet in your area who charges less for a consultation than the one you see.

he is the same this morning, he is booked into the vets at 4:30, he is still munchin he food and hay up as normal, and drinking and toileting fine, tho still has a fast heart, but not as snuffly :/

I have had guinea pigs since I was about 8 I'm 19 now and this is the first one to have anything like this :/

And I care for the animals at the moment, and my mum pays for everything they need! but this will be changing soon! Once I get sorted.

He is booked into my local vets which we take the dogs to etc, there a really good vet, there not like a UK chain x
 
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I wouldn't worry about the heart rate Emmiiee, piggies hearts are always fast, it's when they are slow or irregular I get concerned.

It's the crackly breathing he had and him not being himself that just sounds very concerning, so good luck at the vets.
 
I am glad that you are having him seen today. Unfortunately, URI is one of those conditions where you need to have a piggy seen. This is the season for it, anyway.
 
Back from the vets! he does have URI,the vet gave him an injection of antibiotics, he squeek so loud even the receptionest heard it, i got amtibiotics to give him orally for the next few days! and if it dusnt clear up, gotta go back and get him something begining with F which I can't remember!

He hasnt drunk or eaten much(only nibbling hay), but I'm guessing as he feels better he will, the vet also syringed water down him to re hidrate him abit.

it only came to 36 pound! the consultation was 15 and then the rest for the medicine x
 
I am glad that you are having him seen today. Unfortunately, URI is one of those conditions where you need to have a piggy seen. This is the season for it, anyway.

lol yhh the vet sed since Monday he has seen 4 other piggies with the same thing x
 
Hi,

I'm so glad you posted this thread, I was just about to post the same thing!

One of my male boars sunds wheezy when he is eating, he seems to be fine eating and drinking loads but now I have an answer to my question I will ring the vets first thing tomorrow!

Hope your piggie recovers okay:))
 
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