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Health advice needed.

:hug:
You could "Report" your first post and ask the mods to change your title to include the heart issue. Hopefully one of the more medically experienced members will notice it then.

I'm not knowledgeable about heart problems in pigs, but I don't think I've heard of Cardisure on here before. If it's intended for dogs it might contain things that mean it goes off quicker (as dogs presumably are given them in one go). (I'd also check the ingredients for things that might be unsuitable for herbivores)
 
Thank you for posting more about this problem 🙏 It is difficult to hear breathing issues in a pet. With Polo, I found he was OK during dry weather but damp weather brings on his wheezing. The air purifier helps with his wheezing, but the cause could be different to your piggy. I think the meds could be stored for about a day but longer than that might cause them to go off. I believe an ultrasound can be done while the piggy is conscious. But I have no veterinary qualifications so don't know if one would be useful in this case. I think it is good to see the longer thread as it is an interesting one for those of us with guinea pigs with breathing issues. I hope your piggy will be OK 🙏❤️
 
You could possibly report your latest longer post, but I'd wait a day at least to give the medical experts time to respond to this thread. I think that's certainly better than starting a new thread since we're specifically asked to not do that.
 
Guineapiggirl34 said:
Ok, so I have been meaning to write for about a month. The clicky snuffle started again. Saw vet who prescribed diuretic again and heart meds. She had been on them for about a month. Weight increasing slightly since stopping the diieuretic. She is on 0.1 ml twice a day of 2.5 mg cardisure in 2.5 ml water. Is that a good dose? She is just over 1000g The first lot they gave us ready diluted and they didn’t tell us it could go off so after three weeks it was very smelly. We told the vet and they said oh you need to keep making it fresh so they’ve now given us tablets that we’re making the solution ourselves with. We decided to keep it in the fridge. Is that a good idea? Obviously, their tablets meant to be put straight into a dog’s throat. I’ve been not wanting to ask this. If she’s on the right dose of heart meds how long can she live? The cardisure has given her some squishy poo so she is also having the Protexin pellets
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I’m sorry I don’t have experience with heart issues.
Cardisure is just a brand name for the same product as vetmedin (which is also a brand name).

@Wiebke
I think @YvonneBlue may have experience but I can’t think of anyone else off the top of my head
 
Hi

I haven't heard of the use of Cardisure for guinea pigs on this forum, either, unfortunately, and also haven't got any personal experience with it. My own heart suspects years back have never checked out.

Unfortunately, my memory of names is rather patchy these days; it's one of the victims of my brain tumour. It's a bit more difficult to keep track of literally thousands of regulars as to who did when living a brain tumour and the resulting brain damage. :(
 
The internet does say cardisure is used for Guinea pigs off license. It is meat flavoured hence I imagine why it gives piggies a bit of soft poop. I will ask my mum to ask the vet for a life expectancy of some sort! It is hard as I can’t leave th who use or talk to the vet on the phone myself.
 
Wiebke said:
Hi

I haven't heard of the use of Cardisure for guinea pigs on this forum, either, unfortunately, and also haven't got any personal experience with it. My own heart suspects years back have never checked out.

Unfortunately, my memory of names is rather patchy these days; it's one of the victims of my brain tumour. It's a bit more difficult to keep track of literally thousands of regulars as to who did when living a brain tumour and the resulting brain damage. :(
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Thanks anyway. Have you got any idea of how long piggies can live with congestive heart failure? She is only 2. So I would hope another 2 years. I had hoped to get this lot of piggies to live up to the more normal 6-8 years as they are well cared for, thanks to this forums advice.
 
Guineapiggirl34 said:
Thanks anyway. Have you got any idea of how long piggies can live with congestive heart failure? She is only 2. So I would hope another 2 years. I had hoped to get this lot of piggies to live up to the more normal 6-8 years as they are well cared for, thanks to this forums advice.
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It depends on the medication, the degree and nature of it but some have lived for several months to a couple of years. (My medical memory is a bit better.)

The usual medication I've seen on here for the UK is frusol (diuretic) and vetmedin.
 
Oh I hope a couple of years. I am crying at the thought of loosing her! And her sister hates other piggies so she would probably be lonely and might pass too! I don’t think she would accept a friend…
 
Guineapiggirl34 said:
Oh I hope a couple of years. I am crying at the thought of loosing her! And her sister hates other piggies so she would probably be lonely and might pass too! I don’t think she would accept a friend…
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Just make the most of what time you have. It is not the length of a life but the quality of the time lived that makes all the difference. Piggies don't have a concept for an average lifespan. They measure their lives in happy todays.

If you fill every day with a positive activity of some sort, you will create the kind of memories that remain with you and that define the emotionally lived time. I once adopted a five year old bereaved boar, and he had the happiest time of his life. When Bryn died a year later, it felt like he had spent all his life with me and 13 years on I still cannot remember him but with a big goofy smile plastered over my face. He is more vivid in my mind than some other piggies that I had for longer although I love them all.

Please focus on enrichment, which is much more than toys, treats and cuddles to make every special in a little way. His guide here may give you ideas of what enrichment can be: Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs

It is your own choice whether you want to focus on the end or on all the shared lifetime that is to be had in the meantime. Please also be aware that your fear and your negative attitude can transmit to your piggies. They are very sensitive creatures.

PS: There is always the option of next door company with interaction and stimulation through the bars for singles who struggle to accept new friends. Your iffy girl may also by then have relaxed a lot more and lost some of her fear-aggressive issues.
 
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