Jess565
Junior Guinea Pig
I though I would put some information up about my experience with getting this diagnosis for my oldest pig Ted.
At the start of June I noticed he had a runny nose and was sneezing alot, he also had some crusty patches of skin on his nose so I took him to the vet for a check up, they thought possible allergy but thought some antibiotics would help clear up any secondary infection. He also had a skin test to check for any fungal infection.
I started his antibiotics and changed his bedding to 'back 2 nature' as its virtually dust free. After a week he was no better and his nose was becoming a mess, they told me to keep on with the antibiotics for another week.
His behaviour changed and he stopped wandering about during floor time, I could feel something was wrong and that the antibiotics weren't helping.
It was a Sunday night and he was not himself his breathing was very laboured and his pink nose and mouth looked grey we were heart broken we thought he wouldn't make it through the night.
Monday he went to the vets and she could hear fluid on his lungs and in his tummy. I was nervous of what she would say or do as we have had bad experiences with vets in the past. But she was so kind and gave him a shot of diuretics. She was very frank that he is sick and that she would not let me let him suffer and she booked us in to go back in two days, that night we all felt it was the end.
In the morning we dreaded checking him and were surprised he was up and eating! Ive never felt so glad, we took him back and he had lost weight which was a good thing for us as the fluid had gone down and he got another shot of diuretics. She wasn't sure if he had got pneumonia and this was it or was he in heart failure. She told us keep an eye on him and take him back if he gets worse or if he stays fine thats great!
Two weeks passed and he was just about back to normal, until we noticed his breathing was becoming heavy again we took him straight back and he had more diuretics and we had the discussion that it probably is something we will need to manage so she ordered some liquid diuretics for us as we would now needs to give this to him regularly. It was Friday at 7pm it would be Monday when we would get the medication. He was not picking up and on the Sunday he collapsed and laid on his side gasping for air. He was dying.
We rushed him to the emergency vets and after examining him and a discussion of what we wanted for him, we did want to treat him if we could. She quickly got him in to an oxygen box and gave him a large dose of diuretics. This vet had treated other guinea pigs before for heart failure and her first patient was a guinea with heart problems. She said his symptoms were heart failure but he can be managed.
She gave us meds to start straight away 3x a day furosemide (diuretic) and 1x a day fortekor plus (a heart tablet) she said their could be a possibility of reducing this once we reach a good level.
Ted saw the vet yesterday a week on from him collapsing for a check up and she was very pleased with his progress and said that if she didn't know his condition she would think he was a normal older guinea! We have now reduced the diuretic to twice a day and enjoying our time with him. He is back to his normal self!
His poor brother Bruno has kept by him and encouraged him to keep going.
Also the runny nose has stopped and the crusty patches are also clearing up, not sure if this was his immune system struggling.
We are just taking each day as it comes with him.
He also did not get a sick note for his nails clipping today!
At the start of June I noticed he had a runny nose and was sneezing alot, he also had some crusty patches of skin on his nose so I took him to the vet for a check up, they thought possible allergy but thought some antibiotics would help clear up any secondary infection. He also had a skin test to check for any fungal infection.
I started his antibiotics and changed his bedding to 'back 2 nature' as its virtually dust free. After a week he was no better and his nose was becoming a mess, they told me to keep on with the antibiotics for another week.
His behaviour changed and he stopped wandering about during floor time, I could feel something was wrong and that the antibiotics weren't helping.
It was a Sunday night and he was not himself his breathing was very laboured and his pink nose and mouth looked grey we were heart broken we thought he wouldn't make it through the night.
Monday he went to the vets and she could hear fluid on his lungs and in his tummy. I was nervous of what she would say or do as we have had bad experiences with vets in the past. But she was so kind and gave him a shot of diuretics. She was very frank that he is sick and that she would not let me let him suffer and she booked us in to go back in two days, that night we all felt it was the end.
In the morning we dreaded checking him and were surprised he was up and eating! Ive never felt so glad, we took him back and he had lost weight which was a good thing for us as the fluid had gone down and he got another shot of diuretics. She wasn't sure if he had got pneumonia and this was it or was he in heart failure. She told us keep an eye on him and take him back if he gets worse or if he stays fine thats great!
Two weeks passed and he was just about back to normal, until we noticed his breathing was becoming heavy again we took him straight back and he had more diuretics and we had the discussion that it probably is something we will need to manage so she ordered some liquid diuretics for us as we would now needs to give this to him regularly. It was Friday at 7pm it would be Monday when we would get the medication. He was not picking up and on the Sunday he collapsed and laid on his side gasping for air. He was dying.
We rushed him to the emergency vets and after examining him and a discussion of what we wanted for him, we did want to treat him if we could. She quickly got him in to an oxygen box and gave him a large dose of diuretics. This vet had treated other guinea pigs before for heart failure and her first patient was a guinea with heart problems. She said his symptoms were heart failure but he can be managed.
She gave us meds to start straight away 3x a day furosemide (diuretic) and 1x a day fortekor plus (a heart tablet) she said their could be a possibility of reducing this once we reach a good level.
Ted saw the vet yesterday a week on from him collapsing for a check up and she was very pleased with his progress and said that if she didn't know his condition she would think he was a normal older guinea! We have now reduced the diuretic to twice a day and enjoying our time with him. He is back to his normal self!
His poor brother Bruno has kept by him and encouraged him to keep going.
Also the runny nose has stopped and the crusty patches are also clearing up, not sure if this was his immune system struggling.
We are just taking each day as it comes with him.
He also did not get a sick note for his nails clipping today!
