Heavy breathing - advice please for Sebastian stretchy leg!

[SJP]

My guinea pig began breathing heavily 2 months ago. He was not raspy and did not have a runny nose etc. he was also eating and drinking fine, although not lying down fully to sleep. We took him to the vet who diagnosed pneumonia and gave him a months worth of baytril 5ml twice a day and said to come back in a week for a check up. After a week on these antibiotics piggie was breathing better and vet said he could hear no trace of pneumonia in his lungs. We gave the rest of the 3 weeks worth of baytril as a precaution but as we neared the end of this his heavy breathing returned.
We went back to the vets and they then prescribed septrin. This didn't cure the problem but seemed to keep it at bay. This is now finished - he has been off the antibiotics for 2 days and heavy breathing has returned. Throughout he is eating and drinking fine.
I wonder if his problem may have been caused by inhaling some water when I bathed him just as all this has begun (I am always so careful and am so upset this might be the case- vet thinks it could be). Either way he is still poorly. I have heard that a diuretic called frusemide could be the way forward. I shared this with my vets and they say they will will consider it but only in injection form and say they are wary as it is a very powerful drug - also in a very low dose to begin with. We have tried feeding him foods with diuretic properties - cellery, parsley, cucumber but I don't think this has had any effect.
Can any one help? Please.
P.s piggies name is Sebastian stretchy leg.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome!

I am very sorry that you can't get on top of Sebastian's problems!

Frusemide can help in piggies with URI as well as piggies with heart problems (whose symptoms can resemble a stubborn/recurring URI). It is quite difficult indeed to portion out a small frusemide tablet. I got around the problem by dissolving half a tablet in a certain small amount of water so I could syringe a fairly correct dose. Keep the container with the solution for just a few days in the fridge and shake well before use.

Which country are you in? If you want a second opinion, we have got a map of piggy savvy vets for the UK, but none for the US. You can add your state (US) or general area (UK) to your details in forum/private messages/my settings/edit profile/location. it will make it easier for us to give you relevant advice, links or local recommendations when possible straight away.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=204458758673513849635.0004e111354a528da0dbb&msa=0

 

[SJP]

Thanks for replying. I live in oxfordshire. I have been to see vedra before at the cct. But this isn't really an option right now. I think there is a piggie savy vets in reading which is nearby. Unfortunately my vets are not keen on tablet frusemide but will inject a very low dose as a trial. Do you know anything about the correct dose in this form. My vets are always open to suggestions and one is reasonably piggie savy but not to the extend I need right now I don't think. They are suggesting an X-ray but I'm not sure this would really help to be honest.
It's so typical - my piggies always end up with the most mysterious problems. Never anything straight forward.

Hi and welcome!

I am very sorry that you can't get on top of Sebastian's problems!

Frusemide can help in piggies with URI as well as piggies with heart problems (whose symptoms can resemble a stubborn/recurring URI). It is quite difficult indeed to portion out a small frusemide tablet. I got around the problem by dissolving half a tablet in a certain small amount of water so I could syringe a fairly correct dose. Keep the container with the solution for just a few days in the fridge and shake well before use.

Which country are you in? If you want a second opinion, we have got a map of piggy savvy vets for the UK, but none for the US. You can add your state (US) or general area (UK) to your details in forum/private messages/my settings/edit profile/location. it will make it easier for us to give you relevant advice, links or local recommendations when possible straight away.
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=204458758673513849635.0004e111354a528da0dbb&msa=0

 

[klee]

My girl has heart problems, and was given the injectable furosemide for me to give orally. I am going to start her on tablets next time at the vets as they are a lot cheaper.
It made a drastic improvement to her breathing noticeable within several hours, but really working after a few days. Esme's breathing when it is bad is very laboured and her sides heave with each breath, apart from her not eating at the time that was the only symptom.

An X-ray as your vet suggests will show if there is any fluid in the lungs and whether the heart is enlarged, this is what was done with Esme initially which was when we started the furosemide.

 

[Abi_nurse]

Furosemide can be useful and vedra does suggest it in guinea pigs with respiratory problems. However if there isn't a huge amount of fluid on the lungs it may do very little.

I don't have the exact dosage of the drug on my at the moment, but could look it up for you in my book at work. Your vets should however have some sort of resources with it in as its a common drug we use. I would personally try a different antibiotic first something like metronidazole may be worthwhile initially. An xray can sometimes be useful for the vet to look to see if there is anything to see on the lungs, but i would suggest the meds before this route is taken. If your vets are struggling with what to do it would be better to see a piggie savvy vets.

Hope he feels better soon.

x.