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Here We Go Again

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Lorcan

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I was up most of the night last night with neuralgia, so I know Comet was hooting pretty much all night as well. I know he has a habit of this, but all night? Nope, I wasn't happy, so I've rung the vets and he and Blitzen are taking a road trip for 12.15

As soon as I got off the phone and picked him up again, he sneezed. No more hooting.

Fml. Still going to the vet though. They can have a nail clip done regardless, because it hasn't been done since before all the hospital stuff happened.
 
I had a hooter, she would hoot a few times then sneeze. Ruled out respiratory infection and all seemed well. She was bright, happy, sprightly and very much an on the go piggy. Her environment was not dusty, there were no alarm bells ringing in my mind after checking things out. I had heard that some pigs were just sneezy, so I thought the hoot was like what we do when we work ourselves up to the sneeze - the 'ah-ah-ah' part before the 'choo'.
Then one day she had what appeared to be a heart attack. To me there were no signs, as I say, I would never have made that connection at all. It was just sudden unexpected and that was that.
However I have read since that hooting and/or sneezing can be a sign of heart problems. I suggest you ask them to check the heart please.

The very best of luck at the vets x
 
Thank you :( he is otherwise fine. Nosy as ever, still eating, being a pain in the butt as always. He's refusing to cooperate for being weighed and keeps trying to tip the bowl instead so I've got to assume it likely hasn't changed much since Saturday.

That hooting noise though - it keeps happening and he might sneeze it out every time, but it's horrible to listen to.
 
Hopefully it's nothing. It doesn't mean that because he hoot-sneezes he's got a heart issue, but it is something to watch. It's sadly something you may have to just get used to assuming he gets the all-clear on his health.
Some piggies sneeze with particular brands of hay, some with their bedding. Other issues may be something perfumed in the house or a cleaning product, even the wash powder used for cleaning fleece cosies with etc.
:hug:
 
Tbh it's a thing that doesn't happen during the daytime - it happens towards late afternoon or early evening at the earliest, which makes me wonder if it's food related. I only feed veggies between 4.30pm and 5.15pm depending on the day, and that's when he's likely to start. Would it even be possible he's got an allergy? God help me if it turns out he's got an allergy to something green, I'll have a revolt on my hands lol.

Anything for it not to be heart issues.
 
:)
I hear the odd sneeze from mine when it's veggie time, sometimes I think it's down to one of them wolfing the food too fast!
But it doesn't carry on after they've finished, so perhaps he might have a mild allergy? Perhaps try excluding one veg per night to see if the sneezing stops.
 
They only had gem lettuce and parsley last night, because there was quite a bit of lettuce to go around. Well, parsley or coriander. I need to google what they look like, pity I already chucked the bag away.
 
Flat leaved parsley looks similar to coriander. Coriander has a strong smell though...
 
I've been using Crown House, Crown House Vets - Rochdale

They aren't exotic specialists, but there's at least one vet in there with a history of dealing with guinea pigs (as a vet, and as an owner). I can't remember her name though, and she's not the lady I saw today.

She's given Comet 0.5ml of Baytril twice a day for a week, and he's to go back next Wednesday morning. He's properly sulking with me right now >.>
 
Sasspy was a hooter, whenever she ate hay she'd start - proper honking... 35 mins later huge sneeze and she was clear. It takes a while to distinguish between it being dust or start of a URI always pays to play safe though. Hoping it will clear up for little Comet. If he is acting well then that itself is good news, sending lots of vibes
 
My avatar boy was a honker. Everything was ruled out, so we settled on it being compromised airways caused by genetics or a previous infection. Different things would affect him, hay, washing powder, even fresh air!

We had a nebuliser for him when he has a bad day, as it was quite regular for him, and we used it a couple of times a fortnight.
 
Sasspy was a hooter, whenever she ate hay she'd start - proper honking... 35 mins later huge sneeze and she was clear. It takes a while to distinguish between it being dust or start of a URI always pays to play safe though. Hoping it will clear up for little Comet. If he is acting well then that itself is good news, sending lots of vibes

Yeah, he's not so little lol, weighed in at 950g. I was cursing myself for not actually getting a recording of him making the noise, because it's really hard to describe unless you hear it.

She felt his breathing was a little too fast, not quite "normal", which is why she prescribed the Baytril. Incidentally, Blitzen was very similar, but then he's highly strung anyway and had already attempted to do a bunk. Twice. So in his case, that was probably standard.

At least the two of them apparently left with the vet wrapped around their little paws.

If he does it again in the next week I'll have to try and get a recording of it. That's just far easier said than done, my phone doesn't pick them up very well.

Question about dosing the Baytril - they've given me more than a week's dose just in case he decides to play up, but I was reading that it might be better to mix it with some kind of juice to make it taste better. I'm assuming that's diluted squash, right? Not neat? And would any kind of squash do, or is it just Ribena?


And of course, now he's sorted out, it's my turn, off to the doc in half an hour. The whole family is at it today!
 
My vet is personally against using squash, and prefers fresh juice to be used. But, it's only to mask the awful taste, so a tiny bit shouldn't harm.
 
Tthe joy of baytril, my advice is to get it in as quick as possible, it tastes awful no matter what, more liquid equals more time fighting with them to syringe it....
 
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Ditto to sport-billy. I usually aim for it not mixed, get it in as quick as possible and then chase it down with a syringe of water and a tasty treat.
 
As horrible as it sounds, I'm glad it's Comet needing it. If it was Blitzen I'd be screwed, the joys of living alone. I'm pretty sure it's cat Baytril they've given me, if that makes any difference.

Last time I had to do anything like this, it was give eye drops to a pig where the eye was basically crusted shut. I know I managed that (and we saved the eye), so I can manage this.

Even if I feel like I'm about to spend the next week repeatedly apologising.
 
Sorry, I have another question. I should've asked the vet this, apparently I was too distracted by the neuralgia. It says to give twice a day, should there be a specific amount of time between doses?
 
I've been using Crown House, Crown House Vets - Rochdale

They aren't exotic specialists, but there's at least one vet in there with a history of dealing with guinea pigs (as a vet, and as an owner). I can't remember her name though, and she's not the lady I saw today.

She's given Comet 0.5ml of Baytril twice a day for a week, and he's to go back next Wednesday morning. He's properly sulking with me right now >.>

That's who I use too :) I see Lindsay who is lovely and now knows my piggies out.

I know she doesn't work Wednesday though but has had guinea pigs of her own and is always prepared to seek advise if she isn't sure of something
 
Hope all goes well! One of mine has been hooting lately too... she has done two courses of trimethoprim but still hoots intermittently, so I have her booked with my favorite vet (who now sadly only works two days a week) tomorrow morning. I'm sorry you're dealing with the same issue... hopefully all goes well for both our piggies!
 
That's who I use too :) I see Lindsay who is lovely and now knows my piggies out.

I know she doesn't work Wednesday though but has had guinea pigs of her own and is always prepared to seek advise if she isn't sure of something

Lyndsay! I'm pretty sure that's who I saw when I originally brought them in for a check up. She's lovely though. I don't know who it was I saw today, their name isn't on the practice list. Mind you I'm always nervous of bringing Blitzen near anyone, he doesn't know how to behave. Please tell me I'm not the only one who gets paranoid about badly behaved piggies?

@Freela I'm sorry your girl is still having problems. Comet's been so intermittent and I'm not really convinced he's got anything major going on, but after listening to that hooting all night I couldn't leave it any longer. On the bright side, there's no nasal discharge, even when he sneezes. Small mercies, I guess.
 
I've always been told to give antibiotics 12 hours apart. Then give a probiotic 1-2 hours after the baytril. Hope Comet gets better soon.
Sorry, I have another question. I should've asked the vet this, apparently I was too distracted by the neuralgia. It says to give twice a day, should there be a specific amount of time between doses?[/QUOT
 
Lyndsay! I'm pretty sure that's who I saw when I originally brought them in for a check up. She's lovely though. I don't know who it was I saw today, their name isn't on the practice list. Mind you I'm always nervous of bringing Blitzen near anyone, he doesn't know how to behave. Please tell me I'm not the only one who gets paranoid about badly behaved piggies?

@Freela I'm sorry your girl is still having problems. Comet's been so intermittent and I'm not really convinced he's got anything major going on, but after listening to that hooting all night I couldn't leave it any longer. On the bright side, there's no nasal discharge, even when he sneezes. Small mercies, I guess.

I know that there is also Claire and Joanna as well as Jonathan but I always get in to a state when having to see another vet but that's because of my anxiety lol.

I can sympathise. I always worry that my piggies are going to misbehave especially when they start biting at nail clipping times.

Healing vibes for Comet x
 
I don't really want to make a new thread, but giving him Baytril via syringe isn't an option. I don't have the strength or a steady enough pair of hands to get it done. I got 0.2ml into him by letting him open his mouth and do that part himself...then as soon as that was done, climbed onto me and hid in the crook of my neck. Adorable, but not helpful. I'm also having problems with nerve pain spasms in my neck and head, and trying to syringe him when one of those hits would be extremely dangerous.

So...yeah, I need ideas.
 
There was a video done by one of our members at least a year ago, where she fed her piggy and popped a drop of meds in her mouth inbetween mouthfuls and the piggy stayed relaxed and didn't need to be in the dreaded headlock (that I do to mine). I have tried the method but couldn't do it, but it was a good video and obviously worked well for her, so perhaps it is worth a try. Unfortunately I don't recall who posted it or where it is. Can anyone else recall it?
 
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