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My Sick Lola - Pneumonia

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Juu

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I have a 1 1/2 old guinie pig , she was acting normal Monday night then Tuesday around 6 pm she was lethargic and laying on her side. I took her to the vet the next day they said she had pneumonia, they kept her for the day . Gave her fluids due to her being dehydrated and gave her antibiotics for her pneumonia. They kept her warm. I picked her up last night and she was still unable to stand. I took her home bundled her up gave her some water through a syringe and feed her small pieces of food. She was eating a bit then turned away. I didn't force it anymore. I gave her water through the night and some this morning. The vet now says that antibiotics won't help any and I need to make a decision on putting. Her down. I feel she has hope. I plan on checking on her after work and starting the hot shadower to see if that will help break up the fluid in her lungs and I will try to feed her also. What else can I do ? I held her the first night all night long. The vet also said that they did expect her to make it through last night. What else can I do. I don't want to give up on her.
 
Thank you very much. I am unsure of what is next.
 
Whereabouts do you live? Maybe we can suggest a better vet.

What antibiotics were you given?

Are you weighing her daily? If so, is she losing weight? If not, please start to do so.

If she is not eating enough herself to maintain her weight (and it sounds like she's not) then you need to hand feed her. It"s a hard job but you have to be tough.

Food is life for guinea pigs, she needs to have the strength to fight and if there is no food flowing through her digestive system it will shut down and she will die.

There are handfeeding guides on this website. Please have a look and ask any questions.

Good luck!
 
Thank you so much. I would have to child the paper work to be correct on the medication given to her. They also have her vitinman c too. I hand feed her last night also giving her water too. She has stregnth to chew and to turn her head. She can't stand in her own and when you try to stand her up she turns her head to the right and lays back down on her side. I want to have hope but should I not ?
 
For the best chance of survival you need to do two things:

hand feed her more, she needs to eat the same amount as she does when she's feeling okay. It's hard but you have to force her.

You need to take her to a better vet so you can get a better diagnosis. It doesn't sound like your vet knows what is wrong with her
 
Hello @Juu I'm moving your thread to the health and Illness section where it will get more views and comments.
 
Juu said:
I have a 1 1/2 old guinie pig , she was acting normal Monday night then Tuesday around 6 pm she was lethargic and laying on her side. I took her to the vet the next day they said she had pneumonia, they kept her for the day . Gave her fluids due to her being dehydrated and gave her antibiotics for her pneumonia. They kept her warm. I picked her up last night and she was still unable to stand. I took her home bundled her up gave her some water through a syringe and feed her small pieces of food. She was eating a bit then turned away. I didn't force it anymore. I gave her water through the night and some this morning. The vet now says that antibiotics won't help any and I need to make a decision on putting. Her down. I feel she has hope. I plan on checking on her after work and starting the hot shadower to see if that will help break up the fluid in her lungs and I will try to feed her also. What else can I do ? I held her the first night all night long. The vet also said that they did expect her to make it through last night. What else can I do. I don't want to give up on her.
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Hi! Please start syringe feeding her properly, and no just water. the need to breathe comes before the need to drink and only thirdly the need to eat. The longer she is with real food, the more likely that her guts are slowing and them closing down. Our detailed syringe feeding guide tells you how and how much in illustrated detail. You need to either tough it out, little but often around the clock, or you have to decide to pts. Getting nutrients into her to give her a chance to fight is as vital as any medication. Respiratory infections and pneumonias are appetite killers. So are antibiotics; you have to try to work through that to come out the other way.
Stop syringe feeding is Lola is too weak to swallow (give only 0.1 - 0.3 ml at once, so nothing can run into lungs and make it worse) or if she is refusing to eat far in excess to her weakness - the latter is usually a sign that her body has already started to close down and is no longer able to process food.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Have your vets given Lola diuretics to help drain the lungs from the build up of fluids, mucus clearing meds to clear the airways as much as possible if they are clogged up to ease the breathing as quickly as possible in addition to the antibiotics? What antibiotics and what dose is she on?

You can also help her a bit by keeping her warm, but not hot, and by placing a bowl of steaming water next to her cage. Unfortunately, pneumonia can kill, but it can also be survived.

Can you please add your country, state/province or UK county to your details so we can help you as much as possible. We have got members from all over the world. click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. This makes it appear underneath your username with every post you make. Thank you!

@helen105281 @Adelle
 
I'm sorry she is so poorly. The only thing I can add to Wiebke's advice is that when my Buzz has Pneumonia he was also given Bisolvon to break up any mucous in his nose. Plus we used a steam inhaler with 2 drops of Olbas oil which helped. That was in addition to Zithromax antibiotics plus diuretics.
 
Hey, my guinea pig kind of had somehing like what you are talking about. They said that she wasnt going to live that long, but she lived like 3 months more. So, hopefully that happens for you (maybe longer than mine). I have been in your shoes many times. I hope he/she can live long!
 
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