teadragon
Adult Guinea Pig
I wasn't going to post this here since I already have a medical thread on another forum, but since it appears to be a universal mystery I figured the more experienced owners I hit with my dilemma the better.
Let me take you back to November 08, I noticed that Cashew (2 -3 years) had begun to cough. Every time he coughed he was eating. Then he stopped. His weight was a steady 1.3kg throughout the rest of the month through December I didn't notice any more coughing.
In January 09, Cashew began coughing again. I began a thread on another forum asking for help; he wasn't displaying the symptoms of a URI, was eating, maintaining weight, no change in temperament. He was eating Oxbow Timothy Hay and it was suggested that I should change this to a less dusty hay. He was also on megazorb bedding, while I ordered Orchard Grass I also switched his bedding to fleece.
I took him to the vet as I was preparing for Koda to come from Thistle Cavies Rescue once he'd gotten over an outbreak of fungal. The vet gave him the all-clear but suspected that he had mites (wtf?) because he had some dry skin. Ivermectin had no effect but a moisturising shampoo from Gorgeous Guineas did. I reported to Thistle cavies, observed him for the next few weeks and noticed he'd stopped coughing. The adoption proceeded and Koda was added to the family; both pigs healthy.
- this period I was still using Timothy Hay but with fleece as a bedding
There was a vet visit in here somewhere. Basically I left the vet surgery with the vet thinking I was a fruit loop for trying to suggest my pigs were coughing when both of them were suitably terrified and healthy while at the vet. -_-
Using Orchard grass + meadow hay mix + fleece.
Using Orchard grass + Megazorb with hay mix as a bedding in one section of the cage
Bog-standard cheap meadow hay + fleece/megazorb
(no change with either combo)
Months later I noticed *one of them* was coughing infrequently... when the coughing seemed to come from Koda I took both pigs back into the vet.
Koda: 1.1kg, <1 year (monitored weight, steadily increasing)
Cashew: 1.4kg (+.1kg)
After my previous vet visit I was somewhat more forceful with my case. Both pigs were examined and I stressed that I was sure Cashew was the cougher but that Koda may also be doing the same thing. Koda was wheezing slightly, Cashew was healthy. I left with Baytril which I was to give to Koda but if the coughing didn't stop, the vet suggested I should switch to Cashew. Both pigs had a full case of 10 days of baytril supported by pro-biotic (tablet form) to prevent an adverse reaction.
A few days ago I was holding Cashew when he let out a mighty cough. The next day he had one gloopy eye (could have been a poke injury) the next morning I took him to the vet to have the vet look at me again like I'm a fruit loop because - again - he was perfectly healthy.
That night I clipped his nails to get one up on him (I'd postponed it, not wanting to flip him into handstands (joking) to try and get at his nails done if he was having difficulty breathing) and he was fine.
I'm so ... flustered!
Susie_q brought newBoar from Sokel yesterday and I'm reluctant to begin introductions after his quarantine period if Cashew is harbouring something which should be dealt with before I start to shake up the tranquillity of my boy's cage. I don't think it's contagious, but coughing is hardly normal.
A suggestion for allergy has been to try the following: Piriton Liquid 0.2ml twice daily (IF I can confirm it's not a lung problem) has anyone used this to treat an apparently causeless cough?
I read through the hayfever sticky but couldn't see anything that I could say "that's it!" to: he coughs (from the lungs), not sneezes or sniffs. No discharge in his nose, the gloopy single eye has disappeared.
For those uncertain: A URI (Upper Respiratory Infection) is defined here: http://www.guinealynx.info/uri.html
I'm prepared to think the discharge was the normal white liquid a pig uses to clean himself: http://www.guinealynx.info/eyes.html#discharge *eyes were not crusty*
ha ha, wouldn't it be ironic if my pigs are as allergic to me as I am them: http://www.cavyspirit.com/allergies.htm
Information on the medication I refered to
Piriton is recommended in dogs and cats when suffering from allergic reactions or skin inflammation. Piriton (the only antihistamine approved for use in dog and cat allergy treatment) is effective and safe for dogs and cats. Administer doses carefully depending on the size of the dog or cat, as the drug can cause drowsiness.
Let me take you back to November 08, I noticed that Cashew (2 -3 years) had begun to cough. Every time he coughed he was eating. Then he stopped. His weight was a steady 1.3kg throughout the rest of the month through December I didn't notice any more coughing.
In January 09, Cashew began coughing again. I began a thread on another forum asking for help; he wasn't displaying the symptoms of a URI, was eating, maintaining weight, no change in temperament. He was eating Oxbow Timothy Hay and it was suggested that I should change this to a less dusty hay. He was also on megazorb bedding, while I ordered Orchard Grass I also switched his bedding to fleece.
I took him to the vet as I was preparing for Koda to come from Thistle Cavies Rescue once he'd gotten over an outbreak of fungal. The vet gave him the all-clear but suspected that he had mites (wtf?) because he had some dry skin. Ivermectin had no effect but a moisturising shampoo from Gorgeous Guineas did. I reported to Thistle cavies, observed him for the next few weeks and noticed he'd stopped coughing. The adoption proceeded and Koda was added to the family; both pigs healthy.
- this period I was still using Timothy Hay but with fleece as a bedding
There was a vet visit in here somewhere. Basically I left the vet surgery with the vet thinking I was a fruit loop for trying to suggest my pigs were coughing when both of them were suitably terrified and healthy while at the vet. -_-
Using Orchard grass + meadow hay mix + fleece.
Using Orchard grass + Megazorb with hay mix as a bedding in one section of the cage
Bog-standard cheap meadow hay + fleece/megazorb
(no change with either combo)
Months later I noticed *one of them* was coughing infrequently... when the coughing seemed to come from Koda I took both pigs back into the vet.
Koda: 1.1kg, <1 year (monitored weight, steadily increasing)
Cashew: 1.4kg (+.1kg)
After my previous vet visit I was somewhat more forceful with my case. Both pigs were examined and I stressed that I was sure Cashew was the cougher but that Koda may also be doing the same thing. Koda was wheezing slightly, Cashew was healthy. I left with Baytril which I was to give to Koda but if the coughing didn't stop, the vet suggested I should switch to Cashew. Both pigs had a full case of 10 days of baytril supported by pro-biotic (tablet form) to prevent an adverse reaction.
A few days ago I was holding Cashew when he let out a mighty cough. The next day he had one gloopy eye (could have been a poke injury) the next morning I took him to the vet to have the vet look at me again like I'm a fruit loop because - again - he was perfectly healthy.
That night I clipped his nails to get one up on him (I'd postponed it, not wanting to flip him into handstands (joking) to try and get at his nails done if he was having difficulty breathing) and he was fine.
I'm so ... flustered!
Susie_q brought newBoar from Sokel yesterday and I'm reluctant to begin introductions after his quarantine period if Cashew is harbouring something which should be dealt with before I start to shake up the tranquillity of my boy's cage. I don't think it's contagious, but coughing is hardly normal.
A suggestion for allergy has been to try the following: Piriton Liquid 0.2ml twice daily (IF I can confirm it's not a lung problem) has anyone used this to treat an apparently causeless cough?
I read through the hayfever sticky but couldn't see anything that I could say "that's it!" to: he coughs (from the lungs), not sneezes or sniffs. No discharge in his nose, the gloopy single eye has disappeared.
For those uncertain: A URI (Upper Respiratory Infection) is defined here: http://www.guinealynx.info/uri.html
I'm prepared to think the discharge was the normal white liquid a pig uses to clean himself: http://www.guinealynx.info/eyes.html#discharge *eyes were not crusty*
ha ha, wouldn't it be ironic if my pigs are as allergic to me as I am them: http://www.cavyspirit.com/allergies.htm
Information on the medication I refered to
Piriton is recommended in dogs and cats when suffering from allergic reactions or skin inflammation. Piriton (the only antihistamine approved for use in dog and cat allergy treatment) is effective and safe for dogs and cats. Administer doses carefully depending on the size of the dog or cat, as the drug can cause drowsiness.
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