Need Advice For A Sick Piggy, Pneumonia?

[sehaag2]

I would love any advice you guys have! I have 2 male guinea pigs both just under a year old, Bruce and Alfred. Alfred has been sick since the end of March (4 months!). I have taken him to the vet numerous times and he has gotten 3 X-Rays taken in this time span. At first they just though he had a upper respiratory infection and gave him baytril, which didn't seem to work. After taken the 1st X rays at an emergency vet they couldn't tell anything. They thought maybe allergies to the bedding so we switched to fleece flippers. Meanwhile, still no improvement. After another round of X rays they said slight pneumonia. So he was put on sulfameth trimeth and we also got the critical care liquid food to make sure he was eating. He responded a lot better and after 3 weeks I thought he was cured! After being off the medicine for 2 days he was bad again so the vet took the 3rd x-ray. He said there is still pneumonia in his right lung. He wasn't sure if at this point its viral or bacterial especially because Bruce has not had any issues. The vet put him back on baytril which again did not work. After a few days I called and insisted on more sulfameth trimeth. I saw improvement a few days later. So he was on the sulfameth for a month with two 0.5mL doses a day. I thought it was a good idea since he was doing well to cut him back to once a day to wean him off it. Well he got bad again so I went back to twice a day. That was two weeks ago and he has been fine since then until yesterday.

Let me explain what "bad/sick" is in Alfred's case. He breathes really hard, often times I can hear a clicking type sound. He also gets lethargic and just lays around breathing heavily. His eyes also get watery and have some discharge. Thankfully last night and this morning he was still eating some hay and I got him to take his vitamin C tablet. When he gets sick I feel so bad for the little guy and I want to rush him to the vet but, they never seem to do anything different for him.

I live in the same town as a Veterinary Medicine College and I want to take him there for a second opinion but, unfortunately I just started a new job and moved so my funds are very tight at the moment. Which yes, I know, this is horrible of me as a pet owner. If anybody has any advice on what I can do or try to get Alfred permanently better (not just for 3 weeks at a time) I would appreciate your help!

Thank you!
Sara and Alfred

 

[helen105281]

Hi welcome to the forum, I am sorry he is so poorly.

Please could you confirm your location as it will help us advise you.

My first thought from reading your post is that if he has Pneumonia he will most likely have fluid on his chest and so will need diuretics from the vets to help remove the fluid. This could explain the clicky breathing.

Also, it would be a good idea to try a different antibiotic as both Baytril and Septrin are not usually effective enough to treat Pneumonia. I have had great success with Zithromax in treating Pneumonia and others have used Doxycycline too.

If he is snotty at all, Bisolvon would also help, as would steam therapy using a couple of drops of Olbas oil in hot water and placing near the cage or using a steam inhaler in 5 second bursts.

 

[sehaag2]

I am located in central Illinois, US. He doesn't seem to have a snotty nose. A diuretic makes sense, I am surprised they hadn't suggested that at all yet.

Good to know there are a few more options of treatment. I think I am going to probably make an appointment at the veterinary college where they have more specialists. I will write down the names of these meds so I can ask about them. THANK YOU!