Pig Vet Recommendations In Shropshire

[Elsie's pigs]

Hi, I have 2 pigs (8 months old) who have had problems with URI for the last 3 months. They have had several courses of antibiotics; 1. baytril, 2. baytril again (changed vets to Taylor and Marshall), 3. doxycycline, 4. doxycycline and baytril together. I thought that I had found a vet that I liked at Taylor and Marshall in Shifnal (she is in the process of completing exotics qualification and owns guinea pigs). However after taking a swab and finding that a certain antibiotic would be best (sorry can't remember it's name), she then said that she couldn't source the antibiotic anywhere and had called someone for advice. The advice given was to try a very high dose of baytril for a week. I was sceptical about this as they had been on baytril before and a week didn't seem enough to me, but not knowing what else to do I agreed to give it a go. That was around 2 weeks ago and my pigs did improve, they seemed happy and healthy until a few days ago when one of them sneezed and thick yellow mucus came out of her nose. We took them back to the vets and their chests sounded clear. We were told to monitor them and that it could just be dust from hay (which again made me feel sceptical). This morning the same pig sneezed 3 times in 5 minutes!

Sorry about the long back story. I suppose my question is do any of you have any experience of Taylor and Marshall's? Would you recommend switching to Severn Edge Vets? (just been added to recommended vets list). Are there any other vets in the area who are better? (I am willing to travel if I need to). As a new pig owner I am at the mercy of the vet's knowledge, I don't know if this is normal for an agressive URI or if they could be receiving better care? I just want the best for my pigs and for this URI to finally clear.

Thanks for any help

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, I have 2 pigs (8 months old) who have had problems with URI for the last 3 months. They have had several courses of antibiotics; 1. baytril, 2. baytril again (changed vets to Taylor and Marshall), 3. doxycycline, 4. doxycycline and baytril together. I thought that I had found a vet that I liked at Taylor and Marshall in Shifnal (she is in the process of completing exotics qualification and owns guinea pigs). However after taking a swab and finding that a certain antibiotic would be best (sorry can't remember it's name), she then said that she couldn't source the antibiotic anywhere and had called someone for advice. The advice given was to try a very high dose of baytril for a week. I was sceptical about this as they had been on baytril before and a week didn't seem enough to me, but not knowing what else to do I agreed to give it a go. That was around 2 weeks ago and my pigs did improve, they seemed happy and healthy until a few days ago when one of them sneezed and thick yellow mucus came out of her nose. We took them back to the vets and their chests sounded clear. We were told to monitor them and that it could just be dust from hay (which again made me feel sceptical). This morning the same pig sneezed 3 times in 5 minutes!

Sorry about the long back story. I suppose my question is do any of you have any experience of Taylor and Marshall's? Would you recommend switching to Severn Edge Vets? (just been added to recommended vets list). Are there any other vets in the area who are better? (I am willing to travel if I need to). As a new pig owner I am at the mercy of the vet's knowledge, I don't know if this is normal for an agressive URI or if they could be receiving better care? I just want the best for my pigs and for this URI to finally clear.

Thanks for any help

Hi! The green mucus rather points to an infection in the upper respiratory airways that has not cleared out or something stuck in the nose that is causing an infection, so you'd best have them seen again. Please ask the vet for mucus thinning bisolvon powder in addition to an antibiotic to help clear the airways.

Until then you can help ease the breathing by placing a bowl of steaming water next to the cage and keep it refreshed.

A once off sneezing fit does neither constitute an URI or nor an allergy; it is simply something irritating stuck in the nose, like some hay dust or pollen.

I am linking in @Pound Shilling & Pig for you, as she is from Shropshire.

Here is our recommended vets locator from the top bar. We try to keep it updated as best as we can without having the resources to monitor all vet clinics in the country with new additions or whenever we hear that a particularly piggy savvy vets has changed clinics.
Guinea Pig Vet Locator

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

Hi, i am not familiar with Taylor and Marshall but can highly recommend Severn Edge vets in Much Wenlock. You could always ask them for a second opinion without committing to leaving your existing vets. If you do go to Much Wenlock make sure it is Rob that you see. He is very experienced and able to explain things very well.

 

[Elsie's pigs]

Thanks both for your replies.

They don't seem to have any problems breathing currently. Previously my Ginger pig's breathing was very noisy and raspy but after the last lot of treatment she is finally quiet again (only in her breathing though, she is a pig with personality!). I think I will take them to see Rob for a second opinion, if nothing else it will put my mind at rest.

Could I ask for advice on a couple of related points?

I worry that they have become reinfected from their cage. They have a large c&c cage. I clean and change the hay area daily, cosies every couple of days and all fleece weekly. I use a strong F10 solution to clean plastics and I wash the fleece at 60 degrees. Is this enough to kill everything?

They have a large box of hay (changed daily and from dustfreehay.com) in their cage so that they can burrow in it and hide under it, is this a bad idea if the dust/pollen can irritate them? Should I put their hay in a rack instead?

Sorry for all the questions, I want to make sure I'm doing the right things for them, they are lovely pigs and deserve the best I can give them.

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

it sounds like you have very good hygiene standards and i think the risk of reinfection is low. I dont use fleece for my piggies but it is very popular with a lot of forum members who should be able to give you better guidance on how often to change it. You may get more replies if you start an other thread about it

I like my piggies to be able to burrow in their hay as it is natural behavior, they like to flatten it and sleep on top of it too. I think most piggies are not bothered by the pollen. Yours may have breathed in a bit of hay and got a tiny bit stuck up there which caused an infection. Or it may have been a viral infection - piggies, like us but unlike other pets, can catch cold and flu viruses. There are always many possibilities as to what causes an URI.

Dont worry about asking lots of questions, there are lots of friendly people on the form happy to give advice

 

[Elsie's pigs]

Thanks again, it's nice to have some reassurance that I'm doing the right things, especially when the infection has been dragging on for so long. I didn't notice any sneezing at cleaning or floor time today which I'm very happy about!

I do like to ask questions! I have found everyone on this forum to be extremely helpful and very friendly. It has been really useful for me as a new and first time piggy owner to be able to ask advice from the experts. I am very grateful to you all.