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pig with breathing difficulties

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jacks0904

I (sorry, our school) has a 4 year old sow, middle of April she started wheezing, this got worse over the next couple of weeks. I took her to the vets 10 days ago and was prescribed antibiotics for 3 days, (unfortunately that vet has now left) no improvement so I took her back and saw a diiferent vet. she prescribed a week of antibiotics and steriods. nothing is helping her!

she is eating and drinking well, weighs 930grms, is very noisy when she breathes and it is visible when she does. I have just stopped using sawdust and put her on newspaper incase its the dust.

tonight we went back to the vet and she admitted she didnt know what to suggest except go to a specialist vet.

as you may appreciate money in school is tight and I would have to pay for this so any help/suggestions will be gratefully recieved.
 
Hello.

I don't really agree with pets being kept in schools but well done for taking responsibility for getting her some help.

I don't know what to suggest about her breathing but hopefully someone more experienced will help.
Whereabouts are you? We might be able to suggest someone local to you. :)
 
We live in Darlington. Dont worry our pigs are well cared for, and provide excellent support to our children x
 
it sounds like you are doing all you can by taking her to the vets and taking her off the sawdust also check that the hay you are using is good quality and dust free besides this I'm not sure huni hopefully someone else will be able to be more help good luck i hope she improves;)
 
Welcome to the forum, sorry to hear this piggie is unwell.

Possible causes of the symptoms you've described include infection, allergy and heart condition. You did good in taking her off sawdust, although it would help if you can find a different bedding to help with urine absorption (e.g. Aubiose, fleece or Vetbed) since newspaper alone isn't very effective!

What antibiotics was she given, and at what dose? Is she still eating and drinking well, and is she maintaining her weight? Did the vet say where the congestion is most audible e.g. the throat, nose or lungs?

I would consider the possiblities I mentioned in the order I mentioned, so first of all infection. If no change at all has been achieved on a usually effective course of antibiotics, then move onto allergy. You've already made a start on this by removing the sawdust, which is a common respiratory irritant, but other things you may need to consider include the hay (shaking every handful out inside a cardboard box to remove the dust - even with dust-extracted hays a lot of dust can sit on it), any time spent outdoors (is her breathing worse after a day spent outside - suggesting a sensitivity to a pollen) and also the whole room in general, thinking about if any aerosols or fragrances are used that may lead to the problem.

Allergies can be controlled with medication, but all potential environmental allergens should be controlled first to see if you can manage her symptoms without needng to medicate too often.
 
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Well, we still haven't got to the bottom of our piggy's noisy breathing and believe me we have tried EVERYTHING.

Started with two couses of Baytril, nystatin, sudafed, piriton, Olbas Oil, Bisolvon, manangement overhaul, indoors, outdoors and still she rattles and grumbles. The only time I don't hear the noises is when she is startled and sometimes when I am holding her for a snuggle.

Her chest is clear, as are her eyes and nostrils.

My warning to you is make sure the ricketty breathing isn't preventing her taking food in.

Good luck with finding a cause then a cure.
 
thanks everyone

she was given 2.5% baytral 0.2ml per day for 10 days
2.1% cortisone 0.1ml x2 per day for 7 days
the vet commented 'her breathing was noisy'

it may just be my wishful thinking but I think she is sounding better now off the sawdust! she hasnt been outside while the weather has been so bad, but we'll be putting them out soon.
she eating well, straight out if theres fresh food on offer that was 1 reason I disagreed with the vet re putting her to sleep. Reading your posts has made me see I was right in saying no :)
Jx
 
I'm starting to get worried, Bubbles breathing is not much better tonight :(
 
At this stage I would try giving some Sudafed Expectorant (orange and white labelled Sudafed). For an adult pig, the dose is 0.4ml once daily OR 0.2ml twice daily. Try this for a day or two, if it's going to help it tends to kick in and have some effect within a dose or two.
 
hi dont panic you will **** have to takebubbles the vet to this happened to me with one of my piggies an then a few days later the other one started with the same i called the vet and was told to give the antibiotic to the other one too, they are both fine now, so call your vet an see what they say dont give the other one any medicine until advised by your vet though good luck i hope they improve soon for you :)p
 
Ema, the pig has already been on antibiotics and has been to the vet, but the vet is now confused himself as to what the problem could be. Not sure if you're maybe thinking of a different post when you replied to this one? :)
 
Laura you are a star x
Bubbles has had 2 doses now (I started last night), when you first pick her up her breathing is noisy but as she calms now it goes quiet :))

how long do I keep giving her sudafed?

ps my local chemist were very puzzled and amused when they asked if it was foir a child or adult and I replied g pig!:(|)
 
I'm surprised the chemist let you have the medicine when you said it was for a guinea pig, they don't usually. I had to lie through my teeth and tell such a story about my husband's stomach ailments when I went to buy some buscopan for a piggie. Then I didn't use it on her anyway. mallethead
 
I too am surprised, I wish I had your chemist nearby!

Great to hear the Sudafed is having an effect. I'd keep her on it for another three days (so she has had a total of five days of meds) and/or until at least one day after her symptoms have ceased, then stop dosing and see how she does.

If the symptoms return and you suspect an allergy, I would consider treating with Piriton Syrup (anti-histamine); I have one of my own on this, she is dosed twice daily and is doing very well.

Do keep us updated, I hope she continues to recover well. :)
 
Laura you are a wealth of knowledge, is it self taught over the years. You could write a guinea pig remedy book.:)) I would buy one.
 
I would buy it too!

I know the pharmacy staff quite well:)p

what is the priton dose? A friend called in she thinks she sounds better so I'll keep going with sudfed till Tuesday ish

thanx Laurax>>
 
Dose for Piriton is 0.2ml twice daily. Whether this can be reduced in terms of frequency depends on how well she does and if you can figure out what the allergy is.
For now, it really is good to hear that the Sudafed is helping.

Thank you for your kind words as well, and Sharon. I've learnt in different ways - mostly through what I've been through with my own pigs, and what I pick up from Vedra and a couple of other rodentologists, but even my experiences with vets over the years adds to it. I've been on different forums for five years now, advising on medical matters for the past 2-3 years, and I learn just as much advising as I do just reading. And of course treating other peoples poorly pigs as well - only been doing it for a week and already learned so much. For some reason, guinea pig medicine sticks in my mind. :)
 
Laura, Bubbles breathing improved a little so I thought 'lets go a few days without Sudafed' it has deterioated slightly again so should I keep up with sudafed or try priton?

x
 
Good to hear things have been fairly stable, no major changes. I'd try Piriton this time. I had success with Sudafed in cases like this, but was unsure about dosing long term; with my hayfevery piggie Pandora, I have found Piriton took a day or two to have a really noticeable effect but it's actually far better. She started out on 0.2ml twice daily for a week, and the improvement was good enough that I then switched her to a "maintenance"/"minimum effective" dose of 0.2ml once every other day. She is still doing well on this dose now.

Some piggies may need 0.2ml twice daily for some weeks, sometimes you can reduce the dose fairly quickly; just see how Bubbles does. Once the condition has been stable (i.e. normal) for a good few days, then cut out one of the doses each day and give the guinea a week on that - it'll just help determine how little of the meds you can get away with giving.
 
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