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Please Help Me - Uri

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Phillip&Omar

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Hi. I'm new here, as you can see. I don't have time to make a fancy picture of my guinea pigs, because they are both sick. I'm probably going to go to the vet on Thursday, February 13th. Let me explain the problem for my 2 guinea pigs. They are both under a year old, maybe a few months, and they are 2 males, Phillip and Omar. They eat Timothy hay and plain pellets. They have aspen wood shavings for bedding. I don't have a proper cage yet, because my Midwest Extendable Habitat hasn't come in from amazon, but tomorrow is the deadline. My parents said I either get guinea pigs now and put them in a bin or never get them at all. So I got them. They were placed in a bin that's just barely 2 feet long and about a foot wide. They were very stressed and scared when I first got them, due to the bumpy car ride home and utterly small bin. Now that you know all the information, let me explain their illnesses.



Phillip: He's the runt of the team, but so far he seems to be eating more than Omar. Lately he's been breathing very heavily, and I can here this clicking sound alot. He was okay at first, I just don't know what to do before I take them to the vet in 2 days. Any tips on what to do?




Omar: He's been the more stressed-out and shy one since I got him. Yesterday I saw his eye was halfway closed and crusty. Today it was a little bit crusty, but it was open. Any tips on
what to do?



Extra Info: They both seem to be cuddling up in the corner together, but I moved them toward a heater, so they can't be cold. The room isn't very cold to start with. I may not know my piggies well, considering I got the 3 days ago, but I'm determined to give them a long, happy life. I just had a really bad start. Someone please help me.
 
I would take them to the vets. The breathing and eye crusts sound like a URI which can be fatal. The vet will give you antibiotics and possibly eye drops. If caught soon enough the piggies will be fine.

Make sure to keep his eye clean with some cotton wool and warm water until you can get to the vets.

This is not your fault, I got my piggies with the same problems.
 
Thank you, we got some gunk out of his eye. Hopefully all goes well. Tried to reward him with a treat. He's just to stressed right now.
 
Sounds like a URI (upper respiratory tract infection) particularly the heavy breathing with clicking. I would honestly if you are able to, try get them into the vets tomorrow so you can get antibiotics started more quickly. Apart from gently cleaning around the crusty eye, there isn't a great deal you will be able to do without the vet checking them over and prescribing something.

Where are you based? If you are in the UK, take a look at our vet finder:
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-vet-locator/

It details guinea pig friendly vets that have been recommended by our members here in the UK.
 
Thank you, for now Phillip is eating just fine, and I'm hand-feeding Omar. I'm still going to the vet, because I can slightly hear clicking.
 
I feel alot better, Omar's being more open than ever before. I'm going to the vet nevertheless, but it really helps my mood knowing that Omar is getting less shy around me. <3 :D
 
Phillip&Omar said:
Thank you, for now Phillip is eating just fine, and I'm hand-feeding Omar. I'm still going to the vet, because I can slightly hear clicking.
Click to expand...
I'm sorry you are having to experience poorly piggies, so soon after getting them. It can often be the case with pet shop piggies.
Even if the clicking seems to go away please get him checked out sooner than later. Piggies can hide illnesses very well.
 
Good you are getting them to the vet, but is there any way to be seen sooner? Like someone else said, URIs are fatal without treatment, and pigs go down hill fast, so the sooner the better. Good luck, and when they are feeling better, pictures please!
 
Good luck with your piggies. I'm sorry that you are having such a bad start to piggie ownership. By a "bin" do you mean a plastic storage box? I agree it sounds like a URI. Piggies can go downhill very quickly from URIs, I hope all is well, please update us when you can x
 
Best of luck at the vets! the symptoms are very typical for URI, including the loss of appetite as breathing comes before eating and drinking. Without an antibiotic, they will most likely die - URI can kill! The sooner they can be seen, the better. URI is very common in stressed or neglected piggies. Weigh your boys daily on the kitchen scales to make sure that they are getting enough food and water.
http://www.guinealynx.info/uri.html

I hope that you new cage arrives today!

With members from all over the world, we would be grateful if you added your country/state to your details - I assume that you are in the US? Just click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details/location. this makes it a lot easier for us to give you the appropriate advice and information straight away and avoid misunderstandings.

Make sure that you always save up some money to cover vet costs, especially if you rely on your parents' goodwill. Vets in the US are very expensive, but with any pet you need to go to them from time to time.

PS: I have changed your title a bit, so that our experienced members can see more quickly what it is about.
 
I echo what the others have said, a vet appointment is needed as a URI can become very serious very quickly.
 
I have a question, if a piggie has URI, does it usually eat? My parents are being very stubborn, and they just use the same excuse. "He's eating fine." Can anyone tell me how to counter that?
 
Piggies will eat until they are really poorly... exactly the same as a human would. If piggies are not eating at all it is very dangerous, you always want to catch illness before that happens. When is your vet appointment today?
 
That is why weighing an ill piggy daily and a healthy piggy weekly is so important - the scales don't lie! Write down the weights; but make sure that you always weigh at the same time of the day, as the difference between a full tummy and bladder and an empty one can make 30g/1 oz!

If necessary, show your parents these articles from the best medical website for guinea pigs.
http://www.guinealynx.info/weigh.html
http://www.guinealynx.info/anorexia.html

Keeping my fingers crossed for today!
 
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