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Please help! Sick pig :(

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RoccoAndPeanut

RoccoAndPeanut

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi everyone sorry about the book but i just want to be detailed.. I'm having a bit of a hard time trying to figure out what is wrong with my guinea pig named Peanut. I got him about 4 months ago from petsmart (not a good idea i know) along with his brother Rocco. at first they were both sneezing (only sneezing and slight crust on their eyes they still drank and ate and played like normal) so i went to vet number 1 turned out they had URI so they were put on medicine both of them got better and i thought that was the end of it. couple weeks after peanut starts making a crackly noise and coughing (no other symptoms still eating, drinking, playing slight crust but nothing discolored) so i called my vet and he said it was normal for them to cough from time to time.. i went to my local rescue to get them their pellets and took in both the piggies for a wellness check and when peanut started coughing everyone turned to me and told me peanut was sick again with URI and that i needed to take him into the vet ASAP so i went back to vet number 1. they gave him a baytril shot right then and there and sent me home with a prescription that wasn't baytril (don't understand why but thats just how they did it). He was still coughing on the meds (still eating, drinking, playing like a happy pig and still gaining weight like normal) so after i finished that medicine i tried calling the vet back and they never called me back. my rescue center gave me the number to their recommended vet and i started using that vet. he put him on baytril and he got better within a couple days. then... once again a couple weeks later he starts wheezing and coughing AGAIN.. so my vet puts him on baytril along with nasal drops of pro(don't know how to spell it but its a steroid for allergies med) and another medicine called doxy(dont know the rest of the spelling but its purple) and i also give both of the piggies 1 ml of liquid vitamin C that my dr recommended. so today he gets off the meds completely and he is still coughing and wheezing! i don't know what to do anymore.. i give him vitamins i give them a variety of veggies and some fruits occasionally (including an orange slice once a week). they are separated in two different c&c cages with fleece that i change once a week with doggie pads and newspaper layers underneath. i sweep the poos every single night and i even have an air purifier in their room (fan isn't blowing on them at all) the next step would be blood work or an x-ray and I'm running out of money.. does anyone have any advice please because I'm stumped.. peanut and rocco are both Abyssinians and are about 7 months old if that. they think it might be allergies but if hes not on meds he gets worse. also the crackles are coming from his nose area not his chest so he doesnt have an ammonia.
 
It may be that Baytril just isn't getting rid of the infection, and that a different antibiotic is required. Some infections really can be quite stubborn, and the bacteria may be resistant to Baytril (a culture would confirm this)

If your vet is only prepared to give out Baytril, without considering other options, then I think you should seek out a different vet.

Fingers crossed that you can get to the bottom of this.
 
I would agree with Jerrybelly, it may be that Baytril (often used as the first choice antibiotic for guinea pigs) isn't shifting the infection, it sounds like a URI not pneumonia. The only way to tell what the infection is and then which antibiotic will treat it best is for your vet to do cultures to find out what bacteria is causing the problem.

An X-ray will be unlikely to help apart from exclude pneumonia which may show on film. But your little guy sounds a little healthy for that... If your vet is not willing to test or prescribe another antibiotic then I would seek a second opinion as clearly the problem will not clear up on it's own.

I assume you live in the US due to your piggy coming from Petsmart? If you post your location someone may be able to give you better and more local advice.
 
He has had other prescriptions besides baytril the first couple times and those really didn't work. The baytril worked the first time I gave it to him but not this time. Yes i am located in Phoenix Arizona so if you know any good vets around me I would love to hear about them. Thank you so much for the replies I'll ask my vet about getting a culture. Do you think blood work is necessary?
 
RoccoAndPeanut said:
He has had other prescriptions besides baytril the first couple times and those really didn't work. The baytril worked the first time I gave it to him but not this time. Yes i am located in Phoenix Arizona so if you know any good vets around me I would love to hear about them. Thank you so much for the replies I'll ask my vet about getting a culture. Do you think blood work is necessary?
Click to expand...

I don't know if it's 'necessary' but it might help them figure out what's going on. Clearly something isn't right as he should not be getting infection after infection. Have a really good chat with them and see what they suggest and if you are not happy then go for a second opinion. Sorry I can't be more help than that!
 
Hiya- one of mine had an URI beginning of the year & I think hers may have had something to do with a bad batch of hay I bought.
Think the hay must have got a bit damp & was dusty. The outer bit of bale was ok but the further I got in the worse it got :(
Ended up scrapping the hay a few days after I bought it&struggling with her URI :(
Dust extracted hay always helps keep a healthy piggy.
Does he have hay that's been stored in plastic &got sweaty/condensation problems?
Or have you tried changing their bedding to see if it is allergy related?

Hope you can find a cavy savvy vet near you.
Would definitely try a different antibiotic or vet!

Try weighing them at least a few times a week too while they're poorly to keep an eye on weight loss as this is a good indicator of health deterioration. Going back to weekly checks when they are healthy again.

Also put some Vicks vapour-rub or olbas oil on a cloth near the hutch/cage but out of reach to help clear a congested nose/airways. See if that helps?
Healing vibes. Xx

Oh just a thought... How do you give the vitamin c drops? He's not getting it go down his throat the wrong way &staying in his chest is he? Use only a small syringe. &a few drops at a time not a lot at once.
Good luck with your furbabies!
Xx
 
GPTV said:
Hiya- one of mine had an URI beginning of the year & I think hers may have had something to do with a bad batch of hay I bought.
Think the hay must have got a bit damp & was dusty. The outer bit of bale was ok but the further I got in the worse it got :(
Ended up scrapping the hay a few days after I bought it&struggling with her URI :(
Dust extracted hay always helps keep a healthy piggy.
Does he have hay that's been stored in plastic &got sweaty/condensation problems?
Or have you tried changing their bedding to see if it is allergy related?

Hope you can find a cavy savvy vet near you.
Would definitely try a different antibiotic or vet!

Try weighing them at least a few times a week too while they're poorly to keep an eye on weight loss as this is a good indicator of health deterioration. Going back to weekly checks when they are healthy again.

Also put some Vicks vapour-rub or olbas oil on a cloth near the hutch/cage but out of reach to help clear a congested nose/airways. See if that helps?
Healing vibes. Xx

Oh just a thought... How do you give the vitamin c drops? He's not getting it go down his throat the wrong way &staying in his chest is he? Use only a small syringe. &a few drops at a time not a lot at once.
Good luck with your furbabies!
Xx
Click to expand...

I have tried different beddings before the fleece and the fleece is the only one that doesn't make them both sneeze. The hay I have has been different through the months so it could be the dust but the hay is always fresh. I give them both liquid c through a small syringe pushing it slowly so they only get a mouth full then I wait until they swallow it. I can't find a loyal vet cuz everyone I've been to has stopped calling me back cuz he's constantly sick and they probably think I'm crazy or something haha but it's my animal and I'm not going to sit aside and watch him not feel good they are my babies lol. The second vet thinks it's either a reoccurring uri or allergies but I'm not sure what would make him cough instead of sneeze.
 
My Rebel was prescribed Septrin after getting an abscess after castration. It cleared it up in no time. ;)
 
I am sorry that baytril is not working for your little one. Marbocyl (marbofloxacin) is considered to be a good antibiotic against URIs and tenacious abscesses by guinea pig vets in this country. Bactrim (US)/septrin (UK) is better with urinary tract problems.
Please be aware that baytril is the only licensed antibiotic for guinea pigs, and that some vets may completely refuse to use other ABs.

Guinea pigs are classed under exotics. Do you have an exotics vet anywhere within your reach? Rodents don't feature large on a general vet's curriculum. many general vets also scale down the dosage from a cat dosage, not taking into account that guinea pigs have a much faster metabolism.
Please be also aware that taking a blood sample from a guinea pig is anything but easy and should only be undertaken by an experienced specialist who knows what he is doing.

I hope that you can get to the bottom of it!
 
Last edited:
Wiebke said:
I am sorry that baytril is not working for your little one. Marbocyl (marbofloxacin) is considered to be a good antibiotic against URIs and tenacious abscesses by guinea pig vets in this country. Bactrim (US)/septrin (UK) is better with urinary tract problems.
Please be aware that baytril is the only licensed antibiotic for guinea pigs, and that some vets may completely refuse to use other ABs.

Guinea pigs are classed under exotics. Do you have an exotics vet anywhere within your reach? Rodents don't feature large on a general vet's curriculum. many general vets also scale down the dosage from a cat dosage, not taking into account that guinea pigs have a much faster metabolism.
Please be also aware that taking a blood sample from a guinea pig is anything but easy and should only be undertaken by an experienced specialist who knows what he is doing.

I hope that you can get to the bottom of it!
Click to expand...

When he got his baytril shot he wasn't very happy either. I don't want to make things worse for him by getting his blood drawn. I'm just going to ask for a culture to make sure I get the right antibiotic cuz he has tried a lot of different things.
 
hi everyone thank you so much for the replies and your input. i took peanut to an exotic vet hospital and they took two x rays of his air ways. there is a slight thickness of scar tissue in his air ways from the infection. he is being put back on docxy and pro as well as a bronchi dilator and he should clear up after this. fingers crossed this works!
 
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