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Poorly Piggie, Suspected Pneumonia

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Tallulah

Tallulah

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi all, just wondered if anyone could offer some advice; my five month old guinea pig is really poorly; coughing, panting and wheezing. Otherwise she's fine; eating well although her breathing seems to be making it tough at times so I'm supplementing with puréed veg and her usual nuggets (and water) she had lost weight but is now gaining it a little.
We've been to the vets who diagnosed chest infection, possible pneumonia, she's been on 0.2ml baytril and a dose of metacam, both twice a day.
She has been on these for four days and certainly isn't deteriorating. Her nose seems clearer and isn't running, her eyes are bright and she's active, even an occasional chat when I'm feeding her.
I wondered if anyone knew how quickly I should see improvement? The vet had said to give it a week with a view to continuing treatment if she hasn't recovered but to take her back if she gets worse. But I'm worrying and any advice would be appreciated. Is there anything else I should be doing? She has periods of being totally normal then a couple of hours of panting and wheezing. She seems to cough and clear it and then she's better.
Any advice very much appreciated and any reassurance if at all possible equally so.
Thanks :)
 
Hi!

You could ask your vets whether they would be willing to prescribe you some mucus-thinning bisolvon powder (for the coughing) and also giving you some diuretic to help clear the lungs.

As a help at home, place a bowl of steaming water next to the cage to help ease the breathing. Give some extra vitamin C for the immune system for the time being. Also give a pinch of probiotic 1-2 hours after the antibiotic to help support the guts. Weigh your girl daily at the same time and if necessary, top her up with hand feed to make sure that she maintains as much strength as possible to fight it off.
You can find all information re. supportive hand feeding, vitamin C and probiotics in this thread here: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/complete-hand-feeding-guide.115359/
The need to breathe comes before the need to drink and thirdly the need to eat.


Depending on the severity, she may need more time on baytril or need to switch to a stronger antibiotic like marbocyl or zithromax if there is a deterioration.
 
Hi Wiebke
Thanks for your reply. Her breathing is strong and for the most part reasonably clear, I'd say if anything it's a smidge better than it was but certainly no worse. The vet said that for now there's nothing else they can do unless she deteriorates and even of she doesn't get better in a week to keep up with the baytril for another week.

I'm syringe feeding her three to four times a day as much as she wants (a lot; she's chewed through three syringes already lol I have to throw them because they get all rough!) she's getting puréed veg (carrots, red pepper, etc) and nugget paste. She's eating hay, nuggets and grass and dandelions as well as the parsley and kale I've given her; as much vit c as I can give to her! Trying. To keep her diet as close to normal as poss for her tummy but she's pooing like a champ and no diarrhoea. All in all she's a happy well pig. Is there anything I can give her myself for the fluid? I remember reading years ago on here about sudofed but It was a long time ago. She does eventually cough and clear it but if I can help it'll be great, the vet really not keen to give anything else unless she deteriorates particularly because of her age and weight (500g on Tues but likely a little more by now; her tummy is certainly fuller!)

I shall certainly try the steam and hunt for some probiotic.

Thanks so much, we really appreciate it :)
 
What you are dealing with now are the symptoms of the body's response to the infection.......hopefully the abx is now killing the bugs and , reducing the bacterial load (normally takes at least 2-4 days to start working) and therefore she should not deteriorate any further.

HOWEVER - the breathing is very worrying.

If she has pneumonia then she may be accumulating inflammatory fluid in her lungs and it is possible that a one-off injection of diuretic (fruseamide) may help to clear this and ease her breathing.
If the congestion is more "solid" (ie snot/mucus) and in the upper respiratory tract, then Bisolven (mix a pinch of powder in water and syringe feed 2x daily) helps to clear it

Either way you need to be prepared to go back to the vets on monday (or earlier if her breathing gets any worse). Keep up the syringe feeding, keep an eye on her wweght and poo output.Hopefully she will make a quick recovery.
x
 
Pebble said:
What you are dealing with now are the symptoms of the body's response to the infection.......hopefully the abx is now killing the bugs and , reducing the bacterial load (normally takes at least 2-4 days to start working) and therefore she should not deteriorate any further.

HOWEVER - the breathing is very worrying.

If she has pneumonia then she may be accumulating inflammatory fluid in her lungs and it is possible that a one-off injection of diuretic (fruseamide) may help to clear this and ease her breathing.
If the congestion is more "solid" (ie snot/mucus) and in the upper respiratory tract, then Bisolven (mix a pinch of powder in water and syringe feed 2x daily) helps to clear it

Either way you need to be prepared to go back to the vets on monday (or earlier if her breathing gets any worse). Keep up the syringe feeding, keep an eye on her wweght and poo output.Hopefully she will make a quick recovery.
x
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Thanks Pebbles

What if the breathing doesn't get worse? She's not struggling to breathe at all, just seems a little breathless with the occasional wheeze, the vet said not to go back unless it gets worse and that it could take a couple of weeks so I'm pretty confident that they won't do anything :(
 
Tallulah said:
Thanks Pebbles

What if the breathing doesn't get worse? She's not struggling to breathe at all, just seems a little breathless with the occasional wheeze, the vet said not to go back unless it gets worse and that it could take a couple of weeks so I'm pretty confident that they won't do anything :(
Click to expand...

You can always ring up your vet and ask him whether he would be willing to prescribe bisolvon or give some diuretic to support and help on the recovery process. It is going in the right direction.
 
Yes I think I'll see how she is on Monday and maybe give them a ring. The thing is she wasn't sure it was pneumonia, she said that or a chest infection perhaps, she's been so well and I'd always thought a piggie with pneumonia would be so much poorlier, especially by now. That's just me trying to think positive I bet, but she just seems so so well. She even said maybe asthma. I don't think she really knew tbh.
 
Tallulah said:
Yes I think I'll see how she is on Monday and maybe give them a ring. The thing is she wasn't sure it was pneumonia, she said that or a chest infection perhaps, she's been so well and I'd always thought a piggie with pneumonia would be so much poorlier, especially by now. That's just me trying to think positive I bet, but she just seems so so well. She even said maybe asthma. I don't think she really knew tbh.
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Could you please add your country to your details; that makes it much easier to tailor our advice. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location.
We have to ga piggy savvy UK vet locator on the top bar where we are trying to list the best vets for each area. I can also provide links for other countries.
 
Wiebke said:
Could you please add your country to your details; that makes it much easier to tailor our advice. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location.
We have to ga piggy savvy UK vet locator on the top bar where we are trying to list the best vets for each area. I can also provide links for other countries.
Click to expand...
Will do. Am back to the forum after a few years absence, it's all changed lol. I'm UK, will add it when I can (on iPhone at mo and every time I go I to my profile it keeps telling me about awards or something, I think there may be a backlog of messages! Should be easier on laptop)
 
Tallulah said:
Will do. Am back to the forum after a few years absence, it's all changed lol. I'm UK, will add it when I can (on iPhone at mo and every time I go I to my profile it keeps telling me about awards or something, I think there may be a backlog of messages! Should be easier on laptop)
Click to expand...

We have shifted to a new provider; but you will hopefully find that our new-look forum s a lot easier to navigate. We have got a more international member base, which is why it is easier when we knwo each other's countries. Foget about the awards! Messages are indicated by the envelope at the right of the top bar and the flag lights up any alerts, i.e. answers to your threads or other threads and sections you are watching. You can set how you are alerted (email or flagging) in your profile (i.e. by clicking on your username on the top bar).
 
Hi just an update, She's a bit better today. Breathing still heavy but no wheezing. Big cough (just the one) earlier which I was pleased about, she are loads after. Eyes and nose still clear, breathing still comfy and not laboured so I'm happy at least that she's still not deteriorating.

She sounds a bit rattly still but a lot of that rattle is actually little chirps I realise now, I think she's been a bit too sore to chat too much.

She's currently tucking into her second bunch of grass and dandelions of the day, after two big syringe feeding sessions of nugget paste and puréed veg and plenty of water (disguised with a little puréed carrot and apple lol)

My "two week" supply of baytril is dwindling after five days and so will call back tomorrow for more and see what they say but she's doing ok :)
 
Thanks :) been searching the forum for other similar cases and tbh they all seem so different; she's not once been poorly in herself or off her food, it does make me wonder if this is pneumonia at all. She's definitely not well but I'm wondering if it's as bad as she made me think! She's certainly being spoilt; fresh air no draughts and more food than ever! Shall keep you all posted
 
Tallulah said:
Thanks :) been searching the forum for other similar cases and tbh they all seem so different; she's not once been poorly in herself or off her food, it does make me wonder if this is pneumonia at all. She's definitely not well but I'm wondering if it's as bad as she made me think! She's certainly being spoilt; fresh air no draughts and more food than ever! Shall keep you all posted
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It can well be just a mucusy URI and not a full-blown pneumonia. The main thing is that she gettign over it.
 
Hi thought I'd post another update, Flora is still not 100% well but no worse. Still eating a little and being syringe fed but she's wanting the syringe less and less. Not sure if that's a good or bad sign.
She finished the antibiotics a few days ago and I decided to see how she went before taking her back, she hadn't improved significantly on them and for very many reasons I have lost total confidence in and respect for the vets we'd been to.

Throughout this she has been bright and lively and never once seemed ill as such. Her breathing is still ever so rattly at times but mostly not and she pants a lot. Although I do wonder if that's just her stressed breathing because she'd rather not be in here! She hasn't been rattly at all today and I caught her eating cucumber when she thought I wasn't watching. She's still underweight and doing the strangest things with food; I popped in some fresh hay and dandelions and kale and she ran over went to eat it then backed away. I know she can eat. So I'm thinking it can't be her teeth? I held a bit of kale out for her and she ate it faster than I've ever seen a guinea pig eat! I'm baffled folks, but I can't help but think this can't be pneumonia.

Going to a new vet tomorrow, with my tortoise who has just come home after being lost for ten months (it's all go here!) so will see what they say but I'd love to know what you folks think xx
 
So we're back from the new vet. He says her chest is clear but that she shouldn't be panting or making snuffly noises. He can't see any reason why she would be but feels she doesn't have pneumonia or anything like that now. He says to put her back outside to live in fresh air and see how she gets on.

She doesn't eat much and he's wondering if there's a dental issue (started separate dental thread not sure if I should have or not) but does anyone know if that'd make her snuffly and panty? Surely being snuffly and panty (at times not constantly) could make her off her food? I'm not sure what to do for the best, has anyone ever experienced anything like this?
 
What is she bedded on out of interest?

I may be inclined to seek a second opinion of another vet too, are you UK based?
 
She's on fresh hay. I any help but wonder if it could be an allergy? Seems to be nosey snuffles rather than the chesty ones before.

She's still so so well just not eating much and not breathing great. Which sounds bad but she's bright and active and happy.

So strange
 
i would really get a second opinion have a ring round and see if there are any vets by you piggy savy, the lack of eating rings alarm bells. Would your vet switch antibiotic to say Septrin to see if there is any difference?
 
I think the panting and snuffling are worse when she's stressed
 
No he said there's no need because there's no infection, her chest is totally clear. He was really thorough and I do trust him. She does eat, just not much but then she's been totally full of whatever this has been so whilst lively maybe not breathing easy enough to eat, he did say that could happen. She didn't sniffle at all yesterday that I saw and today only just then and when in the vets. It's the panting that is more but it's not loud, no gasping or anything just like a really exaggerated breathing
 
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