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Poorly Piggie :-(

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fudgebrownie

fudgebrownie

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Hello everyone,

I have a sick 4 year old guinea pig called Brownie. He's been quiet for a few days but last night I noticed he was making a quiet squeaking noise when he breathed in and out and his chest really seemed to puff out. I took him (& his brother Fudge) to the vet this morning and the vet says he has a bit of a chest infection and has given them both some baytril. Since bringing them home Brownie seems even poorlier and is just sitting in the corner of the cage, he's not eating or drinking so I'm giving him a drop of water with a syring every hour or so & he also ate a little bit of grass. Is there anything else I could do to help him, is he going to get better or is this it for him? :...
 
Oh sorry to hear about Brownie :(

Sorry I have no experience of piggy chest infections but I do have a little of helping dental piggys eat.... If you have any critical care (or equivalent) maybe you could syringe feed Brownie ? If not maybe try to make a mash from pellets and water, or oats (like porridge oats) mixed with water and cooled ? Have you tried his fave veggies ? If he will eat some grass I would try a little, regularly.

Sorry this may not be the best of help but I hope bumping it up gets it seen by others again who may have missed it this afternoon...

Anyone ?

Hope he feels better soon - keep us posted

x

PS Welcome to the forum and well done on getting vet advice asap.
 
Thank you for your answer, I was begining to think I had posted it wrong!

Brownie still isn't looking any better, he's spent the best part of the afternoon sitting in the sun, I kept trying to shade him but he just kept moving back into the sun - not like him at all.

Fingers crossed he'll be a bit brighter in the morning.
 
Hi,
No you posted it just right. I dont really know what else to suggest .... we all know when our guineas just dont act like themselves..... I really hope he will be brighter in the morning. You've done the right thing in my opinion seeking vet advice and trying to get him to eat/drink.
I hope to hear good news in the morning...
Fingers crossed
xx
 
I see your giving him water - if he isn't eating also give him some syringe food either Critical Care or mush up some excel nuggets put them in a bowl pour some boiling water onto them - then mash and let cool before syringing them to him. He may eat them off a spoon if you offer them to him.

Here's some handfeeding tips: http://www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html#tips

You mentioned he's on Baytril, some probiotic would be useful to help his gut, something like Avri-pro or similar.

I have everything crossed he gets better soon, hopefully someone will be able to advise more I've never dealt with URI's.
 
He's sitting in the sun because he is cold :( He shouldn't really be out on grass with a URI. If you have some Vicks vapourub, you could put a little bit on the fur above his nose (never put anything in his nostrils) You need to bring him indoors & keep him warm, & syringe feed him with mushed up pellets like Flintstones said.

If you have a micro-warmer pad then use that, make sure it's not too hot though, wrap it in a towel & pop it in a box under some towels & put some hay in for him to snuggle into. Good luck, hope he will be okay.
 
Have you put some vics vapour rub on his nose. It can help a bit. What colour is his gums? It sounds like hes having a struggle breathing. he may need to see the vet again for some more meds and treatment. Such as bronchal dilator (help with breathing) and a diuretic to get any fluid off his lungs too. He may even need some oxygen therapy. Piggies with a bad chest infection can go downhill quickly. Be ready to ring an emergency vet if he gets worse this evening. Sorry to hear hes so unwell.

x.
 
just like Flintstones said, you have to syringe feed him as soon as possible - it's the most important thing not to let his digestive system shut down, so you need to syringe feed him every 4 hours. I heard once from Vedra it should be one full cup of ground up pellets per day for an adult pig.
 
Please keep him indoors so he will be warm. I wish him all the best and hope he gets better soon.
 
Fudge is very quiet and has been hiding in the bedroom since Brownie died...I just sat there for 15 minutes or so and he came out and went downstairs, had a bite to eat and then started chattering his teeth..I've never seen him chatter his teeth before before?
 
I am so sorry, it sounds like he may have had pneumonia, there was little you could have done :(

Keep an eye on his friend over the next few days, just to make sure he is eating & drinking. If you do consider getting a friend for him, maybe wait a couple of weeks if he is eating okay, just to be sure he hasn't got the same illness before getting another one.
 
I am so sorry for your loss. His poor friend must be very lonely now and needs a new friend. I know that may be hard for you though as it is very soon.
 
so sorry to hear this...one of my guineas has a similar problem and i dont think hes going to make it although I'm doing everything i can for him at the moment. mine has been up and down for weeks now fighting against pneumonia :( heartbreaking when theyre poorly isnt it!
 
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