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Pumpkin Has A Uri

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Pumpkin&Salt

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hello everyone, I wanted to see if anyone knew why my Pumpkin isn't getting better. So previously Pumpkin had been diagnosed with Pneumonia but turns out he did not have pneumonia he actually has what seems like a uri. He has been on baytril .35 ml and vibramycin .2 ml twice a day for 5 weeks now and he's not overcoming his infection sometimes he'll be good for a day or two or even a week. I just wanted to know if he should be getting better by now i've read that sometimes it takes a guinea pig more than a month to overcome a uri but he's been like this since late July and we've tried bactrim and now baytril but he's not getting any better. Could it be a heart problem?
 
Pumpkin&Salt said:
Hello everyone, I wanted to see if anyone knew why my Pumpkin isn't getting better. So previously Pumpkin had been diagnosed with Pneumonia but turns out he did not have pneumonia he actually has what seems like a uri. He has been on baytril .35 ml and vibramycin .2 ml twice a day for 5 weeks now and he's not overcoming his infection sometimes he'll be good for a day or two or even a week. I just wanted to know if he should be getting better by now i've read that sometimes it takes a guinea pig more than a month to overcome a uri but he's been like this since late July and we've tried bactrim and now baytril but he's not getting any better. Could it be a heart problem?
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It should be better by now, so it may be worth contacting your vet to see whether there is another problem that could lower his immune system (heart issues could be one potential aspect, but they are notoriously difficult to diagnose). I am very sorry about your ongoing problems.
Have you considered trying to give him extra vitamin C to help boost his immune system? about 1/8 -1/4 of a human tablet per day. Please do not add any to his normal water and rather syringe directly if you prefer to dissolve it in 1 ml of water.
 
Wiebke said:
It should be better by now, so it may be worth contacting your vet to see whether there is another problem that could lower his immune system (heart issues could be one potential aspect, but they are notoriously difficult to diagnose). I am very sorry about your ongoing problems.
Have you considered trying to give him extra vitamin C to help boost his immune system? about 1/8 -1/4 of a human tablet per day. Please do not add any to his normal water and rather syringe directly if you prefer to dissolve it in 1 ml of water.
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I do give him extra vitamin c but nothing seems to be helping him.
 
Today I took Pumpkin to the vet because after a month and half on bactrim and doxcycline and 5 weeks on baytril and doxcycline he is not improving. Pumpkin has been sick since late July and at first he just had a uri and then slight pneumonia. Vet gave us doxcycline and pneumonia was clear but he still had a uri. Today Pumpkin had xrays taken and they saw a little bit of pneumonia and he lost some weight (this is the first time he's lost weight). Since Pumpkin has not gotten any better I asked the vet if it could possibly be a heart problem and she said his heart sounds fine and that it's not common in young pigs (Pumpkin is about 4 months). She gave us chloramphenicol susp (.4ml) to give to him twice a day for two weeks. Has anyone dealt with anything similar, I don't understand why he isn't responding to any medication he's been given. Also does anyone have any recommendations for a good nebulizer ?
 
I have a great nebuliser but I'm in the UK.

If you try the Guinea Lynx website there's a few people on there who nebulise their pigs so they may have an idea which one to get.

I think there's the option to rent one from a vet too, that might be worth looking into.
 
How is pumpkin doing @Pumpkin&Salt ?

Are they sure the remaining problem in the lungs is infection and not fluid?

My elderly sow is in heart failure, on xray she has "fluffy" looking lungs which is a little amount of fluid. There is nothing untoward with her heart on xray and she doesnt have a murmur.

It can be quite decieving with xrays and listening alone so a heart issue may still be something to consider. Young guinea pigs can have genetic heart issues.

If it doesnt clear, you could run the idea of fluid past your vet which would require a low dose of diuretic to clear.

All the best x
 
Adelle said:
How is pumpkin doing @Pumpkin&Salt ?

Are they sure the remaining problem in the lungs is infection and not fluid?

My elderly sow is in heart failure, on xray she has "fluffy" looking lungs which is a little amount of fluid. There is nothing untoward with her heart on xray and she doesnt have a murmur.

It can be quite decieving with xrays and listening alone so a heart issue may still be something to consider. Young guinea pigs can have genetic heart issues.

If it doesnt clear, you could run the idea of fluid past your vet which would require a low dose of diuretic to clear.

All the best x
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Well I am force feeding him because he does not want to eat on his own he doesn't even want to eat his favorite treats. Before Pumpkin got sick he wasn't very active he prefered to sleep and he would just come out to eat and when i gave him floor time he would run for a bit and lay down. I was wondering if he could possibly have an infection that just isn't getting better because he has a heart problem.
 
Pumpkin&Salt said:
Well I am force feeding him because he does not want to eat on his own he doesn't even want to eat his favorite treats. Before Pumpkin got sick he wasn't very active he prefered to sleep and he would just come out to eat and when i gave him floor time he would run for a bit and lay down. I was wondering if he could possibly have an infection that just isn't getting better because he has a heart problem.
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Has your vet checked the lungs for fluid build-up and is Pumpkin on diuretics? An underlying problem can make it more difficult to heal up, but perhaps a scan with minimal GA can help to bring clarity about his chest, wether it is infection or heart problems that are the issue?
 
@Wiebke They did not mention any fluid and he isn't on diuretics.They just sent us home with chloramphenicol because he didn't respond to any other antibiotics. Last month at another clinic when they thought he had pneumonia (he just had a uri) they gave him a lasix injection. If he had a heart problem would the lasix injection have helped him because he didn't improve after the injection.
 
Pumpkin&Salt said:
@Wiebke They did not mention any fluid and he isn't on diuretics.They just sent us home with chloramphenicol because he didn't respond to any other antibiotics. Last month at another clinic when they thought he had pneumonia (he just had a uri) they gave him a lasix injection. If he had a heart problem would the lasix injection have helped him because he didn't improve after the injection.
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Lasix is the same as frusemide, a diuretic. It would have helped if there was fluid but sometimes it does take a couple of doses for it to work properly x
 
Adelle said:
Lasix is the same as frusemide, a diuretic. It would have helped if there was fluid but sometimes it does take a couple of doses for it to work properly x
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Is it possible for him to have an enlarged heart without any fluid present? My vet thinks it could possibly be viral since he is not responding to antibiotics. He hasn't responded to the new medication they gave him (chloramphenicol, they gave it to him on Monday).
 
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So I just got off the phone with one of Pumpkin's vets and he said that in the past xrays Pumpkin's heart does not look enlarged but he is willing to do an ultrasound. He said the chloramphenicol could be making his stomach upset so he's having me switch him back to bactrim. He prescribed a motility drug, and getamincin to put in the nebulizer along with sterile saline solution. I also asked if it could possibly be viral and he said that's rare in guinea pigs. For vitamin c i am currently giving Pumpkin extra bell pepper because I got him oxbow's vitamin c supplements and he didn't go near them because they're too hard (my other guinea pig loves them) so I am going to get him vitamin c tablets and give him 1/4 but i wanted to know if any brand of vitamin c is okay or if i have to watch out for certain ones.
 
Sounds like a scan may be a good step. Remember to give him Probiotics 1-2 hours after each antibiotic dose.

As long as the vitamin c is vegan friendly you will be fine. You are looking for a tablet you can crush. If you can only get effervesant tablets, make sure you leave it for a good 15 mins after adding water before administering so all the fizz is out of it x
 
Adelle said:
Sounds like a scan may be a good step. Remember to give him Probiotics 1-2 hours after each antibiotic dose.

As long as the vitamin c is vegan friendly you will be fine. You are looking for a tablet you can crush. If you can only get effervesant tablets, make sure you leave it for a good 15 mins after adding water before administering so all the fizz is out of it x
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I don't have probiotics so I am giving him poop soup. Should I buy him probiotics or is poop soup fine?
 
Pumpkin&Salt said:
I don't have probiotics so I am giving him poop soup. Should I buy him probiotics or is poop soup fine?
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Poop soup is good but iv never just used it on its own so i honestly couldnt say! As long as his tummy and poos are okay then it must be doing the job x
 
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