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Respiratory infection - advice please

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fizz

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Noticed this morning that Amber, one of our 3 beloved GPs, was not interested in her veg. When picked up she seemed lethargic and her breathing was noisy although she was fine yesterday evening. Managed to get an appointment at vets this morning and she was diagnosed with a respiratory infection. Have had the girls for over 2 years and never had any health problems until now. I was in such a panic this morning that I didn't ask all the questions I should have. Now of course they're shut for the rest of bank holiday weekend so I'm hoping that someone here can offer some advice. The main question is: are the other 2 pigs at risk? And should I keep them separate? She is on her own at the moment to be on the safe side but she's normally a very sociable pig, always following the others around and trying to snuggle up with them. Of the 3, she is the one who would be most miserable on her own, but I don't want to put the others at unnecessary risk.
The other issue that is bothering me is that after trawling the internet for info, I've read about probiotics being given with antibiotics. Our vet said nothing about this. Is it standard practice? He gave Baytril and Critical Care. She's had both today as well as small quantities of grass and nibbles of her fave fruit and veg.
 
Hello! First of all, try not to worry. Because her respiratory infection was diagnosed during early stages of the illness, she has a very good chance of getting better.
I would be inclined to say, for the time being, to keep her on her own. I'm not 100% sure if URIs are actually contagious - I've had one pig with a URI live with seven others, and all of them were fine - but if she's off her food, you need to keep her alone so that you can monitor her intake and output. While it's acceptable to have a change in apetite and thirst, what you don't want is absolutely no eating or drinking, or an abscence of poos and wees. The only reason I kept my pig with the URI with the others was because she was a 4 week old baby who desperately needed comfort and had a huge apetite. I suspect she'll probably be lonely, but quarantining her for a few days won't do any lasting damage. Carry on providing her with her usual food, some of her favourite greens, grass, hay and fresh cold water. You can soak some tissue in olbas oil or vicks and place it in her cage, but if she doesn't appreciate the smell, that's fine too.
There's some debate as to whether probiotics actually benefit a guinea pig who is on prescribed antibiotics, however, in my own personal experience, Baytril is a very good antibiotic with URIs but can cause gastrointestinal disturbances (runny poos, loss of apetite) so I'd be inclined to say get a probiotic and use it - it has never done any of mine any harm.
You'll be able to get one called VetArk Pro-C Probiotic from your local Pets at Home store which should be open over the bank holiday weekend. What I usually do is: mix up a little powder with some cold water, and syringe in approximately 1ml of the probiotic mixture immediately after the antibiotic. I do this every time I give a dose and in my experience, it's alleviated all the nasty side effects of Baytril. I wouldn't add it to her water because if she's already being picky about drinking, this might worsen the problem.

So basically, what you're looking out for, is a change in input and output, and any worsening of the symptoms. If she's not eating, but isn't keen on the Critical Care, or you run out of it, get some fruity baby food for the youngest age group - this is easily digested and provides the guineapig with sugars and something to digest. I'm also pretty sure you could mix it with the Critical Care if she doesn't like the taste.

Good luck to you and your piggy xx :)
 
Sometimes "hayfever" can be misdiagnosed as an infection.
I use Olbas oil for any pig that is snuffling, whatever the cause. I tend to hold the bottle under the pig's nose and let them breathe in the "fumes".
I think that smearing Vick around the nose, whilst it maybe effective, is rather potent for a gps sense of smell.
 
It's been a turbulent couple of weeks - the 1st week, despite Baytril, Bisolvon, probiotics and lots of tlc, Amber just continued to go downhill. Last Friday the vet said there was nothing else we could do and we took her home for the weekend to say our goodbyes. She then decided it was time to fight back and from Saturday onwards seemed stronger every day. She is now off the antibiotics, her appetite is back to normal, poops are back to normal and she is lively and alert again. Her breathing is a little heavier than normal but nowhere near as bad as it was and the vet reckons it's the result of damage left behind by the infection. She also doesn't "talk" as much as she used to but I'm hoping that will improve. I'm still a bit concerned about her in the longer term but compared to how she was a week ago, the difference is amazing (I can sleep at night again now!).

My question now is about re-introducing her to her friends. Even though she's getting loads of human attention, it's not the same as piggy company, but the vet said that she may now be a carrier and it's best to keep them separate although he admitted we would have to weigh up the risks against her quality of life. I feel torn - obviously I don't want to put the others at risk, but I hate to think of her stuck on her own for the rest of her life (I have even wondered if loneliness may have something to do with her lack of chatter now). I don't have complete confidence in my vet - I think he did his best and I know he did some research after our first visit, but don't feel it's an area he has much expertise in.

Any thoughts from more experienced gp owners would be appreciated.
 
She could be better because she is off the drugs, it could have been "hay-fever" all along.
I would not hesitate to put her back with her companions.
A "carrier"? What of, "swine flu'"!?
 
Hope this will make you feel a little better .....

I have had several guinea pigs with resp inf and I have re introduced all of them to their cagemates with no further consequence. I think given that the pig was so ill when the illness was discovered that the others have already been exposed to it and didn't develop symptoms and therefore the chances of them now going on to develop it are slim. I think in times when they are stressed or 'under the weather' may need to be when you keep an 'extra' eye out for them developing symptoms.

I've had no problems though
 
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