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Shuddering

Black piggies

Black piggies

Senior Guinea Pig
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(Shadow had antibiotics for URI a while ago.)
Recently I felt she wasn't right making a night-time noise, and I asked vet for x-ray. Vet said all fine, nothing cardiopulmonary as I had suspected, but she had a bladder stone she could pass. At her 1 week checkup last week, she still has UTI and lot of sludge was squeezed out her bladder. 2 more weeks of cotrimoxazole and loxicom, then review. But she's sort of shuddering when breathing. Is that something to worry about or just she's getting to be an old girl now?
 
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Claire W said:
Your videos are showing as not available but shuddering may be be a pain response if her bladder is uncomfortable?
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Thanks Claire, I've just given her loxicom and will watch and see if it makes a difference.


Is that working? It's a rhythmic movement each time she breathes.

Screenshot_20210922_211933.webp
Just a photo of Shadow, as can't get this video to upload:
 
When I first read the post and before watching the video, I had a preconception of what I was going to see when you said shuddering, but it wasn't this. To me it looks like heavy breathing. How long has she been doing this?
 
I'm not sure how long. Yesterday on my knee I noticed she was moving as she breathed. I feel like it might have been building up a while, but not sure.
 
This is definitely breathing related. I would say a return trip to the vets as soon as you can.

It’s similar to breathing I saw in my piggies that had a lower RI/pneumonia (but I would say that my pigs didn’t look as severe as that). Obviously I’m not a vet, but definitely needs investigating.

Keeping everything crossed for you guys 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
 
Thank you. She's been on 0.6ml co-trimoxazole 40/200mg twice a day for the past 2 weeks for her bladder. I'm wondering whether that antibiotic would help a respiratory infection, if that's what she has?
Will take her to the vet tomorrow.
 
How's her weight?
It does look like something isn't quite right, and I would have guessed at cardio too, but you have already ruled that out.
Do you know if she has passed the stone yet?
 
Her weight is her usual 1.3kg ish. She's just come trotting for her nuggets, food obsessed 😊
I'm not sure whether she's passed the stone. The vet squeezed a lot of sludge out. I think the vet thinks she's passed it. The vet said she'd do a bladder rinse if she was younger but didn't recommend it.
 
Black piggies said:
Thank you. She's been on 0.6ml co-trimoxazole 40/200mg twice a day for the past 2 weeks for her bladder. I'm wondering whether that antibiotic would help a respiratory infection, if that's what she has?
Will take her to the vet tomorrow.
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Only a vet can suggest and prescribe antibiotics and only if they find respiratory infection.
Whenever I’ve had URIs or LRIs, I’ve found Azithromycin and nebulising very effective. But again, only things you can discuss with your vet following correct diagnosis.

Good luck at the vets 🤞🏻 Keep us posted!
 
Thank you, that's a good suggestion about the nebuliser, in case needed.
My usual cavy savvy vet is on holiday 😕 so I'll need to go in informed. It seems co-trimoxazole can be an initial antibiotic for RI, I'm relieved she's on that now. I've been told by vets before that they can't have a URI if there's no discharge/sneezing etc, so I'm wondering about LRI. Good to know about the azithromycin for that, if the vet thinks indicated.
I just hope it's not as bad as it could be.
 
I'm sorry your vet is away when you need him/her. Piggies also seem to know this (just like when you want to go on holliday yourself).
Not all respiratory problems show sneezing or a runny nose.
Fingers crossed your next vet trip will tell you what the problem is.
At least she is still eating. Good luck! 🍀🍀🍀
 
Good luck at the vets. Really hope they can find out what’s going on. Sending healing vibes to Shadow 😍
 
Hope all goes well at the vets for gorgeous Shadow, glad she’s still munching bless her. Hope she’s ok and you can find out what’s going on. Massive hugs to you both x
 
Thank you so much 😊

The different vet was great, did a thorough assessment, no "it's only a guinea pig" vibes.

He thought her breathing looked bad and there may be shadowing on her lungs on the recent x-ray, but her lungs sounded clear.
He said that her abdomen was air filled, possibly due to the antibiotic she's on, and he gave emeprid 0.6ml twice a day for her guts. He thinks that might be making breathing a strain for her. She's eating and pooing well, so not in crisis stasis.
He'll review in 2 days and possibly take her off antibiotics.

He said to lay off veg, but that grass and dandelion leaves are OK. Any thoughts on that?

(Shadow may be sneaking an advert on here asking for a new home, as she lives for her veg!)

She's really getting to be an old girl now, but I'm not ready to lose her yet, feel quite relieved now.
 
Piggies&buns said:
When I first read the post and before watching the video, I had a preconception of what I was going to see when you said shuddering, but it wasn't this. To me it looks like heavy breathing. How long has she been doing this?
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Yes definitely heavy breathing but with a jolt on each breath, her head being pushed forward. Sorry hard to describe.
 
My specialist vet doesn't take dandelion off the feeding list when the digestive system is effected. But I don't have any real experience with bloat (I hole that's the right expression). But it can definitely effect the breathing, so it sounds a very plausible explanation.

I hope the medication does the trick. All the best for your sweet girl!
 
Viennese Furbabies said:
My specialist vet doesn't take dandelion off the feeding list when the digestive system is effected. But I don't have any real experience with bloat (I hole that's the right expression). But it can definitely effect the breathing, so it sounds a very plausible explanation.

I hope the medication does the trick. All the best for your sweet girl!
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Thank you! That's good to hear, I'll buy some dandelion seeds I think. Hopefully the bloat has been caught early enough and she'll be all good soon.
 
Shadow's been back to the vet today and the not our usual vet continues to be really caring and putting a lot of thought into her treatment.

There isn't blood in her urine anymore, so hopefully the bladder stone has passed, and she can now come off antibiotics which will help her bloat. The bloat is now just at the top of her sides, not her whole sides. The vet said to stop loxicom, as this can upset their digestion, and start Pro C. Continue emeprid for a few days. I'll give cystease. She's still doing juddering breathing, but not as bad I think.

My Pro C bottle doesn't have instructions for syringing. Where I've read here about mixing a pinch in water, can I store that for a few days? In the fridge? (She's not needing syringe fed). Should she have it forever?

I'll try poop soup soon.

Thanks.
 
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I'm feeling worried that it's too soon to have taken Shadow off pain relief. Reading other posts about bloat, they seem to be on pain relief. She's eating, but still her body is jarring on each breath.
 
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