Sick Pig Not Responding To Treatment

[hheather71]

My pig Charlotte has been struggling with a URI that hasn't been responding to treatment for two months now. The first month was fairly mild, and we started treatment right away with baytril. It seemed to help sort of but she still had mild symptoms after the two week course. Then she worsened to the point where her breathing was really labored and wheezy. The vet took an xray and diagnosed mild bronchitis, and gave us chloramphenicol, which we administered for three weeks. She did not improve at all during that time. We hadn't done enough research at that point, so we didn't know that if she didn't respond within a few days then we should have switched to something else. We also didn't understand the importance of hand feeding during an illness, and at that point she had lost 70 grams. Still, our vet never mentioned hand feeding. Our vet is incompetent. We finally started doing serious research on our own and then started handfeeding, and found a different vet.

Our new vet gave her an injection of doxycycline and sent us home with nasal drops and antihistamine tablets, and instructions to hand feed frequently. We've been doing everything we can, but she has not improved since she had that doxy shot about 36 hours ago. Now tonight, she has gas bloat. We massaged her belly for a long time and she pooped a lot, but we can still see gas bubbles moving in her belly and she's still fairly bloated. We just gave her some baby gas drops, and it seems to be helping, so at least that's something.

Despite our hand feedings, she is continuing to lose weight. She has now lost a total of 100 grams since her illness began.

With her respiratory issues not improving and her weight dropping still, and now the bloat issue, I'm at a loss about what to do. I feel like she's really suffering and I don't know if she has a chance of recovery, or if we're just keeping her in pain unnecessarily. On the other hand, I don't want to put her to sleep if she could get well still. She's only 11 months old and her partner Penny is very closely bonded to her.

She's also not as lethargic as I would expect her to be. She's definitely lethargic most of the time, but she also has random periods of time where she walks around like nothing's wrong and her breathing even seems normal. These periods are only probably 20 minutes at a time though.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I just don't know what else to do at this point.

 

[hheather71]

*Correction: She has lost a total of 200 grams. It's unbelievable. =[

 

[DM030819]

I think the first thing to do is find a vet that knows about guinea pigs. If you add your location to your profile then someone might know of one. Or try using the vet locator at the top.

Second thing, and I've never tried this myself but have read of a few instances on Guinea Lynx where it has worked and that's nebulising medication instead of injecting or using it orally. Then it's being absorbed directly into the part of the body that needs it. I believe the medication was Gentamicin (sic?)

I have, and do use a nebuliser so I can vouch that they are used for pigs, just I've never used antibiotics.

How is the bloat? It can be life threatening so you might need an emergency vet visit if she's not getting better.

 

[lauraboara]

Just bumping for you and tagging some experts in respiratory and bloat issues @Adelle @Wiebke
Sounds like your little one is up against it but as mentioned, if u add your location / region it helps tailor advice. Hand feeding is really important but trickier when there are respiratory problems. Please ring or see your vet for further advice if she is declining but the fact that she has periods of activity is something. Everything crossed here

 

[sport_billy]

Whereabouts are you based please?

 

[Adelle]

What are her URI symptoms? Is there any discharge from the nose, like mucous? Or is this purely wheezing and laboured breathing?

I'd have her see a vet again asap and explain how you are worried with the lack of progress. She may need gut stimulants to shift this bloat too although you acted very quickly to get things moving again which is great.

I'd ask if they can re X-ray her chest to see where she is at. Make sure this is done consciously as she is not in a stable enough condition for sedation of any kind.

If there hasn't been any discharge and purely a breathing issue of query a heart problem. This can usually be picked up with an X-ray or scan. They would be looking for an enlarged heart or fluid around/in the heart and lungs. Fluid in the lungs can make them appear "fluffy" on an X-ray as the fluid usually collects in little pockets first of all.

Symptoms of a heart issue include:
Laboured breathing
Wheezing/coughing/hooting with no discharge
Failure for "URI'S" to clear with antibiotics
Lethargy
Pale/blue tinge to nose/tongue
Cold extremities
Exercise intolerance


Really hope they get to the bottom of it soon X

 

[hheather71]

Thank you for all your replies. I am located in Southern California, USA. I have visited the only two exotic animal veterinarians in my area. As I said, the first one made too many mistakes for me to trust them anymore. The second one seems to know more, but at this point, I don't know if anything can be done for her.

The bloat was resolved last night after I gave her the simethicone. So at least that's better.

Her URI symptoms have included nasal discharge, sneezing, and labored breathing. She is also lethargic and losing weight rapidly, as I mentioned. She has had an xray, and was diagnosed with mild bronchitis. Our new vet wanted to repeat xrays and do bloodwork, but at this point we have spent over $1000 and we are limited in what we can afford. I also feel that diagnosing the issue is not going to be that helpful right now, and will only cause her more unnecessary discomfort. Either way the treatment was going to be antibiotics. We were advised to hospitalize her, but we did not think this was a good idea whatsoever. Separating her from her cagemate and taking what are likely to be her last days away from us so she can be uncomfortable and nervous in a veterinary hospital... not appealing.

Anyway, all that to say we've exhausted our options for medical care, and none of the three antibiotics we have tried have worked. Hand feeding her is not helping to stop the rapid weight loss. Unless she makes a noticeable improvement within the next 36 hours, we will make the kind choice and end her suffering.

It's not an easy choice and we're devastated to think that this is the end. We were really hoping for that last antibiotic and the antihistamines to work. I'm trying not to think about it too much until I have to.

 

[hheather71]

We've decided to take her in to let her go to sleep tonight. We don't want to continue her suffering needlessly. We're enjoying our last hours with her. Thank you for all your input.

 

[Adelle]

I'm so sorry you are facing this. You sound like you are putting her needs first which is the right thing to do. Thinking of you xx

 

[DM030819]

I would definitely recommend that you read the nebuliser threads on Guinea Lynx. It might seem like a pointless idea to try but it's really not, a few people on there have had surprising results. And I can personally vouch for the nebulisation process working.

 

[GPTV]

Just a thought but have you made sure you haven't got a dodgy bag of hay thats dusty or got damp/mouldy? i had a dodgy bale of hay once & it set off an awful URI that was stubborn to get rid of. 200g loss although significant can be regained once her URI has cleared if its going to.

what's the weather like in California at the moment is it humid?
if shes a heart piggy then it could be the humidity causing her problems, i had a heart piggy that was really bad after a muggy/humid day & needed diuretics as she was rattley & would cough a bit, i thought i was going to lose her that night but she did pull through, (she was 8yrs old &afterwards diagnosed with heart issues afterwards though)

hope you can try nebulisation of treatments before you make the final decision, but you know her best & if she is suffering then its kinder to let her go

xx

 

[hheather71]

We knew it was time. Her body was too weak to fight and we were convinced that she wasn't going to recover at this point. We said goodbye last night. I'm going to post a memorial for her in the Rainbow Bridge forum.

 

[Adelle]

I'm so sorry for your loss x

 

[lauraboara]

Really sorry that you had to let Charlotte go. She sounds to have been very ill and weak .Sleep well little one.