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Snuffling / snot / ear infection?!

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sophiew (EAGPR)

sophiew (EAGPR)

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The two boys who came in today have both got very snotty noses (dark discharge both nostrils) and the same around the eyes - mucus.

One of them is very itchy in the ears - if you tickle him with a finger he tilts his head right over to the side (like a cat) and squeaks. The same pig is also snuffling / sneezing. His breathing isn't ruttly or wheezy, he sounds like he's trying to blow his nose, if that makes sense!

They both also covered in static lice.

Not wanting to kill them off by treating everything at once, I've ivomec'd them for tonight and will see how they are tomorrow. Any ideas about the snuffling - it sounds almost as if he's got something stuck, but I've checked his teeth and mouth and all seem ok. Both are eating and drinking ok. They are a bit on the skinny side but nothing too drastic. Both I would say are young, one no more than 6 months the other no more than a year.

Am going to take them to see Vedra as I've never seen anything like the snuffly one before, but any advice in the meantime is appreciated.

Thanks

Sophie
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A bath will sort out the lice.
It could be hay-fever or a mechanical blockage in the nose. Try letting them sniff at a bottle of Olbas oil to make the breathing easier. You could try to make them sneeze to clear any blockage.
 
Thanks, yes I was going to bath for the lice but didn't want to do it at the same time as Ivomec.

How would you make a guinea pig sneeze? :)) I suspect there might be some funny answers!

I'm going to take them to see Vedra today. They've been fine overnight, eating and drinking ok and living together quite happily (they weren't together in the box at auction) so at least they have company.

Thanks

Sophie
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Poor little guys. They are in good hands now. A tiny dab of Vicks Vaporub on the nostrils may help, as an alternative to sniffing the Olbas Oil. It tends to help considerably with two of mine with allergy-related rhinitis.

Vedra's advice for chronic rhinitis is to drip Baytril into the nostrils (2 drops, and just treat one nostril at a time) and turn the pig upside down. They then snort out the mucus. That's one way to make a pig sneeze! (Best left to the experienced, mind)

Did you give the Ivomec orally or topically? If given orally, you should be okay to bath 48 hours after the Ivomec. Topically I prefer to wait closer to 5 days, just to be sure I don't wash the stuff off!

Oh, another thought - the irritated ear could be ear mites...?
 
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Thanks!

I gave the ivomec orally, and also wondered whether it was ear mites but I've never come across those before. I did wonder whether it could be an allergy, they look like how I feel when I have hay-fever - they're on fleece now and just readigrass rather than hay so hopefully if it was that, it will help.

As you know - off to see Vedra later!

Thanks

Sophie
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Well just back from Vedra's and one boy has ringworm (will take pics of his ear later as quite interesting!) and will probably lose an ear - it's quite far gone. The other has an infection and is on antibiotics, as they're both snotty. So, strict quarantine for these boys, luckily I've been treating them like lepers anyway and they're in an upstairs room far away from others. Gloves at the ready!

Baths every 3 days, what fun!

Sophie
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I remember when Pimple fell suddenly ill she was having discharge from her nose, which would come and go over the weeks. An ear infection was disounted by the vet, but then he said it was a brain tumour (one of the reasons I believe she didn't get potentially life saving treatment in time :( ) but as things progressed everything points to it having been that, or something so similar as to make no difference.

So long as the boy is on the right antibiotic (Baytril I guess, although I'm a believer in the power of Zithromax for the more intense infections now) nice and early there's every hope :)
 
Yes he's on Baytril and then both being doused in iodine shampoo for the ringworm. Also got Bisolvon, for the mucus? I've not used it before, but a pea-sized amount straight into the mouth twice a day. Medicated pigs, oh yes!

Sophie
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Poor guys. Fingers crossed for these two but they have certainly found the right place with you! xx
 
These boys are so, so handsome. Was one a coronet, Sophie? I think he had slightly longer hair than just a crested? Even though they are poorly, they've got potential to be really fantastic looking piggies. Definitely happy to have landed in your care!

I've used Bisolvon once, when Jasmine had a mild URI. She was also on a couple of other meds, can't remember exactly what now. Not sure how much the Bisolvon helped but I gave it for a few days...the URI didn't get any worse!
 
Yes I think he's a coronet, or might turn into one once his hair grows back a bit! The other might be a sheltie or part sheltie, not sure how long their coats will get once they're back to full health.

Will post some pics once they've had a bath and look less sorry for themselves!

Sophie
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Oh bless them, I hope they make a full recovery soon. My thoughts are with all the other piggies from the auction, just think how many people touched or looked at your lovely boys and then went and touched the other pigs. How many could potentially have been infected with the ringworm, lice etc? It doesn't bear thinking about :(
 
I know, I'm treating the little girl like she has it too, just in case. There's some pigs at the auction all from one place that we know to be dodgy, so I took care to handle those ones last but most people just go up the line... so potentially any of them could have caught anything from pig to pig. I always take alcohol hand wash with me rolleyes

Dirty!

Sophie
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The auctioneer has a good hold of all of them too doesn't he and I seem to recall your boars were amongst the first up. At least they ended up in your hands and not with someone who wouldn't have a clue what they were dealing with. I just hope the ringworm stuck on your boy only.
 
Well they've had their first bath today, I did them both but only one is showing signs of ringworm.

The ear looks much better after the bath, it was like paper before and almost dead-looking.

DSCN3485.jpg


Here is the worst bit on Joker's head:
DSCN3483.jpg


They are both still very snuffly, have had first dose of Bisolvon and are both on baytril.

Some happier pics of their faces!:

DSCN3486.jpg


DSCN3487.jpg


DSCN3488.jpg


Think they will be handsome boys!

Sophie
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Ouch! Poor lad! I'm glad that it is not as bad as you thought.

Best luck to that handsome pair - and lots of tlc and a good home in the future!
 
Thanks - they hate me right now! Sunday - their diary would read:

Sunday - Packed up in a box and taken in car. Unloaded into village hall and sat for 5 hours. Finally another car journey, then taken to a home. Put into indoor cage and given lots of food and veg - things are looking up!
Monday - Guess what - another car journey! 2 hours, then prodded by rodentologist, then another long journey home. Syringed some foul-tasting liquid (baytril) by lady who is clearly mad. Sigh. But hey - more veg!
Tuesday - Just when we thought things were looking up - a BATH! Wet and cold and then blow-dried - the insanity! And to top it all off, fed weird powder stuff from spoon - yuck! When will this cease?!
 
Wow, what a difference on the ear! That's incredible, it was looking really nasty. I wonder if this means he won't lose his ear...?!

They're looking fab, you're doing a great job with them. Even if they themselves disagree. :))
 
I hope we get to keep his ear, poor man! Have emailed Chrissie at Gorgeous Guineas to see if there's anything to put on in-between washes, as it's really harsh shampoo for the ringworm and very drying.

Every time I go in the room they look at me in horror!

Sophie
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I really rate Bisolvon - Sukie, my allergy pig, has it when she gets blocked up. :) Sounds like you're doing a fab job with them. :)

Interesting to hear about the turning them upside down trick, Laura. Sounds a little scary, but I'm currently looking for ideas before Sukie's hayfever starts!
 
how did you give the Bisolvon? Vedra said a pea sized amount on handle of teaspoon but I struggled to get it in and ended up wearing quite a bit of it! I'm dosing them both as they are both snuffly. She said twice daily?

Sophie
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Sarah has more experience of Bisolvon than me, but I remember I struggled with it too. I found it easier to give a small pinch of powder and pop it on the pigs tongue using my fingers. Trying to use a small spoon or handles of spoons etc. was too finicky for such a fine powder - trying to balance the powder while holding the pig still was too tricky. It's a little like putting a tablet into the back of the mouth - firm grip on the pig and just pop the pinch of Bisolvon on the tongue, go in the side of the mouth just behind the front teeth. Jasmine never spat it out but I'm sure there will be some pigs who would try! It's very much trial and error, so keep trying!
 
The second dose went better than the first, trouble is they're really sneezy and they seem to time it just right! Will try the pinch between fingers method next, thanks!

Sophie
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A pea sized amount sounds more than I was advised - my vet told me to take a sharp veggie knife, and just get a knife point's worth. I then dilute it in about 0.2 ml of water, and syringe it in. :) Doesn't seem to taste bad to them.
 
Ah, they like syringes so I could try that! Thanks. They're having so many meds, what with the Bisolvon, the Baytril, pro-biotics and baths every 3 days, poor little guys - hope they feel better for it at least!

Thanks for the tip

Sophie
x​
 
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