It's one thing to buy a nebuliser - you can get one for about £50 which I did.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Omron-**-C2...EQT4/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1359935530&sr=8-6
It's quite another to know WHAT TO PUT IN IT! This must be done in consultation with your vet who can give you a sterile saline bag with/without the appropriate other meds to put in it - which can be many and varied.
For one of my pigs I was given a saline bag with steroids. For another I was just given a saline bag. For another I was given a saline bag and asked to inject F10 disinfectant at the approrprate concentration into it before then withdrawing samll amounts for the nebuliser - whilst at all times ensuring nothing got contaminated,
None of the above is necessarily appropriate treatment for your piggie unless recommended by a vet and always assumes the vet knows the best treatment which many of them don;t - a nebuliser can be a "last ditch fall back" because they ae not experienced enough to know how to diagnose and treat a piggie problem.
So let's now look at your piggie....she has a "chronic"snotty nose problem. She has been given bisolvon powder on occasion but sometimes they have run out. Did it work when she was given it? What is stopping you giving her some more if it worked (apart from lack of suplies at the vets) - you can always get a prescription and order of the internet. Has she been given any antibiotics in the past? If so what, what dose and for how long?
They have recommended a nebuliser - but what are they recommending you put in it and why?
As is often the case - your post needs to be divided up into 4 issues:
a) what are the "real" symptoms
b) what can be done to relieve the immediate current symptoms
c) what is the (finally) diagnosed problem
d) what is the long term cure
a) Real symptoms:
Is she [*]actually[/*] producing snot from her nose or does it just "sound like" a snotty nose. If there is snot - what colour is it - how often does it appear - has a sample been cultured. Has an X ray been taken of her chest?
b) relieving current symptoms is obviously important even if a diagnosis hasn;t been made. However you have to be aware that any temporary methods of relief could be harmful in the long run if it is not based upon firm diagnosis. Nevertheless, with piggies it is sensible to focus on relieving the symptoms first even if you don;t know the cause providing that the methods are not too drastic.
Bisolvon is great - please try and get some more. Don;t do the nebuliser until you have ascertained what liquid you should use and why as
[*]the administration of steroids can do more harm than good. [/*]
If you want to help ease breathing then I use a tupperware container with holes punched in the lid. Inside the container I put a tissue/kitchen roll which I drop olbas oil or Vicks menthol bubble bath onto and then pour on hot water. I put the lid back on and put it near/in the cage ensuring there is no way the piggie can burn themselves.
c) Diagnosing the problem - assuming she has already been given baytril - first they need to try another antibiotic such as marbocyl, septrin or azithromycin. It may be better to first take a nasal/throat swab to look for bugs and test their antibiotic sensitivity
Have they hazarded a guess at a possible cause? Often it could be because a hay seed is stuck up the nostril. Has this been investigated? What bedding is in her cage? If fleece/textiles - what washing pwoders etc do you use? Is she in a centrally heated house where the heating is on continuously or just at certain times. How cold does the environment get and what is it;s warmest/coldest in any one day cycle? Do you use scented candles/air fresheners etc in the room?
d) untill all the above questions are answered, long term cure annot be determined. However there ARE many piggies out there with what sounds like snotty nose. If she has had this for some time it is unlikey it is a life-threatedning URI and therefore you have time to consider appropriate testing and possible treatments.
So there is no harm in using the tupperware steam bath - but I would be cautious of the nebuliser until you know what meds you are using....and at this stage i certainly wouldn;t use steroids. I would also be looking at working with the vets to get a firmer dianosis (or changing my vet!)
I see you're in Folkestone - any chance you can get to Trinity vets in Maidstone for a second opinion?
Hope this helps
x
