Specialist Strange Breathing

[SandraZ]

I've had my male guinea pig for about 3 years now ( he's around 4 years old) and since the day i got him he's been making a weird noise when he breathes. I had taken him to the vet before maybe 2 years ago and she told me there was nothing wrong with him and that it was probably just a mating call. Well, he's been making this sound for as long as i can remember but i decided to take him into the vet again 2 days ago. The vet said although it looks like he's breathing from his abdomen his lungs sound clear. She took an xray and said he was in critical condition and that i should take him into a special animal hospital immediately. she said she wasn't able to see his heart and maybe his lung was either collapsed or the was fluid around the heart. Of course she wasn't a guinea pig or small animal vet so she was very vague and didn't really give me any ideas on what the problem could even be, like cancer or something else. I looked at the xrays and i think i can see his heart and nothing looks too out of the ordinary for me but of course I'm not an expert either and even less than she is in the matter.i was wondering If anyone has had a piggy that does this? He hasn't changed his behavior since i got him. he still eats normally, jumps and runs around normally. interacts with the other piggies normally. I don't know if this is really an emergency. I obviously know he's not 100% ok but if he's been like this for 3 years and he's been living ok and without any discomfort, should i take him into the animal hospital the vet recommended me? Or does anyone know a website where i would be able to post pictures online for a vet to look at for another opinion?

I'll post the xrays down below so you can have a look at them as well. They didn't take any xrays from a top view.

 

[gizzy]

Hi I'm not doubting your vet , but I have a pig Bella , who has breathing problems. She makes like a rasping sound. She has been like this since she was handed in to my place (piggy palace) I am not sure how it was , but at least 3 years ago. It may have been the reason for her being handed in to me in the first place.

Vet said it was mechanical, i.e. a birth defect , or trauma at an early age

I am using a sugary decongestant to help ease her breathing, but I am going to ask my vet on Friday
whether there is any suit able animal alternative yet.

Will let you know how I get on

 

[Poppy'sMum]

Hi I'm tagging @helen105281 as she has a wealth of experience of heart issues which is what I am leaning towards, I am guessing the noise he has been making is likely the "hooting" a heart pig makes I don't think there is any vet willing to diagnose online & it probably is best for you to take him to the small animal hospital but you need to find out first if they have a guinea pig savvy vet there who has experience of heart/lung issues in piggies. Typically when the heart is enlarged fluid will surround it & press on the lungs, but Helen will advise you more regarding medications etc you need to be asking for x

 

[Wiebke]

A hooting sound as well as a build-up of fluid can indicate a heart problem. There can be other causes for persistent noisy breathing, like a birth defect or long term damage from a not completely healed out respiratory tract infection, which can cause narrowed airways and chronic lung disease. A diagnosis can be very difficult to make, but you are better off with a specialist vet in that case - provided that you can afford the sky-high vet fees in New York.
It may be worth asking your vet whether trialling a diuretic (to drain the chest cavity) and a heart drug like fortekor for a week would be worth a try under the circumstances. If it is a heart issue, you should see a very noticeable improvement straight away.
Our heart piggy specialist has been already tagged into the this thread for you.

 

[helen105281]

Wiebke and PoppysMum have said everything already really but I second the diuretic recommendations and the heart med trial. A few of my heart pigs were diagnosed this way though I am lucky to have a friend who is very knowledgable on heart issues and can spot problems by stethoscope. My others were diagnosed by xray. For a heart medication trial it can be an instant result but I have also had pigs that have taken a good couple of weeks to respond and so I would recommend a months trial if possible. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[SandraZ]

Ok thank you all! i'll start by trying to find a good small animal vet.

 

[Wiebke]

Ok thank you all! i'll start by trying to find a good small animal vet.

Alternatively you can go through your regular vet, provided that he is receptive to trying new things. I wish you the very best of luck!

 

[Flutterby]

Sending healing vibes!