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Struggling to breathe

Little Ones

Little Ones

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We took Little to an emergency appointment after I noticed he was struggling to breathe. I gave him some probiotic and then was worried I’d aspirated it as he seemed to have slightly audible gasp-y breathing.
In a panic I took him to the vet. The vet said his chest was perfect but his guts were slow and his temperature very low. They gave him fluids, which I consented to but also burpecare which I didn’t and wouldn’t have consented to because it totally wipes him out.
We finished at the vets at 4pm. Since getting home, Little is still struggling to breathe and gasping for breath. We called the vets who confirmed that 3 vets listened and none heard any bad breathing. But he is struggling and was before I took him. I’m not sure if this is related but I can see the blood vessels in the whites of his eyes, is this a sign of lack of oxygen?
He is out of it due to the buprecare too. Sorry if this is all over the place, I’m so panicked. I’m convinced we are going to lose him.
The vet told us to syringe feed because of stasis but he won’t even chew when we try to syringe feed him. We’ve also got him on a vet pad as advised by the vet.
Advice and support would be appreciated, I just don’t know what to do at all. I feel like I’m just waiting for his lungs to give out :(
 
Claire W said:
I’m so sorry :( I’m afraid I have no advise but am sending lots of healing vibes to Little x
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Thank you. I’m so scared like you would not believe :( his sides aren’t breathing evenly either, like they aren’t moving in and out together, one side seems to be breathing strongly but the other barely at all
 
Little Ones said:
We took Little to an emergency appointment after I noticed he was struggling to breathe. I gave him some probiotic and then was worried I’d aspirated it as he seemed to have slightly audible gasp-y breathing.
In a panic I took him to the vet. The vet said his chest was perfect but his guts were slow and his temperature very low. They gave him fluids, which I consented to but also burpecare which I didn’t and wouldn’t have consented to because it totally wipes him out.
We finished at the vets at 4pm. Since getting home, Little is still struggling to breathe and gasping for breath. We called the vets who confirmed that 3 vets listened and none heard any bad breathing. But he is struggling and was before I took him. I’m not sure if this is related but I can see the blood vessels in the whites of his eyes, is this a sign of lack of oxygen?
He is out of it due to the buprecare too. Sorry if this is all over the place, I’m so panicked. I’m convinced we are going to lose him.
The vet told us to syringe feed because of stasis but he won’t even chew when we try to syringe feed him.
Advice and support would be appreciated, I just don’t know what to do at all. I feel like I’m just waiting for his lungs to give out :(
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Hi!

BIG HUGS

I am very sorry, you have done everything right. A low temperature in a guinea pig is usually a sign that the body could be closing down. If your piggy is struggling to breathe so badly, they won't have any energy left to drink and breathe. I am sure that the vets will also have checked the heart? Diaphragmic, laboured breathing can also be a sign of acute heart failure but could one-sided breathing be a collapsed lung or a stroke? :(

I truly wish I had better news. Please keep him warm with a half-heated snugglesafe but in a way that he can wiggle off he is overheating.
You can find more practical tips and information in these two guide links here:
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment (see last chapter)
A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs (the second and third chapters are there to help you work out whether your piggy has crossed the line of no return or can still be saved)

Keeping my fingers crossed. Please concentrate on your boy and on keeping him as comfy as possible. If he struggles too much for too long, please consider taking him for pts to spare him the last hours of suffering. It is frightening, especially if you have never been in a situation like this; but if you put your boy before your own fears I promise you that you will find the necessary strength to see this through until you are free to cry as much as you need to.
 
Wiebke said:
Hi!

BIG HUGS

I am very sorry, you have done everything right. A low temperature in a guinea pig is usually a sign that the body could be closing down. If your piggy is struggling to breathe so badly, they won't have any energy left to drink and breathe. I am sure that the vets will also have checked the heart? Diaphragmic, laboured breathing can also be a sign of acute heart failure but could one-sided breathing be a collapsed lung or a stroke? :(

I truly wish I had better news. Please keep him warm with a half-heated snugglesafe but in a way that he can wiggle off he is overheating.
You can find more practical tips and information in these two guide links here:
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment (see last chapter)
A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs (the second and third chapters are there to help you work out whether your piggy has crossed the line of no return or can still be saved)

Keeping my fingers crossed. Please concentrate on your boy and on keeping him as comfy as possible. If he struggles too much for too long, please consider taking him for pts to spare him the last hours of suffering. It is frightening, especially if you have never been in a situation like this; but if you put your boy before your own fears I promise you that you will find the necessary strength to see this through until you are free to cry as much as you need to.
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The vets didn’t seem to think he could breathe fine even though he evidently is having trouble. I honestly don’t know if they checked the heart, they just told me his breathing was fine. I’ll call up and ask, if the vet is still there.
He’s on the heat pad, how will I know if he is over heating? I truly don’t believe he’ll move off it himself as he’s out of it and won’t move at all.
Thank you for your advice, I am trying to figure out whether to have his PTS or wait a bit. I know the buprecare is making him worse than he actually is so it’s a hard one. Usually it takes 7-9 hours to leave his system going by the last time he was given it, I’m so mad they gave him it. They didn’t even ask me :(
 
He also keeps doing this thing where he’ll gasp for a breath almost and then chew and swallow. Does this mean something?
 
He is also at 46 breaths per minute, last time he was on buprecare he was 60 something
 
I’m so sorry to read this @Little Ones ... I wish I could be of some help but have never had any experience of what you’re describing. Big hugs and sending you and Little lots of positive vibes xx :hug:
 
Thank you both. Right now we are debating whether to have him euthanised at a local vet or drive 40 mins back to the exotic vet to have him looked at again before having him euthanised if necessary. We’re just trying to decide what to do. If he hadn’t had the buprecare then I would know what to do, but since it makes him flat and out of it and not wanting to move or eat anyway, it’s the only thing making me uncertain about the decision
 
Thanks everyone, I don’t know what I’m going to do without him :(
Do I need to show his body to his bar neighbours or is that not necessary since he’s not part of their hierarchy?
 
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