Suspect sick piggie (Sooty, 5MO, Male)

[JonSkeet]

Hi All,

Sorry that my first post is asking for help but i'm worried about one of my little piggies.

I have had Sooty and Skeet for about 5 months and bought them from PAH, anyway, they were both the same size when I got them and Sooty (The one who is not well right now) has always had a sneeze, I read up on it and took them both to the vets to be checked out (Skeet has always been fine) They are brothers and the vet checked both of them out and couldn't find anything wrong with them, from what I had read (I know I know, but thought it may be mites so got them checked out)

I was away on holiday for a couple of weeks and they were cared for by a friend at her house so they had company, they have the best food and get veggies every day along with a vitamin supplement in their water so they don't get ill.

Anyway, since I have got back Sooty has been more lethargic and seems to have lost weight, he is still eating and drinking but tonight his little sneeze seems to have become a cough, he is scruffy and to add to it all he used to be the dominant one but is now very submissive. Skeet is still very skittish but I would now reckon he is twice the weight of Sooty which he wasn't 2 weeks ago before I went on holiday.

Any suggestions of what I can do to help him and what the problem may be? He will be going to the vet ASAP in the morning.

I'm new to piggies but have kept, gerbils, hamsters, mice, chinchinchilla's for nearly 25 years. I bought the biggest cage I could and bought a book and read it several times cover to cover before getting my little guys.

Cheers,

Jon.

 

[Wiebke]

Please have Sooty seen by a vet as soon as possible, if necessary out of hours (you sould be able to get the number from your usual vets answering machine).

It sounds like he has URI, respiratory infection or even pneumonia. Loss of appetite is typical for it. Please weigh him daily and if necessary hand feed him regularly to keep him going and the weight from plummeting. You care can make all the difference. Please ask for a probiotic to be given together with antibiotic to help keep the guts going. You can hand feed mushed pellets or ask the vet for some Critical Care recovery food. Please be aware that it is quite a struggle to get food into a severely ill piggy, but you need to persevere. Little but often works best.

Holidays are always a situation where piggies are more likely to fall ill, just from the change of circumstances.

http://www.guinealynx.info/uri.html
http://www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html

 

[JonSkeet]

Thanks for the quick response, just had a quick look at the links you posted and from this:

Signs of a URI:

dot Refusal to eat or drink (anorexia) NO
dot No feces (as a result of not eating) Not Sure
dot Labored breathing, wheezing Yes
dot Sneezing, coughing Yes
dot Crusty eyes, eyes that are almost sealed shut No
dot Discharge from eyes or nose (read about normal Eyes) No
dot Dull and/or receding eyes Not really
dot Rough or puffed-up coat Yes
dot Lethargy, hunched posture Yes

Anyway, he is going to the vet tonight following reading your post. Stupid question, do I just take Sooty or both of them just in case?

Also, if anyone can recommend a vet in Slough\Windsor it would be massively appreciated, i'll keep an eye here but looks like Google will be first as a search here came back with many threads that weren't really that relevant.

Cheers,

Jon.

 

[Connie]

You can take them both, so the other has company

 

[Pebble]

The nearest daytime piggy savvy vets are

Jenny Towers at Tilehurst
Anne O Meara at Goddards Ewell and
CJ Hall at Sheen

The latter (CJ Hall) have a sister surgery offering emergency out of hours in Acton
http://www.actonlanevets.co.uk/page/contact_us

Suggest this is your best bet at the weekend

HTH
x

 

[Pebble]

Actully - this is one in slough has a guinea pig person who used to be vet for Honeybunnies guine pig rescue in Leicester - and they provide their own emergency service

http://www.familyfriendsvets.co.uk/content/the-vets.php

x

 

[JonSkeet]

Actully - this is one in slough has a guinea pig person who used to be vet for Honeybunnies guine pig rescue in Leicester - and they provide their own emergency service

http://www.familyfriendsvets.co.uk/content/the-vets.php

x

Thanks all,

Quick update, Sooty has been to the Vets tonight and has been fully checked out.

His respiratory rate was high at over 100 and also a bit wheezy. His temp was normal but he is soooo not happy with me, it was like being dragged to the doctor and dentist in one hit as a child.

Impaction check, thermometer up his bum, full tooth check up and then a bolus injection of antibiotics, I have to follow up over the weekend to give him oral antibiotics and will be going to Family Friends for follow up.

He is now back at home with Skeet and seems quite chilled out (Took Skeet too as they really didn't like being separated)

Thanks so much for all the quick help! Very much appreciated and hopefully the quick intervention will see him back to normal ASAP

Jon.

 

[gpmomma]

I was away on holiday for a couple of weeks and they were cared for by a friend at her house so they had company, they have the best food and get veggies every day along with a vitamin supplement in their water so they don't get ill.

Who told you they needed vitiman supplements in their water? The vitimans are gone in 20 min. It makes some piggies not want to drink water. And I am guessing they get hay but not sure. And who told you piggies would get ill if they didn't have the supplements? Piggies get all the vitimans they need in a good diet.

 

[JonSkeet]

Who told you they needed vitiman supplements in their water? The vitimans are gone in 20 min. It makes some piggies not want to drink water. And I am guessing they get hay but not sure. And who told you piggies would get ill if they didn't have the supplements? Piggies get all the vitimans they need in a good diet.

Hi, I read it in the book I bought and also the advice sheet; however they have an excellent diet, the best dry food i can buy and always have hay and fresh water. Fresh veggies are provided every day and a random menu so they never eat the same twice in a row. If I don't need the supplement then i'll stop using it.

Sooty has been back to the vet at Family Friends this afternoon and has been much better and is improving day by day but is almost back to his normal self. I have to keep an eye on his weight as he has lost weight whilst unwell. He is continuing on his twice daily dose of Baytril and is much happier

Thanks so much for all the advice, I was really worried on Saturday and stayed up with them all night just to make sure they were OK, particularly Sooty.

Will try and get a picture up soon.

Jon.

 

[Wiebke]

I know that even some vet advise to give vitamins and some medication in the water bottle, but frankly that does not work with guinea pigs as their water intake is quite erratic and strange flavours in the water generally tend to put them off drinking more; additives usually promote the growth of algae in the bottle.

For best effect, you syringe and then you know that your piggy has got all of it at full strength. Make sure that you include one high vitamin C veg in your daily mix (one slice of pepper of any colour, a bit of broccoli, fresh parsley, coriander or dill - please vary between these).