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Suspected URI - vet tomorrow :(

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NotFondOfCarrots

NotFondOfCarrots

Junior Guinea Pig
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Evening all

Little Pickle had been down in the dumps all day, not squeaking. I got him out to have a look, and he's got a little laboured breathing, a heavy, thudding heart beat, and a little wheezy breathing sound. Seems to have come on virtually overnight.

He also looks like he has marginally weepy eyes.

The positives are that he's still eating like a trooper, and moves about occasionally - but he's spent most of the day hiding in his hay.

Vet appointment booked at Hollie House tomorrow morning.

Please could all you lovely people & piggies send our little man a wheek through the airwaves? We'd really appreciate it.

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Lots of healing vibes to your little lad, let us know how he gets on at the vets today x
 
wheek wheek get well soon.. x
 
Hope it all goes well at the vets today for you and Pickle. Sending healing thoughts your way x
 
Thank you all for your kind wishes, much appreciated.

Firstly, the care and professionalism (and pricing) of Holly House Vets in North Leeds was exemplary.

Secondly, it is as expected - he has a URI, and is on Baytril for a week by syringe.

The first dosing was not well received, but he was as good as gold throughout the morning - which is more than can be said for me! I had worked up so tense, I had to send the OH in with him. I waited outside and paced. A lot.

A previous piggy had a similar thing happen, and it brought back some difficult memories - the OH was fantastic though, she makes a fab nurse.

Anyway, Pickle came home, and Branston instantly came up and humped him, which I suppose is a good thing. They're now both nesting in the hay, and there are very encouraging munching and happy-burble-squeak noises coming out.

Fingers crossed for the next few days.

Thanks again for the wheeks!
 
Aw, hope Pickle feels much better very soon. Bloomin URI's are such a worry.
Have you got some probiotics for him too as Baytril can sometimes upset their gut flora :{
Not all piggies react well to Baytril as I discovered when one of my boys was poorly so is always good to be aware of any potential effects it may have.

http://www.guinealynx.info/medications.html

Hugs to Pickle x>>
 
Everything that can be possibly crossed is crossed for gorgeous little Pickle. Lots and lots of healing wheeks to you all from grandma & grandad & all our boys. xx x>> x>>
 
Thank you x

Little update:

Cautiously optimistic today. After a dreadful night, where he seemed to lurch between being at death's door and being quite chirpy, this morning he's taken his meds, eaten some hay and some dry, and made an attempt at the brocolli and spinach.

He looks a little brighter.

His cage-mate went beserk last night, after being separated. He was looking for his friend all over the hutch, and it took a couple of hours to settle down. My only regret is not quarantining Pickle earlier - but we weren't to know. Hopefully Branston hasn't picked it up too.

I might be able to sleep now!
 
Further update

After a tortuous night again, Pickle had not really eaten very much at all, and had produced zero in the way of poo.

But... he was looking a bit more sparky this morning, a little more alert, little less "breathy", and his eyes are clearer.

However, he'd totally gone off his food.

So, on to hand-feeding. Thank you to my marvellous mam for her supply run, and calming phone calls (!), and the OH and I tried hand-feeding.

He hates it.

Managed a syringe of mashed pellet mix, and a syringe of water alongside his meds. He did two poos whilst feeding, so it can't be all bad...!

He's nibbled maybe one celery leaf and a few hay strands, and that's it for today, though.

Will be trying to feed him again at 10pm.

Come on laddie!
 
Supportive care in this situation is a necessity. It's rather intensive I'm afraid but, if given, can lead to a complete recovery.

Firstly - Have you got gut stimulants prescribed by the vet? (You need metoclopromide or preferably cisapride and also zan-tac). If not, please action this. If your vet is unwilling/needs more info on dosages then please PM me.

Secondly you need to be getting 120ml of mushed pellets down Pickle every 24hours - max 20-30ml in one sitting and spread 2-4 hours apart...just to
a) maintain his existing weight,
b) give him the strength to fight this ...and
c) keep his guts moving properly (in conjunction with the gut stimulants above)

These two actions form the basis of supportive care for a sick piggie - unfortunately very few sick pigges receive this because few vets have the experience/knowledge/willingness to prescribe the meds. It is not enough that they are eating for themselves - normally it;s a fraction of what they should be eating and gut problems ensue (much like you have now described)


Fingers and paws all crossed here for him
x
 
Ohhh dear. It's terrible trying to keep them going when they don't want to eat. :( One of mine did the same thing when he was ill, only in reverse -- he'd have brilliant nights where he fed wonderfully and seemed to be recovering, then spend the day 'at death's door,' as you say. Such an emotional rollercoaster for the owners...

Has the vet given you any of that recovery powder food? Getting anything down him is good but that powder is mainly fibre, if he's gone off his hay, so good to get the poos going! Mushed up fruit and veg with a bit of water can help too, if you're desperate to get food down him and he's fighting everything else. I made a carrot and red pepper juice when mine was ill and he loved that.

Sorry if someone's already said this and I missed it, but if you haven't already, get him on a probiotic. Holly House can probably supply one, and Pets at Home do one too. (Not sure where in Leeds you are... or if there's a Pets at Home besides Birstall, thinking of it.) Baytril is notorious for upsetting piggie tummies and a probiotic may help. If he's getting better otherwise, that may be all that's put him off food.

Holly House has some very good cavy vets and is where I take mine despite there being half a dozen vets nearer to me! Don't be afraid to ring them for advice. They have an emergency line too. 01132369030
 
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Back from Holly House.

Pickle has had an anaesthetic as a precaution, and two gut stimulant injections. We've also got Critical Care. Which he doesn't enjoy one bit, but the good news is, for now, he's eating.

Slowly but surely, dandelions are disappearing. Now if he can just gobble some hay before his midnight critical session...

Lordy.
 
Aww poor thing. It is hard to get critical care into them. Good luck with it.
 
C'mon Pickle, we're all wanting you to get better here ^)
Know how hard and exhausting it is hand feeding a poorly piggy but it really is worth every second.
Maybe try some Alfalfa hay as this can help stimulate their appetite ?/
I nursed one of my boys 24/7 when he was on Baytril as he stopped eating altogether and lost so much weight, he couldn't hold his head up 8...
Grass is always a great temptation in fact anything you can get him to eat for himself, is a bonus. I gave Harley everything he shouldn't have when he was at his worst along with his critical care to keep him alive and sobbed when he produced his first formed poop :x He's my chubster piggy now and still runs away from me the little tike but really thought we were losing him at the time :...
You will get lots of sound advice on here so please keep us updated.
Sending lots of healing vibes to Pickle, will be in my thoughts - you can do this together x>>
 
Thank you so much. It's so difficult seeing him go from a complete scamp to being so dejected, and so fast.

And Branston is being extra-squeaky, and dashing around next door.

Feeding him again at 11.30, so we'll know more then. He's sat back down again now.
 
Yes - Pickle is in the mezzanine above Branston - initially it was a problem, as Branston was getting a bit agitated trying to "find" him, knowing he could smell him, he was climbing up the bars etc.

He's settled down now though. He's been extra-squeaky and dashing around - I think he knows his friend is in need of cheering up!

This is also what is hard to watch - Branston has nothing wrong with his appetite, and is shovelling away. It makes Pickle's meagre efforts even more obvious.
 
One of my girls had a nasty URI and the vet advised quarantining her but I actually put her with her two friends at mealtimes as I found she ate better (afraid the others would eat everything as piggies do...)
Maybe try Pickle with Branston after a few days as I think they become depressed alone or is there a way of having them side by side i.e. another pen or something makeshift ?
 
I think tonight and tomorrow are critical.

If I can get him to eat tonight, I think he can have a really strong day tomorrow. If he doesn't, then the vet said he needs to go back in the morning, and really that will mean the worst I feel. He won't have eaten properly in 36 hours almost, other than what I can get down him - and that's not fair on any little pigwig. All they do is eat and sleep.

Regardless of what happens tonight, I think I'll put them together again - as long as Branston doesn't relentlessly mount Pickle - in the morning. (Branston is the dominant one, it happens occasionally, especially after a thorough clean out or when one has been away from the other - nail clipping etc).
 
Going offline now so will be thinking of you and although I'm not religious, will say a little prayer for Pickle and check for updates as soon as I can in the morning x>>
 
Guinea pig slave said:
Going offline now so will be thinking of you and although I'm not religious, will say a little prayer for Pickle and check for updates as soon as I can in the morning x>>
Click to expand...

Thank you so much, I don't know what to say.

It's a bit up and down at the moment. He's eating cucumber and the occasional half dandelion leaf, but it refusing anything else and being traumatised by the syrynge attempts.

He hates the critical care.
 
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