Toffee's Noises. What Do I Do?

[TheCutePiggies]

Hi!
I own two male guinea pigs they have been together since birth and one of them started to make a plastic bag rattling sound the other week. We took him to the vets and he gave us some antibiotics. We gave him that but then a few days later he started to make the sound again, this time on and off. We rang the vets and they gave us more antibiotics. We have gave him ).5 ml a day yesterday and today but it is not helping. Today he had a wee on me which never happens, curled up in corner of cage, more plastic bag sounds and not purring as usual when fussed.

Many thanks.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi!
I own two male guinea pigs they have been together since birth and one of them started to make a plastic bag rattling sound the other week. We took him to the vets and he gave us some antibiotics. We gave him that but then a few days later he started to make the sound again, this time on and off. We rang the vets and they gave us more antibiotics. We have gave him ).5 ml a day yesterday and today but it is not helping. Today he had a wee on me which never happens, curled up in corner of cage, more plastic bag sounds and not purring as usual when fussed.

Many thanks.

Hi and welcome!

How old is your boy, what is his weight and what medication/concentration/dosage is he on? How long has exactly been on the antibiotic? How long have you had them for?
What you are describing a breathing issues, but the crackling can come from a blocked nose from something hay or bedding dust, a bacterial respiratory infection (URI) or - if it is in the lungs - pneumonia.

Please weigh your boy daily before you give them their dinner instead of the lifelong weekly weigh-in to keep an eye on his weight/food intake. A severe infection will impact on his appetite, as the need to breathe comes before the need to drink and thirdly the need to eat. It is important to keep an eye on the eating with any piggy that you are worried about; just watching them munch can be misleading, as up to 80% of the daily food intake should be hay.

You can place a bowl of steaming water next to the cage to see whether that helps to ease the symptoms.

As we have members from all over the world, you can help us to tailor any advice to what is really available and doable where you are instead of keeping things general by adding your country, state/province or UK county to your details. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. Thank you!

 

[VickiA]

Sorry to hear your little fellow is poorly. Has the vet seen him again and consided changing his antibiotics or giving him something in addition to help break up mucus (bisolvon powder sprinkled on cucumber slices works well).
Wiebke has given you plenty of helpful advice above. Hope all goes well for you

 

[TheCutePiggies]

Hi and welcome!

How old is your boy, what is his weight and what medication/concentration/dosage is he on? How long has exactly been on the antibiotic? How long have you had them for?
What you are describing a breathing issues, but the crackling can come from a blocked nose from something hay or bedding dust, a bacterial respiratory infection (URI) or - if it is in the lungs - pneumonia.

Please weigh your boy daily before you give them their dinner instead of the lifelong weekly weigh-in to keep an eye on his weight/food intake. A severe infection will impact on his appetite, as the need to breathe comes before the need to drink and thirdly the need to eat. It is important to keep an eye on the eating with any piggy that you are worried about; just watching them munch can be misleading, as up to 80% of the daily food intake should be hay.

You can place a bowl of steaming water next to the cage to see whether that helps to ease the symptoms.

As we have members from all over the world, you can help us to tailor any advice to what is really available and doable where you are instead of keeping things general by adding your country, state/province or UK county to your details. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. Thank you!

He is under a year. He is on antibiotics for 0.5 ml a day. We give him that on syringe through pepper. And has been on it for a few weeks. Its strange since the other one doesnt have it. I also might think it might have to do with his long hair. He has hay but i do think less than 80% is hay but i have tried hair toys in cage ect. He is still eating nuggets. Weve had them for 8 months

 

[TheCutePiggies]

Sorry to hear your little fellow is poorly. Has the vet seen him again and consided changing his antibiotics or giving him something in addition to help break up mucus (bisolvon powder sprinkled on cucumber slices works well).
Wiebke has given you plenty of helpful advice above. Hope all goes well for you

Thanks for the tip. The vet nurse at the counter did mention trying something else. It did work before but after the dose had finished it started again

 

[TheCutePiggies]

Hi!
I own two male guinea pigs they have been together since birth and one of them started to make a plastic bag rattling sound the other week. We took him to the vets and he gave us some antibiotics. We gave him that but then a few days later he started to make the sound again, this time on and off. We rang the vets and they gave us more antibiotics. We have gave him ).5 ml a day yesterday and today but it is not helping. Today he had a wee on me which never happens, curled up in corner of cage, more plastic bag sounds and not purring as usual when fussed.

Many thanks.

The vet said it came from his upper tracht but did say if it went down it could of got worse

 

[Wiebke]

He is under a year. He is on antibiotics for 0.5 ml a day. We give him that on syringe through pepper. And has been on it for a few weeks. Its strange since the other one doesnt have it. I also might think it might have to do with his long hair. He has hay but i do think less than 80% is hay but i have tried hair toys in cage ect. He is still eating nuggets. Weve had them for 8 months

Is he on baytril or septrin? As he has been on it for a while, you and your vet may want to consider looking at alternative avenues like dust allergies or heart issues, which can sometimes be behind a series of respiratory infections. I would recommend to see whether keeping the air a bit moister can help.

 

[TheCutePiggies]

Ok. We were given baytril. I will try that

 

[Wiebke]

Ok. We were given baytril. I will try that

Alternatively, you may want a swab done to see what is going on. Lab tests can take a bit of time and are not cheap, though. Baytril is not always cutting through even though it is the only officially licensed antibiotic for guinea pigs.

PS: We have got a recommended UK vets locator on the top bar if you'd like to sek a second opinion.