Treating pneumonia for the 2nd time?

[liquidmelancholy]

I think I've posted a thread here about my guinea that has pneumonia, but I'm afraid I can't find it, so I'm having to start a new one sorry!

Well, through some miracle my pig Lucy survived having her lungs drained etc, and me getting her back to eating normally by feeding critical care 4 times a day, giving pro-biotic 4 times a day and Marboycl twice a day (no easy task!) I have no idea how she got pneumonia, as they live indoors. The only clue I can go on is that the vet said dusty environments can be a cause, and we had a lot of house rennovations done in Jan and March, and a lot of dust was coming up during those times.

This was late March/early April, and she was signed off, then a few weeks ago she started making wheezing noises again, and the vet said he could hear some 'consolidation' in her right lung, so he prescribed Marboycl twice a day again for 2 weeks. He said he really doesn't want to have to keep draining her lungs as basically each time it reduces lung function, and eventually they'll just collapse. She was fine until this morning, but is now not eating, making slight wheezy noises and keeps raising her head up and down as if she is sniffing the air. I only have enough Marboycl for tomorrow morning, so I'm just wondering once I've finished the Marboycl if it's worth giving her Baytril in the same amount twice a day, or can you not mix these 2 antibiotics?

I'm so desperate to do anything as I know if I take her in to have her lungs drained again, she is basically not going to survive it, as they didn't expect her to the last time.

My other pig Hazel is poorly too (which is why I have the Baytril to potentially use on Lucy, because she had to come off it and onto Septrin as she got diarrhoea on the Baytril.) I thought I was going to lose her as the vet thought she may have bladder stones, but now thinks it's just a really bad case of cystisis. So I just really have a lot to deal with right now, and can't face losing Lucy, they've only just turned 1!

 

[Laura-CCC4]

I am sorry to hear your guinea is still struggling, and your other girl is also unwell.

Is Lucy still eating anything for herself at all? Does her wheezing seem worse at particular times? What is she bedded on? Any symptoms other than the wheezing and reduced appetite?

I understand why you are inclined to begin the Baytril after you have given the final dose of Marbocyl, with it being a weekend. I honestly can't really say whether you should dose or not, as she needs to be seen in person again before a judgement should be made.

Whereabouts are you?

 

[liquidmelancholy]

Thanks for the reply! She is not eating anything on her own, when I gave them their veggies this morning she eventually came out her igloo but as soon as she sniffed some parsley (they normally go crazy for it) she kind of sighed and went back into the igloo again. This is exactly what she did before she first got diagnosed with the pneumonia. I'm assuming more fluid has accumulated in her lungs again..

I'm giving her critical care like I did before, just hoping it's going to keep her going. Her wheezing is worse when she's resting or possibly asleep (hard to tell) but most of the time she doesn't make a noise. They are on newspaper and then just paper bedding on top with hay at one end with their igloos (which usually ends up all over the house.) I knew sawdust/wood shavings etc is a big no no, so I've never used it.

So no other symptoms, just not eating, wheezing occasionally, and basically just not being interested in coming out her igloo, apart from the occasional growl at Hazel if she walks past.

I'm in Essex. I know it sounds bad but i feel like I'm being annoying by keep going to the vets, esp as it's the same one each time! I don't think he would be happy with draining her lungs again, which is the only treatment i can see working anyway. I expect he'd suggest putting her to sleep. He said last time if it's a deep rooted infection then no amount of antibiotics are going to help.

I suppose if she's this bad, giving her some Baytril until Monday isn't really going to be a big problem, considering the bigger picture?