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Unknown Health Problems

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LilyThePiggy

LilyThePiggy

Junior Guinea Pig
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About two months ago my oldest guinea pig, Lily, struggled to breath so we took her to the vets the next day they noticed she lost a lot of weight so we had to weigh her every week to keep track of that then sent us home with antibiotics. We went back a few weeks later because she didn't put on much weight, when the vet weighed her she was 627 grams and a week later she was 634 grams but another week later she was down to 630 grams so we took her to the vets again. He wasn't sure what it was, he checked her teeth and they were fine he also listened to her lungs but he could barely hear over her heart. He said he thought it could be that she was using a lot of her energy for breathing so she didn't have much left for eating since she was really tired all the time. So he sent me home with so he sent me home with something called Loxicom which is for dogs but he told me to use two drops so it wasn't too much which was meant to help swelling in her lungs. Unfortunately it didn't work and she lost the weight she and put on but seemed like she was feeling better but her poos are quite soft so we took her back to the vets. He said he still didn't know what it was but he thought it could be something that was going to eat away at her and there was lots of things like that, he said could do test but he didn't think that would be worth it since he didn't think he could do anything about anyway. He told me to stop using the medicine I was using because he was going to check if guinea pigs could have steroids he didn't think they could but he was going to double check. I recently read that they can't so I know that won't happen.
I just don't know what to do any more and I was wondering if anyone could help me understand what to do next or if anyone knows what this is. Her poos are soft but still hold their shape but she stands in it and it sticks on her nails, she is interested in her food just doesn't eat enough of it. She has also been separated from her mate which I feel really guilty about because she spend about three years without anyone then I got her a friend and she fell ill. Her friend just had an unexpected baby but when Lily makes her little noises it looks like Meg, her friend, misses her and the other way around. I really want to put them together but I don't know if that's a good idea. I'm going to go back to the vets in about a week but I was just wanting someone else view on this.
 
You piggy may have a heart condition, sounds like it with the laboured breathing and loss of appetite. Heart disease can cause a build up of fluid in or around the lungs causing breathing issues. This makes it harder for piggies to eat as its so much effort for them.

The symptoms of heart disease are normally (but not limited too)-

Breathing issues- wheezing/coughing/hooting noises/ laboured breathing

Lethargy- sleeping more, difficult to rouse from sleep, less active in general

Poor circulation- purple or blue tinge to lips/nose/tongue/feet or cold extremities

Oedema- fluid collecting in the abdomen or in the tissues i.e under skin on the legs/chest/neck causing the piggy to look "swollen"


I have a heart piggy and her only
Symptoms where lethargy, just not herself and slightly labored breathing.

We tried both antibiotics and metacam With no effect until one day she started making hooting sounds when breathing and sounding raspy- her lungs where brimming with fluid. A chest xray confirmed this and she was started on diuretics and heart meds.

She was told she wouldnt last the week and if she did, her kidneys would go first as she needed so much diuretics to keep the fluid in her lungs away.. 10 months on and she is still here and loving life. A true fighter.

Have u searched the forum vet locator to find a piggy savvy vet in your area? It will be worth it as it sounds like she needs further investigations.

Infection and inflamation have been ruled out by your vet, so heart problems should be the next step. A chest xray ( done consciously) and a trial of heart meds and low dose diuretics are usually the first steps.

My initial thought with fudge was that she was painful somewhere, making her eat less and breathe heavily but a trial of metacam soon ruled this out.

Hope you get some more answers with your wee one xx
 
As Adelle has said she needs checking for a heart issue. I have heart pigs too and they are all stable now but on daily medication. Some vets will agree to a heart medication trial, basically they are put on an introductory dose for about a month and if there is an improvement in that time, you have your answer. A conscious xray would be ideal though.
 
Adelle said:
You piggy may have a heart condition, sounds like it with the laboured breathing and loss of appetite. Heart disease can cause a build up of fluid in or around the lungs causing breathing issues. This makes it harder for piggies to eat as its so much effort for them.

The symptoms of heart disease are normally (but not limited too)-

Breathing issues- wheezing/coughing/hooting noises/ laboured breathing

Lethargy- sleeping more, difficult to rouse from sleep, less active in general

Poor circulation- purple or blue tinge to lips/nose/tongue/feet or cold extremities

Oedema- fluid collecting in the abdomen or in the tissues i.e under skin on the legs/chest/neck causing the piggy to look "swollen"


I have a heart piggy and her only
Symptoms where lethargy, just not herself and slightly labored breathing.

We tried both antibiotics and metacam With no effect until one day she started making hooting sounds when breathing and sounding raspy- her lungs where brimming with fluid. A chest xray confirmed this and she was started on diuretics and heart meds.

She was told she wouldnt last the week and if she did, her kidneys would go first as she needed so much diuretics to keep the fluid in her lungs away.. 10 months on and she is still here and loving life. A true fighter.

Have you searched the forum vet locator to find a piggy savvy vet in your area? It will be worth it as it sounds like she needs further investigations.

Infection and inflamation have been ruled out by your vet, so heart problems should be the next step. A chest xray ( done consciously) and a trial of heart meds and low dose diuretics are usually the first steps.

My initial thought with fudge was that she was painful somewhere, making her eat less and breathe heavily but a trial of metacam soon ruled this out.

Hope you get some more answers with your wee one xx
Click to expand...

Thank you I'm going to bring this up with my vet the next time I see him but unfortunately where I live I don't have many vets around and the ones I do are the same as the one I go to
 
helen105281 said:
As Adelle has said she needs checking for a heart issue. I have heart pigs too and they are all stable now but on daily medication. Some vets will agree to a heart medication trial, basically they are put on an introductory dose for about a month and if there is an improvement in that time, you have your answer. A conscious xray would be ideal though.
Click to expand...
I think my vet said something about if she got an xray she might need to be sedated and that could kill her it was a while ago so I might have remembered this wrong, is this true?
 
It can be done conscious, I think my first heart pig Nigel was the first pig that my vets did a conscious xray on and he was taped to the table, but they can also use blocks to stop them moving. Some vets prefer to use a whiff of gas as it helps get a better view but for a heart pig it is not ideal.
 
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