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Urgent: Jellybean Now Showing Signs Of Respiratory Infection. Vet Closed Until Morning.

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Adrianne88

Adrianne88

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My jellybean is now showing signs of being sick now too. Snickers is currently being treated for a respiratory infection and I'm afraid jellybean has somehow caught it even though they aren't in the same cage. She's sneezing and has a runny nose. She's eating fine, but is more lethargic than usual and seems to be fussy when held. The vet is closed so the only thing I could think to was give her a dose of Snickers antibiotics since it is what she has been prescribed in the past. Is that ok that I did that? I hope they can see her in the morning.
Just a worried piggy mom.
 
I have some critical care on hand too if I need to give her some. I also used a clean syringe to give her the antibiotics. I have a whole bunch so she didn't use the same one as Snickers. I've been wearing gloves to handle both piggies. I just don't know how this happened. I've been taking every precaution possible.
 
I've attached a photo of jellybean. If you zoom in, you can see that in her left nostril she has some green mucus. Or it could possibly be hay I suppose. But, the other nostril still looks like it's got fluid in it also.

PSX_20170310_211254.webp
 
Until you ca get to a vet, it may be helpful to take her into the bathroom and turn on a hot shower. Let the steam build up in the bathroom and her breath it in, it will help with congestion and aid her breathing.
 
We normally don't recommend treating on spec but in your case you have got good reason to if a companion is starting to show the same symptoms of a serious infectious disease. If you have extra ABs at home, I would put her on the same medical regime, supplement with syringe feed and place a bowl of steaming water next to the cage (keep refreshing that to help ease the breathing) in order to prevent her from going downhill until you can have her seen by a vet.

Here in the UK, we are privileged to have round the clock services in most urban areas, so it is much easier to get prompt vet care over the weekend or - with a huge extra fee - in a life and death emergency during the night.

All the best!
 
Still waiting to be able to call the vet. They open in an hour and Jellybean seems to be doing fine. She's been running around all night and she wheeked and climbed the cage normally for her breakfast this morning. I gave her a dose of doxycycline last night and I cleaned her nose with a warm wash cloth and it seemed to help. That green stuff is gone now, but I still want her looked at since my other guinea pig is also sick. I dont like to treat unless I know what it is for sure either, but I panicked a little bit. It upsets me that we don't have an exotic vet available 24 hours where I live, we only have vets that treat dogs/cats always available.
 
Just wanted to let everyone know jellybean is now being treated for a URI as well, the vet said I caught it really early so she should be just fine thankfully. She was prescribed doxycycline. I'm wondering if I should keep both piggies in different rooms until they are both better.
 
Adrianne88 said:
Just wanted to let everyone know jellybean is now being treated for a URI as well, the vet said I caught it really early so she should be just fine thankfully. She was prescribed doxycycline. I'm wondering if I should keep both piggies in different rooms until they are both better.
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No, please leave them together as they are being treated for the same issue! In most cases URI bacteria can be fended off by the immune system of a healthy adult companion pig with a fully operational immune system, so you have been unlucky in that respect. Exposure and infection has already happened, so any quarantine will only add stress and through that a further weakening in the immune system.

Glad that you could have her seen today and get treatment early on, so it will hopefully not get any worse than this.
If you wish to help boost the immune system consider giving additional vitamin C for a week or two. Continue with the steaming water to help ease the breathing until the meds have kicked in and her breathing has eased.
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links
 
Thank you. I will keep them in the same room. And the vet gave both of them a vitamin c treatment, I'm not sure what he did, but he took them in the back room when he did it. I'm not sure if it was a shot or just like a tablet, I forgot to ask. But he suggested increasing veggies high in vitamin c for the time being. I just want them to get better so they can actually be together, I know jellybean is a little stressed that she can't be with my new one yet.
 
I do have some of the oxbow vitamin c tablets that I can give both piggies too. Thank you for all your help.
 
Adrianne88 said:
Thank you. I will keep them in the same room. And the vet gave both of them a vitamin c treatment, I'm not sure what he did, but he took them in the back room when he did it. I'm not sure if it was a shot or just like a tablet, I forgot to ask. But he suggested increasing veggies high in vitamin c for the time being. I just want them to get better so they can actually be together, I know jellybean is a little stressed that she can't be with my new one yet.
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You can keep them in adjoining cages to minimise the stress as infection has already happened and introduce them as soon as both are better in themselves.
I would recommend to give more pepper of any colour, and more fresh herbs like cilantro/coriander, parsley, dill, mint or basil.
You can additionally give about 1/8 of a human vitamin C tablet; dissolve one quarter of a tablet in 2 ml of water and then give each piggy a syringe full for a week.
 
Wiebke said:
By all means, give the oxbow tablets!
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Will do! Hoping for a speedy recovery. Snickers has a follow up appt on St. Pattys Day, she has to get another revolution treatment. But she already seems to be doing much better. It's been a rough start for her, but she's slowly gaining weight and not scratching so much either.
 
Adrianne88 said:
Will do! Hoping for a speedy recovery. Snickers has a follow up appt on St. Pattys Day, she has to get another revolution treatment. But she already seems to be doing much better. It's been a rough start for her, but she's slowly gaining weight and not scratching so much either.
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Wait until she's finished her course and until Jellybean hers.
 
Well done for catching it so early. You must have been worried. Sending healing vibes to both piggies.
 
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