Urgent - URI advice needed

[Tani]

Hi all

my eldest piggy, Fluffy (and the last of our first group of piggies - has been very poorly. She's an indoor piggy, approx 5 years old now.

Her recent history:-

She came down with static lice back in Summer and had a variety of treatments (at different times of course) i.e. ivermectin, insecticide piggy spray, Gorgeous Guineas Neem treatment and lice shampoo etc . The lice would go but then come back and I saw that she started to breathe more heavily. Took her to the vets who said her lungs sounded fine but put her on some Baytrill for a week.
Kept monitoring her but recently, after another bout of lice, I took her back for a checkup (her breathing was even heavier and she had pain over her lower nipple).
Did an xray - showed no stones but one of her lungs wasn't filled with air as the other one was. I was annoyed as I thought they would also scan her to see what the pain was i.e cyst etc, but the vet said the important thing was to sort her breathing out first.

So she prescribed Metacam (.4ml a day) and Septrin .3ml twice a day.

One week in and she is worse. Her nose is all crusty now and her breathing worse. She feels bloated and has stages where she hardly eats (small poops) but then if I feed her, she will eat loads of veg. She is active in eating hay and nuggets and coming out and she has her belly rubbed and tapped to ease any bloating.

She is going back to the vets tonight and I wanted to know if there was anything else we should be doing or giving her? Does anyone have experience of this at all?

 

[Rodentopia]

Firstly sorry Fluffy is poorly. Lice are only killed via bathing so treatments like ivermectin don't work as they don't bite the skin. Gorgeous guineas lice n easy with two baths 1 week apart is the best treatment. If they keep reoccurring then I would look at the hay or bedding as to whether they have been brought in on that.

Regards the URI firstly its a good sign she is eating and active, worst case they refuse to eat and move around so its a positive she is wanting to eat. I have found some piggies go off veggies when they are poorly as they can't taste. I have found if they have a really snotty nose that bisolvon really helps, as clears the airways and eases breathing. I get this from my vets and its a powder you put in water or food. The bloating might be caused from her not eating as much, also are you adding a probiotic to her water? Helps with the tummy when on antibiotics as keeps the gut working normally with good bacteria as antibiotics can kill it. Also if she isn't eating as much its worthwhile looking at syringe feeding. Uri's can come on it times of stress so I would be wanting to know the underlying cause but obviously a vet will treat the immediate symptoms as it is important to sort her breathing in order to go any further with the cyst worry but it can be a vicious cycle. Is their fluid on her lungs?

 

[sport_billy]

Sorry to hear Fluffy is Poorly.

It maybe worth worth discussing with the vet about the use of a diuretic called Furosemide, this will help remove any fluid from the lungs if the vet thinks there is any present. I would also recommend speaking to the vet regarding switching to a different antibiotic if she is not improving on a course of Septrin. I know one poster on here Guinea Pig Slave has had lots of success in the past with using Marbocyl as an antibiotic for URI's, I have never had it prescribed. But worth talking to the vet about options.

For the bloating it is worth speaking to the vet regarding some gut stimulant such as metoclopramide, this will help keep the guts moving and lots of massaging as you are doing.

You are very close to an exotics specialists called Taylor and Marshall, Hannah Bould who works there is highly recommended when it comes to Guinea pigs, contact details are below, several members use her on here, I would too but have a cavy savy vet closer to me

Hannah Bould -
Taylor and Marshall Vets,
45 High St,
Shifnal,
TF11 8BL

telephone: 01952 460781

Lots of healing vibes to Fluffy

 

[Tani]

Hi there and thank you for replying.

They said no to the fluid but that might have changed in a week.
She isn't kept on hay so I can only presume it came in with the burgess hay I give them to eat - yet her cage mate doesn't have it.
I think she might have had other mites to start with as she was covered in scabs that appeared within a couple of days. I was also putting on piggy Tea Tree ointment but I have a feeling that it might have been that that had irritated her rather than mites but it's hard to say as she had treatments and I stopped using it at the same time.
These lice sit at the end of the hair and I had bathed her in the lice treatment but have missed the second wash because she is so poorly.

Not heard of Bisolvon but will ask the vet tonight, thank you

I am adding pro biotic to her water but she barely drinks with it in Don't think she likes the taste of it as she was drinking loads before. Tried to give her some in a syringe but she got too stressed and her breathing got worse so I left it. Will ask them if they have a tasteless one instead as I am using the one in the yellow tub you get from the pet store.

I think she eats more once her pain meds have kicked in as she ate loads last night after we hand fed her - but this morning, she wouldn't take any from me. I'm working downstairs today so I can keep an eye on her and see what she eats. Her poops vary from small harder poops to smelly soft ones so I think she is up and down depending on how she feels.

 

[Rodentopia]

If there are scabs it won't be lice as they don't bite or itch, more likely mites. A 3 week course of ivermectin would clear them up. Mites can come out In times of stress so if she has been poorly for a while they could have hatched out.

Regards the probitoics if she won't drink them then syringe feed her them an hour and a half after giving the antibiotic. I give about .5ml a time. They don't like it, one of mine struggled but it was for his own good so it was done. I've never been given septrin or baytril my vet doesn't like them for URI's, so no advice on them other then if you aren't happy they are working then ask for a different antibiotic, some advice of suitable ones on guinea lynx, I get Doxycycline from my vets and find it clears URI's up quickly. Sometimes they can take a while to kick but in in 7 days I would have hoped to see an improvement even if slight. It might be worth while asking about fluid on the lungs again, can build up in a short period especially if there has been no improvement. And I agree with sport_billy a good vet is worth their weight in gold, if you aren't happy with what your vets says get a second opinion

 

[helen105281]

I am going to repeat what the others said but ask for:

Diuretics
Bisolvon
A different type of antibiotic, I would favour Zithromax as it has really helped my pigs when they had a bad URI but I know some vets and people on here don't like going in with the big guns first
Course of 3 Ivermectin injections for the mites/lice about a week apart and Lyclear Creme rinse baths each week. There needs to be a 48 hour gap either side between the Ivermectin and the baths.
Empeprid (metachlopromide) for the bloating
Metatone vitamin tonic (dose 0.5ml a day for 1 week and 0.3ml a day for 2nd week) to stimulate her appetite

If she is having trouble breathing through her nose you can use a steam inhalor (like we would use for a cold). Put in boling water and a couple of drops of Olbas oil and hold the mouthpiece over the nose in 5 second bursts.

You may find that the bloating is because she is inhaling air when she is trying to breathe and also that she is choosing the breath rather than eat.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Betterware-...&qid=1380280781&sr=8-3&keywords=steam+inhaler

 

[Tani]

Hi all,
thanks SO much for all the information, it has been really helpful.
@degu-rock - she isn't scabby anymore and hasn't been since July thankfully - just the static lice. She has super long hair so I chopped most of them off the ends to make it easier to get rid of them and wash/dry her. They don't seem a major issue now in terms of scabbing/sores, thankfully, so will just wash her with the lice treatment when she is a bit better. I can't bathe her when she is this poorly really.

Also - re Doxycycline- I'm sure one vet I used to see (now left) has used that before so will certainly ask about it tonight.

Reason I don't want to force anything on her when she is really stressy (except the antibiotics of course) is because we lost a piggy who had the same problem (before we knew about it) and he died on the vet's table because he was stressed

@sport-billy - thanks so much for the vet contact! I've been trying to find a decent one for years after my vets (they have a high turnover of staff) missed 2 lots of bladder stones that were stuck in urethas and one of my piggies died from it. Never trusted them since except one or 2 vets - but then the good ones who know more about pigs (or who are willing to call specialists for advice) have all left. I resent paying their doubled prices when they have no idea what they are doing and I go to them to tell them what the pig has and what treatment they should be giving (courtesy of all you wonderful experts out there!). I called them but they have no bookings until Monday now and the vet 'Shiva' the receptionist spoke to, said he would just recommend the same Septrin & Metacam anyway. Humm. Hannah is off ill but I will definately look to take my pigs there in future for anything that's not a basic problem.


Will also ask about Marbocyl as well to see if any of those you recommended will work better than septrin. She doesn't even like the banana taste either which is a real shame! lol!

 

[sport_billy]

@sport-billy - thanks so much for the vet contact! I've been trying to find a decent one for years after my vets (they have a high turnover of staff) missed 2 lots of bladder stones that were stuck in urethas and one of my piggies died from it. Never trusted them since except one or 2 vets - but then the good ones who know more about pigs (or who are willing to call specialists for advice) have all left. I resent paying their doubled prices when they have no idea what they are doing and I go to them to tell them what the pig has and what treatment they should be giving (courtesy of all you wonderful experts out there!). I called them but they have no bookings until Monday now and the vet 'Shiva' the receptionist spoke to, said he would just recommend the same Septrin & Metacam anyway. Humm. Hannah is off ill but I will definately look to take my pigs there in future for anything that's not a basic problem.


Will also ask about Marbocyl as well to see if any of those you recommended will work better than septrin. She doesn't even like the banana taste either which is a real shame! lol!

Yes, I have heard great things about Hannah.

I have never used Marbocyl but GuineaPigSlave has had it prescribed by Taylor & Marshall before for a URI. So I really don't know anything about it only that it has been used. Please remember any medicines mentioned on here are based on personal recommendations and what works for one piggie may not with another, so always discuss everything with your vet and make sure they know enough about the medicine and dosage before prescribing it.

here is a link to the recommended vets map too https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?msid=204458758673513849635.0004e111354a528da0dbb&msa=0

Rosie at Wombrook Vets practice in Wombourne is who we use and she is very knowledgeable but it is further out the way for you than Shifnal

 

[MerryPip]

Shiva at Taylor and Marshall is a good guy too (although I think I prefer Hannah). He looked after my Donald, doing dental work and other care until he died recently and whilst I initially had some concerns he really did act in the best intersts of my little guy and has been extremely helpful.

Paws crossed for your little one as it sounds like she is really struggling. Please just remember with antibiotics that they are bacteria specific so itwill depend on the infection which works for what piggy with what infection. Septrin (only other common one is Baytril) is almost always the first line for guinea pigs with a significant infection as most others are not licensed for piggies. A vet can prescribe others like Zithromax but only where Septrin is failing to clear anything. An antibiotic needs to be given for the whole course ( just like you should/would do for yourself) to be effective so even if she improves after a few days DO NOT stop giving her it, she will need it all to get rid of the infection. If the whole course doesn't work or she is struggling significantly after 2 or 3 days, you need to go back to the vet as some improvement should be seen after 3 or so days usually.

 

[Guinea pig slave]

I can't offer any further advice really than what has been said - my girl was diagnosed with Pleurisy and was prescribed Marbocyl, Bisolvon and Metacam. Hannah at Taylor/Marshall diagnosed her within minutes of seeing her after our local Vet said it was a URI and treated with Baytril. We had brilliant results. Bisolvon is a powder that can be scooped into a water bottle (totally harmless to other cage mates) and is good for mucus and 'snotty' pigs. It helps any congestion.
Paws crossed here that you have more insight from the Vet soon, it's so worrying when our fur babies are not well
Hugs x

 

[Guinea pig slave]

Any news ?

 

[Tani]

Hi all,

so I took her to the apt and it was with the surgery's owner. He gave her an injection of Baytrill, a diuretic and I think an anti-inflammatory which seemed to kick in not long after we got back home. Her breathing was alot calmer that night.
Next morning she was alot less snottier and less raspy and I took her back for a further checkup. He said her heart seemed stronger and less frantic and her breathing was noticeable different. Her tummy was definately less bloated from the diuretic as well.
I asked him about Marbocyl etc and he said he wanted me to keep with the baytrill until Thursday and if she hasn't improved considerably by then, then he will look to try and alternative.
She is now on .4ml Baytril twice a day and also on a diuretic twice a day as well.

Unfortunately, last night, her eye started flaring up with conjunctivitis (presumed) so we bathed it in cold tea (as advised by the vet when she had it last time). This morning it was all red but after bathing it again in tea and using the only suitable drops (Brolene) I could get from the chemist (until the vet will issue some Fucithalmic in the morning) it seems to be alot less swollen.

I just feel so sorry for her, bless her. She's obviously run down and it's affecting everything.

I managed to put some extra vitamin drops & pro biotics into her drinking water and so far (touch wood) she has been drinking it.

 

[jenniferanneharris]

Oh bless her. Poor little love...sending healing vibes to your princess x

 

[Tani]

Hi all,

just updating Fluffy's status and to hopefully get some more advice.

Good news is that her URI seems to have completely cleared up - and so has her eye (really quickly). It has left her with a weird cloudy mark in the centre of her eye but it's not all over so I don't think it's a cataract etc.

We took her back for another check up after I last posted and he gave her another week of anti biotics but said she probably wouldn't need it all and to stop it when necessary. So we did after a few days because she just had diarroah. Her poops became more normal after we stopped and we have been hand feeding her and syringe feeding her with a mix of Critical Care and blended veg to make it more palatable. She takes it begrudingly but although she is perkier and eating more hay/nuggets and fresh veg, she just isn't putting weight on. If we didn't syringe feed her, I think she would just lose so much.
Not sure what to do really. Keeping an eye on her teeth but she doesn't seem to have any actual eating issues when we watch her & no drooling etc.
Weight wise, she has always been a skinny thing and always under 1kg but she is now about 750 which fluxuates down to 720 and up to 790 at night. Short of force feeding her every hour and through the night, what else can we do to help her gain weight?
She has had appetite stimulation injections which haven't done anything.

thanks in advance.

p.s. sorry if there are any delays in replying - for some reason I don't get notifications after the first 2 replies so I think noone has posted, lol.

 

[Tani]

Not having much luck finding any advice with her eating. She seemed to be doing really well and got up to 800g. We stopped all her meds and had been giving her a dose of Buscopan which seemed to really help ease her bloating. BUT, then she suddenly went downhill again, got v bad diarroeah and is now 735g. I didn't give her any meds during this time, just lots of belly rubs and some safe food, plenty of hay and fluids. Seems to have calmed down this morning but I don't know why it keeps happening and what I can do to help her put weight on
Can anyone offer any advice at all?

thanks