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URI care

BertisKing

BertisKing

Teenage Guinea Pig
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I think I'm doing everything I need to but I just wanted to double check in case there's something I haven't thought of. Billy has an URI. It's quite bad- we think he's had it for a few days but was hiding it really well. He's been started on antibiotics, I've been sitting him next to a bowl and steaming him and topping him up with syringe feeds (he's eating but not as much as I would like)

Is there anything else I could be doing to help him feel better while we wait for the antibiotics to kick in?
 
You can offer a pro biotic. To give 2 hours after the antibiotic. The antibiotic kills the good bacteria aswell as the bad i believe. So this replenishes it. Am i right everyone?

Not only that, but its full of vitamins to help boost your pig👍.

Pets at home £5.View attachment 110614
 
BertisKing said:
I think I'm doing everything I need to but I just wanted to double check in case there's something I haven't thought of. Billy has an URI. It's quite bad- we think he's had it for a few days but was hiding it really well. He's been started on antibiotics, I've been sitting him next to a bowl and steaming him and topping him up with syringe feeds (he's eating but not as much as I would like)

Is there anything else I could be doing to help him feel better while we wait for the antibiotics to kick in?
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Poor Billy!

Just keep him warm, but not hot throughout another cold night. You can add 2-3 drops of olbas oil (but not vicks) if you wish, but it is not essential.

Some respiratory infections/pneumonia can happen right out of the blue and just gallop away. Are the lungs still free of fluid and is the breathing not laboured with the sides heaving?

There is unfortunately not much else you can do. Right now it is a waiting game until the meds hopefully kick in, which is the hardest bit. :(

You can try and give extra vitamin C for 2-3 weeks to help boost the immune system.
 
Hi @BertisKing ,I'm sorry Billy is unwell,you have got most things covered.i found my piggies that have persistant upper respiratory infections( uri} respond well to nebulization. i hope Billy recovers quickly.xx
 
Merab's Slave said:
I can’t advise as this is outside my experience but I wanted to offer support
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Thank you
SkyPipDotBernie said:
You can offer a pro biotic. To give 2 hours after the antibiotic. The antibiotic kills the good bacteria aswell as the bad i believe. So this replenishes it. Am i right everyone?

Not only that, but its full of vitamins to help boost your pig👍.

Pets at home £5.View attachment 110614
Click to expand...
I always use a probiotic as standard when I give antibiotics- don't need gut problems on top of everything else!
Wiebke said:
Poor Billy!

Just keep him warm, but not hot throughout another cold night. You can add 2-3 drops of olbas oil (but not vicks) if you wish, but it is not essential.

Some respiratory infections/pneumonia can happen right out of the blue and just gallop away. Are the lungs still free of fluid and is the breathing not laboured with the sides heaving?

There is unfortunately not much else you can do. Right now it is a waiting game until the meds hopefully kick in, which is the hardest bit. :(

You can try and give extra vitamin C for 2-3 weeks to help boost the immune system.
Click to expand...
It's pretty bad- his breathing is laboured and there's what the vet thought was a little fluid on his lungs that showed up on x-ray and there's a bit of a clicking noise when he breathes. The steam really helped though so he'll have a top up in a minute. Thank you about the olbas oil- I knew not to use vicks but I didn't know that was safe. Luckily he lives in my bedroom so he'll be nice and warm through the night.
We're back at the vets Thursday to have a check up. If his lungs are no better he'll be started on Frusemide but the vet wanted to give the antibiotics a couple of days to kick in.
 
BertisKing said:
Thank you

I always use a probiotic as standard when I give antibiotics- don't need gut problems on top of everything else!

It's pretty bad- his breathing is laboured and there's what the vet thought was a little fluid on his lungs that showed up on x-ray and there's a bit of a clicking noise when he breathes. The steam really helped though so he'll have a top up in a minute. Thank you about the olbas oil- I knew not to use vicks but I didn't know that was safe. Luckily he lives in my bedroom so he'll be nice and warm through the night.
We're back at the vets Thursday to have a check up. If his lungs are no better he'll be started on Frusemide but the vet wanted to give the antibiotics a couple of days to kick in.
Click to expand...

If the breathing gets worse and more heaving from the sides, please ask for a diuretic to help drain the fluid and free up the lungs as much as possible.
 
Good to hear the steam helped. I keep a small portable nebuliser for just these situations and I nebulise with a bit of F10 antiseptic in saline just to help ease the breathing. I know that’s not possible for everyone, but if steam is helping and he’s indoors have you considered steaming the room (like I did for my kids when they were little) by plugging in the kettle and removing the lid so it just keeps steaming away (obviously keep an eye on it so it doesn’t go too mad and boil dry or get dangerously hot). It helps make the air more moist in the room and eases the breathing.
Hope Billy soon picks up x
 
Thank you for the advice and support. Unfortunately when I got up in the night to check on him he had passed away. Absolutely gutted.
 
Oh Beth I am so sorry to read this. Huge hugs. Popcorn free Billy. Xx
 
BertisKing said:
Thank you for the advice and support. Unfortunately when I got up in the night to check on him he had passed away. Absolutely gutted.
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BIG HUGS

I am so sorry that you have come up against one of the nasties, like a pneumococcal infection or bordetellosis/kennel cough. In very rare cases a viral infection can hit, and it is always devastating. We all fear them, as they happen out of the blue and kill very quickly, usually in a matter of hours even with prompt vet care. They are generally referred as 'atypical' or 'walking' pneumonia because of the speed with which they hit. :(

Please do not feel guilty; you haven't failed Billy in any way and have done everything you could do as quickly as possible.
Human Bereavement - Grieving, coping tips and support links for guinea pig owners and their children

If you want to find out more about untypical non-bacterial respiratory infections, there is a good article in Guinea Pig Magazine issue 38, which can be back-ordered via this link here: Back Issues – Guinea Pig Mag
 
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