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What's Wrong With Betty?

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Tabybim

Tabybim

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You may have already read my thread respiratory dilemma , where I asked advice about my 4 year old pig , Betty's laboured breathing and what was causing it. Anyway since about half way through last month poor old bets has been back and forth to the vets every week, she was originally put on baytril and metacam for about 2 weeks ( she also was given infacol every 6 hours for wind). But she was still having trouble breathing so she is now on septrin but still no improvement. She has another vets appointment on Tuesday for a scan ( particularly to check her ovaries for cysts). I am so worried about her and fearful of what the scan might show. She doesn't have a temperature or a runny nose and is eating well. If anyone has any idea what could be wrong with her all suggestions would be much appreciated. Sorry for the length of this post.
 
Poor Betty.I wouldn't recommend Inacol for guineas as it's action is to form little bubbles of gas into one big bubble, which is easier to burb up (in humans), but as guinea pigs can't burp, can make a wind problem worse. Gripe water has the opposite effect (i.e. breaking up bubbles of wind so they are easier to get out the other end).
Has the vet given her any diuretic? If she isn't snotty, but is stll struggling to breathe, it may be that she has fluid in her lungs (a common thing for guinea pigs with a URI) and a diuretic to clear that can be a lifesaver. I've looked at your other thread, and it has been mentioned a few times by Helen. I would definitely ask the vet about it.
I'm not sure why the vet is checking for cysts - does she have any other symptoms?
 
Ditto to a heart condition. I've had a few pigs who have had breathing problems (as well as other symptoms) who have responded to heart medication.

A diuretic would be the first port of call.

Also, it is very hard to diagnose a heart problem, neither of mine were officially "heart pigs" but we trialled the med's anyway as nothing else was helping. Sometimes it's worth asking a vet to just try something if nothing else works.
 
Agree that her heart needs checking too. If there is fluid a diuretic will help and if the heart is enlarged then your vet could try an ACE Inhibator like Benazapril (Fortekor or Nelio). Maybe your vet could do a conscious xray aswell as the scan?
 
See vet, best bet!
Diretics, anti gas meds ect can do more harm than good if not given on vets advice
 
The wind also could be caused by her sucking in air as she struggles to breathe. Also if the vet agrees to diuretics she will need additional fluids. I usually use Dioralyte but see what the vet thinks.
 
Thank you all for your kind words and advice , Betty has been put on a diuretic ( but I don't know how I'm going to get a tablet into her!) she had the scan which the vet managed to do while she was awake,but it didn't reveal any problems. However since I've had Betty back home she's very subdued and is barely eating. I'll give her until tomorrow to get over her ordeal and see how she is then . I am extremely worried about her .
 
Could you crush the tablet in some water and syringe it? what is the dose she has to have? Did the scan not show any fluid?
 
So I've been up all night with Betty, she was so out of sorts she'd only settle in my bed with me, and she's still barely eating anything. The tablet dose is 1/3 of a pill twice daily , was actually considering the syringe idea . She is also still on the antibiotic but as far as I know the scan was clear but she has another vets appointment for next Thursday , I may take her sooner if she doesn't perk up this morning though. To be honest I'm not sure how to proceed having the scan yesterday really upset her and I don't want to cause her any undue stress. Thank you for all the advice I think I'm almost as stressed out as poor Betty and very sleep deprived.:(
 
It might be worth calling the vet. On one occasion the vet told me to give a higher dose of the diuretic for a couple of days, just to clear him out. Maybe that could be an option?

I have a pig who has 3 tablets a day, and I mix each up with a bit of water and he takes it.

I did have a heart pig once who would eat his tablets *crunch crunch crunch*. Bleurgh!
 
Do you know what mg that tablet is? that way I can see what the actual dose is? did the vet find fluid? they must have done to have prescribed a diuretic. She will need plenty of fluids while she is on it.
 
The tablets are frusemide 20mg . Fluid was found on her lungs on the previous X-ray , but wasn't extreme. But Betty is still refusing to eat ( she nibbled some cucumber this afternoon) I'm calling the vets first thing in the morning. She is just not her usual self at all and has never been off her food!
 
That's a good dose. I wonder if something else is going on bless her or if her antibiotic is making her feel lousy. Is she pooing OK? Are you able to syringe feed? Is she worse since the diuretic?
 
Yes I can syringe feed and no her poo's are very small, I know that means she's not getting enough food. However , I went to check on her a moment ago and she was nibbling on a piece of cucumber :) If she's still not eating tomorrow I'll talk to the vet and get her some critical care food. Thanks for all the advice it's nice having knowledgable people like this to talk to.
 
Thanks for the update, its very encoraging that she is nibiling cucumber, :cool:
Tell us how you get on at the vets :hug:
 
Couldn't get a vets appointment until tomorrow at 4pm , but I was told to stop the diuretic? Betty is really only nibbling a little bit of cucumber every so often and now seems to have a touch of diarrhoea. She's also become extremely cuddly and wants to just be wrapped in a blanket and held, which is tricky because I have 3 other pigs, and my skinny , Godfrey is extremely clingy!
 
If that's what the vet has suggested then I would go with it. Has she got worse since the diuretic was introduced?
 
Actually she got worse as soon as she got home from the scan ,and I didn't give her the diuretic until the next day(I didn't want to stress her out anymore than she already was.) But I will stop the diuretic anyway. She is also still on the antibiotic.
 
I wonder if they had to put her on her back for the scan. It could have affected her breathing if so.
 
That's a possibility I had not considered, but her breathing doesn't really sound any worse though its hard to tell. She just seems so subdued her fur is fluffed up, and she just huddles in the corner of her cage.
 
Poor angel. Is she on pain relief still? Am on my phone so is difficult to look back through the thread.
 
They can be resileant little creatures , I would just keep her warm and comfortable , Thinking of you both :hug:
 
Thank you so much for your replies and kind words. Betty was taken off the painkiller last time we visited the vets, I'll ask them about it this afternoon .
 
Thank you so much for your replies and kind words:)Betty was taken off the painkiller last time we visited the vets, I'll ask them about it this afternoon .
 
I wish l could tell you, but it is not for me to judge, but l am sure she will be fine

If you can get in touch with your vet , it would defanatly worth asking him
 
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