Wheezing guinea pig

[Keebee88]

Advice please.

My guinea pig Arthur (under a year old, I believe) has been wheezing and at times unable to catch his breath.

In 2-3 weeks he has lost a 1/3 of his body weight, even though he is eating. Now, you can feel all of his bones and it’s heartbreaking. He currently weighs 500g. When he has lap time now he tries to eat everything; fleece, ceramic and even me lol. I have seen him eat.

The poor guy has sore feet too, he has had this pretty much since we got him and has seen the vet for this too (prescribed an antibiotic and loxicom). The poor guy was a rescue and I imagine he may have been a neglect case before his rescue.

He has always been a quiet soul, but recently he is understandably less active and will just sit there.

He is given continuous hay throughout the day; meadow, Timothy and green oat.

A cup of fresh veggies daily and Harrington’s guinea pig pellets.

For his feet I was recommended to bathe his feet in lukewarm salt water, but as you can see it hasn’t helped and neither has Johnson’s tea tree small animal cream.

The vet today doesn’t know what is going on either, Arthur’s teeth are fine, his temp is 38c and the vet says even though he seems to be eating Arthur’s abdomen feels pretty empty .

The vet has prescribed ranitidine to help stimulate his appetite and an antibiotic in case it is an underlying infection, along with separating him from his cage mate. Now awaiting him to call back as he says his knowledge of guinea pigs is small and he is going to ask for advice.

I wondered has anybody else experienced similar and what helped or anything I can do in the meantime? Feel heartbroken and just want to make him better.

Sorry for rambling, just upset and want him to be back to his normal self.

Video of his wheezing

 

[Lady Kelly]

Wheezing is usually an upper respiratory infection. You need a strong antibiotic to combat the infection and to step in with supplementing his feeding with syringe feeding. 500g is a very low weight and he's going to need the energy to combat this

 

[Lady Kelly]

Where about are you based? Given the low weight and how long this has been going on you definitely need to see a specialist vet who is very knowledgeable with guinea pigs

 

[Wiebke]

It sounds like your piggy is rather congested. The need to breathe comes before the need to drink and only thirdly the need to eat.
This is the reason why you should see a vet promptly if your guinea pig is not breathing properly and losing weight.
Did your vet comment on whether the lungs are clear or not?
Information on URI (respiratory infection) in this link here: New piggy problems: URI - ringworm - skin parasites

Please step in with syringe feeding top-up round the clock asap if you want to save your piggy.
If you have been prescribed baytril, then that will additionally impact on the gut microbiome and the appetite. Your home care is as important to keep that weight up as any medical care.
Please take the time to carefully read this guide here and all the advice links that are included to get your piggy through this crisis. the weight is very borderline!
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Weight - Monitoring and Management

As to the sore feet: what bedding is your piggy on and how often do you clean the cage? Has the cage got a wire bottom?
Sore feet are generally the result of the cage not being cleaned often enough (ideally twice weekly with daily poo patrol) or a depressed immune system/no longer fully working blood circulation in frail/elderly piggies. Guinea pigs have soft foot pads and should not be kept on wire bottom cages.
Here is a link to bumblefoot (foot infection): Guinea Lynx :: Pododermatitis

Can you please tell us which country you are in. We have members from all over the world with very different climates, background, vet access, medications brands etc.

 

[Keebee88]

Thank you both for your advice.

I live in Leicestershire, England and with the help of a friend have managed to find an exotic specialist at Chine Veterinary Hospital; just waiting for them to open now.

My vet did listen to his chest and didn’t show any concern? Then again, as well meaning as my vet is as soon as I got there he pretty much implied he knew nothing about guinea pigs and when he checked Arthur’s temperature, he was not sure whether it was healthy or not. I’m still waiting for him to call back as he mentioned contacting an exotic specialist for advice.

The vet prescribed ranitidine to stimulate his appetite and enrobactin; twice a day for 7 days.

Thank you for the links and I have started syringe feeding him now, I now have a rather nibbled syringe as he was that hungry, poor guy.

Arthur is housed in a 2x5 c&c with fleece bedding. I do a daily clean and a full clean twice weekly using a small animal disinfectant and the fleeces are washed at 30c using a non-bio.

Thank you both again

 

[Lady Kelly]

Thank you both for your advice.

I live in Leicestershire, England and with the help of a friend have managed to find an exotic specialist at Chine Veterinary Hospital; just waiting for them to open now.

My vet did listen to his chest and didn’t show any concern? Then again, as well meaning as my vet is as soon as I got there he pretty much implied he knew nothing about guinea pigs and when he checked Arthur’s temperature, he was not sure whether it was healthy or not. I’m still waiting for him to call back as he mentioned contacting an exotic specialist for advice.

The vet prescribed ranitidine to stimulate his appetite and enrobactin; twice a day for 7 days.

Thank you for the links and I have started syringe feeding him now, I now have a rather nibbled syringe as he was that hungry, poor guy.

Arthur is housed in a 2x5 c&c with fleece bedding. I do a daily clean and a full clean twice weekly using a small animal disinfectant and the fleeces are washed at 30c using a non-bio.

Thank you both again

I'm from Leicester too and can highly recommend Craig at Chine House. My regular vet is a general vet but they are very knowledgeable and quick to refer to Craig when they know it's out of their skillset. I wish you all the best, if you let them know it's urgent when they open then hopefully they will have you in quickly

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you both for your advice.

I live in Leicestershire, England and with the help of a friend have managed to find an exotic specialist at Chine Veterinary Hospital; just waiting for them to open now.

My vet did listen to his chest and didn’t show any concern? Then again, as well meaning as my vet is as soon as I got there he pretty much implied he knew nothing about guinea pigs and when he checked Arthur’s temperature, he was not sure whether it was healthy or not. I’m still waiting for him to call back as he mentioned contacting an exotic specialist for advice.

The vet prescribed ranitidine to stimulate his appetite and enrobactin; twice a day for 7 days.

Thank you for the links and I have started syringe feeding him now, I now have a rather nibbled syringe as he was that hungry, poor guy.

Arthur is housed in a 2x5 c&c with fleece bedding. I do a daily clean and a full clean twice weekly using a small animal disinfectant and the fleeces are washed at 30c using a non-bio.

Thank you both again

If he is hungry, then please make sure that his teeth (especially the ones at the back) are looked at; the reason for his weight loss may be overgrown bridging premolar spurs trapping the tongue and overgrown molars and not a respiratory infection. Allow him to eat as much syringe feed as he wants at each sitting (15-30 ml) in order to make up lost weight quickly. The amount will settle down towards the lower end once your boy stops feeling so hungry.
Keep in mind that hay makes over 80% of a balanced diet should unlimited, dust extracted hay. It is the silica in the hay that grind down the teeth, keep the gut balanced and goes a long way towards good general health and a longer life. A small amount of mostly greed veg and 1 tablespoon of pellets should be seen more in the way of a daily treat than the mainstay of the diet.

For the nose some mucus thinning powder may bring the necessary relief; ask your vet for that. You may want to consider switching your hay brand.

If your piggy is found to have overgrown teeth, the most practised guinea pig dental vet in the UK, who sees piggies from all over the country from as far as Edinburgh and Cornwall, is Simon Maddock in Northampton; that is not so far away from you!
He is a general vet specialising in cats, rabbits and guinea pigs, so prices are not quite as astronomical as with an exotics vet and well worth the trip since piggy dentals are not featuring large on a vet's training.
The Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic

All the best! The more your boy is getting to eat, the better!

 

[Keebee88]

Thank you both again.

We had an appointment already booked for our vets, but with another vet who says she has an interest in small animals and exotics.

The new vet didn’t really do or check anything different...checked his teeth and they’re fine, she felt his body and listened to his chest. Arthur has lost another 25g since yesterday and she has ruled it down to an infection. Injected him with more antibiotics and given him a pain relief injection, along with prescribing loxicom.

Not sure I have much faith in this being the best for Arthur, apologies I do have an appreciation for vets but my instinct tells me the diagnosis isn’t quite right. Happy to admit if I’m wrong!

Going to call Chine and The Rabbit and Cat Care Clinic now I’m home.

Thanks again

 

[Lady Kelly]

Thank you both again.

We had an appointment already booked for our vets, but with another vet who says she has an interest in small animals and exotics.

The new vet didn’t really do or check anything different...checked his teeth and they’re fine, she felt his body and listened to his chest. Arthur has lost another 25g since yesterday and she has ruled it down to an infection. Injected him with more antibiotics and given him a pain relief injection, along with prescribing loxicom.

Not sure I have much faith in this being the best for Arthur, apologies I do have an appreciation for vets but my instinct tells me the diagnosis isn’t quite right. Happy to admit if I’m wrong!

Going to call Chine and The Rabbit and Cat Care Clinic now I’m home.

Thanks again

I have used both Chine House and the Cat and Rabbit Clinic. Both are very good. I use Oadby Vets4pets as my general vet, I'm west Leicester so takes me as long to drive there as it does to go to Chine House but being a general vets with several vets having an interest in small animals they are good and I've never had them prescribe any medication without being fairly sure what is going on. When I've had a pig with stones, unexplained behaviour of sitting in their urine and pneumonia they have been quick to give me tide over medication (pain relief and antibiotics) while I get them to a more specialist vet. I would use Chine House for everything but their costs are a fair bit higher so I only go when absolutely necessary

 

[Keebee88]

I live more near Rutland and Chine House according to Google Maps is about a 30mins drive. When you say a fair bit higher, how much so? Just so I’m prepared lol. Awaiting for one of their vets to call back with advice, imagine they are going to recommend me to take him in to be checked over.

Yes, I imagine what the medication they have prescribed is for to tide him over, until they or another vet can pinpoint what is going on.

Whilst the vet left the room I took a quick look at the notes to see if there was anything I could be researching, sadly not. All it had was “abdomen feels very empty with no digesta/faeces, lost 250g in 2weeks! Try above and do some research later”

Hopefully when get the call back from Chine will have some idea of how to help him

 

[Lady Kelly]

I live more near Rutland and Chine House according to Google Maps is about a 30mins drive. When you say a fair bit higher, how much so? Just so I’m prepared lol. Awaiting for one of their vets to call back with advice, imagine they are going to recommend me to take him in to be checked over.

Yes, I imagine what the medication they have prescribed is for to tide him over, until they or another vet can pinpoint what is going on.

Whilst the vet left the room I took a quick look at the notes to see if there was anything I could be researching, sadly not. All it had was “abdomen feels very empty with no digesta/faeces, lost 250g in 2weeks! Try above and do some research later”

Hopefully when get the call back from Chine will have some idea of how to help him

Well my vets charge £16-18 for a consultation and chine house is more towards £30. I've had bills in the hundreds when there were tests, x-rays and medication involved. My last one was my highest bill ever as it was a complex surgery to remove a stone stuck in the tube between the kidneys and bladder, this involved staying in a few nights and round the clock syringe feeding before and after, antibiotics, syringe feed to come home with, pain relief, x-rays and the operation. He then went downhill with the other kidney two weeks later and we decided put to sleep was the kindest thing for him. In total that came to just over £1000

 

[eileen]

i have used Chine house for all my guinea pig neuters,it cost £120.00 for each male neuter.the cost at oadby vets is £ 60.00.With chine house you are paying for the expertise.guinea pigs stay in overnight,and most importantley for myself is...ive had 15 piggies neutered and none have had any complications.Craig seems to like small rodents as much as some of the more exotic speices eg reptiles.cat and rabbit clinic is excellent and i take my piggies there for any dental problems.i hope you get to the bottom of the cause of Arthurs problems.

 

[Wiebke]

I am very sorry; it can be so difficult to work out what is going on when it is not one of the obvious issues and it requires a lot of tests and scans.

 

[Keebee88]

Please don’t be sorry, I appreciate the advice and support.

I took Arthur to another vets yesterday evening, where he was given oxbow critical care and was due to see them today to assess blood tests.

Unfortunately Arthur didn’t make it and I found him this morning passed away: I cried so hard, he was less than a year old and such a sweet soul.

I hope now at least that he is no longer in pain and is happily running up there wheeking surrounded by as many fresh veggies as he can handle.

Wish I could have done more

 

[Betsy]

So sorry for your loss. You did all you could. Sometimes it just isn't enough because the call of the Rainbow Bridge is so strong they have to go. He is now out of pain and is popcorning happily away.

 

[Lady Kelly]

I am so sorry, he was clearly very unwell and as Betsy said sometimes there is nothing that can be done. Even if you had been with the most knowledgeable vet in the world sometimes it just wouldn't be enough. Take your time to grieve, it's never easy losing a beloved pet

 

[Wiebke]

Please don’t be sorry, I appreciate the advice and support.

I took Arthur to another vets yesterday evening, where he was given oxbow critical care and was due to see them today to assess blood tests.

Unfortunately Arthur didn’t make it and I found him this morning passed away: I cried so hard, he was less than a year old and such a sweet soul.

I hope now at least that he is no longer in pain and is happily running up there wheeking surrounded by as many fresh veggies as he can handle.

Wish I could have done more

BIG HUGS

I am very sorry! You have tried your best with Arthur and have done everything that any good and caring owner should do.

We have a Rainbow Bridge section for those members who would like to post a tribute to a lost one at whatever point.

You may find these guides here helpful in the coming days and weeks:
Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig
Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children

 

[Keebee88]

Thank you all for your kind words and the hugs.

Very sad he has gone, but taking solace in that he is no longer in pain and knowing I did what I could and he was very loved and cared for.

His pal Jeff has been quieter than normal and hiding away in his pigloo. Thankfully, although it takes a little while he has eaten some food and come out to say hi. I bought him a soft toy and placed the fleece tunnel Arthur used in with him as advised.

Thank you for the guide, have found it reassuring and knowing what best to do to comfort Jeff.

Still to’ing and fro’ing as what to do best for him and as written in the guide; don’t want to feel as if replacing Arthur, yet want Jeff to get back to his normal cheeky self. Then again, I have two sows so could neuter but this takes longer as you said! As you can probably tell mind is bit of a mess; still hurting over Arthur, yet have to do what is best for Jeff and understandably so.

Once again, thank you all very much for the advice and support.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you all for your kind words and the hugs.

Very sad he has gone, but taking solace in that he is no longer in pain and knowing I did what I could and he was very loved and cared for.

His pal Jeff has been quieter than normal and hiding away in his pigloo. Thankfully, although it takes a little while he has eaten some food and come out to say hi. I bought him a soft toy and placed the fleece tunnel Arthur used in with him as advised.

Thank you for the guide, have found it reassuring and knowing what best to do to comfort Jeff.

Still to’ing and fro’ing as what to do best for him and as written in the guide; don’t want to feel as if replacing Arthur, yet want Jeff to get back to his normal cheeky self.

Once again, thank you all very much for the advice and support.

If Jeff is hanging in there and eating/drinking, then you have a few weeks to ideally sort out company for him.
The best places for you to contact are Neville's Nest Guinea Pig Rescue and Honeybunnies Rabbit and Guinea Pig Rescue (the latter has generally more rabbits than piggies), both near Leicester and both offering rescue dating.

See any new piggy as a species need for Jeff and not as a replacement for Arthur. Each bond is completely unique and irreplaceable. Give yourself time to grieve. Love with any newbie will usually creep up on you; you will usually not recognise it for what it is for quite some time because it will be so very different from what you have shared with Arthur.

If you perfer to make a conscious break, then having Jeff neutered so he can live with a sow or two after the necessary 6 weeks post-op safety wait and start a very different journey would be a worthwhile alternative. He is certainly a very good age for this, and it would give him a lot more options in the future.
In this case, I would strongly recommend using the Cat&Rabbit Care Clinic in Northampton; they are as close to a 100% success rate with no complications as you can reasonably get. Then rescue date Jeff to ensure character compability for a happy bond.
I wouldn't go anywhere else with any full boys of mine that occasionally fetch up here! It is well worth the journey for full piece of mind. The example of a perfect recovery in the guide is a piggy neutered there.
Neutered / De-sexed Boars And Neutering Operations: Myths, Facts and Post-op Care
The Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic

 

[Holmes and Watson]

So sad for your loss. Clearly Arthur was cared for and loved. He will be gorging on veg i'm sure. Piggie love, From Holmes and Watson.