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Worried About Pebbles, Uri

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Hi not been on here in a good while but feel need some advise? Guidance.
Pebbles is about 3 yrs old no health issues to date, this morning my daughter 10yrs said pebbles sounded like he was breathing differently with different sound. He was and to this point nothing had been different with him. They live indoors and have fleece bedding and constant supply of hay etc.
We went straight to the vet as it was still open and he diagnosed a URI. We have twice day antibiotics but he pretty much said they would be no other real treatment for him if this didn't work. Up to now he has been eating and drinking normally. As the day has progressed he has got worse, we now have sneezing and snuffling and pebbles seems more agitated rather than lathargic.

I feel helpless is there anything else I should be doing to ease his distress or symptoms, should I go back to vet in the morning if worse even after one day of antibiotic. Mot sure if he will get worse before gets better.

Sorry long winded but feel helpless, I'm a nurse but here at home feel useless! Just don't want to miss something as these are our first pigs.

Thanks in ad advancead advance
 
did the vet give you probiotics as well as antibiotics can affect their stomach and cause them not to eat. Try mashed up pellets on a spoon or in a syringe if you have one. Mash them with warm water until they are a paste and syringe water. If you can stomach it fresh poose from your healthy one made into a mash can help loads as well. Good luck and kee us posted
 
Poor Pebbles, do you know what antibiotic you have been given? I would think it is probably Baytril. If so, are you giving probiotics aswell? Baytril is notorious for upsetting the gut. The most accessible probiotic is Pro C from Pets at Home. It needs to be given throughout the day but at least an hour after the antibiotics. Don't put it in his water bottle though as it is not as effective.

So does he sound snotty? If so the vet can give you Bisolvon which will help him breathe through his nose better, you can also use steam therapy if you have a steam inhaler, fill it with boiling water and add 2 drops of Olbas oil then hold the inhaler over his nose in 5 second bursts. It would be something like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/2614...ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=95&ff19=0

Did the vet listen to his chest? if so did he say if there was any fluid? If there was then he should really have been given diuretics such as Furosemide. It does sounds like it is more in the nose though.

Is he eating ok? and pooing ok?
 
helen105281 said:
Poor Pebbles, do you know what antibiotic you have been given? I would think it is probably Baytril. If so, are you giving probiotics aswell? Baytril is notorious for upsetting the gut. The most accessible probiotic is Pro C from Pets at Home. It needs to be given throughout the day but at least an hour after the antibiotics. Don't put it in his water bottle though as it is not as effective.

So does he sound snotty? If so the vet can give you Bisolvon which will help him breathe through his nose better, you can also use steam therapy if you have a steam inhaler, fill it with boiling water and add 2 drops of Olbas oil then hold the inhaler over his nose in 5 second bursts. It would be something like this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/2614...ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=95&ff19=0

Did the vet listen to his chest? if so did he say if there was any fluid? If there was then he should really have been given diuretics such as Furosemide. It does sounds like it is more in the nose though.

Is he eating ok? and pooing ok?
Click to expand...

Hi thanks for the replies, yes he was eating ok today. I think the antibiotic is the one you mentioned but nothing else was prescribed? It's just distressing to hear the breathing getting worse, the vet did listen to chest but he wasn't as bad this morning, this has all happened very quick he was fine yesterday! To me he does sound wet when he breathing but is also sniffly but with no extra wetness round his nose so far.
 
Which country are you located in? We have got a piggy savvy vet locator for our UK members on the top bar.

There are now stronger antibiotics than baytril available. It would also be useful to give a a pinch of probiotic 1-2 hours after the antibioic to help prop up the guts.
Diuretics like frusemide can help draw water from congested lungs and help ease the breathing. Bisolvon powder helps break down mucus.

URI often causes loss of appetite (the need to breathe comes before the need to drink before the need to eat). Please weigh him daily and if necessary hand feed him with pellets that you have mushed up in boiled, cooled down water; little but often, if necessary round the the clock - ideally at least 40-60ml in 24 hours in order to keep the guts going. Use a 1ml syringe of which you have cut off the narrow tip just below where it widens. Give half the syringe at a time in order to prevent things going down the wrong way. Also make sure that you syringe water frequently.
Make sure that Pebbles is warm and comfy.

Here is more info on URI: http://www.guinealynx.info/uri.html
Hand feeding: http://www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html
 
Well a quick up date on pebbles, I really thought we would loose him overnight but this morning his breathing seems a lot improved, can a URI ease this quick after 2 lots of antibiotics or am I being too optimistic too soon?
 
Good news AB's can work quite quickly. lots of healing vibes to your piggie
 
Sorry to hear Pebbles is poorly. Yes the ABs can work quite quickly. Hope things continue to improve.
 
Hi so it's been good few days on treatment for uri and pebbles certainly is breathing fine now, still few more days of treatment left. However still bit worried as pebbles definitely seems subdued and not doing too much, appears to be eating although not as usual and tonight he has had very soft poo. Do we think this could all be the antibiotics? Should I still be worried or is this normal after a uri? ThanksThanks
 
It is pretty normal am afraid, are you giving Probiotics? Baytril can make them feel lousy as can the URI itself. You may need to supplement with syringe feeding if he is not eating as much.
 
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