Biscuit has ‘pneumonia’

[Benmcollins]

Hi I’m new to this forum, but my 18 month old guinea pigs has been diagnosed with pneumonia as they have found fluid on her lungs. The past 2 weeks her breathing has been quite laboured however she still moves around, eats and drinks fine. She doesn’t show many symptoms for pneumonia as she isn’t snotty and has no eye problems only her rapid and heavy breathing. This leads me to think it could be heart failure as they couldn’t see her heart in the x ray due to the fluid. However the vet has said it is unlikely as she is so young. We have got a nebuliser with F10 solution which we are going to do today and we are about to receive diuretics to help with the fluid. Tomorrow we are getting the new antibiotic that has a chance at fighting the pneumonia as baytril and the anti inflammatory hasn’t worked. We have got pro biotic and are making sure to give her lots of vitamin C along with the nebuliser, diuretics and the new antibiotic. They are inside and she is still quite active so I’m hoping for the best. Can I have any advice if more experienced guinea pig owners know anything about these conditions as I only want the best for her.

 

[SeijiBrinandtheTwins]

So sorry to hear this , hope someone who has experience and can help turns up soon.

 

[Benmcollins]

So sorry to hear this , hope someone who has experience and can help turns up soon.

Thanks a lot I’m hoping she will recover she is getting all the treatment and care we have been recommended

 

[Wiebke]

Hi I’m new to this forum, but my 18 month old guinea pigs has been diagnosed with pneumonia as they have found fluid on her lungs. The past 2 weeks her breathing has been quite laboured however she still moves around, eats and drinks fine. She doesn’t show many symptoms for pneumonia as she isn’t snotty and has no eye problems only her rapid and heavy breathing. This leads me to think it could be heart failure as they couldn’t see her heart in the x ray due to the fluid. However the vet has said it is unlikely as she is so young. We have got a nebuliser with F10 solution which we are going to do today and we are about to receive diuretics to help with the fluid. Tomorrow we are getting the new antibiotic that has a chance at fighting the pneumonia as baytril and the anti inflammatory hasn’t worked. We have got pro biotic and are making sure to give her lots of vitamin C along with the nebuliser, diuretics and the new antibiotic. They are inside and she is still quite active so I’m hoping for the best. Can I have any advice if more experienced guinea pig owners know anything about these conditions as I only want the best for her.

Hi

I am very sorry. Has she been put on a diuretic for draining the lungs in addition to the antibiotics?
The diuretic (furosemide/frusol) is also an integral part of heart medication, so it serves both purposes.

Pneumonia doesn't necessarily come with symptoms the symptoms of a bacterial upper respiratory tract infection; the way that a viral human cold and a bacterial (secondary or primary) pneumonia in humans doesn't have to come with other symptoms that laboured breathing.

Genetically determined heart failure can happen in guinea pigs of all ages (I've lost both a 1 year old and a 2 year old to sudden acute heart failure - the second piggy, my Telyn, suffered the same fate as most of the many rescue born babies from a neglect breeders' intake in a case that went to the court due to several generations of inbreeding). Neither of them developed a fluid filled lung, though, and they passed away within 12-24 hours of showing the first symptom and being seen promptly.

However, giving further heart meds on spec is somewhat risky so your vet is firstly concentrating on clearing the lungs to ease the breathing, stabilising your piggy and deal with a potential so they can then reassess the situation and if needed do another scan to get a proper look at the heart if the problem persists.

I hope that this explains things a bit more for you?

 

[Benmcollins]

Hi

I am very sorry. Has she been put on a diuretic for draining the lungs in addition to the antibiotics?
The diuretic (furosemide/frusol) is also an integral part of heart medication, so it serves both purposes.

Pneumonia doesn't necessarily come with symptoms the symptoms of a bacterial upper respiratory tract infection; the way that a viral human cold and a bacterial (secondary or primary) pneumonia in humans doesn't have to come with other symptoms that laboured breathing.

Genetically determined heart failure can happen in guinea pigs of all ages (I've lost both a 1 year old and a 2 year old to sudden acute heart failure - the second piggy, my Telyn, suffered the same fate as most of the many rescue born babies from a neglect breeders' intake in a case that went to the court due to several generations of inbreeding). Neither of them developed a fluid filled lung, though, and they passed away within 12-24 hours of showing the first symptom and being seen promptly.

However, giving further heart meds on spec is somewhat risky so your vet is firstly concentrating on clearing the lungs to ease the breathing, stabilising your piggy and deal with a potential so they can then reassess the situation and if needed do another scan to get a proper look at the heart if the problem persists.

I hope that this explains things a bit more for you?

Thanks so much we just got that diuretic today and have given her the first dose and just nebulised her with F10 and she seems pretty good like I said still active happy and eating and drinking so it’s looking good and worse case I know I have done everything I can for her. I am only 15 and she is my first pet but I love her to bits and am making sure to do my best research and job for her

 

[Benmcollins]

Hi

I am very sorry. Has she been put on a diuretic for draining the lungs in addition to the antibiotics?
The diuretic (furosemide/frusol) is also an integral part of heart medication, so it serves both purposes.

Pneumonia doesn't necessarily come with symptoms the symptoms of a bacterial upper respiratory tract infection; the way that a viral human cold and a bacterial (secondary or primary) pneumonia in humans doesn't have to come with other symptoms that laboured breathing.

Genetically determined heart failure can happen in guinea pigs of all ages (I've lost both a 1 year old and a 2 year old to sudden acute heart failure - the second piggy, my Telyn, suffered the same fate as most of the many rescue born babies from a neglect breeders' intake in a case that went to the court due to several generations of inbreeding). Neither of them developed a fluid filled lung, though, and they passed away within 12-24 hours of showing the first symptom and being seen promptly.

However, giving further heart meds on spec is somewhat risky so your vet is firstly concentrating on clearing the lungs to ease the breathing, stabilising your piggy and deal with a potential so they can then reassess the situation and if needed do another scan to get a proper look at the heart if the problem persists.

I hope that this explains things a bit more for you?

Also we were given tablet furosemide as they would have had to order the liquid and it is urgent, so we have cut them in 1/4 and smashed the quarter into powder and put it on wet veg so she eats it. Is that ok?

 

[Wiebke]

Also we were given tablet furosemide as they would have had to order the liquid and it is urgent, so we have cut them in 1/4 and smashed the quarter into powder and put it on wet veg so she eats it. Is that ok?

Hi

You can either give in on a small piece of veg (but please make sure that he eats it all) or dissolve the powder in 0.5 ml of water and syringe that.