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Chlamydia

  • Thread starter Thread starter karenrgpr
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Just to update, I was all set to try the vets today, and had printed out a load of stuff to take with me. But, out of desperation, last night I put some colloidal silver in their water bottle. I've used it before, but prefer to use it externally. Well, this morning they looked so much brighter! There they were standing at the front of the pen all wheeking for food! :) So, I've decided to give this a go over the weekend and see how they go, rather than rushing to the vets, who might only want to test them rather than treat them at this stage anyway.
 
Hello there,

How hard for David to have to put all his piggies to sleep, must be a heartbreaking decision.

How does he think he has caught this, and are any of his other animals affected.

As it originates from Birds, does he have any birds, and have they been tested?

Hopefully not, as he would be at risk from both sides, and he sounds like a fighter.

Fingers Crossed for him and his friend, who sounds like a star for helping him.

Xx
 
WOW!,,,,,,,

I didn't mean to start a debate especially since i have been on holiday, and haven't been able to keep up with you all,, actually i am glad i couldn't what i have read has shaken me to the core! I am positive i have made the right decision, my children mean everything to me and having almost lost Amy to pneumonia when she was one and a half i just couldn't go through that again, and what the Juniper said has made me feel forgiven and I DID THE RIGHT THING to trust my vet, I love my girls BUT i love my children more?


Once again thank you for all your hugs

and david i am so sorry, big hug to you, take care of yourself!


them
 
Latest here is that Holly really doesn't look too great today. I am trying to get in at the vets and failing (am down for a cancellation only). I can see another vet, but they will look at me like I'm a lunatic, so I really don't think that's worth it.

If I take her tomorrow I'm on the train too, which I don't really want to inflict on them. Am so worried. :(
 
Can't you just take her and tell them its an emergency. 'Inflicting' a train journey might not be so bad if you get some answers. Is there another vet that could look at her as a referral and in communication with your original vet? Can you get to CCT?
 
It's not really an emergency as such today, or I'd take her to another vet in the same practice. She is still eating ok. Can't get to CCT easily.

I think I'll book her in for tomorrow and take the train (gulp).
 
oh poor people i'm sorry to hear about all of this. :'( you are doing the right thing and being so brave, your life is more important than being with the piggies, however much we loove them. good luck everyone with everything. my thoughts and big big hugs and kisses are with you. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Just to update on my 3, they are all fairly unwell. :( At least 2 out of the 3 is urinating blood, they have some degree of respiratory problem (sneezing in 2, and worse catarrh in the other), and slightly weepy eyes. They are being treated with 0.5 ml of Marbocyl for 3 weeks. My vet said he has treated chlamydia in birds with that successfully, and hopefully the longer/higher dose of antibiotics would sort them out if it isn't that.

I just really hope I can get them better and, selfishly, I really don't care what it is as long as they get better. It also seems so unlikely to be chlamydia, as they haven't had any contact with other pigs for approx 8 months (when I got the youngest). I'm glad the vet didn't want to test them and leave them to wait for the test results, as they really needed help.
 
:) Thanks for the update :) I hope they do get better, even if we don't get to put a name on it O0
 
An update on the Chlamydia situation.
It is still not clear exactly which form of Chlamydia pigs are suffering from. Veterinary laboratories apparently return results as “positive for Chlamydia psittaci†as they are unable to distinguish between psittaci (the psittacosis bug) and the cavy specific form Chlamydia (or Chlamydophila) caviae using the basic lab tests.

Obviously this could lead to misunderstandings especially as the old name for the guinea pig thing was “Chlamydia psittaci: strain Guinea Pig Inclusion Conjunctivitisâ€.

There is a very hardworking vet in the cavy fancy trying to figure out exactly what is going on. Obviously psittacosis can’t be ruled out because the lab results don’t say either way. It seems far worse than the ordinary ‘runny eye’ pig Chlamydia. It may be that it is just a particularly unpleasant strain of the cavy-only bug. The good news would be that there is far less danger to humans but of course it is certainly not something that we would want our pigs to catch.
 
karenrgpr said:
:) Thanks for the update :) I hope they do get better, even if we don't get to put a name on it O0
Click to expand...

Thanks! :) It's all been going on for so long now - I just want them well again and I'd be devastated if I lost even one, let alone all 3. :(
 
Is there any more news on this awful situation?.Has the disease been confirmed?.
 
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Some posts have been removed at a members request. Members are reminded to keep the tone of posts polite and that abuse will not be tolerated.
 
I am not wanting to cause trouble here but I want to clarify one thing:

My pigs have no contact with other pigs whatsoever. Therefore, in the unlikely event that they have this disease, it can be considered as contained as possible.
 
I do believe it is airbourne and can be carried, so if you have guineas that are ill in your area it is a possible that your pigs will get it,

But i have been wrong before ?
 
My pigs are in the house. I will say again, they are being treated for possible chlamydia, they are isolated from any other pigs, and I can really do no more than I am doing.

To be honest, I am not at all happy about what has been implied about me this morning - I really have enough to worry about. I'm sorry if I sound stroppy - not my intention!
 
sorry i didn't mean to imply anything, to be honest i haven't read through the whole post...... do that a lot ;D just thought i would say it has been mentioned it could be air born, OOoooo i hope your gang feels better soon, so i will now go and read the thread properly ;D,

Hope they get better soon,

them
 
Sorry - I wasn't getting at you. :( There is a missing post which I'm upset about. Don't worry about it - I'll calm myself down soon! ;)
 
well best of luck hun i do hope they get better soon, and your in the situation and you do what you think is best ;), when are you next at the vets?

Keep me posted

them
 
Thank you - it's much appreciated. :) They are currently still on antibiotics, and are back at the vets on 22nd Sept. If things deterioriate or I need more advice from the vet, I can always call in the meantime.
 
Hi I am so sorry to hear about your problems, I hope everything will be ok for you and your GP's.

I was just wondering, in every other animal, including humans Chlamydia is sexually transmitted, plus the fact that most animals poke their noses in unusal places they can pick it up that way, and I cant find anywhere to say that it is an airborne virus, very few viruses are. Can you let us know, is it mostly your females that are affected or your males affected as well. If so, do both sexes present with similar symptoms, or are there different symptoms on the different sexes?

From my understanding of it, the chlamydia can be treated with antibiotics such as Doxycicline but it that for the secondary infections that occur that are the most difficult to treat and most dangerous for the GP's. Can somebody confirm this?

Thank you,

John.
 
I've just thought, this must be a bacteria, not a virus (hence treating with antibiotics). ?
 
jakewc2 said:
Hi I am so sorry to hear about your problems, I hope everything will be ok for you and your GP's.

I was just wondering, in every other animal, including humans Chlamydia is sexually transmitted, plus the fact that most animals poke their noses in unusal places they can pick it up that way, and I cant find anywhere to say that it is an airborne virus, very few viruses are. Can you let us know, is it mostly your females that are affected or your males affected as well. If so, do both sexes present with similar symptoms, or are there different symptoms on the different sexes?

From my understanding of it, the chlamydia itself can be treated with antibiotics such as Doxycicline, but its the secondary infections that occur that are the most difficult to treat and most dangerous for the GP's. Can somebody confirm this?
Click to expand...

It's only Chlamydia trachomatis that causes STIs in humans. All types of Chlamydia are bacteria but can cause symptoms that resemble viral infection.

Chlamydophila psittaci is the baddie that causes psittacosis in humans and is airborne as the post above mentions - it's spread by inhalation, not sexual contact. Chlamydophila caviae is slightly different again and can infect the eyes, respiratory system and/or genital tract in guinea pigs. This one isn't transmissable to humans.

Doxycycline/tetracycline are the antibiotics of choice.
 
Thank you for clearing that up, I was getting really confused with everything that had been written here. So its definitely a bacterial infection.

Why is it that its so difficult to treat?
 
daftscotslass said:
It's only Chlamydia trachomatis that causes STIs in humans. All types of Chlamydia are bacteria but can cause symptoms that resemble viral infection.

Chlamydophila psittaci is the baddie that causes psittacosis in humans and is airborne as the post above mentions - it's spread by inhalation, not sexual contact. Chlamydophila caviae is slightly different again and can infect the eyes, respiratory system and/or genital tract in guinea pigs. This one isn't transmissable to humans.

Doxycycline/tetracycline are the antibiotics of choice.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that's helpful.
 
jakewc2 said:
Thank you for clearing that up, I was getting really confused with everything that had been written here. So its definitely a bacterial infection.

Why is it that its so difficult to treat?
Click to expand...

Haven't a scooby I'm afraid - I just know what I've read up since stories of this began. :(
 
OH, what a horribly gripping thread. My heart goes out to all of you affected.

I hope I don't sound stupid, but I'd just like to be sure; from what I have gathered I understand the best way for me to protect my indoor pigs is to:

1) avoid contact with all birds and
2) avoid contact with all guinea pigs
3) wash with antiviral/bacterial wash/gel before and after handling them
4) continue to use small animal disinfectant when cleaning all their stuff

So this means staying away from livestock pet shops, rescues, shows and other cavy owners' or bird owners' homes, and not touching bird tables. Does this sound like the right thing to do?
What can we do about sourcing safe fresh grass?
 
I said I would not post on this thread again,but this scaremongering has got to stop.I think it is time to end this thread.

Piggytoefluff, I understaand your concerns and it is lovely that you are concerned about your piggies.Please stop worrying and just carry on as normal.As far as i know there have only been a few isolated cases that have been confirmed,the rest is just scaremongering.The suspected cases were from piggies that go to shows where there is always a chance of infection, and piggies that are kept in large numbers.

Piggies that are part of a family and kept indoors are not at risk.

There is no need to go to the extreme of washing your hands with anti bacterial gel before and after handling.The only time you need to do this is if you have been gardening or cleaning bird tables.

There is no need to avoid contact with your friends guinea pigs.

Continue to clean the piggies stuff as you normally do.Vinigar is as good as anything.

Grass from your garden,washed under running water the same as you wash the veggies is fine.Avoid grass that is growing near roads because of the risk of contamination from car exhaust.

Just enjoy your piggies as you have always done.
 
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