guinea pig with pneumonia

[lakinshayy]

hi all. my girl Penelope is 4 1/2 and she had labored breathing 01/31. i took her to the vet and she was on baytril. after the first visit, i ended up taking both of my piggies to my college town with me(they were at home with my parents). this involved a whole new cage, basically new everything (i know it added stress but i needed them with me so i knew they were taken care of) she seemed to be improving and then 02/06 i noticed her abdominal breathing was back. i took her to a different vet, they increased her antibiotics, and she has nebulizer treatments twice a day. my other piggie is being treated for respiratory symptoms as well but she is not nearly as bad. Penelope has always been fairly small for a guinea pig but now she feels so frail. Since the first vet visit, she has seemed way less lethargic and she is acting much better, but she still looks pretty bad. i am also worried because she has been sick for over a week now without much improvement. SHE NEVER STOPPED EATING OR DRINKING. I was wondering if anyone else had a similar experience and what their outcome was. Thank you.

 

[Wiebke]

hi all. my girl Penelope is 4 1/2 and she had labored breathing 01/31. i took her to the vet and she was on baytril. after the first visit, i ended up taking both of my piggies to my college town with me(they were at home with my parents). this involved a whole new cage, basically new everything (i know it added stress but i needed them with me so i knew they were taken care of) she seemed to be improving and then 02/06 i noticed her abdominal breathing was back. i took her to a different vet, they increased her antibiotics, and she has nebulizer treatments twice a day. my other piggie is being treated for respiratory symptoms as well but she is not nearly as bad. Penelope has always been fairly small for a guinea pig but now she feels so frail. Since the first vet visit, she has seemed way less lethargic and she is acting much better, but she still looks pretty bad. i am also worried because she has been sick for over a week now without much improvement. SHE NEVER STOPPED EATING OR DRINKING. I was wondering if anyone else had a similar experience and what their outcome was. Thank you.

Hi

It is great that she is still going and that her symptoms have not got any worse.

If you have concerns, please contact your vet clinic. It may take longer to clear the pneumonia or the antibiotic used may not be the most effective; resistancy issues due to overuse are becoming an increasing problem especially with the respiratory tract. Please also be aware that pneumonia can be caused by different germs to just respiratory bacteria (like pneumococcus, for instance).

We cannot tell you what is going on but please continue with your treatment and contact your vet before the course finishes if there is no improvement; immediately with any actual deterioration while on a course of antibiotics. Antibiotics take several days to build up to full efficiency and they will also wear off gradually in the days after the end of the course; they work differently to painkillers and other meds that are needed for instant but short-lived effect.