Is My Piggie Sick (allergy Or Uri?)

[guineabee]

Hi, I'm from the USA. My husband and I just bought two baby piggies from Petsmart (and now I know not to ever do that again because they may have come from a supplier that mistreats the animals).

One of them has a little crust around her nose, and every once and a while she will let out a stuffy-sounding breath. However it is not frequent at all! I hear her do this maybe once a day.

I've been reading about Upper Respitory Infections and how they can be fatal. But she is acting just fine: eating, pooping, popcorning, talking to her sister, no sign in excessive sleeping. I keep their cage very clean (I wash the felt once a week and spot clean the poop 2-3 times a day).

Is this something to worry about?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, I'm from the USA. My husband and I just bought two baby piggies from Petsmart (and now I know not to ever do that again because they may have come from a supplier that mistreats the animals).

One of them has a little crust around her nose, and every once and a while she will let out a stuffy-sounding breath. However it is not frequent at all! I hear her do this maybe once a day.

I've been reading about Upper Respitory Infections and how they can be fatal. But she is acting just fine: eating, pooping, popcorning, talking to her sister, no sign in excessive sleeping. I keep their cage very clean (I wash the felt once a week and spot clean the poop 2-3 times a day).

Is this something to worry about?

I would strongly recommend to have your piggies vet checked. You can reclaim the vet cost on the shop. if in any doubt, a vet will treat for URI as it can be such a killer.

it can well be that your vets decides that it is just from hay dust or dry radiator, a/c indoors air or a desert climate, but going down that way should only happen after you have excluded a potential URI. Only a vet can decide whether the airways are affected or not. if yes, then you will need an antibiotic which is prescription-only. Please have both youngsters checked because while healthy older guinea pigs can usually fend off URI bacteria, stressed youngsters with not yet fully developed immune systems may not.

Here are links to recommended piggy savvy US vets (they are exotic vets and not cheap) if you need to see a specialist at some stage, Please be aware that guinea pigs have a very fast metabolism and need double the dosage to a cat per weight for that reason. Some general vets are not away of that although they should be perfectly able to diagnose a URI. Guinea Lynx :: GL's Vet List

Tips For Vet Visits
Administering Medications

New Owners' " How To" Starter Kit

Guinea Lynx :: US Guinea Pig Rescue and Shelter Organizations

 

[Andrea999]

I'm from the USA too and like you, I was not well informed about PetSmart. I got 2 piggies and within days one of them was incredibly sick. He was wheezing and eventually his eyes started crusting shut.

I tried calling PetSmart but they wanted me to bring him in and return him to them. As in give me my money back and they'd keep him. They said they'd call if he got better.

I found my own vet. First vet gave antibiotics (bactrim) and critical care. Gave him a 50/50 shot. He was so sick and could hardly breathe.

After a few days on that antibiotic, I didn't feel he was improving much. I came home from work to find his eyes swollen shut. Called the vet and they told me just to call back if I didn't get them open.

For me, I knew that antibiotic wasn't working. So I found a new vet. This vet gave him baytril and said hia URI progressed into pneumonia. Not a great prognosis since he was so little as well.

Anyway, he is now 4 months old and healthy as can be! I cared for him night and day for a good 2 weeks. He's definitely my little baby now.

Your piggy doesn't sound to be as sick as my Petey was, which is good! Just keep an eye on her!