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Specialist My guinea pig suffering with URI - please help with diuretic dosage emergency

Prasiddha

Prasiddha

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi friends,

As most of you all know fluffy had unexpected back to back pregnancy which made her a weak and sick piggy. I love her so much. She was initial prescribed for Septran (Bactrim) for congestion 10 days back. Due to these unexpected pregnancies her weight is also very low. Only 520 GMs for her age (10 months). Since her first pregnancy was due to Missexing my piggies and also she was with her husband during her first labour she had to face these two pregnancies. Poor piggy.

She is already taking 0.315 ml twice a day of septran (baby suspension) past 10 days. She initially had improvement but deteriorated. Now she is having cracking noises while breathing, laboured breath, she is all fluffed up , looks sick and also stopped nursing her pups. Her eyes and nose have no discharge. She eats, drinks, poops and pees normal. I took her to the vet and he said give her diuretic - 2 or 3 dosages of 5 mg each time. If she is better already he asked me to stop with two dosage. But since she weighs only 520 GMs I was concerned if the dosage was high. Also is 2 or 3 dosages too much? I searched every where for 20 mg frusemide (lasix) but I got only 40 mg tablet form. Please please help. I need to give the dosage now. Also how to give her a tablet form ... I am not ready to loss her... feeling miserable. It is humid here in India so the vet felt a diuretic will show difference in her. Please advise needed.:soz:


image.webp
 
I am scared for her. Looking sick? But of course having laboured breathing.
@helen105281 in my other thread you told me
 
Prasiddha said:
Hi friends,

As most of you all know fluffy had unexpected back to back pregnancy which made her a weak and sick piggy. I love her so much. She was initial prescribed for Septran (Bactrim) for congestion 10 days back. Due to these unexpected pregnancies her weight is also very low. Only 520 GMs for her age (10 months). Since her first pregnancy was due to Missexing my piggies and also she was with her husband during her first labour she had to face these two pregnancies. Poor piggy.

She is already taking 0.315 ml twice a day of septran (baby suspension) past 10 days. She initially had improvement but deteriorated. Now she is having cracking noises while breathing, laboured breath, she is all fluffed up , looks sick and also stopped nursing her pups. Her eyes and nose have no discharge. She eats, drinks, poops and pees normal. I took her to the vet and he said give her diuretic - 2 or 3 dosages of 5 mg each time. If she is better already he asked me to stop with two dosage. But since she weighs only 520 GMs I was concerned if the dosage was high. Also is 2 or 3 dosages too much? I searched every where for 20 mg frusemide (lasix) but I got only 40 mg tablet form. Please please help. I need to give the dosage now. Also how to give her a tablet form ... I am not ready to loss her... feeling miserable. It is humid here in India so the vet felt a diuretic will show difference in her. Please advise needed.:soz:


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@Abi_nurse @Jaycey @helen105281
 
I’m afraid I have no advise but the knowledgable people will be along soon I’m sure @helen105281

As for giving her the tablet, you need to crush it up with water or a little sugar free juice and syringe it to her.

All the best for you and your piggy
 
Thank you @Wiebke and @Claire W .

Also advise needed. Shall I separate her pups from her. They are also eating solid food. Almost reached 200gms. They are nagging her for milk. And she is looked strained. Will she health wise have effects if she stops nursing? It's been 24 days from the day she gave birth.
 
Hi there, I'm sorry your lovely girl is struggling. As I understand it, guinea pigs only nurse their pups for 3 weeks anyway, so it won't harm her that she has stopped doing it, especially as the males should be separated from mother and sisters at that time too.
I can't advise on the diuretic, but I hope she gets better soon. :hug:
 
Qualcast&Flymo said:
Hi there, I'm sorry your lovely girl is struggling. As I understand it, guinea pigs only nurse their pups for 3 weeks anyway, so it won't harm her that she has stopped doing it, especially as the males should be separated from mother and sisters at that time too.
I can't advise on the diuretic, but I hope she gets better soon. :hug:
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Thank you @Qualcast&Flymo . I separated two boys yesterday since they reached 200 GMs and looked healthy. They live separately. Only her last boy pup who weighs 180 and her girl pup were staying with her. But I think I have made alternate housin for them to stay now. I really hope she gets well soon. She eats but walks around very tired.
 
Prasiddha said:
Thank you @Wiebke and @Claire W .

Also advise needed. Shall I separate her pups from her. They are also eating solid food. Almost reached 200gms. They are nagging her for milk. And she is looked strained. Will she health wise have effects if she stops nursing? It's been 24 days from the day she gave birth.
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You can separate the babies. They are now old enough to survive on their own.

HUGS! I sincerely hope that Fluffy can make it and that her tiny body is not giving out on her so close to the finish line! She's been through so much and has been so good with all her babies.
 
You need to separate the tablet into four/quarters, and fully dissolve a quarter of the tablet in water (As little as water as possible - Attempt to dissolve a quarter of the tablet in 1 ml, then 2 ml etc, until said quarter has fully dissolved), and then syringe your guinea pig half the amount of water.

For example, if you are able to fully dissolve the tablet in 1ml of water, you will want to administer 0.5 ml of the water to your guinea pig.

Believe that dosage is at the maximum recommended for your guinea pig/ your guinea pig’s weight. Would imagine that your veterinarian has advised you to administer this dose every 8-12 hours?
 
But when do I stop this
Guinea-pigGaga said:
You need to separate the tablet into four/quarters, and fully dissolve a quarter of the tablet in water (As little as water as possible - Attempt to dissolve a quarter of the tablet in 1 ml, then 2 ml etc, until said quarter has fully dissolved), and then syringe your guinea pig half the amount of water.

For example, if you are able to fully dissolve the tablet in 1ml of water, you will want to administer 0.5 ml of the water to your guinea pig.

Believe that dosage is at the maximum recommended for your guinea pig/ your guinea pig’s weight. Would imagine that your veterinarian has advised you to administer this dose every 8-12 hours?
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Thank you so much @Guinea-pigGaga with the help with the dosage. Since it is 40mg tablet. I cut the tablet into 1/4 now it took 3 ml water for me to fully dissolve the medicine. I gave her exact 1.5 ml of this dissolved water into her. I hope I did the right thing.

Could you friends help me when to stop giving her diuretic? Yes vet asked me to give this dosage every 12h. But he was quite uncertain on the number of dosages. I don't want to dehydrate her in this process.
 
As vet recommended can I continue the antibiotic septran with this diuretic?
 
Prasiddha said:
But when do I stop this


Thank you so much @Guinea-pigGaga with the help with the dosage. Since it is 40mg tablet. I cut the tablet into 1/4 now it took 3 ml water for me to fully dissolve the medicine. I gave her exact 1.5 ml of this dissolved water into her. I hope I did the right thing.

Could you friends help me when to stop giving her diuretic? Yes vet asked me to give this dosage every 12h. But he was quite uncertain on the number of dosages. I don't want to dehydrate her in this process.
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See whether she is reacting to the diuretic first. She will either do so rather quickly or not at all.
 
Can only advise you to follow your veterinarian’s advice - Administer two-three doses twelve hours apart (And continue to administer the antibiotic). Hopefully, you will see an improvement, and then can either reduce, or discontinue with the diuretic. However, your guinea pig does sound rather unwell, and the next 24-48 hours will be critical. Please be prepared to provide supportive care if your guinea pig is refusing to eat/drink etc. . .
 
Guinea-pigGaga said:
Can only advise you to follow your veterinarian’s advice - Administer two-three doses twelve hours apart (And continue to administer the antibiotic). Hopefully, you will see an improvement, and then can either reduce, or discontinue with the diuretic. However, your guinea pig does sound rather unwell, and the next 24-48 hours will be critical. Please be prepared to provide supportive care if your guinea pig is refusing to eat/drink etc. . .
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Thank you. Yes I will administer her closely. Till now she is been eating her food on her own. Food wise she is being herself. Even though she was half the time lying down this evening. She walked towards me wen I brought food. After the diuretic dose I gave her some pellets. She had all of them like always. Let me see tomorrow morning how she is reacting to her dose. Hope god is by her side.
 
Hi friends,

She is showing improvement with just one dosage of diuretic. She was calling out at her babies this morning and running aroundher cage. I picked her up this morning, her crackling sound is gone down and become very mild. I don't observe laboured breathing. How many more dosage shall I give ?
 
But she has reduced 25 GMs. I usually check her weight in the evenings but too curious to know her health so checked this morning. My lovely fluffy is already an underweight piggy and this sickness has reduced her weight :td:
 
Poor Fluffy! It's great that she has such a caring and attentive mummy herself to help get her through. :) I can't advise, I'm afraid, but you're in my thoughts!
 
Prasiddha said:
But she has reduced 25 GMs. I usually check her weight in the evenings but too curious to know her health so checked this morning. My lovely fluffy is already an underweight piggy and this sickness has reduced her weight :td:
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Weigh her again this evening 25g is the difference between a full and empty bladder. That is why it's important to weigh at the same time every day. Then you get a more accurate reading.
 
Betsy said:
Weigh her again this evening 25g is the difference between a full and empty bladder. That is why it's important to weigh at the same time every day. Then you get a more accurate reading.
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you will surely weigh her in the evening. But she is eating well. So hope she is doing good.
 
Prasiddha said:
But she has reduced 25 GMs. I usually check her weight in the evenings but too curious to know her health so checked this morning. My lovely fluffy is already an underweight piggy and this sickness has reduced her weight :td:
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Guinea pigs weights can fluctuate quite a lot during a day. So, to get a true reading you need to do it at the same time each day. Only after a consistent few days of weight loss can you believe there was a weight loss.
 
Prasiddha said:
But she has reduced 25 GMs. I usually check her weight in the evenings but too curious to know her health so checked this morning. My lovely fluffy is already an underweight piggy and this sickness has reduced her weight :td:
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Give it to her for at least one day more after the last symptom has disappeared to make sure that it stays gone! Good that she is one to respond!
You can put the baby girl with her again. The company will do her good and de-stress her.

I would keep the boys separated now that the deed is already done and she is no longer nursing them anyway, which was the whole point of leaving them a week longer with her.
 
Sorry I was not online last night, I also mix the tablet in water, for a 40mg tablet and a 10mg dose I would divide the tablet in 4 ml of water and give 1ml at a time. It's great she has responded to the diuretic.
 
helen105281 said:
Sorry I was not online last night, I also mix the tablet in water, for a 40mg tablet and a 10mg dose I would divide the tablet in 4 ml of water and give 1ml at a time. It's great she has responded to the diuretic.
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Thank you @helen105281. Instead I divided the tablet into 4 and dissolved one piece in 1 ml water and gave her only 1/2 ml at a time. I did a calculation like 40/8 = 5mg (she weighs only 500 GMs).
 
Wiebke said:
Give it to her for at least one day more after the last symptom has disappeared to make sure that it stays gone! Good that she is one to respond!
You can put the baby girl with her again. The company will do her good and de-stress her.

I would keep the boys separated now that the deed is already done and she is no longer nursing them anyway, which was the whole point of leaving them a week longer with her.
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Thank you @Wiebke. Her girl pup was calling out for her. Felt bad. Left her with her girl pup. They looked so happy once they are back. If fluffy is resting her girl pup goes next to her and lies down on her tummy. So much in love with her mother.
 
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