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Please Help Pigs Have URI. Cant Go To Vets!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Deleted member 151651
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Deleted member 151651

PLEASE CAN ANYONE HELP I THINK MY SENIOR PIGGY HAS A URI (UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION)! SHES BEEN MAKING ODD POPPING CRACKLING NOISES WHEN SHE BREATHES AND HAS BEEN DOING SO ALL MORNING. IVE BEEN DOING SOME REASEARCH AND IT SAID NOT TO SEPERATE THEM COS THEY WILL BOTH HAVE IT BY NOW. PARENTS WONT LET ME GO TO VET COS ITS EXPENSIVE AND SHES APPARENTLY GOING TO DIE ANYWAY COS SHES OLD BUT I DONT WANT MY YOUNG PIGGY TO DIE TOO😭
PLEASE DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO TREAT THIS AT HOME? IT SAID URIs ARE COMMONLY FATAL! IT SAID FEED THEM LOTS OF VITAMIN C WHICH I CAN DO BUT.... WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?

I NEED TO CALM DOWN...
HELP
 
Please show your parents this thread. They are obliged BY LAW under the Animal Welfare Act to seek immediate help for a sick pet.
There is a likelihood your piggy could die if this is an URI and it doesn't receive treatment. It will not go away on its own, there are no home remedies.
Quite honestly their attitude is disgraceful. It will be a lot more expensive to treat the worse it gets. Treating it now ensures you piggy has the best chance and will be cheaper than when this inevitably becomes an emergency. Many vets do payment plans.
I really feel for you and your piggies 😢
 
I'm sorry this is happening to you and your piggie.unfortunatley your piggie needs to see a vet to get the correct treatment.i agree with the above poster.Maybe try vets who will do payment plans,or PDSA if you have a income family.Its alot to put on your shoulders,see if your parents would agree to this.putting a bowl of steaming water near the cage can help the airways,but do not put the hot water in the cage.I hope you can find a way forward,it really shows that you care for your guinea pig.
 
Wheekallweek said:
Please show your parents this thread. They are obliged BY LAW under the Animal Welfare Act to seek immediate help for a sick pet.
There is a likelihood your piggy could die if this is an URI and it doesn't receive treatment. It will not go away on its own, there are no home remedies.
Quite honestly their attitude is disgraceful. It will be a lot more expensive to treat the worse it gets. Treating it now ensures you piggy has the best chance and will be cheaper than when this inevitably becomes an emergency. Many vets do payment plans.
I really feel for you and your piggies 😢
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thanks for replying, i will try to convince them, but at least i know what to expect 😭. the law thing is really helpful btw, i have more of a chance now:)
 
eileen said:
I'm sorry this is happening to you and your piggie.unfortunatley your piggie needs to see a vet to get the correct treatment.i agree with the above poster.Maybe try vets who will do payment plans,or PDSA if you have a income family.Its alot to put on your shoulders,see if your parents would agree to this.putting a bowl of steaming water near the cage can help the airways,but do not put the hot water in the cage.I hope you can find a way forward,it really shows that you care for your guinea pig.
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Thank you for replying! I will do the hot water thing and now i have the law on my side it may convince my mum:)
 
Hi

Here is our information pack re. payment support options: A guide to vets fees, insurance and payment support.

If you are a minor, the legal situation is discussed in this link here: Children And Guinea Pigs - A Guide For Parents

A respiratory infection in guinea pigs is bacterial and not viral (unlike a human cold or flu). It can unfortunately be fatal or cause permanent damage if left untreated. You really need an antibiotic to cure it; there is no home cure on the cheap that can do anything more than alleviate symptoms a little.

All the best! A general vet like a no frills vets4pets clinic (if your family doesn't qualify for a PDSA clinic) should do for a URI as even a general vet can diagnose it with a stethoscope. Antibiotics in the UK are classed as prescription-only medication (POM) so there is no way around a vet trip.
 
I’ve been in your spot, I first started keeping Guinea pigs back when I was 13 and it’s such a challenge to “win” over your parent who believes they know better than the internet. I really feel for you. The only way I was ever able to take my piggies to the vet was by paying it out myself, for all of my teenage-hood I saved all the money I ever got for my birthday and Christmas and would use it all on the pigs. Maybe that’s something you should start doing, if you aren’t already? They may be more inclined to allow veterinary care if they aren’t the ones paying for it. Whilst it’s also better to see a Guinea pig specialist or exotic vet, if you are having problems with travelling, even a general vet is better than none
 
Little Ones said:
I’ve been in your spot, I first started keeping Guinea pigs back when I was 13 and it’s such a challenge to “win” over your parent who believes they know better than the internet. I really feel for you. The only way I was ever able to take my piggies to the vet was by paying it out myself, for all of my teenage-hood I saved all the money I ever got for my birthday and Christmas and would use it all on the pigs. Maybe that’s something you should start doing, if you aren’t already? They may be more inclined to allow veterinary care if they aren’t the ones paying for it. Whilst it’s also better to see a Guinea pig specialist or exotic vet, if you are having problems with travelling, even a general vet is better than none
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Thanks for the reply! I have a little money saved and it may be enough, but i've been searching and there are no vets near me (there is one about 2 hours away) that can see my piggy: the local vet that i had put my hopes in, when i phoned them i was met with "sorry, the vet isn't in today". Even if i pay, my parents wont drive me all that way 😭 .If my parents did accept, I'm not sure my piggies would be up to the journey, my senior piggy is struggling as it is... 😭 not sure theres much hope left now... I would buy the medicine myself worst comes to worst but apparently there are multiple diffrent types of infection and i can't diagnose it at home.
 
Please help my guinea pigs said:
Thanks for the reply! I have a little money saved and it may be enough, but i've been searching and there are no vets near me (there is one about 2 hours away) that can see my piggy: the local vet that i had put my hopes in, when i phoned them i was met with "sorry, the vet isn't in today". Even if i pay, my parents wont drive me all that way 😭 .If my parents did accept, I'm not sure my piggies would be up to the journey, my senior piggy is struggling as it is... 😭 not sure theres much hope left now... I would buy the medicine myself worst comes to worst but apparently there are multiple diffrent types of infection and i can't diagnose it at home.
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Can your see your closest vet tomorrow?
 
Please help my guinea pigs said:
Thanks for the reply! I have a little money saved and it may be enough, but i've been searching and there are no vets near me (there is one about 2 hours away) that can see my piggy: the local vet that i had put my hopes in, when i phoned them i was met with "sorry, the vet isn't in today". Even if i pay, my parents wont drive me all that way 😭 .If my parents did accept, I'm not sure my piggies would be up to the journey, my senior piggy is struggling as it is... 😭 not sure theres much hope left now... I would buy the medicine myself worst comes to worst but apparently there are multiple diffrent types of infection and i can't diagnose it at home.
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I would ask for the next available appointment rather than trying to get one just for today. If it’s in like 1 week, book it provisionally whilst also trying to get a same day appointment throughout the week. If you do drop on a same-day, you can cancel the other appointment whilst you’re there but at least you have one booked in case you’re unable to get there sooner
 
Little Ones said:
I would ask for the next available appointment rather than trying to get one just for today. If it’s in like 1 week, book it provisionally whilst also trying to get a same day appointment throughout the week. If you do drop on a same-day, you can cancel the other appointment whilst you’re there but at least you have one booked in case you’re unable to get there sooner
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Thanks for the reply, my parents are not even at home anymore, I'm home alone. I phoned all of the vets in my clinics and apparently there are no vets in today/ the clinic is closed/ they don't treat piggies. I will have to try again tomorrow, when i have convinced my parents because i cannot book an appointment by myself. hopefully my piggys will not have gotten worse🤞
 
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Please help my guinea pigs said:
Thanks for the reply, my parents are not even at home anymore, I'm home alone. I phoned all of the vets in my clinics and apparently there are no vets in today/ the clinic is closed/ they don't treat piggies. I will have to try again tomorrow, when i have convinced my parents because i cannot book an appointment by myself- I am only 13. hopefully my piggys will not have gotten worse🤞
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When convincing your parents, it might also be worth stressing that parents get pets for their children so they learn how to become responsible/take responsibility and this is you doing that and learning that skill.
Unfortunately, I do believe you are too young to have an account on this platform per the sign up conditions
 
Hi love, I’m so sorry. I’m just here to let you know you’re doing everything you can and you’re doing good. You and your little piggy are in my thoughts!
 
You can show your parents this bit.
I'm 50, and a long time ago when I was little we had a pair of guinea pigs. One passed at about 3 years, her friend lived until 5. Although my mum took the cat to the vet (PDSA for us) when she was ill or got fleas, she didn't think to take our 3 year old girl. I don't know why. She sat with her while she deteriorated and tried to 'make her comfortable'. We also didn't get another friend for Snowy, which would have been very lonely for her.

When I started to keep pigs as a grown up I learned for myself about the importance of having vet visits when they were poorly and it made me think again about the decision not to take our piggy to the vet all those years ago so I asked her about it. And she said she sort of knew she should have gone and she's never stopped feeling guilty about that. So far that's 40 years of guilt. And if she had her time over again she'd go in a heartbeat because that feeling of guilt is just not going to go away. Sometimes we do our best and unfortunately the odds are against us but we can at least feel settled in our own hearts that we tried. But if we turn our backs that 'what if...' feeling just doesn't ever go away. My poor mum. You are doing your best. We'll all be thinking of you and hoping a vet visit can sort piggy out. Antibiotics are not usually that expensive and if she has a URI and the AB start to work she should improve a lot within the first day or two. Trust me - it's one of the cheapest things they get!
 
Sending hugs. I hope you are able to get her seen. Not sure what country you are located in. But most clinics should be able to see piggies for basic care :(
 
For where you are any vet should be able to see and treat your piggy. They may not be overly experienced with piggies but that is not a concern right now, getting this piggy a diagnosis and proper treatment is. All UK vets have to treat a sick animal and have to provide out of hours care (this is rarely in their own practice but usually a group of vets will sign up to one out of hours service so it may be a bit further to travel - or in my case a lot closer).

I have removed your age from your post. It is never wise to disclose this for your own personal online safety. Please do be wary about posting things like this in a public place. Also it's never wise to disclose this information when you have lied on sign up to make out you are over 18 in order to join the forum. Sadly GDPR rules do kick in and now that we are aware of this fact we have no option but to delete your account. You will however still be able to view the forum as a guest which will include viewing the information on this thread in attempt to help your poorly piggy.
 
If it will help to show your parents, the chain vets inside Pets at home stores literally only charge £10-£15 for enough antibiotics to cure an URI, and 30-40ish for a consultation. They will also have reasonable-excellent guinea pig experience as they'll be the ones treating the instore animals.
 
Eriathwen said:
If it will help to show your parents, the chain vets inside Pets at home stores literally only charge £10-£15 for enough antibiotics to cure an URI, and 30-40ish for a consultation. They will also have reasonable-excellent guinea pig experience as they'll be the ones treating the instore animals.
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There are lots of vets4pets around the country with out of hours providers too! I often find most vets4pets if you ring them even if they’re not ooh they’ll know the nearest one that is. There’s a few yourvets and medivet that are out of hours too for reference for anyone reading this.
 
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