Respiratory Infection? Pneumonia?

[TsukiLouWho123]

Hi there! I recently adopted a pig from a girl at my college who could no longer support her.
The little piggie is called Willow and is coming up for 7 months. The reason I took Willow is because her previous owner told me she had a severe respiratory infection for a month when she initially got her. She managed to get Willow's weight back up and she was well again so she's a little fighter and special to her.
I've had her for 3 weeks now and I've noticed she sometimes (probably 3 times a day) coughs quite violently and her whole body jumps in the air and it sounds kind of like a duck is the only way I can describe it. She is completely healthy in every other aspect and I am not 100% sure if after a respiratory infection so young maybe it's an aftermath thing? She has no rattling in her breathing. She had been clear of a respiratory infection for over 2 months before I got her.
I am an immaculate piggie owner and I always thought respiratory issues happened in unsanitary conditions ( I might be wrong). I don't know if it could possibly be pneumonia but I may be thinking ahead of myself.
Maybe it's nothing! I just need some advice because I just spent over £1000 on my best pig friend who sadly had to be put to sleep eventually after 5 months of fighting I am heartbroken but I do still have a healthy supply of his antibiotics which are 'Sulfatrim' which, if you guys recon she may have an infection, I have read can help with a respiratory issue...
Please any suggestions or help would be grateful, thank you!

 

[Stayc1989]

Hello sorry I can't help but I'll tag people who may be of more use than me @Wiebke @Adelle @VickiA @Critter

 

[Wiebke]

Hi there! I recently adopted a pig from a girl at my college who could no longer support her.
The little piggie is called Willow and is coming up for 7 months. The reason I took Willow is because her previous owner told me she had a severe respiratory infection for a month when she initially got her. She managed to get Willow's weight back up and she was well again so she's a little fighter and special to her.
I've had her for 3 weeks now and I've noticed she sometimes (probably 3 times a day) coughs quite violently and her whole body jumps in the air and it sounds kind of like a duck is the only way I can describe it. She is completely healthy in every other aspect and I am not 100% sure if after a respiratory infection so young maybe it's an aftermath thing? She has no rattling in her breathing. She had been clear of a respiratory infection for over 2 months before I got her.
I am an immaculate piggie owner and I always thought respiratory issues happened in unsanitary conditions ( I might be wrong). I don't know if it could possibly be pneumonia but I may be thinking ahead of myself.
Maybe it's nothing! I just need some advice because I just spent over £1000 on my best pig friend who sadly had to be put to sleep eventually after 5 months of fighting I am heartbroken but I do still have a healthy supply of his antibiotics which are 'Sulfatrim' which, if you guys recon she may have an infection, I have read can help with a respiratory issue...
Please any suggestions or help would be grateful, thank you!

Please have your girl vet checked. Without a consultation you simply cannot know whether it is still active bacteria, pemanent lung damage or whether it is something else (like something stuck or the heart that is affected).
If more antibiotic treatment is necessary, you can always ask your vet whether he is OK with you using your sulfatrim; he should be. Treating on spec is not something we recommend; you can make things easily worse than better.

URIs and pneumonia are not at all related to unsanitary conditions; damp, drafts and major temperature changes etc. can also trigger it. Stress also makes a guinea pig more suceptible; in young shop piggies stress and a not yet fully developed immune system provide the perfect environment for passing things on. URIs are mostly bacterial, but a weakened or not yet fully developed immune system can contribute to catching it from other piggies.

 

[VickiA]

I would not advise giving any antibiotics unless prescribed by the vet for Willow herself. Willow really needs to see a vet. It sounds like she may have an infection.
Sometimes there is no audible crackle to our ears but a vet can detect it with stethoscope. The coughing is indicative of a problem that may require treatment.
Please take her to see the vet for a proper diagnosis and treatment. There may be an underlying problem (lung scarring/damage or heart murmur) that only the vet can diagnose.
Please let us know how you get on.

 

[TsukiLouWho123]

Thank you everybody, I'll get get a vets appointment in the morning

 

[Rochester Piggy]

Good luck!

 

[TsukiLouWho123]

Hi everybody I forgot to post an update of Willow. She is completely fine the vet says no sign of respiratory infection but she will always have side affects due to having the severe infection so young... I've just to keep an eye out for any discharge coming from her nostrils and keep the piggies area as dust-free as possible as to not irritate it even more. Thank you for your advice!