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Sick Piggie?

  • Thread starter Thread starter marinia
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marinia

My Guinea Pig is about one and half years old, he has seemed fine but picked him up this morning and he is really listless, his eyes are dull and he wont go to his food, he is just sitting quietly on my lap and his breathing seems laboured. Any ideas? can I do anything for him? I don't have vet I can take him too as ours is useless with GPs :(
 
Hiya,

Could be a number of things but laboured breathing could be something wrong with his respitory. Is there another vets you can go to or a PDSA in your area? If it is respitory or any kind of infection he will need antibiotics and it is critical he has them if I am honest.

If he isn't eating you need to keep his intake going. Do you have any critical care or similar? If not mash some pellets with warm water or blend a couple of veggies up. If you don't have a syringe then spoon feed him although you can get an empty syringe from any pharmacy.

Good luck with him.

Louise
x
 
I agree, you really need to get your piggie to a vet asap. It sounds as if he may have a respiratory infection (URI) in which case he will need antibiotics. Baytril is often prescribed for piggies and is very good stuff but I've never had a pig with URI so not sure if that's the best thing for it.
Also if he is not eating you will need to keep him going by syringe-feeding. Your vet should be able to give you some Science Recovery, which is very good and has saved the lives of my pigs on more than one occasion.

Even if your vet is not that good with pigs.....to be honest ours are not pig experts either, so I usually have a good read up on Peter Gurney's page and guinealynx first so I have some idea what to expect/suggest....the vet and I discuss the situation together and agree on a course of action and that way I can get the meds I need for my piggies.
 
Thanks both, I am trying to find another Vet in the area who is better with Guinea Pigs (we had one Piggie die before because the vet didn't realize it had mange and treated it for a fungal infection so I'm not keen to go to her :( ) - I'm in France and it's not that easy to find another vet in my area.

His breathing doesn't seem bad now, he's just totally listless and wont eat, I've tried putting water to his lips as I don't think he's been drinking either (I commented last night that he hadn't been making such a noise with the water bottle like he normally does, without realizing something was wrong). I can also feel that he has lost weight. I will try him with some mashed up veg, but I tried him with some apple and he's just not got any energy or enthusiasm in him at all.

I will have a read up on Peter Gurney's page and Guinealynx, thanks.

Should I keep him separate from the other Guinea Pig in case?
 
Hi Marinia,

I would keep him away from the other pigs for now, until you know what is wrong for sure. I was told similar last week by my vet when Cuzzy had a URI.

Louise
x
 
Okay thanks I will keep them separate for now.

He seems to have perked up little and 'spoke' to me just now, it was lovely to hear him. I am keeping putting water on his lips as I am pretty sure he hasn't been drinking, and I will try and get him to a vet today (after I'ver printed off the stuff from Guinealynx - which is really useful).
 
Re: Sick Piggie? (sad update)

Sadly my poor little piggie died before we had chance to get him to the Vets. He was in my arms, just laying on his side and he seemed very peaceful, he made a few little noises, then went quiet, his eyes glazed over and he just stopped breathing. Nutty was my 9yr olds piggie, it's going to be hard telling her when she gets home :'(
 
Sounded like a respitory infection, some baytril may have even done the job.

RIP little piggy, sorry for your loss :'( 0:)
 
So sorry for your loss,my 12 years old daughters piggie died recently,obviously she was very upset,she visits him every few days in the garden,and the other sows normally have their run close to her,my daughter has found this a comfort.Take care,thinking of you both.sx
 
So sorry to hear about your little piggie. :'( :'(
RIP little one 0:)
HUGS to you and your daughter
Anne.
 
Thank you for all the lovely replies. My daughter was upset but she has put some photos up in her room and we are having a little ceremony when we bury Nutty tomorrow. I miss him.
 
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