Stubborn uri

[Elephonty]

Woody has been to the vets a couple of times over the last couple of month's.
He has a stubborn uri which gets better with the antibiotics then regresses once they're finished. He had a weeks dose of baytril in December, that worked and then the Uri came back about a month later.
We went back to the vets and he was prescribed baytril and bisolvon for a week and then a further week when it didn't completely clear. He was then on bisolvon for 2 weeks in the hopes that it may clear the phlegm build up.
I am going to book him back into the vets as he still has a slight wheeze, am I right in thinking I might need to ask for a different type of antibiotic like bactrim? Or would it be better to try baytril and bisolvon again but for longer? Tia

 

[Siikibam]

I think another antibiotic is needed in some cases to really kick the URI’s butt. Having said that, a week on baytril doesn’t seem that long. So I would speak to your vet and see what to do next. They may have other suggestions.

Someone else will be along to answer more comprehensively. Hope he feels better soon.

 

[Wiebke]

Woody has been to the vets a couple of times over the last couple of month's.
He has a stubborn uri which gets better with the antibiotics then regresses once they're finished. He had a weeks dose of baytril in December, that worked and then the Uri came back about a month later.
We went back to the vets and he was prescribed baytril and bisolvon for a week and then a further week when it didn't completely clear. He was then on bisolvon for 2 weeks in the hopes that it may clear the phlegm build up.
I am going to book him back into the vets as he still has a slight wheeze, am I right in thinking I might need to ask for a different type of antibiotic like bactrim? Or would it be better to try baytril and bisolvon again but for longer? Tia ☺

Hi and welcome!

URI can sometimes take longer than just a week to get on top of. Has the wheeze remained or is it new? It may just be due to narrowed airways but please have your piggy vet checked if a problem doesn't clear fully. Your vet can check whether the airways are clear or not.

The dry indoors air after the recent cold wave in the UK can make respiratory issues worse because of increased heating. You may want to discuss with your vet whether nebulising could help ease symptoms.

We have also noticed a rise in cases of respiratory infections with resistancy issues. In these cases a lab test to test which antibiotic the respiratory issue responds to best. There are several possible unlicensed ones as well if sulfatrim (the licensed UK brand for small exotic pets in the UK; usually better known as septrin or bactrim and quite a lot of new generic brand names) won't do the trick, either.

All the best. We cannot tell you what to do because we haven't got access to your piggy nor are we qualified to replace a vet but this gives you hopefully a few points you can raise with your vet, depending on their hands-on examination and what they are finding.

 

[Elephonty]

Hi and welcome!

URI can sometimes take longer than just a week to get on top of. Has the wheeze remained or is it new? It may just be due to narrowed airways but please have your piggy vet checked if a problem doesn't clear fully. Your vet can check whether the airways are clear or not.

The dry indoors air after the recent cold wave in the UK can make respiratory issues worse because of increased heating. You may want to discuss with your vet whether nebulising could help ease symptoms.

We have also noticed a rise in cases of respiratory infections with resistancy issues. In these cases a lab test to test which antibiotic the respiratory issue responds to best. There are several possible unlicensed ones as well if sulfatrim (the licensed UK brand for small exotic pets in the UK; usually better known as septrin or bactrim and quite a lot of new generic brand names) won't do the trick, either.

All the best. We cannot tell you what to do because we haven't got access to your piggy nor are we qualified to replace a vet but this gives you hopefully a few points you can raise with your vet, depending on their hands-on examination and what they are finding.

Thank you! Yes I understand about that just looking for advice on what to say at the vets The wheeze was very faint after the 2 weeks of baytril and bisolvon which is why my vet didn't want to prescribe more but I think it is necessary as it didn't fully clear with just bisolvon! Don't worry I'm definitely going to be ringing tomorrow for an appointment so fingers crossed he can get on the mend once again!

 

[Elephonty]

Photo of my handsome boy for good measure! This was just before a full clean of the cage

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you! Yes I understand about that just looking for advice on what to say at the vets ☺ The wheeze was very faint after the 2 weeks of baytril and bisolvon which is why my vet didn't want to prescribe more but I think it is necessary as it didn't fully clear with just bisolvon! Don't worry I'm definitely going to be ringing tomorrow for an appointment so fingers crossed he can get on the mend once again!

All the best! Respiratory issues can sometimes be slow to clear.

Your boy is very handsome with his little Prince Charming crest.

 

[Elephonty]

All the best! Respiratory issues can sometimes be slow to clear.

Your boy is very handsome with his little Prince Charming crest.

Thank you, he does love a good photoshoot! I went back to the vets today and she's given him a months long course of baytril and bisolvon so hopefully that will clear it all up!

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you, he does love a good photoshoot! I went back to the vets today and she's given him a months long course of baytril and bisolvon so hopefully that will clear it all up!

Fingers crossed!

 

[Claire W]

Fingers crossed that the meds do the trick

 

[PigglePuggle]

Healing wheeks and paws crossed! Hopefully a different antibiotic will do the trick, but as Wiebke says some swabs might help show what the infection is and what antibiotic will work best. An xray of the chest and sinuses might be an idea too, if your vet can do this without sedation- I think most vets can manage conscious xrays from the side and top by putting piggy in a little box to hold them still x

 

[Tara95]

View attachment 167992
Photo of my handsome boy for good measure! This was just before a full clean of the cage

Awh he's adorable. Best of luck getting on rid of it! I had all 7 on Sulfatrim for 10 days recently - nightmare! I had a few with the occasional /wheeze afterwards but my vet advised me to stop suggesting that it may be scarring on the lungs like in an asthmatic causing the occasional sneeze as she couldn't hear any sign of the URI when she saw them at the follow up apt. Also, I note how you say the picture was taken before a full cage clean but that's how mine looks like after a full cage clean

 

[Elephonty]

Awh he's adorable. Best of luck getting on rid of it! I had all 7 on Sulfatrim for 10 days recently - nightmare! I had a few with the occasional /wheeze afterwards but my vet advised me to stop suggesting that it may be scarring on the lungs like in an asthmatic causing the occasional sneeze as she couldn't hear any sign of the URI when she saw them at the follow up apt. Also, I note how you say the picture was taken before a full cage clean but that's how mine looks like after a full cage clean

Only takes 2 seconds to get that way to be fair! The vet mentioned scarring or asthma but said that is quite rare!

 

[Wiebke]

Only takes 2 seconds to get that way to be fair! The vet mentioned scarring or asthma but said that is quite rare!

Asthma and allergies are thankfully rare in guinea pigs. Scarring comes from a previous un- or undertreated respiratory infection but it is generally more noticeable as a piggy ages.

The cage looks pretty normal to me? I have piggies that drag the hay off the tray and spread it everywhere the moment I put them back into a freshly cleaned cage...

 

[Elephonty]

Asthma and allergies are thankfully rare in guinea pigs. Scarring comes from a previous un- or undertreated respiratory infection but it is generally more noticeable as a piggy ages.

The cage looks pretty normal to me? I have piggies that drag the hay off the tray and spread it everywhere the moment I put them back into a freshly cleaned cage...

I have about 4 different piles of hay for them to access on the floor so they can graze but also have the hayrack in the photo so it gets everywhere! I have always been quick to treat his URIs, the vets have even said so themselves as they never get any coming in without other symptoms such as lack of appetite, lethargy etc! That's why we're all so perplexed that it still came back, fingers crossed it clears this time round

 

[Tara95]

Asthma and allergies are thankfully rare in guinea pigs. Scarring comes from a previous un- or undertreated respiratory infection but it is generally more noticeable as a piggy ages.

The cage looks pretty normal to me? I have piggies that drag the hay off the tray and spread it everywhere the moment I put them back into a freshly cleaned cage...

Hehe I was commenting on how clean the cage was after a week! Mine looks alot messier than that after a cage clean! Perhaps I give them too much hay as 2 days in we now have a floor of hay on the fleece!
Wondering what the secret is to a clean Cage!

and ahh okay I did carry it on for a few extra days as I had extra medication mainly for peace of mind as I could hear the occasional sneeze but decided to stop out of guilt as I had been advised to by the vet and didn't want to prolong the antibiotics unecessarily. The sneezing/wheezing had reduced dramatically after those few extra days but since coming off properly I have been giving them extra veg/Probiotics/fresh grass and haven't heard a single sneeze/wheeze for atleast 2 days now so does that mean If there was a little bit of the infection left in their system that they've fought it off themselves? Or is that not possible.
Many thanks

 

[Tara95]

I have about 4 different piles of hay for them to access on the floor so they can graze but also have the hayrack in the photo so it gets everywhere! I have always been quick to treat his URIs, the vets have even said so themselves as they never get any coming in without other symptoms such as lack of appetite, lethargy etc! That's why we're all so perplexed that it still came back, fingers crossed it clears this time round

Well done for being so quick to treat! I've got my fingers and toes crossed for you xx