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URI....So worried.

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Ree

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Hiya I hope someone can help.

I woke up this morning to find my little Boris breathing really fast, I've taken him to the vet who said he has a severe URI and wanted to put him down straight away, but thankfully decided he may have a chance as he is still eating. He's been given 2 injections, one antibiotic and one for hydration and I've been given some Baytril to give him tomorrow morning.

Does anyone know if theres anything else I can do? I've read about Olbas oil and vitimen C tablets but I can't find what quantity to give or how often.
I'm so gutted, I never thought I'd get so attached to a guinea pig he's such a lovely little thing I'm prepared to try anything if I know it's worked for someone else. :'(

At the moment he's in my bedroom where it's dark and quiet but I don't know if isolating him from the reast of us is the right thing to do at the moment? He's more subdued than normal but doesn't look sick if that makes any sense.

Everything I've read on the internet looks so bleak, do any come through with these severe symptoms?

Thanks in advance for any replies. x
 
Thinking you need a probiotic first to protect his tummy. Try syringe feeding him some critical care or mashed up pellets. Also try to syringe some water into him to prevent further dehaydration. Keep him warm, lots of hugs and show him you love him. and yes piggies do get over a URI. Hoping all goes well for you and little Boris. http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/index.html Possible reading for you.
 
Sorry if its stupid question but do I get the probiotics and critical care pellets from the petshop or the vet?
 
The vet would be the best place but I do believe you can get them on line too. Hoping some one can help you more than I can. Hoping Boris gets better soon. Sorry for above post Mum was signed in checking messages.
 
Thanks gopher.

I think I'm just going to pump him with everything I've read about and pray they don't react with eachother.

My husbands gone to buy olbas oil, vicks, sudafed, probiotics, garlic capsules and vit C (still can't find the amount I'm allowed to give him but will do), that should be alright shouldn't it? Still not sure about sudafed but at least I'll have it if things get desparate.

What about painkilers? Can he have those?

Sorry for all the questions but this is my first guinea pig.
 
Oh I'm so sorry hun. Am crossing my fingers for him. I think it's probably wise to keep him separate as long as he's not distressed by it. Please let us know how he is soon. x
 
actually you could try Vedra as this is serious. You can text her (mobile below) and she will call you (I think that's how it works). You may have to join afterwards!

Vedra runs the Cambridge Cavy Trust which is a fantastic facuility for guinea pigs
The Cambridge Cavy Trust (Info on the Gorgeous Guinea site)
Cambridge Cavy Trust (Registered Charity no 801103)
1 Splash Lane
Wyton
Huntingdon,
Cambs
PE28 2AF

Membership £25 per year includes quarterly worming, nail clipping and routine dental work free of charge, no consultancy fee.

Tel/Text Vedra's mobile 07721 026401
 
Thanks for that number Jayne, I've just texted so hopefully (what with it being a sunday) I'll hear something soon.
 
I'm sure she's replied to me on a Sunday before and was really helpful. Did you put that it's an emergency in your text?
 
I dont wanna get my hopes up but I swear his breathing is less noisy than it was this morning, how long does it take for the antibiotics to work?

Before I took him to the vet I noticed some mouldy veg hidden in the corner of his cage and I feel so guilty now that I've just read that mould spores can cause respiratory problems. :(
 
I'm not sure about that, perhaps someone else can answer that? I would have thought within 24 hours maybe?

The mouldy veg can't have been in his cage that long can it and I think it would be bad in a damp environment and have to be a sufficient amount to make a piggy ill. Keep a close eye on the little chap. Any sign of improvement is good!
 
Hi Ree,

First of all,try and find another vet.There is no reason to put a piggy down for a URTI.I have had elderly pigs survive these.

If the breathing is wheezy,try giving 0.3ml of peadriatic Sudafed.just one dose.This c an work wonders and it will not interreact with the antibiotic.Sudafed does contain chemicals and I do not normally recommend anything that does,but I have used this medicine over the years on my pigs,and it saved the life oof one boar.

I do not recommend that you put Vick or albus oil on a piggies skin because they burn,however you could smear some on the sleeping accomodation,but do not make this too strong as the fumes could make the eyes water.

Garlic will not help,but vitimin C is a very good idea as it will help boost the immune system.Give this straight into the mouth with a syringe,do not put it in the drinking water.


Keep the piggy warm and dry and out of draft.Vet bed to sleep on will help with this.

Painkillers should not be necessary,and there is nothing that you can get over the counter anyway.

The antibiotic should kick in within 24 hours.

Please do not feel guilty about the mouldy veg,it is very unlikely that this is the cause.

I do not agree with pigs being put by themselves when they are sick,because this can cause stress and inhibit the recovery rate.If they have something that is definately contagious that is different.,but there are very,very few things that are.If your pigs have caught anything from the sick one,they would be showing symptoms by now.
 
Mary thanks for your thoughtful reply, theres a lot of advice in there I'll be sure to use.

Vendra put me in touch with a lovely woman who runs a rescue centre in my area, and when she saw him she was shocked that the vet wanted to put him down as she didn't think he was that bad at all!

She gave him a dieretic to clear his lungs and a couple of other things to help him along so now I've just got to makes sure he eats and drinks plenty.

Thanks so much for answering all my numpty questions, it really has helped. All being well I'll update tomorrow. x
 
Hope Boris is okay and gets well soon. O0 I lost a piggy to this a couple of weeks ago. :'( Don't know if this has been mentioned but you could try a snuggle safe or heat pad to keep him warm.
 
Oh nemo I'm so sorry.

Well Boris made it through the night with me and husband checking in on him every few hours (don't know what we could have done if anything had happened but it made us feel better) he's breathing is still quite shallow and noisy but I heard him munching a couple of times which I'm taking as a very good sign.

So yesterday in all he had:

An antibiotic injection
A hydration injection
0.3mls of sudafed.
Quarter of a dieretic tablet.
0.3mls of metatone
And some olbas oil smeared around his sleeping box.

STILL can't find how much vit C I am supposed to give but he's eating his fruit and veg so hopefully that will make up for it.

I've been syringe feeding him last night and this morning but I think it's just stressing him out so I'm going to stop unless he stops eating altogether, thats ok isn't it? He does seems a bit skinnier than normal but I dont have any scales to check, I'll ask my sister to bring hers if she comes over today.

Sorry for the lengthy post but it helps having a list somewhere I wont lose it!
x
 
Do you mean how much vit c they need a day?
it says on guinea lynx 10 - 30mg a day.

Glad he made it through the night - I had an elderly pig with very bad URI that made it. :)
 
Thanks for the well wishes choloe..... and sophie thats just the info I needed!

I've just spoken to my auntie Val who runs a rescue centre in sandwich (forgot I had a expert in the family when I was all panicked yesterday!) and shes given me a list of things I need from the vet when I go tomorrow and the dosage which makes me feel much more confident.

Now I'm a bit more educated I can't believe the vets first port of call yesterday was euthanasia, especially now he appears to be on the mend. >:(

Don't mean to vet bash but to be honest I don't think I'll ever take him again now unless I know exactly what he needs from an experienced, reliable source first.

Oh and I've just taken him out in the garden where he ate grass for an hour :)
 
Hi,

There is no need to stress the gp with giving rehydration therapy by injection/The rehydration satchets you can get for humans are fine.Just make the powder up with water as per instructions on the satchet and give little and often through the day.A 1 ml syringe is good for giving meds.

I know Peter recommended Metatone for a while,but he later stopped using it as we decided it was too strong for gps.
 
Boris is soooooo much better thanks! ;D

I'm watching him right now dig in to his dried food (which is the first time he's had any since he got sick) and drinking water so fingers crossed he's going to be fine.

Sounded a tiny bit hoarse when he wheeked this morning (another first) but I suppose that's fairly minor and to be expected after the last couple of days.

Gonna get him out and give him a kiss when he's finished his munch :smitten:

x
 
Thats wonderful he is feeling much better, I just read through these posts. You have had some good advice here. The rehydration sachets Mary mentioned are great..diaorlyte is a common one. I use oxbow GTM Vitamin C tablets formulated for guinea pigs, 50mg per tablet and 1/2 a tablet a day is enough when they are poorly. you put them on the back bottom molars and they chew them. You can buy them here:

http://www.sphsupplies.co.uk/index.php?manufacturers_id=10&osCsid=f63bcc4d126fed0bce84718c383ecd86

If you decide to get some, pop Reading Guinea Pig rescue into your basket and a percentage goes to help her needy piggies ;)
Well done for fighting for the little one x
 
Boris is sick again :'(

Woke up to find him hunched and puffed up making the exact same noise he did on Sunday. Do you think his bedding could be whats causing it? He's on straw, with newspaper and kitchen roll for his bed. Don't know if it's worth a mention but he eats his bedding, could this have something to do with it?

I'm going to the petshop to buy some new stuff this afternoon but don't know whats best to get, should I just line the bottom of his cage with a blanket and leave out the straw?

Don't feel so worried this time but I can't believe the poor little sausage is having to go through all this again :(
 
check out the link http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=m38&_nkw=vetbed a lot of UK people swear by vet bed for their piggies. it is suppossed to keep piggy warm and dry and is easy to clean. shame it is NOT available here in oz :'( :'( :'( sorry to hear boris feeling down again :'( :'( :'( sending many hugs and healing vibes boris's way :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: think i have read you can get vet beds from P&H petstores not sure on normal petshops ? ? ? maybe someone from the UK can help you O0 good luck boris :-* :-* :-*
 
Could possibly be the kitchen paper.This is not good for gps to chew as it contains bleach and colour dyes.Straw is not good either because it is sharp and could cause eye injuries.

Newspaper with a layer of hay on top is the best.Vetbed is very good as well
 
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