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Vet as confused as me.

Coconut&Mango

New Born Pup
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Mar 18, 2022
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Hi, About four weeks ago we acquired two guinea pigs that were left at our house. They were discovered when we went to take our dog out. They were left at our door, with full set up (Pretty sure someone got them as a gift, then didn’t want them anymore; figuring we would take care of them since we have quite a few other pets, including ones for my classroom. They are awesome and of course we are keeping them. However, we have an issue with one guy. We had to take Mango to the vet asap when we got him because he wasn’t feeling so well. The vet told us he is extremely underweight (he is just under a year and is about the size of a 4-6 month old piggy). He also had a respiratory infection and was super cold, as he was too skinny to keep his temp up in the weather. We got a temperature control for their home with a cover to keep it regulated, antibiotics, and special food to help get him some nutrients.

Since the initial vet visit, we have been back 3 additional times. I was able to guess by watching him that he is partially blind and mostly, if not completely deaf, which the vet was able to confirm (I also think this is one of the reasons he was so skinny initially, because he was not able to climb up the ramp to get to the food bowl that was on top of their little hidey- home).

While our vet has run multiple tests for infection and various other issues, and he has subsequently seen another two vets, they can find nothing else wrong with him. However, he is still having a hard time gaining weight and sometimes he exhibits what I think would be neurological issues. He acts like he has a bit of vertigo and sometimes will fall over and thrash about just a bit trying to get back up. Not exactly a seizure, as a vet has confirmed Since she witnessed one of these events. He also has extremely dry eyes, sometimes (we have some drops for that).

He has an extremely good appetite and poops normally. He literally eats everything we give him I was concerned he wasn’t getting any food into him, but I have held him and fed him, and he does eat the food. Just to make sure there isn’t an issue with his teeth, I had the vet check that out too.

Does anyone know what this may be? We have spent well over $1500 at vet and do not want to go back if this is just how he is. He is very sweet and we could care less if he is a bit wonky, but don’t want him to suffer (vet says he seems pretty happy though, “just a bit off.” His partner in crime is very healthy and has no obvious issues.
 
Hi, About four weeks ago we acquired two guinea pigs that were left at our house. They were discovered when we went to take our dog out. They were left at our door, with full set up (Pretty sure someone got them as a gift, then didn’t want them anymore; figuring we would take care of them since we have quite a few other pets, including ones for my classroom. They are awesome and of course we are keeping them. However, we have an issue with one guy. We had to take Mango to the vet asap when we got him because he wasn’t feeling so well. The vet told us he is extremely underweight (he is just under a year and is about the size of a 4-6 month old piggy). He also had a respiratory infection and was super cold, as he was too skinny to keep his temp up in the weather. We got a temperature control for their home with a cover to keep it regulated, antibiotics, and special food to help get him some nutrients.

Since the initial vet visit, we have been back 3 additional times. I was able to guess by watching him that he is partially blind and mostly, if not completely deaf, which the vet was able to confirm (I also think this is one of the reasons he was so skinny initially, because he was not able to climb up the ramp to get to the food bowl that was on top of their little hidey- home).

While our vet has run multiple tests for infection and various other issues, and he has subsequently seen another two vets, they can find nothing else wrong with him. However, he is still having a hard time gaining weight and sometimes he exhibits what I think would be neurological issues. He acts like he has a bit of vertigo and sometimes will fall over and thrash about just a bit trying to get back up. Not exactly a seizure, as a vet has confirmed Since she witnessed one of these events. He also has extremely dry eyes, sometimes (we have some drops for that).

He has an extremely good appetite and poops normally. He literally eats everything we give him I was concerned he wasn’t getting any food into him, but I have held him and fed him, and he does eat the food. Just to make sure there isn’t an issue with his teeth, I had the vet check that out too.

Does anyone know what this may be? We have spent well over $1500 at vet and do not want to go back if this is just how he is. He is very sweet and we could care less if he is a bit wonky, but don’t want him to suffer (vet says he seems pretty happy though, “just a bit off.” His partner in crime is very healthy and has no obvious issues.

Hi and welcome

I am very sorry not to have better news but could your boy have Calcified Bulla Syndrome (CBS)? It is a very newly identified syndrome, not yet peer reviewed and therefore not known by vets (that will take some years), so the guide below is as cutting edge as can be.

Here is our guide to CBS (with information to show your vets) and other neurological issues in guinea pigs (what little there is, unfortunately): CBS (Calcified Bulla Syndrome) and Neurological Problems - Symptoms and Care

Unfortunately, there is no cure for CBS but you and your vet will at least know what you are up against and what you can do to make the remainder of his life as comfy as possible and discuss when it is fairest to let him go.
 
Sometimes infections of the middle/inner ear can be really nasty if they are not caught early enough. I know some piggies who were put on Baytril long term and got along fine. The symptoms don't go away completely, but as long as the overall quality of life is good, that's not a big problem.
 
This sounds very similar to what a piggy of ours experienced. He had a course of the antibiotic Azithromycin and he also remained on long term Gabapentin. The Gabapentin made a huge difference and enabled him to live a very good quality life, for a long time.
 
I did discuss calcified bulla syndrome with my vet, when Earl started to deteriorate, but Simon said the veterinary profession are very aware of calcification of the bulla, as it is found in cats, dogs, rabbits, etc, as well as guinea pigs. However, he said it is generally an incidental finding, when investigating other issues and if you x-rayed all guinea pigs, you would find most of them had some bulla calcification, without any symptoms and that it would not be impacting their general health.
 
Thanks I will ask about long term antibiotics as well. I have an appointment tomorrow after school. He is a tri color. I am also feeding him critical care now, as the vet said it would be fine to add to his diet till he can gain some weight. It doesn’t seem to affect his appetite, but he does like it.
 
Hi, is the vet Simon you mention the one at the cat and rabbit clinic?

I did discuss calcified bulla syndrome with my vet, when Earl started to deteriorate, but Simon said the veterinary profession are very aware of calcification of the bulla, as it is found in cats, dogs, rabbits, etc, as well as guinea pigs. However, he said it is generally an incidental finding, when investigating other issues and if you x-rayed all guinea pigs, you would find most of them had some bulla calcification, without any symptoms and that it would not be impacting their general health.
 
CBS syndrome as defined in our guide is a collection of symptoms that refer to a specific growing issue in shop bought American piggies where respiratory infections amongst sold piggies are sadly extremely common and very often under- or untreated so they can cause long term harm and wide-spread damage. Growing resistance also plays into since antbiotics are much more freely available in the USA and therefore much more widely and often inapproprately used. You need to see at least three defined symptoms before you can think about it.

In the UK and on the European continent we do not see this problem so much as the sold pet shop stock has been free of respiratory infections in the main chains for about a decade. Walled-off middle ear infections that specifically cause wider problems are comparatively rare on this side of the Atlantic due to the very different situation and they are usually treated as such.

I hope that this makes sense?

Wishing your piggy all the best!
 
CBS syndrome as defined in our guide is a collection of symptoms that refer to a rather specific increasing health problem in shop bought American piggies where respiratory infections amongst sold piggies are sadly extremely common. The piggies are very often under- or untreated so the respiratory infection can cause long term harm and wide-spread damage.
Less vet access, high fees in a country where many owners cannot afford human health insurance and growing resistance issues also play into it since antbiotics are much more freely available in the USA and therefore much more widely and often inapproprately used. You need to see at least three defined symptoms before you can think about CBS.

In the UK and on the European continent we do not see this problem so much as the sold pet shop stock has been free of respiratory infections in the main chains for about a decade. Walled-off middle ear infections that specifically cause wider problems are comparatively rare on this side of the Atlantic due to the very different situation and they are usually treated as such.

I hope that this makes sense?

Wishing your piggy all the best!
Yes it makes sense thank you. It was the other post about what Simon has said that interested me. The vet I have seen who has diagnosed CBS in my piggy was apparently trained by him. My pig had teeth problems, had them filed and then never started eating properly again. Initially he was diagnosed with an abscess as his left eye was bulging out. He was given antibiotics and the abscess cleared up. He then didn’t start eating again and had an X-ray and was diagnosed with CBS. I’d like to take him to see Simon as a last resort as then I will feel like I have exhausted all options and done everything I can for him.
 
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