What Illness Is This?

[PiggieNinja]

Hi everyone,
I've had willow (sow) for about 2 years now and ever since we got her she's had the sniffles.
During the first two months I went to the vets a couple of times (particularly as one of my other pigs had a URI and I thought she may have it too) but they just told me that it's nothing to do with her lungs that it's just blockage in her nose area and that as long as shes eating/drinking it's nothing to worry about.
Now, she is still is ok - eating and drinking etc but she's always been a bit more lethargic than the others and is visibly and audibly struggling to breath as per usual - she also needs to be fed more than the others to keep her weight up (I assume because of the extra energy used when breathing) I realise it's not life threatening but I was wondering if anyone else had experience with this mystery illness or knowledge of anything I can do to make life a bit easier for her.
Another explanation would be likening it to mild-ish asthma - not fatal but awkward and annoying.
Thanks for any help

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone,
I've had willow (sow) for about 2 years now and ever since we got her she's had the sniffles.
During the first two months I went to the vets a couple of times (particularly as one of my other pigs had a URI and I thought she may have it too) but they just told me that it's nothing to do with her lungs that it's just blockage in her nose area and that as long as shes eating/drinking it's nothing to worry about.
Now, she is still is ok - eating and drinking etc but she's always been a bit more lethargic than the others and is visibly and audibly struggling to breath as per usual - she also needs to be fed more than the others to keep her weight up (I assume because of the extra energy used when breathing) I realise it's not life threatening but I was wondering if anyone else had experience with this mystery illness or knowledge of anything I can do to make life a bit easier for her.
Another explanation would be likening it to mild-ish asthma - not fatal but awkward and annoying.
Thanks for any help

Hi! I would recommend to have her checked by a piggy savvy vet for a heart problem. They are not quite easy to diagnose as a range of issues can go wrong with a heart other than a more obvious irregular heartbeat.

It took me two years and several vet trips to have my old lady Ffraid diagnosed with upper
and lower lung disease, but thankfully I did find a good vet at the Cat&Rabbit Care clinic in Northampton.

Guinea Pig Vet Locator

 

[PiggieNinja]

Hi! I would recommend to have her checked by a piggy savvy vet for a heart problem. They are not quite easy to diagnose as a range of issues can go wrong with a heart other than a more obvious irregular heartbeat.

It took me two years and several vet trips to have my old lady Ffraid diagnosed with upper
and lower lung disease, but thankfully I did find a good vet at the Cat&Rabbit Care clinic in Northampton.

Guinea Pig Vet Locator

Thank you for the advise I think another trip to the vets is definitely in order (*sigh*) - a heart problem hadn't even crossed my mind ill update you if I find anything out

 

[Merab]

Hope you manage to find an answer for Willow and yourself

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for the advise I think another trip to the vets is definitely in order (*sigh*) - a heart problem hadn't even crossed my mind ill update you if I find anything out

There can be other issues, but when you have respiratory symptoms and lethargy, the heart is a good place to start looking.

The good news is that there are now heart meds that have been used successfully in guinea pigs for years now.

 

[Wiebke]

@helen105281 @Abi_nurse @Freela @Jaycey

 

[Abi_nurse]

Unfortunately a lot of the mass bred guinea pigs these days are being purchased with conditions like this. URI can often grumble on for a piggies entire lifetime. Personally I would try to hit the nail on the head as soon as you can. Doing a deep nasal swab to look at what bacteria is causing the nasal blockage is the most idea thing to do and then you can ensure you have her on the correct antibiotics for a long course. She may need antibiotics on and off her entire life sadly.

Unfortunately this is something we are seeing quite commonly these days. Hope she can improve with some help.

 

[helen105281]

In addition to the nasal swab I would suggest a conscious xray or scan so the vet can see if the heart is englarged or if there is any fluid. Has she ever been given diuretics?
I have head a few heart pigs over the years and my Tim is currently on a trial of heart meds too, though his is due to his age as he is almost 7. I have also had pigs with narrow nasal passages, so that would be worth looking into too.

 

[PiggieNinja]

thank you all for your input as I'm now much more aware of what to look out for and investigate into