Peanut is Sick Again

**Sammy and Peanut** · #1 02-18-08, 08:08 am

Peanut is sick again with URI. We do not want to go back to the vet if we don't have to. Could he get better with just Vetropolycin HC? Or does he need Baytril also?

Link to original thread- http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...-medicine.html

**cookie_gal** · #2 02-18-08, 08:29 am

I'm afraid he is going to need baytril again, possibly try another piggy safe antibiotic? maybe baytril is not working well on peanut?

**Sammy and Peanut** · #3 02-18-08, 09:40 am

Do you think he will need another check up, or can I just ask for more of it?

**cavyinhawaii** · #4 02-18-08, 11:17 am

Call and see what they say. You could tell them he still has the same symptoms and could they just give you a new antibiotic. They might or they might want to check him to see if there is something else going on.

**Sammy and Peanut** · #5 02-18-08, 12:57 pm

OK. I will do that as soon as I can.

**Ly&Pigs** · #6 02-18-08, 02:21 pm

He will most likely need to be seen again. If the AB he was given before didn't work then he may need a switch to another AB. Make sure you print out the safe antibiotic list from gl and take it to the vet with you. Things like this shouldn't be diagnosed over the phone. If he continues to get repeated URI's, he could be a heart pig.

Please keep all your medical stuff in one thread so we can keep track of it better than having to dig though several threads about the same issues in the same pig. I will later dig up your other thread and merge this one into it.

**Sammy and Peanut** · #7 02-18-08, 02:54 pm

Thanks for the info, Ly.

**frashy** · #8 02-18-08, 04:55 pm

Wait, how can a guinea pig just randomly pick up URI again..and how do you know if it's even URI, not something else? I'm kind of confused..This probably isn't the place to post this..but what i'm kinda saying is can that possibly be URI again?

**guineapigluver1** · #9 02-18-08, 05:01 pm

I remember reading in another thread that your house is freezing, and your mom won't turn up the heat, could you possibly get her to turn the heat up because he is sick? Is he near any draft, like near a window, or a door, or a vent?

**pigsforlife** · #10 02-18-08, 05:33 pm

If he has a discharge, then a swab should be taken and sent off to see which antibiotic is needed for his URI.

I do think he needs to be seen, as re-occuring URIs are a sign of heart problems. Saying that, it could be a range of things. Have a look at my thread on Buttercup - http://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/...al-thread.html . She has had 2 URIs, then I caught her wheezing last week and this I believe was the beginning of another URI. The top part of my post you should have a squiz at, it may help you.

**Jennicat** · #11 02-18-08, 05:44 pm

The AB you list appears to be an eye medication, it's possible that his original URI never went away since that is not an appropriate medication to deal with a respiratory issue.

**Sammy and Peanut** · #12 02-19-08, 01:27 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by guineapigluver1

I remember reading in another thread that your house is freezing, and your mom won't turn up the heat, could you possibly get her to turn the heat up because he is sick? Is he near any draft, like near a window, or a door, or a vent?

I just got my mom to turn up the heat, and I put a warm water bottle wrapped in a towel in the cage. He is not near any windows, doors, or vents either. Ly, is a heart pig similar to a special needs guinea pig? I Are there any other signs of this?

**krittercrazy** · #13 02-19-08, 02:27 pm

What was he on the Vetropolycin HC for? The HC stands for hydrocortisone, which is a steroid. Steroids, though good for reducing inflammation, can inhibit healing. The vetropolycin is used to treat bacterial infections. Does this usually go along with uri's?

**Sammy and Peanut** · #14 02-19-08, 02:40 pm

It is a treatment that is inserted by the right eye.

**krittercrazy** · #15 02-19-08, 03:09 pm

"It is a treatment that is inserted by the right eye."

Why did the right eye need the treatment? Was it watering, inflammed, red, have an injury/ulcer etc? Their are different eye medications to be used depending on the problem. This particular one (vetropolycin hc) is generally used to treat bacterial infections of the eye that do not have ulcers.

Guinea Lynx :: URI

After looking at this I can see that if he had the crusty eyes the vet probably would prescribe the vetropolycin hc.

Your vet may need to do a culture of the bacteria to see what antibiotics it is resistant to. I do think you will want to find a different vet. It sounds as if the one you went to before is not very cavy savy and is not open to learning something new. You will want to find a new vet right away (immediately) as uri's can bring a guinea pig down very quickly.

**Sammy and Peanut** · #16 02-19-08, 03:20 pm

Our stupid vet said that it was a treatment for URI. He had also given us amoxicillin drops, which we took back right away. Then he gave us Baytril. It ran out and then he got sick again. I have found a new vet and I am taking Peanut there soon.

**pigsforlife** · #17 02-19-08, 04:22 pm

Sammy - a heart pig is where a pig has heart problems. I strongly believe that my Buttercup is a heart pig (have you read her thread? You may find what my vet and I discussed helpful to you). Basically the pig will need to be on some form of heart meds its whole llife, some need a combination of meds.

The vet will need to take a x-ray or an ultrasound to diagnose heart problems. Guinealynx has a fantastic page on heart problems, read that, print it off and take it with you to the vets.

Thank you Ly&Pigs for this useful post, says:
sammy+peanut (02-18-08)

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