Help! Swollen Nose & Weight Loss

**Haley0489** · #1 07-09-08, 01:28 pm

I noticed yesterday or the day before that Norbert had a swollen nose. I didn't think too much of it and thought it may just be my eyes. I asked my dad to look at him today and he said that there was definitely a knot on his snout. He had lost a ½ ounce since last weekend so I went and weighed him again. I'm not entirely sure of how much he's lost since because my scale was being a pain, but it's at least another ½ - 1 ounce. I know 1 ounce in weight fluctuation is normal and that even two should just cause me to go on alert, but I know how quickly pigs can go down and I want to get him treatment asap if that's what he needs.

I have no idea how he got the bump on his nose or even what it could be from. I suspect it may be an abscess or some type of infection? I even thought of the possibility of mites/fungus/ring worm but I don't think it's any of those. Should I be concerned? My vet is closed today, but is open again tomorrow, should I make an appointment?

He's been eating, drinking, pooing, and popcorning the same as usual.
My dad says as long as he's eating he's probably fine, but the weight loss makes me think this may be more than just some ol' bump on the nose.

He's approaching 5 months old. The bump is on the left side of his nose only, it's a solid bump no squishy-ness to it, the skin looks slightly pink but otherwise normal. It has normal texture. There is a small white bump on top of the knot where his whisker goes into the skin.

**frashy** · #2 07-09-08, 01:56 pm

omg! this is the piggie with the puffed up coat. That's a sign of URI..I think if your instincts are telling you something is wrong, you should get to the vet asap. I think not only the puffed coat, but since he's going towards a weight loss as well would do it for me.

I am not so sure about the nose, but mabey Ly or someone else could give some more accurate information, and other opnions on what it could be. For now the best thing to do is bring him to the vet, they will probably have the best idea of whats going on with your little guy.

**Haley0489** · #3 07-09-08, 01:59 pm

Yeah, but Milo puffs up too and he's been gaining steadily. They only do that when they're eating and sometimes sleeping and it's not all the time. So I didn't even connect the puffed up coat with this...Obviously I'll mention it to my vet, but I really don't think the two are connected because they've been doing it since the beginning of summer.

I weighed him again in a steadier bowl. Last week he was 1 lb 12½ oz and today he's 1 lb 11 oz :( I did run out of pellets this week that may have a little to do with the weight loss, but I don't suspect a lack of pellets would make him loose that much.

I took a look at his nose, it appears there is definitely a puss spot on his whisker. Perhaps it's ingrown or something?

He's still very alert and wheeking loud as ever. Ugh, I'm nervous as all get out.

**Haley0489** · #4 07-09-08, 11:52 pm

Well, I've always wondered what that "hooting" noise that people described sounded like. I heard something similar tonight, it sounded like a congested/wheezy hoot which only stopped after a very loud cough/sneeze, I'm not sure which it was. I listened to his body [like a seashell] and his breathing is clear and normal so I don't know if it was just a freak event or what. I'm hoping it's not heart problems, but I'm also hoping it's not a URI. Ah these piggies are heart breakers.

I'm taking him in first thing in the morning, appointment or not. I still wish I knew what was going on with his nose though.

Send healthy thoughts to my boy :(

**frashy** · #5 07-10-08, 12:10 am

Yikes! Well, I will be thinking about him for sure! Hope everything goes well. Let us know how it goes!

**ittybitty98577** · #6 07-10-08, 12:17 am

It does look a bit red on the bump is their hair loss on the bump? Glad your taking him to the vets! Let us know how it goes. Oooh I hope its nothing to bad.

**Haley0489** · #7 07-10-08, 12:30 am

Nope, no hair loss that I can tell. It just looks like the hairs thinned out because of the swelling.

He's most definitely hooting though, I've heard him do it several times while walking around the cage. He seems perfectly fine other than that, so hopefully I've caught anything before it's too late.

**Gemiinii** · #8 07-10-08, 12:36 am

I hope everything goes well tomorrow. I know how worrisome the hours before being able to actually do something can be. But it sounds like the syptoms just showed, so hopefully you caught on before anything serious developed.

**Haley0489** · #9 07-10-08, 03:45 am

It's 3:40 in the morning. I can't sleep. I heard hooting and went to check on him only to realize that he is NOT hooting. It's cage mate and pig of my life Milo! I wish 8 o'clock would hurry up and get here, I'm sure my poor things are miserable. The hooting is just awful.

**Haley0489** · #10 07-10-08, 01:32 pm

Update: Norbert's knot was an abscess and has been drained.

The vet said Milo didn't sound bad, but he'd prescribe some antibiotics anyway. I'm hoping that means I've got the problem before it's even got a chance to develop. He's getting a ½cc of Sulfatrim twice daily for a week.

**frashy** · #11 07-10-08, 01:34 pm

Yayy! So glad to hear that!

**ittybitty98577** · #12 07-10-08, 01:38 pm

Oh thats so good to hear! It is a good thing you got to the vets, before/if it got worse...

**Haley0489** · #13 07-10-08, 01:58 pm

First ½cc is in! I'm actually pretty amazed at how easy it was lol, I guess the medication tastes good? He's seemed a little more active since we got home, so I think as long I can kind of keep him moving it'll be OK. I noticed last night it was almost when he was staying still that the yuck in his throat "settled" and made his hooting flare. I had picked him up and handled him around 4 and ever since then he hadn't hooted.

I'm still really nervous about his recovery though. He hasn't stopped eating so I'm really praying I caught whatever it is before it's too late. -bribes him with yummy veggies-

edit
Is there any cause for URI's? I just don't understand how my piggie got one without a cause...

**Haley0489** · #14 07-11-08, 12:00 pm

-sigh-

After much observation and close monitoring, I've found out that Norbert IS hooting. It's not that wet congested sound that Milo was producing, but more of a dry hoot. I'm positive Milo had to have been hooting the other night when I couldn't sleep. He was so sickly yesterday he had to have been the hooter. I called the vet and he told me I had plenty of antibiotics to treat the two of them and if I ran low before the week ended to call him and he'd refill it for me. But I thought URI's weren't contagious. Maybe they both just picked up the bacteria, but not from each other? I wonder if my third pig will pick it up too.

I guess I'll be changing the fleece tonight and wiping the cage down with vinegar. I'll be glad when this storm passes, sickly pigs are so stressful. Luckily, Norbie hasn't been acting sickly like Milo had.

**Ziggy&Herald** · #15 07-11-08, 01:00 pm

Everything i've read says that URI's are contagious.

**Haley0489** · #16 07-11-08, 01:33 pm

Ugh really? I didn't know that...I wonder if I should put my third piggie in another room until the other two are better? He's already been exposed to them for the past two days.

ETA
In guinea pigs respiratory infections are usually bacterial, as opposed to viral, so your other guinea pigs shouldn't be able to "catch it" from the sick one.

You will want to weigh the sick pig daily, however, to make sure he/she is eating and drinking enough.

From FoggyCreek at Guinea Lynx forum :/

Thank you frashy for this useful post, says:
Haley0489 (07-12-08)

Thank you ittybitty98577 for this useful post, says:
Haley0489 (07-12-08)

Thank you Gemiinii for this useful post, says:
Haley0489 (07-12-08)

Thank you Ziggy&Herald for this useful post, says:
Haley0489 (07-12-08)

User Name		Remember Me?
Password