URI/Upper Respiratory Infection SOS I need tips to helping my guinea pig breathe

[spritrain180]

Hello all
I haven't been on here in a while a I've had a good time with my piggie untill tonight.

I am 95% sure my piggie, Chester has either URI or Pneumonia.
I cannot see the vet untill moring.

He was doing fine untill a few mins ago when I noticed the thumping in his breath. He's having difficult breathing now, and i hear the congestion in his lungs.

I'm currently siiting with him in my bathroom with the shower on hot, trying to help his breathing. Does anyone have any tips on getting him to breathe easier? Again I can't see my vet untill the morning when they are open, and me being underaged, I can't just go there myself.
We are seeing the vet as soon as they are open.


Piggie symtons

~ " thumping breathing.
~ goopy eyes
~ unwillingness to eat or drink ( i'm force feeding him water about every hour if he'll take it.
~ no stool or urine passage
~ he's fighting to fall asleep, but he is tired looking
~ droopy eyes ( not cloudy, though
~ in his fits to breath he will halfway lay on his side.
~ small distcharge from nose.

As I'm siiting here with him, he's no longer laying down, the steam seems to be working for him.
His breathing is a bit rapid i think.

My boyfriend thinks that if i take a hit of my inhaler ( for ashmia) and blow it in his direction it may help his respiratory distress



I also want to note that since i got him, he has been a bit awkward in the breathing department.
He has a nose different then my other piggies.


Thanks for all the advice, I will come back to edit if he makes it thorough the night and we make it to the vets



_edit_ he finally peed!_

 

[alphilip77]

@spritrain180: If Chester is not eating or drinking, he needs to be force fed pellet mash or Critical Care and water through a syringe every two hours. Food is life for guinea pigs and if they go a certain amount of time without food, they go into stasis and begin to shut down. Also, I would highly, highly urge you to get him to an emergency vet. Even if they don't specialize in exotics, if you can just get him some Baytril/Bactrim and a probiotic from them to get him through the night it will make all the difference. Also, please don't give him your inhaler. That last thing you want to do is compound his URI with human medicine whose effects on guinea pigs you aren't sure of. I know you said your under-aged, but you REALLY need to try to get him to an emergency clinic. Hope the little guy pulls through!

 

[spritrain180]

Thanks for the quick answer. I'll try and get him to eat as well. The steam too some of the thumping out of his breathing but it's still there..
And hes starting to move around some more.
I'm worried not that he keeps trying to lay to try and breathe better.
My parent are already asleep and refuse to really understand the situation here.
I'm staying up all night with this guy.

 

[spritrain180]

Chester went to Rainbow Ridge at 2:50 am
He didn't struggle

 

[Lishar]

I'm so sorry.

 

[failur3byh3art]

I'm so sorry for your loss ><

 

[Inle_Rabbit]

I am sorry for the loss of Chester.

 

[Lovely_Weekers]

I'm so sorry for your loss, It's always tough to lose a beloved pet. At least you did your best to make him as comfortable as you could in his last hours.

 

[spritrain180]

Thisis Chester ( Left) and his cage mate Henry


Thank you all for the condolences, we was buried along with my other pet's this morning.

 

[foggycreekcavy]

I'm sorry. I bet Henry will be lonely without him.

Do you weigh your pigs? It's a good idea to weigh them weekly. Sometimes this enables you to discover that something's wrong before it's too late. Guinea pigs are so good at hiding their symptoms.

 

[spritrain180]

No I don't weigh them. I don't think we have a scale in our house anymore.
And I think Henry's indifferent now. He's still eating good but I'm monitoring him 24/7.
I couldn't catch Chester, but I think I'll catch the old man, since he's alone now, I'll know exactly how much he's eating.

 

[foggycreekcavy]

It's recommended to weigh weekly. All you need is a kitchen scale.

Henry may seem indifferent, but guinea pigs need companionship of their own species. He's used to having a companion, and now he's suddenly alone. It's not like he can tell you, either. I recommend contacting a rescue in your area to see if they have a guinea pig that would be a good match for him.

How old is he?

 

[spritrain180]

Sorry to reply so late!
He turned 7 this year. ( I don't call him " Old Man" for nothing ^-^)
He has another cage mate, but they've been having the typical boar problems ( Which is the first time it's happened in the now 3 cage mates he's had.) So i think it's the other pig, who just turned one.
I had them separated ( As my recent post on him missing parts of his ear) and was planning to introduce them when I clean the cage next. But the curse of the thumping has struck the new baby now. He's not as bad and goes to the vet tomorrow, which I'm pretty sure he'll make it through the night unlike Chester, which I think was partially my fault since I didn't keep the lid up so the cage ( Which is closed on 3 sides) can circulate air.

 

[BabyBoomkin]

I'm so sorry