URI/Upper Respiratory Infection Guinea pig making rattling noises when squeaking

Just an update on this...took him into the vet on saturday and got some pretty heart breaking news. The little guy had the largest heart murmur the vet had ever heard in a guinea pig. I paid for an xray because I didn't want to put him on heart medication if it's congenital and it won't really help. Turns out he has a deformed rib cage and probably was born with it - they actually took extra xrays for free because they had never seen anything like it. His heart is huge and his lungs are very small. The vet said there's nothing really to do except give him the best life I can Anyone else had pigs with congenital heart problems? Any success with meds?

Aw, poor piggy. Sorry. I can't help since I have no experience with piggy heart problems, but I'm wishing him the best! I do think you should get that other pig so he can have a friend, since that would really make his life more enjoyable.

Because of the news on Saturday, I told them I might need to wait a week since it's just been a lot bad news lately (my other pig died very suddenly 2 weeks ago), but I think you are absolutely right he needs a friend.

I was asked to take a pig from the backroom of Petco (as I had rescued from the adoption table many times) She was bought with a cage mate and returned for failure to thrive. Their "vet" said URI and she was on meds. I took her home. Skin and bones. Quarantined, she never seemed to get better. Took back to vet, more meds, more meds and more meds. Over 30 days of meds. Funny how no one else ever got sick. Finally had a chest xray, I suspected by this point a heart problems. Come to find out her heart was on the wrong side of her body, over the "good" lung. The other lung was collapsed. They had put her on heart meds without success.
Peanut Butter lived 2 months in my house. She was spoiled, loved and lived with a cage mate. She knew love, not the backroom of Petco in a fish tank. She never popcorned or wheeked because she was so weak, but she lived a happy life and passed in my arms with her favorite song playing in the background. She is cremated and on a shelf with a pic of her and a lock of hair.

I say love your pig, give him the best. If he seems in pain, take him in and end it peacefully. I wish you the best. It is a hard road, but you will know when it is time. I was glad I gave Peanutbutter the best and my heart is full of those memories.

Bless

If I were you, I'd post this over on the Emergency and Medical forum at GL, along with as many details as you've got plus x-rays if you can get them, and see if anyone over there can contribute anything. If nothing else, you'll be adding to the heart pig knowledge over there.

Thanks everyone. The vet is going to follow up with me tomorrow after she gets a second opinion so I'll post over at GL with hopefully some more info. Thanks so much for sharing that Daisy, I'm glad Peanut Butter got to live out a good life with you and I hope I can only do the same for my pig.

You will, youve already gone to the vet and are doing all that you can. That is all they ask for, a chance. I spent hundreds of dollars on Pb, and do not regret it at all. She got 2 months.

To make matters worse, i woke up to a loud shrieking and discovered there was a shrew in my apartment! luckily piggie is okay and i took him to a friend's house while i have to be at work today so he'll be safe. ai yai yai!

Your poor piggie, I'm so glad you've gotten him vet care and will help him to have the best life possible. I just had to look up shrews, I don't know much about them. Was it trying to eat the piggies food?

I think the shrew was def trying to get into the cage and felt threatened by the guinea pig. They make such loud noises it actually woke me up, which is good because apparently they do attack other rodents, even ones a lot bigger than them!

My vet called today and suggested an ECHO. Unfortunately, i've spent so much on the vet between this and my other pig who died a few weeks ago that I can't afford it at this time. However, we are going to try enalapril - hoping that will work. ANyone have any success with it for pigs with heart issues?

@daisy1cow wow I actually teared up over that story T_T that touched me deeply, I am glad PB had a good life, but sad that she had to die so young, glad she had a good home and I hope I can do the same for my boys, I would be devistated if I lost either of them and I know someday it will happen
@romeopig I am so sorry about your little guy, he is lucky to have such a caring owner, giving him a happy home is all you can really do

Reading your guys' stories makes me feel incredibly lucky to have two healthy happy guinea pigs, I worry so hard about the little stuff, and don't realize it could always be so so so much worse - my heart goes out to you both

@Kiyisha Thanks. It was hard, but I knew I gave her a life she wouldn't have had anyway. That is why I get a bit defensive when others say not to get from the backroom or "adoption" table at Petco. Had I not, she would have died alone, sad, probably in pain. I gave her 2.5 months of a wonderful life. She didn't deserve to be returned like defective merchandise and not given a chance. We are their voice and I did what I needed to do. I knew I was getting myself into a possible situation, but I couldnt let her stay there alone and scared. She is cremated and sits in a beautiful cherry box in my living room. The pet cremation place took paw prints and a lock of her hair which I put in a frame with a picture of her

You are already doing that for your boys by taking them into your home and doing your best.