Sick Coughing and breathing heavily

nicolmele · Jan 10, 2016

Hi.. My guinea pig Kaly has been breathing heavily and started coughing. Some days he looks better some days he's worst. He keeps eating but not like before. He's never really been that active but now he just moves to eat. I'm so scared I really don't know what to do, I don't have a guinea pig vet around everyone says they don't know if they can threat them , they want to charge to see if they canbe able to threat them. I don't know what else to do he's my baby and I love him so much and he's a really loving guinea pig I really want to help him but I don't know how. Is there anything I can do without the help of a vet? I wish I could take him to one but nobody can help me, I live in Puerto Rico and I feel like the change in weather has gotten him sick . Pleaseee help.

pinky · Jan 10, 2016

He needs to see a vet. Call the vets around you to see if they can refer you to someone who treats exotics. If you can't find one or even do find one, print this and give it to the vet so they can go online to know which meds are safe. https://www.guinealynx.info/medications.html Here is a second link that has a dose calculator. https://www.guinealynx.info/dose_calculator.html The vet can look up the med and know what dose to prescribe. Sounds like your little one has an upper respiratory infection and might have pneumonia so he should see a vet asap.

lissie · Jan 10, 2016

You mentioned the change of weather, does he live outside? If he's living outside, move him into your house.

You can try take him to a regular vet. They should be able to prescribe antibiotics. Some antibiotics are deadly to guinea pigs. Make sure you bring both the safe antibiotics list and dangerous list with you. All penicillin based drugs are toxic to pigs!
https://www.guinealynx.info/antibiotics.html
https://www.guinealynx.info/dangerous_medications.html

If he's not eating enough on his own, you'll need to force feed him. See this page.
https://www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html

lissie · Jan 10, 2016

I did a google search for "guinea pig vet Puerto Rico" and this came up:
https://www.centromedicoveterinariopr.com/services/gerbils-guinea-pigs-and-hamsters/

Also try to contact universities that offer vet programs, see if they can help you.
(broken link removed)
(broken link removed)

nicolmele · Jan 10, 2016

He lives inside but in Puerto Rico we don't have AC in the whole house only in the rooms, we have the windows open, so he still feels the change in weather, I live in a Apartment on the third floor it gets pretty chilly in the mornings and at night, when its cold I close the window thats next to him and at nights and mornings. Puerto Rico is a tropical island so its pretty humid. I contacted them a week ago and said that they couldn't treat them because they dont have an oxygen cam.

lissie · Jan 10, 2016

They don't need an oxygen cam to treat him. See this page for URI (Upper Respiratory Infections)
https://www.guinealynx.info/uri.html

WHAT YOUR VET MAY DO
The vet will check for hydration.
A stethoscope can be used to listen to the lungs and heart.
An x-ray may be taken to check for fluid in lungs.
The vet may culture the bacteria to help determine which antibiotics are most effective.

nicolmele · Jan 10, 2016

Thank You so much . Do you think that I should move him to the room where there is the AC, maybe cover his cage with a blanket so it wouldn't be so cold? I know they are not humans but in hospital the temperature is really cold so that bacteria won't reproduce, would it work the same or would it get him worst?

lissie · Jan 10, 2016

I personally would not move him into a room with AC.

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Sick Coughing and breathing heavily

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