Conditions My boys are dieing!

Do you have a vetranarian around you or within travealable distance that is specialized in exotic animals?? I would recomend driving to another town!! If you do I would take BOTH of the piggies. Is there a chance that they got into something or you fed them something that could make them sick?? I know pigs are different than dogs but this is symptoms a dog that i used to have after she ate berries from a tree that was poisonous to her

Oh Catayn, I'm so sorry you are going through all this.

Have you cross posted this on guinealynx? I think they may be of more help.

It sounds like some kind of infection. Did you make sure to separate the symptomatic guinea pigs from the healthy ones? Just incase some may not have been infected.

I hate to tell you this because it's so difficult to find a vet that is competent, but I think this little guy needs a vet before it gets worse.

The vets I took them are supposed to be specialized on exotics! I took Rasputin to 3 different tows. Not to mention the vets around here.
The guys on GL told me to start him on Bactrim.
PS: I called one of the vets that is famous around here because he is "so good", and he told me to solve a pill of azitromicin in SOME water and give him ONE OR TWO DROPS. The doesn't seem very accurate, plus, I thought they coudn't take azitromicin!

Catayn, ditto the suggestion to post on GuineaLynx at www.guinealynx.info.

Also, search this forum for Cogni's posts about her GP Tufty, who accidentally got poison from rat poison in a cardboard box. Her info might help you.

Good luck!

I am so sorry you are going through this! It's so horrible to see your pigs suffer and not know what to do.

This is the thread about what happened to Cogni's guinea pig, Tufty:

https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/medical-veterinary/58071-tufty-intensive-care.html

Maybe it will help? I know they treated him with Vitamin K and Baytril, among other things. Also, please post on GuineaLynx, there are a lot of very knowledgeable people there!

Just came back from the vet with him and he assures me that Sammy is just lazy. I couldn't convince any vet to take any blood or any kind of exam whatsoever, because "ut's very dangerous for such little animals".
One of the vets had the guts to suggest killing Sammy in order to do an authopsy and find out what is wrong, in order to prevent the other boys of getting sick as well.
I had started him on Bactrim earlier, as suggested on Guinea Lynx, and now I put him in the hospital cage. He started chewing the grass right away and is now playing with a paper ball I put in there for him. He surely looks more alert and playful. He's just not drinking, so I'm giving it to him with a syringe.
I'm hoping for the best!

I can't give any help except as everyone to have a check on guinealynx. I'm very surprised about the reactions of the vets!
If he's not eating much, do you have critical care?
I hope everything will be fine. Keep us posted. *hugs*

I'm so sorry your vets are not helping! What terrible advice!!

If you don't have Critical Care where you are, you can make a pellet mash to hand-feed Sammy with - see the information here under "Pellet Preparation": https://www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html#preparation

I'm so glad you got him started on Bactrim - the fact that he is playing and eating are very good signs!

I am already handfeeding him his mushed pellets with baby food.
Would it help him to make that "poop soup" thing?

Catayn said:

Would it help him to make that "poop soup" thing?

Click to expand...

Do you mean where you feed him caecal poops from another pig? I would ask on GuineaLynx about that. If you have a pig that you KNOW is healthy, it might work, but feeding him poops from a potentially sick pig wouldn't be good.

I see... And what other kind of thing would be good to keep his intestinal flora safe?

Oh no! He is peeing blood!

Oh my gosh, I am so sorry to hear you and your piggies are going through all of this. I sure hope you can get it figured out w/ the vets or something and get that piggy healthy !!

What do you clean your cage and wash your bottles and dishes with? I wonder if they ingested something harmful. Didn't your rabbits die recently, too? Do you use fleece and launder it? Do you add any deoderizers to the cage? Borax products can be harmful to animals because they contain boric acid.

I use just white vinegar to clean everything from my pets. My rabbit had a stroke, so I don't think it's anything related.
Do you think it would be too much for him a 3 hour drive? I found a vet that seems to be the best in the country, but is in the other state. He said I could go there right away!
I am gonna go either way. I'll tell you what happened when I come back.

I think it's your best chance. Good luck!

Oh Good Luck!! Ive been checking back every once in a while because Ive been wondering about your piggie all day!! I am really hoping that this vet can get your piggie back and healthy! please let us know soon as you can.

Well, I've been to the vet and he came to 2 conclusions, after ultrasounds.

1- As his lungs are clean he decided to check his heart, saying that heart problems are usually confused with URI because the symptoms are quite similar. Ultrasound showed his heart is quite enlarged.

2- Ultrasound also showed kidney stones. Pretty small ones he said, but it's causing the bleeding and it's making him very uncomfortable.

He said that he probably has something very different of what Rasputin had, but that he is in risk.
He told me to keep with the Bactrim, just in case there is also a UTI hidden underneath it all. He also prescribed Enalapril and Alopurinol and told me to make a tea of "Quebra Pedra" (a very common plant around here), and give to him with a syringe twice a day.
He does seem a little better today and he has eaten a lot of grass last night, but today he is still in the hidey.
I asked the vet if he was going to be alright, but he said it's still too soon to tell. He said he's seen many pigs recover from these conditions, but it's rare for them to have both together. And in case he makes it, he will need to take the Enalapril for the rest of his life.
He's asleep now, but alert. As all my piggies are sleeping I assume it must be naptime. Cros your fingers for little Sammy!

Are either of those meds for pain? Stones are very painful so it's a good idea to have him on some pain meds. My vet prescribes Metacam. Poor little guy. I hope he feels better soon.