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Sneezing My Guinea Pig is Sneezing, Thin and has Raspy Breathing. Help!

Jamie New

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Hi, I have three guinea pigs. I bought two in April from Pets at Home (England) and I recently took one in from my uncle. One of my originals, Orlando, has raspy breathing, he is thinner than the other two and he sneezes. He has had this since about June/July.

I took him to a vet a while back and he suggested changing the bedding to newpaper. He said that he may have hayfever. With no luck I went back and he prescribed some medicine (I can't remember the name) at a dose of 0.1ml twice a day. I was unsure for how long but the bottle said"10 x 0.1ml" so after ten doses I stopped but my mother threw the medicine away. He didn't seem to change much, although the sneezing isn't as common.

What should I do. Should I be worried? He lives outside in a hutch with the other two. I am considering changing the bedding to fleece. Should I try this or not? I thought it might help. I am very unsure and need help.

Any help will be much appreciated. I just want to know that he is not suffering.

Please Help. Thank You.
 

Rnd210

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Guinea Pigs should be housed indoors, they are not outside pets, they can not handle changes in weather (hot or cold) not to mention they are prey animals and could get hurt or killed being outside.

It sounds like your pig may have a URI and needs to be seen by a cavy savy vet right away.

You also need to seperate him from the other guinea pigs as to not pass the illness to the others, and watch the others for signs and symptoms as well. If he is not eating or drinking then you will need to hand feed a pellet mash and give water with a syringe (needleless). Call your vet right away.

Have you been weighing weekly?
 

Jamie New

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It sounds like your pig may have a URI and needs to be seen by a cavy savy vet right away.

You also need to seperate him from the other guinea pigs as to not pass the illness to the others, and watch the others for signs and symptoms as well. If he is not eating or drinking then you will need to hand feed a pellet mash and give water with a syringe (needleless). Call your vet right away.

Have you been weighing weekly?

I haven't been weighing weekly but he I have noticed that he has always been skinny. He has been sneezing for a long time and seems fine. I am just worried. My other original Guinea Pig (Squirt) has none of the symptoms that Orlando has and they were together in the Pet shop. I have heard that Pet Shops aren't the best places to get them from but I hadn't read into it then. I got them for my 15th Birthday and was just excited.
My parents don't like me spending money on taking them to the vets but if i have to, I will.

Do you still think that they should be separated? And what is URI?
Thanks
 

Silverbeat

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I understand that in England, guinea pigs are commonly housed outdoors but guinea pigs' bodies aren't naturally equipped for the weather changes of the northern hemisphere. Just because it is common practice, doesn't make it the right thing to do. Your sick guinea pig needs to come indoors right away and your other two need to come inside as well before they get ill.
Definitely change the bedding to fleece; newspaper is less than ideal. You can temporarily house him in a cardboard box if you must; putting him outside will not help him get better. He needs to be on an antibiotic, here in the states we most commonly use Baytril [Enrofloxacin]. I believe they also have this in the UK.

Edited to add: A URI is an Upper Respiratory Infection, which is most likely what your pig has. He needs to be separated as it is very contagious.
 

RoxieJo

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URI is an upper respiratory infection. Please read the attached link https://www.guinealynx.info/uri.html about uri's. It is very serious and can be fatal. It can not be treated without a vet. Guinea pigs should never, under any circumstances, be housed outdoors. It is very unsafe for them and unhealthy. And yes your pigs should be separated. Guinea pigs are prey animals so it is their instict to hide any illness they have if at all possible. You really need to get the piggy to a cavy savy vet asap.
 

Jamie New

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Should I take him to the vet or just give him small quantities of Baytril. I will keep them separated and indoors. Thanks
 

Silverbeat

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We cannot diagnose over the internet, which is why everyone keeps saying to take him/her to a cavy-savvy vet. You will need a prescription from the vet for the Baytril.
 

Peggysu

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Should I take him to the vet or just give him small quantities of Baytril. I will keep them separated and indoors. Thanks

You need a prescription for Baytril and it just happens to be one of the safe anti-biotics that happens to be commonly prescribed but not always, as it is for specific bacterias.

Your pig is WAY over due for seeing a vet. Please see a professional.

This is a great example as to why guinea pigs should be housed indoors.
 

Rnd210

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Even though we are all saying that it sounds like a URI, does not mean that it is, so it is best to take to a cavy savy vet asap. Symptoms of a URI can also be someing else like CHF (Congestive Heart Failure) and many other possibilities, so it is best to have a vet check done right away.
 

RoxieJo

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And please, in the future, start weighing your piggies once a week. Alot of times the first sign that something is medically wrong with your pig is weight loss. Since they are small, "significant" weight loss for them is often not even visible to our eyes. Naturally its better to catch illness early rather than late. Visit https://www.guinealynx.info/. There really is an amazing amount of important info for your piggies health and happiness here as well as at guinea lynx. But all of that info is, of course, completely worthless if the time is not taken to read it.
 

Jamie New

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Thank You for all your help. I will move them all inside, change the bedding to fleece, separate them and take Orlando to the vet asap.

Thank You.
 

RoxieJo

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That will be great for them- I hope Orlando and all of your piggies are okay
 

Sirene

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That sounds like a great plan, Jamie - please let us know how it goes! Fingers and paws crossed here for Orlando!
 

Jamie New

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Thank You Everyone.

I couldn't get to the vet today as it was a bank holiday and the price of an emergency vet was too expensive. I am taking all three tomorrow. I have moved the hutch indoors, much to my parents disagreement (as they believe that they are fine outdoors). However, Squirt and Maxi got into a fight last night and Maxi has been placed in a separate cage. I have no where else to put Squirt so he is still with Orlando for the time being.

I have put fleece as the bedding for both of the cages and they seem to love it. Squirt has stopped rejecting Orlando since the fight and they are friends again.

I weighed them all today and here are their weights.

Orlando = 690g
Squirt = 860g
Maxi = 720g (Although Maxi was taken in from someone who forgot to feed him and he is still catching up)

Are these weights ok? I have noticed that Orlando seems to be thinner but I have seen him eating and drinking. I am waiting for the vets diagnosis tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

Also, is there any way that I can have Orlando, Squirt and Maxi together (When Orlando is better) but without Maxi and Squirt fighting. Bearing in mind that I am in England and I can't find anywhere that has C&C Caging to make a play area with a separation grid.

Any Help?
 

Deb's4Pigs

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Check in the alternative cages section if you can't find coroflute. Once you have a larger cage they may not fight. And putting all three in a new cage will probably help.

Go onto the home section to find out what size cage for three boars.
 

Jamie New

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Where is the Alternative Cage Section?
 

mtm88781

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It is great that your piggys are indoors now, and on fleece bedding. I am sure they enjoy it much more than battling the outdoor weather. I bet they are also comfortably lounging on the new fleece, as it is much comfier than newspaper :)

Keep us updated as to what the vet says :)

Good luck!
 

natashia

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I find it so frustrating that most people in great britain keep their guinea pigs outside, they really shouldn't be outside, especially with our irratic warm and wet or frosty and snow winters. Their are very few guidelines for guinea pig care, so alot of people are mislead. I think you will find your piggies much happier inside now :)

Pets at home are awful for taking care of their guinea pigs, and many of them have URI's, so I wouldn't be surprised if that's the problem, but as others have said, it's definitly a good idea to take them to a vet. Finding a cavy savvy vet is a little harder over here but ring around first and you should be able to find a decent vet.

You did the right thing swapping their bedding to fleece, newspaper is useless and you would be swapping every five minutes.

I hope your piggies are okay, keep us updated on their progress :D

(Also, if you want materials for a C&C you can order the cubes from wickes.com for 15quid, and the coroplast from teacratepackaging.)
 

Jamie New

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Thanks natashia, rnd210, silverbeat, roxiejo, peggysu, sirene, deb's4pigs, mtm88781 :)

I went to the vets today with Orlando, Squirt and Maxi. The vet checked Orlando and said that he is definitely thinner and there is a problem. She went on to say that she doesn't think that there is a disease or an illness because Squirt and Maxi don't have it.

She said that he was possibly a runt but besides that, his immune system and lungs are weaker. She said to make sure Maxi and Squirt were separate because the fought at the vets. She believes that Squirt was defending Orlando and making sure that he wasn't pushed around by Maxi. She said that Orlando won't live as long as the other two and could just give up on life at any time if he becomes to stressed. :( Luckily she said that he is not suffering and he is coping. She said that the cold air wouldn't have been good on his lungs and that anything could aggravate him, dust on hay, sawdust and fleece. She suggested soaking the hay before giving it him to help stop the dust floating around. She said not to separate him and Squirt because that will put more stress on him. However she said that Orlando should be taken out each day and have food and water to himself and make sure that Squirt doesn't get more and become overweight. She also said to give him more TLC and that may help him to strive and live longer. He may surprise us, she said, and he could be the one that loves on longest but that is slightly unlikely. :(

She gave him two injections at which he squealed :( An antibiotic and ant-inflammatory. She said that he may get really better then really worse due to the anti-inflammatory. If that happens, I have to take him straight back. She also gave me some medicine, 0.7ml of , Marbocyl SA once a day for 7-8 days. She said that I should stop giving them water soluble vitamin c supplements and I should get human vitamin c supplements and give the other two 30g and Orlando 90-100g.

She said that he is happy and full of life anyway but I just hope that he lives a long and happy life and I hope that he gets better.

Thanks everyone for your help. I am hoping to get c&c cages and expand them to make a large cage for Orlando and Squirt and a cage next to them for Maxi. Thank you everyone, I will keep you up to date on Orlando's progress.
 
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