Medications My piggies allergies

adeline13 · Apr 16, 2014

Please help with piggie problem

Hello everyone, so a couple wheeks ago I took my guinea pig Abby to the vet because there was a very soft kinda wheezing in her voice and they are a great vet. They were recommended to us by my dog's vet.

Anyways the vet said the wheezing isn't coming from her lungs so just whatcha out for discharge. She had just little eye boogers so I separated her and called the vet and they said it was fine and to just clean it up so I said ok and kept her separated until the booger problem went away.

But today I wake up and I hear this pretty loud heeding (?) type breathing so I pick her up by her belly. I wasn't supporting her but and she coughs. None of my pigs have ever coughed when I picked them up like that and now I have her in my arms scared to put her back.

I really don't have to money to go to the vet and have them say everything's fine soo what should I do? Any suggestions? Also she squeaks when I pick her up.

Princess_Piggie · Apr 16, 2014

Re: Please help with piggie problem

It sounds like she has mites, and maybe a URI. The squeaking to the touch indicates mites, but you can treat for that yourself at home. The coughing, wheezing and eye gunk needs vet treatment, and by an exotic vet, not a dog-and-cat vet, who don't know how to treat pigs.

adeline13 · Apr 16, 2014

Re: Please help with piggie problem

Princess_Piggie said:
It sounds like she has mites, and maybe a URI. The squeaking to the touch indicates mites, but you can treat for that yourself at home. The coughing, wheezing and eye gunk needs vet treatment, and by an exotic vet, not a dog-and-cat vet, who don't know how to treat pigs.

ok i did take her to an exotic vet and they said it might be allergies right now shes playing in my hair dancing around in it LOL

Princess_Piggie · Apr 16, 2014

Re: Please help with piggie problem

I'm no vet, but I'm pretty sure guinea pig allergies are rare. Those are all URI symptoms. @bpatters, @foggycreekcavy, @CavyMama or @lissie will probably have better insight on this.

bpatters · Apr 16, 2014

Re: Please help with piggie problem

I doubt that was an exotic vet. They would take wheezing and eye discharge very seriously. You need to find a good vet and get your pig there. If you'll post the name of the city you live closest to, we'll help you look for a vet.

adeline13 · Apr 16, 2014

Re: Please help with piggie problem

bpatters said:
I doubt that was an exotic vet. They would take wheezing and eye discharge very seriously. You need to find a good vet and get your pig there. If you'll post the name of the city you live closest to, we'll help you look for a vet.

Her wheezing has seemed to stop now from when I posted this and II promise it was the vet was called VCA rock creek animal hospital and she didn't have discharge when I went there she just had a little wheezing that wasn't coming from her lungs but I called and said she has some eye boogers and they said it was allergies I live in Tualatin Oregon

bpatters · Apr 16, 2014

Re: Please help with piggie problem

VCA Rock Creek has no certified exotic veterinarians on staff, and only one with an "interest" in exotics. I'd look for a clinic that has a certified exotics vet.

adeline13 · Apr 16, 2014

Re: Please help with piggie problem

bpatters said:
VCA Rock Creek has no certified exotic veterinarians on staff, and only one with an "interest" in exotics. I'd look for a clinic that has a certified exotics vet.

Ok do you have any suggestions on one or how to find a good cheap one preferably good though

bpatters · Apr 16, 2014

Re: Please help with piggie problem

(broken link removed)

But it won't necessarily be cheap. You need to set aside money for vet visits -- it's not fair to an animal that depends on you for its very life to not get medical care when it needs it.

Regular dog-and-cat vets get very little training in caring for exotic pets. Most times, you'll actually waste money by taking a GP to a regular vet.

adeline13 · Apr 16, 2014

Re: Please help with piggie problem

bpatters said:
(broken link removed)

But it won't necessarily be cheap. You need to set aside money for vet visits -- it's not fair to an animal that depends on you for its very life to not get medical care when it needs it.

Regular dog-and-cat vets get very little training in caring for exotic pets. Most times, you'll actually waste money by taking a GP to a regular vet.

VCA specifically says its exotic and i do take my guinea pigs to the vet when they need it yes its hard sometimes but i will even if it hurts me

bpatters · Apr 16, 2014

Re: Please help with piggie problem

I know VCA says exotic, but many, many vet clinics advertise "exotic" when they actually have no one on staff certified in exotics. That's the case with yours -- they have one vet with an "interest" in exotics, whatever that may mean, but nobody with any formal exotic experience. The best way to find out is if they've got a website -- read the qualifications of the vets.

My own local vet is like that. Until I found my current vet, I had to use my local dog-and-cat vet because the big exotic hospital downtown won't take patient appointments -- you have to be referred by a vet. My local clinic has one vet with an interest in exotics, but she's honest enough to say that she doesn't know a lot about them, and will refer you rather than fake it. I finally found another vet downtown, at a different clinic, who has a LOT of experience with exotics, and I've been very happy with him.

adeline13 · Apr 16, 2014

Re: Please help with piggie problem

bpatters said:
I know VCA says exotic, but many, many vet clinics advertise "exotic" when they actually have no one on staff certified in exotics. That's the case with yours -- they have one vet with an "interest" in exotics, whatever that may mean, but nobody with any formal exotic experience. The best way to find out is if they've got a website -- read the qualifications of the vets.

My own local vet is like that. Until I found my current vet, I had to use my local dog-and-cat vet because the big exotic hospital downtown won't take patient appointments -- you have to be referred by a vet. My local clinic has one vet with an interest in exotics, but she's honest enough to say that she doesn't know a lot about them, and will refer you rather than fake it. I finally found another vet downtown, at a different clinic, who has a LOT of experience with exotics, and I've been very happy with him.

ok when I was at the vet I told her that I gave mine a cup of veggies a day and she was like oh lucky and I'm like ummm that's what they need anyways is this vet good here's a link
https://www.swanimalhospital.net

bpatters · Apr 16, 2014

Re: Please help with piggie problem

His credentials look good. I'd certainly give him a try if I were in your area.

adeline13 · Apr 16, 2014

Re: Please help with piggie problem

bpatters said:
His credentials look good. I'd certainly give him a try if I were in your area.

ok thank you sooo much
'

adeline13 · Apr 17, 2014

Hello so my guinea pig Abby has allergies, which I know everyone says it's rare, but I'm almost positive she does. That's what my non experienced vet said at least and it seems like the best way to explain it or whatever.

Anyways she sneezes sometimes but in the morning she wheezes a lot pretty loud-ish but then the wheezing starts going down as it gets later and by 5 ish it's gone. The wheezing isn't coming from her lungs so my questions is has anyone experienced this and what do I need to do for her. The wheezing doesn't sound like it feels very good and I don't want her to be in pain.

sallyvh · Apr 17, 2014

I know you're set on it being allergies but I would get a second opinion. I'm pretty sure if it was allergies she would have constant symptoms. Could the wheezing be described as a hooting sound? Not to worry you but I know that morning hooting is a symptom of heart disease or an enlarged heart.

HannibalLecter · Apr 17, 2014

If the vet is inexperienced and not a cavy savvy exotics vet, they simply don't have the knowledge to properly (and safely) examine, diagnose and treat a pig.
As allergies are rare -and an upper respiratory infection is not- I would get the pig to an exotics vet as soon as possible as the symptoms do point towards a URI.

https://www.guinealynx.info/uri.html

I would also change bedding and/or hay if your current one is dusty. What bedding do you use?

adeline13 · Apr 17, 2014

HannibalLecter said:
If the vet is inexperienced and not a cavy savvy exotics vet, they simply don't have the knowledge to properly (and safely) examine, diagnose and treat a pig.
As allergies are rare -and an upper respiratory infection is not- I would get the pig to an exotics vet as soon as possible as the symptoms do point towards a URI.

https://www.guinealynx.info/uri.html

I would also change bedding and/or hay if your current one is dusty. What bedding do you use?

I use fleece

adeline13 · Apr 17, 2014

sallyvh said:
I know you're set on it being allergies but I would get a second opinion. I'm pretty sure if it was allergies she would have constant symptoms. Could the wheezing be described as a hooting sound? Not to worry you but I know that morning hooting is a symptom of heart disease or an enlarged heart.

It's not a hooting and she does the wheezing is worse in the morning but later if you listen closely it's still there but the morning is the worst

bpatters · Apr 17, 2014

@adeline13, stop starting new threads about your pig. Keep all medical information about a pig on one thread. It makes it much easier to keep up with what's going on. I'm merging this thread with your other one.

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