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Wheezing Peanut's Medical Thread

DroidGuineaPig

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My pig Peanut started doing this a few days ago and doesn't really stop. It sort of sounds like he's wheezing or some thing. (I have a video clip but i dont know how to insert videos from your device.)
 

bpatters

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Re: Respiratory Infection?

Wheezing can be a sign of a respiratory infection. Non-stop wheezing is particularly worrisome. You should get him to an exotic vet tomorrow. Guinea pigs can crash suddenly from a URI, and it's possible for them to go from barely sick to dead in less than 24 hours. URIs are nothing to fool around with, especially with wheezing that doesn't stop.
 

DroidGuineaPig

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Re: Respiratory Infection?

Are these contagious? Doi need to quarantine him? P.S is there a way to put videos in?
 

bpatters

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Re: Respiratory Infection?

Most guinea pig illnesses are not terribly contagious, and even if they are, the other pigs have already been thoroughly exposed. I've had several with URIs and the other pigs in the cage never caught them. I'd only quarantine one if the illness were so severe that someone would be likely to die from it.
 

DroidGuineaPig

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Re: Respiratory Infection?

UPDATE: I know its been like 2 months but Peanut was eating normal and acting fine so my mom refused to take him to the vet. But a week ago she finally gave in and scheduled an appointment at our local Animal Care Clinic and we brought Peanut there yesterday. The vet confirmed my suspicion of a URI and also looked at Peanuts teeth. She said that Peanut had a teeth problem and would need his teeth clipped once a month. She clipped his teeth and trimmed both of my pigs nails. She mixed 1 Zobuxa Tab in 10 ml of water and told us to give him .25ml by mouth every 24 hours for 2 weeks. The vet also said to give Peanut 50mg of Vitamin C every day while he was sick.

Any Concerns? P.S. Can an Admin edit this thread title to "Peanuts medical thread"
 

bpatters

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Re: Respiratory Infection?

Zobuxa is enrofloxacin (Baytril), so start weighing daily, every morning before breakfast, and keep an eye on him to make sure he's eating normally. Some pigs totally lose their appetites on that drug, and have to be hand fed. It will help if you'll give him food at the same time he takes his dose of antibiotic -- it seems to lessen the impact on the digestive tract. You also need to give a probiotic about an hour and a half after each dose. You can get Bene-Bac at pet stores or Amazon, or you can make poop soup with poop from a healthy pig.

The vitamin C dose is fine.

But the tooth bit worries me. Clipping the front teeth is the sign of a vet that doesn't know much about guinea pigs. They're almost never too long unless there's also a problem with the molars -- it's the grinding action of the molars that keeps the front teeth worn down. And the front teeth are just LONG. There's no need to clip them unless they're long enough that they're hitting the opposite gums, and if they do need clipping, it's useless to do it unless the molars are also treated.

But signs of molar problems include inability to pick food up or keep it in the mouth, slanted front teeth, drooling, chewing "funny," etc. And to diagnose molar problems requires skull x-rays (side and top) to rule out abscesses and elongated roots, and an oral exam (usually under light anesthesia) to thoroughly examine the molars to spurs, overgrowth that entraps the tongue, etc.

If this isn't an exotic vet, you need to look one up.

Good luck with him, and let us know how he gets along.
 

DroidGuineaPig

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Thanks [MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION]. The vet said she had to clip Peanuts teeth because he had teeth misalignment. Sorry if that was not clear. This vet is not an exotics vet and told us if the problem got worse we would have to take Peanut to a place called cat and exotic care. I did int want to take him down there in the first place because its a half hour trip. Also how do I make "poop soup" and is it really necessary?
 

bpatters

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You make poop soup by taking a fresh pellet from a healthy pig, mixing it with a little water, and syringing it to the pig who needs it. If you can get a cecal poop (that will involve swiping a q-tip through the anal sac), that would be best, and the pig might just eat it directly. If you can't get one, then a fecal poop will do.

I wouldn't dare take a pig to a small animal (dog and cat) vet if there were any exotic vet within any driving distance. My vet is 40-45 minutes away from me, depending on traffic, and I pass a whole bunch of small animal vets to get there. Small animal vets are not at all equipped to treat exotic pets, and some of them are downright dangerous.

Clipping teeth because of misalignment is treating the symptom, not the cause. If the incisors are misaligned, it's a 99+% certainty that the molars are the cause, whether because they're overgrown, or there's an abscess under one, or the roots are elongated. Clipping the incisors just delays diagnosing the problem properly, and means that the pig has to suffer. That can also cause weight loss, and you can wind up with a pig that's way behind the eight ball if it gets sick while it's underweight.

I'd recommend sucking it up and driving a half hour to get decent care for your pig. At least your current vet recommended that you see an exotic vet.
 

DroidGuineaPig

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OK thanks I'll have to discuss it with my mom.
 

DroidGuineaPig

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UPDATE: Its been the two weeks of the treatment and nothing has happened. Peanut still keeps wheezing. The good news is that Peanut hasn't got worse. Today Dr. Evans called and told us that since the meds weren't working we would have to take him down to Cat and Exotic care. The problem is though, my parents say they wont pay for it. Any advice? P.S During the treatment Peanuts behavior didn't change and he ate normally.
 

DroidGuineaPig

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UPDATE: The vet called and said she had calculated a new antibiotic for Peanut. She had us buy Baytril 22 Chewable/#7 tablets and told us to give him 1/2 a tablet every 24 hours. We also got a pill shooter to put the pills into his mouth. Questions? Comments? Advice? Concerns?
 

TheFurryFriends

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I honestly wouldn't be taking any advice from an non-exotics vet. I wish you luck. I drive an hour and 10 minutes to go to my vet for my bunnies and piggy.
 

bpatters

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I'd be looking for a new vet. Baytril should be given to guinea pigs as a liquid -- way too much danger of choking on a tablet.
 

PotterThePiggie

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I agree with heading to that exotics vet! That extra distance can make such an impact on making sure your GP gets proper care. Many people don't have an exotic vets as close as that and still make the trip to ensure their piggie is in capable hands.


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DroidGuineaPig

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Unfortunately I dont have a choice. My mom said the pills were the last thing she would pay for because "Guinea pigs dont live very long" (That do sent include nail trimming).
 

PotterThePiggie

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If your mom won't pay for any further medical care for your GP I'd look into rehoming it so that it can be in a situation where that won't be a problem. Life span shouldn't make a difference, a life is a life. Their lives aren't worth less because it's a shorter span.


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DroidGuineaPig

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I could never do that. I love him too much. And I know life span shouldn't make a difference but my mom doesn't.
 

silverblood

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I could never do that. I love him too much. And I know life span shouldn't make a difference but my mom doesn't.
I'm new to the forum, but not very new to keeping guinea pigs. All in all, it's a tough situation you're in. Just recently I had two pigs cause some injuries to each other that I'm having to doctor myself. It's very stressful, so if you need someone just to talk to if you're worried or stressed don't hesitate. I'm in virtual school and can talk anytime you need for as long as you need. For now, do your absolute best as that is all you can do. Don't let anyone tell you you didn't do enough because not everyone is able to do everything right. Make sure plenty of hay is being eaten to help shave the teeth since they are misaligned and you don't know why yet. Wooden chews would also help. Keep doing your best and be proud of yourself for doing everything you can. Rehoming doesn't even mean that your pig will get better care, so save that option for last. I hope things turn out good.
 

DroidGuineaPig

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Thank You!!! They always get unlimited hay but ill look into buying them wood chews. The problem is that the only ones they like are the willow balls and they tear those apart in a day and there 3 bucks each.
 

silverblood

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I'll look, but I think there are other safe wood chews you can get made from willow also, but sturdier than the woven balls. I'll let you know what I find.
 
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