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URI/Upper Respiratory Infection Consistent URI's, advice please!

NefariousNox

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So I adopted my boys about a month ago but ever since I've got them they've had uri's constantly. I've taken them to the vet two times each and have dished out over 400 in medicine and visit costs but the antibiotics don't fully get rid of it. It reduces the nasally sound and they look and feel better but it always flares back up. My vet says this is common when they get new homes and owners cause of the stress but they are both used to me now and don't run when I talk to them like they used to.

I just don't know if its something I'm doing or can change to lessen the chance of them getting worse again. My pig Boris almost died because his got so bad overnight. I give them kale, green/yellow peppers, and green lettuce everyday so they have vitamin c in their diet. I use recycled paper bedding that their old owner used, and they weren't sick with her.
I'm just worried cause I had a decent amount of savings for their vet bills but its been so constant in and out of the vet and medicine costs that I'm going to be tapped out before too long and I just want them to be healthy happy piggies.

Does anyone have any advice on what else can cause uri's and what I should be looking out for?
 

pinky

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What meds were you given, what dose and how long did they take it?
 

bpatters

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It is NOT common for pigs to get URIs when they get new homes. Is this an exotic vet? Most dog-and-cat vets know very little about guinea pigs, and are usually incompetent at treating them.

How old are your pigs? Very young pigs are not usually given Baytril because it can stunt their growth, but if you're getting Bactrim instead, it's probably not effective against a URI. Doxycycline (Vibramycin) can be used for them, but may require something additional to totally knock it out.

What is common with a stubborn URI is that they may need an additional or different antibiotic. The fact that the pig hasn't recovered means that the current medication isn't effective enough again the organism that's making them sick, or that it isn't getting to the organism (it may need to be nebulized to get into the lungs rather than given orally). Many vets will add a second antibiotic, or will "pulse" them -- give one for 7-10 days, then another, then repeat the cycle.

Don't feed them kale every day -- you'll set them up for possibly urinary tract stones. Kale should only be given in small quantities a couple of times a week. See https://www.guineapigcages.com/foru...vy-Nutrition-Charts-amp-Poisonous-Plants-List for what you can feed and how often.
 

NefariousNox

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What meds were you given, what dose and how long did they take it?

Boris was given regular antibiotics for two weeks at about 1 mg I think? (The medicine and feeding syringes are at home so I'll look when I get off work). My vet then put skittles on the same antibiotics but with a slightly higher dosage (1/4 of an mg more or so) since he's bigger for 1 week. That reduced the symptoms a bit but I ran out of medicine after their weeks were up. Now Boris is on a clear gel medicine (refrigerated), pain medication, and a twisty tube with microorganisms. Also I have to force feed him since he stopped drinking water. He's eating whole foods again now, but now I have to take skittles in tonight cause he's getting worse.

I'll post specific names of medication when I get home.
 

bpatters

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Post not only the name of the meds, but the strength (how many mg. per ml) and the dose (how much of it they take).
 

NefariousNox

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Their previous owner said boris is 4 and skittles is 3.5 years old. I'll cut back on kale, thank you. This is an exotic vet.
 

pinky

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There are a lot of different antibiotics so which type your vet put him on could make a huge difference.
 
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