Conditions Guinea pig acting funny - Loud wheeking and wobbly

[mercurybubbles8]

My poor Snowy was battling a URI. We had to change medications around a few times because she kept having bad reactions to them. As of a few days ago, it looked like we were in the clear and she was eating well again.

All of of a sudden today, she started wheeking like crazy, which is normally something she doesn't do. She ate breakfast with no issues this morning. Now as I look at her, she's acting weird - it looks like she's wobbling around, she keeps going for sprints where she runs real fast (almost straight off my lap a few times), and when I tried to get her to eat her favorite Oxbow treat, she didn't look interested. I also tried some critical care, and gave it to her and she didn't really chew at it. She also keeps wanting to lean on things and go hide in corners and now is completely silent. I'm working on calling the vet, but from reading other posts think it may be her time. Any advice?

 

[bpatters]

It could be something neurological, or it could be that whatever antibiotic she's been getting for her URI isn't effective against the infection which may have settled in her ear. Getting her to the vet is the best thing to do.

If she still has the URI, you might suggest to the vet that he try a nebulized antibiotic. They can tolerate much stronger antibiotics that way, since they aren't as destructive to the digestive tract.

How old is she?

 

[mercurybubbles8]

She's 4 years old. She was cleared of URI mid last week and has had no symptoms since.

It also looks like her midsection has expanded quickly in the last few hours and she can't keep herself upright.

 

[bpatters]

The midsection being larger may mean she's bloated, and that's full-out medical emergency. She needs to see a good exotic vet ASAP. I wouldn't call to ask for an appointment, I'd call to say that I was coming, and had an emergency that needed to be seen.

Four isn't old for a guinea pig. Most make it to six or so, and many make it much longer than that.

 

[mercurybubbles8]

I tried getting her to the vet, but she unfortunately passed. She was only four and seemed to be clear last week, even this morning. I don't know if there was something else or it was just her time.

 

[grace&piggies]

Oh I'm sorry to hear that! I had a piggy similar to that (no URI) who was just not herself in the days before she passed. The vets had a thorough look at her but couldn't see any cause for her being more talkative and outgoing.
Poor Snowy :'(

 

[bpatters]

I'm very sorry you lost her.