Advice needed for my girls

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linda_chicha
For Pigs' Sake

Post   » Fri Nov 09, 2007 12:39 am


Hi! I'm just posting this in behalf of a friend of mine.

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Background Story:
I have 4 girls; Lily, Buttercup, Toffee and Rosie. Lily is a pet store pig, Buttercup and Toffee from separate breeders. Then when I recently found GPC and worked out the evils of breeders and pet stores I vowed never to support one again. As a result Rosie was a little girl I adopted from a young couple who had developed severe allergies as a result of the little bub. Lily is a tortoise shell and white, Buttercup a red eyed cream self, Toffee a Dutch rex, and Rosie a brindle Abby.

Medical Problems:
All girls have been progressively putting on weight and have all been treated with Oral Ivermectin. Toffee has had a mild fungal infection which has been treated and is all cleared up, she currently has an on-off mild clear discharge (started yesterday and another reason why I am seeing the vet today). Buttercup has had a fair few problems. The first was probably 5 months (give or take) ago. She was in pain when I touched her abdomen area and had what I thought was Ovarian Cysts. The vet ruled this out and gave her some Metacam for the pain and some Critical Care as a supplement for a week. Everything seemed to settle down (I can’t remember what the vet ended up saying it was though...) and we have had no troubles with her abdomen ever again. A while ago now, I noticed that she had a clear discharge. I took her to the vet, with the suspicion of an URI. The vet put her on Bactrim Oral Suspension (banana flavoured!) for a week or so. I noticed that within 4 days things seemed to be clearing up. However by the end of the week it was just as bad, the vet placed her on another course of Bactrim but it didn’t help. The vet did suggest a nose swab if things didn’t settle down after the second course of Bactrim however when I asked about it later on she said it was unnecessary (AARGH).

The nasal discharge is clear and smooth, and due to it her breathing sounds congested as she tries to breath through the discharge. I clean her nose several times a day. The only other suggestion is allergies.

The Breeders Pigs:
I remember now, there was one little piggy who had a horrible runny nose. He was housed with one other little boy, who had no medical problems. Buttercup is not related to him, so I don’t think it is relevant but may be of same use to you guys.

The Vet:
The vet I see is the only exotics vet in Western Australia as far as I am aware of. I have to travel a good 45 minutes to get there. She is very good and thorough.

What I need help with:
I am at my wits ends working this out. I feel so terrible for Buttercup and can only imagine how horrible this continuos discharge is. I am seeing the vet in 2 hours, and will be taking all 4 girls. Especially considering Toffee has an on-off discharge which only started recently.

I need suggestions as to what this may be and as to if there is anything in specific I should be asking the vet?

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Nov 09, 2007 7:09 am


Getting a swab is a pretty good suggestion. If the vet won't do that, I'd try a different antibiotic, say doxycycline or chlormaphenicol and see if they help.

What are they bedded on? There is an outside chance the pig is sensitive to dusty bedding. Make sure hay (I hope they have hay) is free from mold.

She could try towels for a while and get a new source of hay.

Also possible there could be a yeast/fungal infection in the respiratory tract but I think I'd try an antibiotic first. For a possible yeast/fungal infection, I'd use some kind of oral medication (perhaps Program or Nystatin).

katt

Post   » Fri Nov 09, 2007 9:37 pm


Update on the pigs from Ash
Another Update:
I took the girls to the vet again yesterday. She checked Buttercups mouth and looked at her nose. She noticed that Buttercups nostrils are quite a bit smaller than any of the other girls and believes that this is why she is finding it harder to breathe through the discharge than Toffee and perhaps why it looks worse. She was puzzled as to why Toffee and Buttercup have the discharge and Rosie and Lily dont, as a result of this she said it almost rules out allergies. She said it is highly likely that it is a mild infection however wouldnt put her back on antibiotics due to the fact that she didnt respond very well to them before. She recommended putting both girls (Toffee and Buttercup) on metacam to help settle down any inflamation.

I dont believe the vet is doing everything she can however I dont want to put her out of her place by suggesting or telling her something.

I am ringing the vet I take the dogs to today and will see if they have someone who specialises in exotics to get an opinion on the matter.

The only good thing that came out of seeing the vet yesterday was that I got the girls there first batch of Oxbow, and at $22 it is quite expensive. I plan on placing an order through the vet for a larger amount of pellets and perhaps hay.

User avatar
Mum
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Sat Nov 10, 2007 11:17 am


. She was puzzled as to why Toffee and Buttercup have the discharge and Rosie and Lily dont, as a result of this she said it almost rules out allergies.
I'd get a culture.

It's very hard to work with a vet who isn't open to suggestions. However, I do think that as the client you can gently, but firmly, suggest a reasonable course of action.

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linda_chicha
For Pigs' Sake

Post   » Sun Nov 11, 2007 6:51 pm


UPDATE:

Buttercup has taken a turn for the worse and now has a crust around one of her eyes. I booked an appointment with another vet who apparently treats guinea pigs yesterday for a second opinion. That appointment still stands. Should I bring it forward? Should I go back to the normal vet? Here are some piccies:

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb25 ... eye001.jpg

http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb25 ... eye003.jpg

User avatar
Amy0204
We miss our sweet Oreo

Post   » Sun Nov 11, 2007 7:03 pm


If there's a way to get there sooner, I would. Hard to know whether the eye is related to the other, but either way...if she's getting worse, time is of the essence.

User avatar
pigsforlife3

Post   » Tue Nov 27, 2007 4:13 am


Well I have finally been able to sign up and can now update you all on a regular basis although hopefully I wont have to.

I took all 4 pigs to the vet, and both Toffee and Buttercup were placed on a 10 day course of Baytril, and prodexin (probiotic). After 2 days on the course the crust around Buttercups eye had cleared up, and each day the discharge improved.

All girls are now healthy (except I am treating them for mites, they seem to be itching quite alot so we will see what happens) and are living in their brand new 2x5 C&C cage eating Oxbow Cavy Cusine and Oxbow Timothy Hay.

User avatar
pigsforlife3

Post   » Wed Dec 12, 2007 10:10 pm


We have taken a step backward. I noticed yesterday that Buttercup is sneezing, her discharge has re-appeared and she is sounding congested. Toffee isnt so bad, but her discharge has re-appeared as well. Both of the other girls seem fine.

I am going to ring the vet and book an appointment during my lunch break today. I am so worried, I do not want to loose them.

I am thinking that a trial of heart meds may be the way to go, but I dont know. I guess I am really looking for ideas, suggestions and support. I am so upset and distressed at the moment.

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pigsforlife3

Post   » Thu Dec 13, 2007 3:19 am


I have just got back from the vets.

T'was a bit frustrating, Buttercup seemed alot better for the appointment but sneezed on the way home. Both girls are back on baytril.

I explained to the vet that re-occuring URIs are a sign of heart problems and that I was worried that this was the case. So he used the stethoscope and said that both girls had no heart murmurs and no fluid in their lungs. Now, correct me if I am wrong, but dont you have to be a exotic specialist with many years experience in guinea pigs to be able to detect a murmur/fluid in lungs using a stethoscope?

Now this guy is from the "normal" vet, he isnt the lady I saw last time and was the least bit helpful. I am very reluctant to go back to the exotic specialist as she refused to do anything unless the discharge changed, and as a result Buttercup got worse and worse. If I hadnt of taken her to the normal vet she would have died, I am sure. So I am really at a loss of what to do.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:06 am


Now, correct me if I am wrong, but dont you have to be a exotic specialist with many years experience in guinea pigs to be able to detect a murmur/fluid in lungs using a stethoscope?

Actually, you need an xray to tell for sure. If the lungs have lots of fluid in them, you may hear nothing.

User avatar
pigsforlife3

Post   » Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:08 am


I did think that that was the case Lynx. I am so frustrated, all the vets are hopeless, or that is how it seems.

I have 2 choices that I can think of:
1) Wait to see how they are at the end of this course of antibiotics
2) Ring up the exotic vet and order her to do a x-ray, at the same time continuing with the baytril..

Which one do you think I should do? Or is there something else?

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Dec 13, 2007 8:26 am


Read over www.guinealynx.info/.html
If you think there is any possibility there are heart problems, I would ask for an xray (maybe print that article and bring it along to the vet).

If you feel there is improvement on the antibiotics, I guess I would continue for the time being.

www.guinealynx.info/_advice.html

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