UK Piggy - Anselmo's Medical Thread

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Brainerror

Post   » Fri Apr 08, 2016 7:21 am


we use f10 to nebulise when the rats have respiratory issues. yes it's a disinfectant, but effective when diluted and nebulised. Super odd I know!

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Fri Apr 08, 2016 7:37 am


Good to know. If it's safe and works -- one can never have too many tools in the arsenal!

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Jaycey
Supporter in 2014

Post   » Fri Apr 08, 2016 9:12 am


Anselmo has a nebuliser and we use f10 in it. When he had a URI a couple of months ago we had to use antibiotics, of course, but the nebuliser really helped get everything out of him.

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Jaycey
Supporter in 2014

Post   » Fri Apr 08, 2016 8:22 pm


I think I'm going to have to take him to the non-guinea pig savvy vet in the morning.

It's 1am in the morning and I currently have him in the nebuliser in an attempt to quieten his breathing.

He's not got any discharge from his nose and he's bright, alert and eating but his breathing is the loudest I've ever heard. If you were to judge him just on the sound he sounds really congested, possibly on the verge of death.

But physically he's fine. In spite of his injured foot/leg he's getting around his cage fine and is eating hay now whilst the nebuliser is on.

Can anyone advise what to ask for? Gentimycin for the nebuliser? Swap to Baytril? Possibly an x-ray? They did alright when they xrayed him a couple of years ago for his bladder stone but I'm not sure I'd trust them whilst his breathing is this bad.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Fri Apr 08, 2016 8:35 pm


He needs an x-ray to see what's going on with his lungs. If it's pneumonia, he needs nebulized and oral antibiotics, maybe steroids. If it's a growth, those won't help.

If he's not feeling well, he may be still enough for them to take an x-ray without sedation.

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Jaycey
Supporter in 2014

Post   » Sat Apr 09, 2016 12:07 am


Thanks bpatters. With his foot/leg hurting him he's not moving around quite as much anyway. He still sounds snuffly, not quite as bad but I'm still thinking of taking him when they open in a few hours.

I'll ask if they will xray him as they only open for a few hours, and if not I'll see if they know if the emergency vet will do it.

Last option will be I'll ring my regular vet after and beg to take him first thing Monday morning for an xray.

Nonetheless I'll try for some Gentimycin for the nebuliser.

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daveandtiff

Post   » Sat Apr 09, 2016 3:22 am


Thinking of you and your little boy, Jaycey, hoping and praying things will go smoothly for him and that he will gain some comfort.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Sat Apr 09, 2016 10:48 am


Ditto. Best to him and please keep us posted.

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Jaycey
Supporter in 2014

Post   » Sat Apr 09, 2016 11:26 am


Thank you all!

Between me calling the vet for an appointment and the actual appointment Anselmo became a changed pig.

Althought the nebuliser isn't tackling the infection, I do think it has loosened stuff. So, his breathing is almost back to normal (he's was a bit noisy when I picked him up to go in his carrier) but he has a small yellow, almost brown crust around his nostrils.

The vet unfortunately could hardly tell which end of him was which so as his condition has improved I didn't push for an x-ray. I mentioned Gentamicin and she claimed not to have any of that, but had somethinking the same but a different brand, Bisolvon.

Just from reading the sachet it's obviously nothing like it, but I took it anyway to put in the piggy medicine box.

The vet reckons his lungs are quite noisy but my guinea pig vet always says his lungs sound clear and the noise is coming from further up his airways.

She checked his leg/foot and compared to the other one, and believes it"s not fractured or broken.

Plan of action is to continue with the Sulfatrim, twice a day 30 min nebuliser using f10, Metacam for his foot/leg and keep him confined.

If he gets worse I'll take him to the emergency vet for an x-ray but fingers crossed the current course of action is working as it's been 6 hours and only a very occasional noise from him.

I'll ring the guinea pig vet on Monday and book him in for an x-ray as soon as possible. She was reluctant to do it because of his age but I think there's enough various ailments requiring one now:

Check for bladder sludge/stones
Check his foot/leg for issues
Check his lungs for pneumonia
Check his heart for any problems
Take blood to check his protein levels and to see how he's doing on the Bendrofluzamide.

It'll be tough on him as she wants to sedate him but I think it's time to bite the bullet and take the risk. He's at least 6 years old now and healthy in all other regards. He's had 2 bladder stone surgeries before and various x-rays and scans so he'll be fine.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Sun Apr 10, 2016 10:23 am


I would tend to agree. If she's going to lightly sedate him for the blood draw, get the x-ray too (or vice versa). That is, sedation is sedation, iow, and may as well get done what needs done.

Very, very best to him and to you. Please keep us posted.

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Jaycey
Supporter in 2014

Post   » Tue Apr 12, 2016 8:37 am


Anselmo is booked in for his "guineagram" (the vets words) on Friday.

I've not spoken to the vet yet about his test results as she was in an appointment but she'll ring me back. I know very little about guinea pigs urine. Would someone know what a normal protein level is, and what would be high? Just so I know enough to be compare to when I get the results.

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Jaycey
Supporter in 2014

Post   » Tue Apr 12, 2016 9:43 am


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

I found it! Just adding the link here so I can find it again when I need it.

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