Chronic stuffy nose
Writing to update on this thread as Champion's chronic stuffy nose continues to be an issue and is getting worse lately. She is 4 years old now and about 6 months ago her congestion got worse than usual and she seemed to be having more difficulty breathing: her nostrils were flared, her abdomen was jerking with each breath, and she had mucous coating her nostrils.
I took her back to Avon Lake Animal Clinic to see Dr. Krupka. He was fabulous with our cat and he is specialized in exotics. He was more intent to listen to my concerns and not just immediately treat her for another URI. He did a swab of her nostrils and found infection only in one nostril. He said this was strange and not indicative of a URI. He offered to run a CT scan, thinking it is possible that she has a mass in one nostril that is causing an infection. We declined the CT since it would be over $1,000. He put her on Baytril, but a longer course (3 weeks). After 3 weeks she seemed mostly back to normal. But who is to say if the antibiotics worked, or if the symptoms just subsided again over time?
Anyway, a month ago she became worse again and Dr. Krupka refilled her Baytril and I administered to Champion for the last 3 weeks. There has been no improvement and I think she is worse than ever. She is breathing harder than ever before and is having trouble eating because she is exerting so much effort to breathe. She is very responsive to hand feeding critical care, so we have been able to minimize her weight loss. But she is still underweight (1.4lb).
I took her back to Dr. Krupka yesterday because the Baytril had not improved her breathing. He agreed this was concerning and was beginning to suspect a heart problem. He did X-rays and determined (along with a referral to cardiologist) that there is no evidence of a heart condition. It is not enlarged and there is no evidence of fluid in the cardiac/lung area. Now the cardiologist is recommending a CT scan to check for "upper airway disease". Again, we cannot pay for a CT scan, so Dr. Krupka has decided to try Prednisone to see if it will help with inflammation.
I have tried to look up "upper airway disease" but all I can find is information on upper respiratory infections. Has anyone else heard of this diagnosis?
Between her and my other pig Stormy who has been ill for the last month (unrelated symptoms) as well, I am losing my mind. They both seem to have mysterious (and expensive!) ailments. I just want them to be comfortable. :(
I took her back to Avon Lake Animal Clinic to see Dr. Krupka. He was fabulous with our cat and he is specialized in exotics. He was more intent to listen to my concerns and not just immediately treat her for another URI. He did a swab of her nostrils and found infection only in one nostril. He said this was strange and not indicative of a URI. He offered to run a CT scan, thinking it is possible that she has a mass in one nostril that is causing an infection. We declined the CT since it would be over $1,000. He put her on Baytril, but a longer course (3 weeks). After 3 weeks she seemed mostly back to normal. But who is to say if the antibiotics worked, or if the symptoms just subsided again over time?
Anyway, a month ago she became worse again and Dr. Krupka refilled her Baytril and I administered to Champion for the last 3 weeks. There has been no improvement and I think she is worse than ever. She is breathing harder than ever before and is having trouble eating because she is exerting so much effort to breathe. She is very responsive to hand feeding critical care, so we have been able to minimize her weight loss. But she is still underweight (1.4lb).
I took her back to Dr. Krupka yesterday because the Baytril had not improved her breathing. He agreed this was concerning and was beginning to suspect a heart problem. He did X-rays and determined (along with a referral to cardiologist) that there is no evidence of a heart condition. It is not enlarged and there is no evidence of fluid in the cardiac/lung area. Now the cardiologist is recommending a CT scan to check for "upper airway disease". Again, we cannot pay for a CT scan, so Dr. Krupka has decided to try Prednisone to see if it will help with inflammation.
I have tried to look up "upper airway disease" but all I can find is information on upper respiratory infections. Has anyone else heard of this diagnosis?
Between her and my other pig Stormy who has been ill for the last month (unrelated symptoms) as well, I am losing my mind. They both seem to have mysterious (and expensive!) ailments. I just want them to be comfortable. :(
- Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
I am unfamiliar with "upper airway disease" also. Perhaps the next time you could ask more about it (if it is bacterial or what).
You have read the heart page, no? Do you see any signs of possible heart issues?
www.guinealynx.info/heart.html
I wonder what specifically he was looking for on the xrays. If there is any chance there is excess fluid, a duretic like furosemide and possibly heart medication could help.
Is there any way he might be willing to do a trial just to see if it helped with her breathing?
You have read the heart page, no? Do you see any signs of possible heart issues?
www.guinealynx.info/heart.html
I wonder what specifically he was looking for on the xrays. If there is any chance there is excess fluid, a duretic like furosemide and possibly heart medication could help.
Is there any way he might be willing to do a trial just to see if it helped with her breathing?
Yeah, he was rushed today because he was in and out of surgery. But he said he’d call me back to explain more and to check on Champion after a few days of the prednisone.
I have read the heart page and I printed it out to show him and highlighted the symptoms I felt Champion was exhibiting: lethargy, chronic congestion/URI, labored breathing, and weight loss/slight loss of appetite. He agreed at the time it was possible she had a heart condition. But he agreed with the cardiologist that the X-rays showed no signs of an enlarged heart or fluid in the cardiac/lung region. They also ruled out pneumonia.
I am willing to try the Prednisone, but I will ask him when I talk to him next week if we could trial the heart meds. I read a few threads where pigs didn’t show an enlarged heart on an X-ray, but still benefitted from the heart meds.
Is there anything I need to keep in mind with the Prednisone. I saw that increased thirst and urination is common. Is it a relatively safe drug for pigs?
I have read the heart page and I printed it out to show him and highlighted the symptoms I felt Champion was exhibiting: lethargy, chronic congestion/URI, labored breathing, and weight loss/slight loss of appetite. He agreed at the time it was possible she had a heart condition. But he agreed with the cardiologist that the X-rays showed no signs of an enlarged heart or fluid in the cardiac/lung region. They also ruled out pneumonia.
I am willing to try the Prednisone, but I will ask him when I talk to him next week if we could trial the heart meds. I read a few threads where pigs didn’t show an enlarged heart on an X-ray, but still benefitted from the heart meds.
Is there anything I need to keep in mind with the Prednisone. I saw that increased thirst and urination is common. Is it a relatively safe drug for pigs?
I have a similar topic. I don't know whether to worry or not.
Axel makes a strange sound, it is the same sound a person makes when it is congested. But he does it once and then for a long time he breathes normally.
I get the impression that he has something inside his nose that he tries to eliminate by blowing through his nose.
Axel had coccidiosis a while ago. He took baycox.
At that time he had lost a lot of weight. Today he is much more recovered, there is no diarrhea, he has regained his weight, he eats Timothy hay, Pellets and vegetables. But it has that sound that makes at times. I think when he sleeps he never makes that sound.
The other detail is that drinks very little water. Sometimes he approaches the bottle with water, goes straight to drink, but does not.
It is very difficult to take it to the veterinarian since in the nearby areas there are no exotic ones. I could go to another city but given the protests and everything that is happening in Chile, it is difficult.
Axel makes a strange sound, it is the same sound a person makes when it is congested. But he does it once and then for a long time he breathes normally.
I get the impression that he has something inside his nose that he tries to eliminate by blowing through his nose.
Axel had coccidiosis a while ago. He took baycox.
At that time he had lost a lot of weight. Today he is much more recovered, there is no diarrhea, he has regained his weight, he eats Timothy hay, Pellets and vegetables. But it has that sound that makes at times. I think when he sleeps he never makes that sound.
The other detail is that drinks very little water. Sometimes he approaches the bottle with water, goes straight to drink, but does not.
It is very difficult to take it to the veterinarian since in the nearby areas there are no exotic ones. I could go to another city but given the protests and everything that is happening in Chile, it is difficult.