My guinea pig Toast (male, 2ish??, Abyssinian), we got him from a humane society in Midwest USA, he was found abandoned outside. He came with a runny nose but no other issues. Took him to our vet, they obviously said probably URI. Gave him Baytril + acetylcysteine in a nebulizer. Didn't work. Took him back to the vet. Tried sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim mixture (SMZ/TMP) orally. Didn't work. Took him back. Tried Meloxicam (inflammation?) and doxycycline, and refilled the nebulizer medicine (Baytril, acetylcysteine). Didn't work. Took him back.
NOTE: At this point i'd had him for 4 months ish. This time the vet said we could either try nasal culture and/or CT scan, which would be amazing, but also $1000. Or we could try allergy meds. At this point he'd had this runny nose for 4 months not getting worse, and it wasn't a breathing issue, only a runny nose and sneezing every so often. Got allergy meds. It's not working! I got him an air purifier too and I'm testing to see if it's the hay being dusty or anything right now.
I've also tried making sure he has adequate vitamin c, and I wipe his nose gently when I can, but nothing helps.
I'm just not sure what to do. The past two weeks ish, maybe, his right eye has started being a bit watery but not overly so. That's the only thing that's changed in 4 months.
Any advice? I'd love to go ahead with the nasal culture but it's just not feasible for me right now, I'm super tight on money.
Toast Medical !!!
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ItsaZoo
- Supporter in 2024
What type of hay are you feeding? Some of the timothy I’ve bought is particularly dusty. One of my guinea pigs prefers Oxbow Stacks over anything else, and that’s supposed to have less dust. I also buy PetSmart’s Full Cheeks Orchard Grass for my other guinea pig and that is nice, clean strands of fresh-smelling hay.
Other than that, the only thing I can think of is a physical issue with the way his sinuses are shaped. I only mention this because I had a guinea pig with malformed ear canals and she had chronic ear infections.
Other than that, the only thing I can think of is a physical issue with the way his sinuses are shaped. I only mention this because I had a guinea pig with malformed ear canals and she had chronic ear infections.
Oh my goodness why didn't i think of adding that info. I use oxbow orchard grass hay (bought in 25lb form). I have fleece/noodle mat bedding for my piggies that I/my boyfriend spot clean daily and do a full clean weekly/sooner if needed.
I might try the full cheeks orchard grass hay actually! I get a discount at petsmart.
I might try the full cheeks orchard grass hay actually! I get a discount at petsmart.
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Talishan
- You can quote me
How is his weight? Is he holding, or gaining, weight? Eating, drinking, peeing, defecating well? Behaving normally? (What vets call "BAR" -- bright, alert and responsive.)
If everything else is fine, I'd suspect an allergen or something in his environment, too. Ditto the advice you have received. That said, we had one with a chronic 'snort'; I suspect this was a congenital sinus issue.
We also had one with sinus issues from dental problems (elongated roots). A dental x-ray might be a good idea, if/when your finances permit it.
You can also use (believe it or not) Chlor-Trimeton (chlorpheniramine maleate). We've used this successfully with a couple of ours. This doesn't sound like a standard URI, given what you've described and depending on if his weight, eating, drinking, and behavior are good.
Dose:
https://guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopi ... e#p2257635
Bless you and thank you for taking him in and caring for him so well.
If everything else is fine, I'd suspect an allergen or something in his environment, too. Ditto the advice you have received. That said, we had one with a chronic 'snort'; I suspect this was a congenital sinus issue.
We also had one with sinus issues from dental problems (elongated roots). A dental x-ray might be a good idea, if/when your finances permit it.
You can also use (believe it or not) Chlor-Trimeton (chlorpheniramine maleate). We've used this successfully with a couple of ours. This doesn't sound like a standard URI, given what you've described and depending on if his weight, eating, drinking, and behavior are good.
Dose:
https://guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopi ... e#p2257635
Bless you and thank you for taking him in and caring for him so well.
So! Update:
He's been still having a runny nose and weird breathing even with trying new hay types and air purifiers and cage cleanings and whatnot. So, I figured, let's try and have a run at our new (closer) vet. We took him there, she did not like his breathing, and she heard crackly noises with her stethoscope (when he wasn't screaming his lungs off, lol). We had to decide between a nasal culture and x-rays (finance-wise) and decided on x-rays. The x-rays showed that he has a slight layer of fluid around his heart and I believe it was his veins near his back/chest (or a similar tubular object) that were slightly enlarged, which our vet said were symptoms of onset pneumonia. GREAT. I feel great about that, not even treating him for two months when it was respiratory.
Anyways, he's on meloxicam and orbax (with benebac) now, since we have already (in the past, September-December) tried (in no particular order) SMZ-TMP, bactrim, doxy. I don't like throwing so many antibiotics at him and I worry so much about bacterial resistance. she said if the orbax doesn't work, to get the culture. I am so worried! I've heard not great things about orbax.
So, he's been on orbax for two full days now (three doses -- one the day of, yesterday, and today), and I haven't seen any improvement. Is this normal? Does it take a bit? I am so worried.
He's been still having a runny nose and weird breathing even with trying new hay types and air purifiers and cage cleanings and whatnot. So, I figured, let's try and have a run at our new (closer) vet. We took him there, she did not like his breathing, and she heard crackly noises with her stethoscope (when he wasn't screaming his lungs off, lol). We had to decide between a nasal culture and x-rays (finance-wise) and decided on x-rays. The x-rays showed that he has a slight layer of fluid around his heart and I believe it was his veins near his back/chest (or a similar tubular object) that were slightly enlarged, which our vet said were symptoms of onset pneumonia. GREAT. I feel great about that, not even treating him for two months when it was respiratory.
Anyways, he's on meloxicam and orbax (with benebac) now, since we have already (in the past, September-December) tried (in no particular order) SMZ-TMP, bactrim, doxy. I don't like throwing so many antibiotics at him and I worry so much about bacterial resistance. she said if the orbax doesn't work, to get the culture. I am so worried! I've heard not great things about orbax.
So, he's been on orbax for two full days now (three doses -- one the day of, yesterday, and today), and I haven't seen any improvement. Is this normal? Does it take a bit? I am so worried.
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Talishan
- You can quote me
Ditto the above. That said, the -floxacins (Orbax is a 'cousin' to Baytril) usually start to work pretty quickly.
They can also hit the piggie pretty hard. Weigh regularly, watch for lethargy, inappetance and loose-ish stool on Orbax. (This may or may not happen, just keep a watch on it). Be prepared to supplement with Critical Care if needed. Also use a probiotic, if you aren't already.
If it were me I'd ask the vet about the possibility of heart compromise --
https://guinealynx.info/heart.html
Not saying heart issues are involved, necessarily -- just a gut hunch I'd ask about if it were me.
The -floxacins are the antibiotics of choice for this. This should help him.
Continuing best wishes to him and to you!
They can also hit the piggie pretty hard. Weigh regularly, watch for lethargy, inappetance and loose-ish stool on Orbax. (This may or may not happen, just keep a watch on it). Be prepared to supplement with Critical Care if needed. Also use a probiotic, if you aren't already.
If it were me I'd ask the vet about the possibility of heart compromise --
https://guinealynx.info/heart.html
Not saying heart issues are involved, necessarily -- just a gut hunch I'd ask about if it were me.
The -floxacins are the antibiotics of choice for this. This should help him.
Continuing best wishes to him and to you!
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