Saving a Guinea Pig with a URI (upper respiratory infection)

Guinea pig parents - please read and share with others !

We like to share our experiences with everyone and give tips we have found to be very valuable in saving and caring for critters, so that lots of other critters can benefit from them. Please understand that GOING TO AN EXPERIENCED VET is always our number 1 piece of advice!! This info below is not to be used in stead of receiving treatment from a vet, but rather in conjunction with treatment from a vet as supportive care.

This info is based on our experiences with Guinea Pigs and URI's. (Upper respiratory infections)

One thing that is a problem this time of year (because of the warm days and very cold nights) is URI's, which can be fatal if left untreated or if the Guinea Pig starts to lose weight & strength and cannot continue to fight to survive. Many people call me to tell me that they lost their piggy to a URI 😢 and there is no reason this should happen to young, strong Guinea Pigs if they get the right treatment soon enough from a vet, ongoing care (heated room) and supplement feeding (not all vets mention this).

Here are some basic tips to ensuring your Guinea Pigs has the best chance of survival:

1. Go to a vet immediately, preferably one who is experienced with little exotics, if you notice any lack of appetite, lethargy, sneezing, discharge, crusty eyes, raspy chest, wheezing etc. They will give you a diagnosis and give you an exotic-safe antibiotic if it is a respiratory infection. Please note* some medications disrupt the intestinal flora, like penicillin, so that can be deadly for a Guinea pig.

2. An upper respiratory infection is highly contagious so your sick Piggy must be separated from any others, as well as other animals like Rabbits etc.

3.Get a kitchen scale and weigh your Guinea Pig immediately after diagnosis. If your Guinea Pig loses ANY weight, you will need to supplement their feeding by force feeding every few hours. * EVEN IF YOUR GUINEA PIG IS EATING SOME FOOD ON THEIR OWN, IT MAY NOT BE ENOUGH TO KEEP THE GUT WORKING AND KEEP THEM STRONG ENOUGH TO SURVIVE*. The amount depends on how much they continue to eat on their own but MANY pigs will not survive without force feeding & liquid syringing. If you find yourself needing to do this, you may whatsapp me on 0727317397 for more info on how to do this safely and what quantity etc.. * you need to do so very carefully as there is a risk that you will aspirate the liquid into the lungs. In general, you will need a 1-2ml new syringe for filtered water and a 5ml syringe for food. And you can use any of the following supplement feeds- Critical care (first prize) but this is only available at some exotic vets, Baby purity (plain fruit or veg with no dairy) And you will need to mash up some good quality timothy hay based pellets (www. pethabitat.co.za supply these) to force feed. Generally, you should feed about 4ml of food and 2ml of liquid every 2-3 hours but this depends on how sick your piggy is and how much they are eating on their own, and the amount of weight lost.

4. Some Guinea Pigs will need other meds to help them if the antibiotics cause stomach upset and they stop eating, like Clopamon (anti cramping/spasm) ,but your vet will know what to supply and give you advice on this.

5. Keep your Guinea Pigs inside in a heated room. Do not use a heat pad but rather heat the room with a suitable, safe heater. The temp must be warmer then normal room temperature. This will help the immune system to fight. I would suggest a pen, and not a carrier, because if they are stressed, this will cause them to lose their appetite too.

6. Give your Guinea Pigs lots of hay and pellets but also their favourite fresh foods, to encourage them to eat. I find wheatgrass works wonders with a piggy who does not seem to respond to their normal fresh food when ill. It has so many health benefits and properties which aid in recovery from illness or injury. Just monitor that the wheatgrass does not cause stomach ups

7. Continue with treatment until your piggy is 100% and is back to normal weight. If it is particularly cold at night and warm during the day, keep your piggy inside, warm and monitor them carefully for an additional few days if possible, to ensure they do not get sick again.

8. Once the course of antibiotics is complete, get a probiotic from your vet (I use Protexin) to help the gut recover.

9. For URI',s that are particularly bad or persistent, you can also try nebulising and massage- chat to your vet for this info.

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We always suggest people do their research before having these critters, so they can pick up on any signs of illness quickly and respond accordingly. The more you know, the more equipped you will be to help your Guinea Pig. We also think it is a good idea to keep these items which are mentioned above ( syringes, supplement food etc.) as an emergency 'care kit', so that once you have a diagnosis from a vet, you can start additional care immediately. Responding quickly is essential with small animals because by the time they are showing signs of illness they are already very ill! Also follow your gut- if you do not feel like you have had the right diagnosis or treatment, get a second opinion. If your piggy is not getting better in the appropriate given time, chat to your vet again and go for a check-up!