Poorly pig - advice please

[Trottersindependenttraders]

FernieB, EastmidlandGP & 70 - I could do with your advice please.

Fuzzbert my 2 year old teddy boar has a nasty respiratory infection. Cultures showed profuse growth in his trachea, he’s finally on the right meds - baytrill could only suppress it. I’m feeding him critical care, he’s picking a hay and occasionally parsley and cuddling him lots but i’m not hopeful. Is it possible to get a poorly pig better or do you think his decline is inevitable. I won’t let him suffer but I don’t want to have to make that decision.
Veterinary nurse suggested the meds should kick in tomorrow ‘if they’re going to’. I feel so blue

[PurpleDaisies]

They can go from looking at death’s door to fine overnight. It sounds like you’re doing the right things (keep him nice and warm too) so I’d do as the vet says and see.

It’s horrible having a poorly pig. Fingers crossed for yours.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Oh it was Fuzzbert that had a GA wasn't it?

Its really hard to tell with piggies , they can indeed go one way or t'other without warning.
Positive - he's on the right meds. The vets/vet nurse has to be optimistic but realistic . Sometimes even throwing the big guns at them won't prise their paws off the Bridge
He's interested in food
You're keeping him hydrated and Critical Care to keep his guts moving.
Teddy pigs are lovely big solid piggies , plenty of fat reserve .

If he does go then its usually a rapid decline (and I know this from experience, some of my guineas have died within 4-12 hours of visiting the vet. No slight on our lovely guinea-pig vet, the piggies are just that type of animal)

Hope for the best , prepare for the worst

[Trottersindependenttraders]

Thank you both.

It was Fuzz with the GA, yes. I thought i’d got my happy pig back on Wednesday but then I think the infection kicked in

I guess time will tell. He’s had a number of infections since the day we brought him home but they never bothered him before and he’s been happy.

He lives inside and the heating is on so he’s nice and toasty. His cage mate couldn’t care less, popcorning round the cage and eating all that spare food, bless him.

[FernieB]

Sorry to hear Fuzz is under the weather. My Gingerpig had a respiratory infection earlier this year and once the meds’ kicked in, he didn’t look back and after a couple of days you wouldn’t have known he’d been ill. They can and do recover. Keep at it with him and persevere with the CC. Good luck.

[EastMidsGPs]

Oh Fuzz.
We too have had really poorly pigs who have recovered. Moll had nasty chest infection a couple of years ago .. you could hear her grunting and wheezing from the next county .. it took a couple of days of nursing a really miserable pig before the meds kicked in.
Keep doing what you are doing and hope.

Sadly sometimes piggies just give up but whilst he is taking an interest, taking his CC and meds, I'd give him oddles of cuddles and make sure he is warm

We've got our 🐾🐾 for Fuzz.

[Trottersindependenttraders]

Thanks for your responses everyone and reassurance that he can get better. He’s taken food off us this morning and has been up and wandering about so I am cautiously optimistic. Not sure if it’s the meds or his mood has lifted after watching Friday night tv with me last night . Fingers and paws crossed that he stays up.

[EastMidsGPs]

Oh now that sounds like progress
Plenty of pee and poo??

[Trottersindependenttraders]

Poo, yes. Wee, harder to tell but I think so - he had a big wee when I put him back last night which i’ve not seen him do for a bit. I’m still going to cc today until I can be sure he’s eating as much as he should. He’s sat on my knee chatting a bit more today.

[EastMidsGPs]

Chatting good.
Pooing good.
Being interested in food good.

Hopefully a couple more days of being spoiled rotten will bring about a great improvement.

[PurpleDaisies]

How are things going op?

[Trottersindependenttraders]

Up & down Purple . This morning, happy pig and then went a bit downhill. He’s picked at food on and off today but picked up again tonight after metacam and more antibiotics. More cc tonight to make sure he keeps his strength up.
This is hard!

[EastMidsGPs]

How's Fuzz doing?

[Trottersindependenttraders]

Hi EastmidsGP, thanks for asking

He’s doing okay at the moment, back to eating & drinking normally, no wheezing that can be heard at the other side of the Pennines and he’s much happier. Check up with vet on Thursday so i’m hoping he’ll be pleased with his progress. Paws crossed 🐾🐾

[Mightyfedup]

If your piggie is on antibiotics he should have a probiotic an hour later as they wipe out good bacteria too.
Give plenty of critical care regularly to keep the digestive system going x

[Trottersindependenttraders]

I’ve read about them needing probiotics before, one to ask the vet about later this week. We fed him cc 24/7 when he was really poorly but since Sunday he’s eaten normally and appears at the front of the cage for food.

[FernieB]

So pleased for Fuzzbert (such a great name). Sounds like he’s back on track. Obviously, now he’s convalescing he’ll need extra helpings of all his favourite foods, just to build up his strength, and you’ll probably need to provide these hourly.

BTW I probably live ‘the other side of the pennines’ and my pigs say they can’t hear him wheezing anymore!

[EastMidsGPs]

Great news
I left it as I didn't like to ask .. but then couldn't wait any longer .. I was fearing the worst tho.
Well done Fuzz .. now milk the sympathy for all it is worth 😉

[Trottersindependenttraders]

Lord Fuzz is feasting on parsley & green pepper at regular intervals throughout the day. I’ve had the heating on far more than I would if it was just me here so hopefully all this living the life of Riley will pay off

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Aww good to hear he's rallying.

I bought some Probiotic powder from P@H (can't remember the brand, yellow tub) it goes on the food.(then you have to painstakingly hand feed them)
Our vet gives Probiotic sachets with antibiotics.

Keep up the good work FuzzBert (and milk it for all its worth natch )

[Trottersindependenttraders]

Vet check up and he is quite happy with Fuzzbert's progress. He sounds much better but he has stressed that this particular infection is going to be a bugger to get rid of so he may be on antibiotics for a few weeks. Apparently this is a soil borne bacteria and the only time he's treated it before, it was in the form of a bladder infection. Goodness knows how le Fuzz has picked this up then!

I also wanted to say that you're all fab for checking up on us and passing on your advice, much appreciated!

[EastMidsGPs]

Great news 😃

And as my two have just said, if you're going to have an illness that requires all the faff of a visit to the vet's you might as well make it worthwhile and have something exotic, tricky or that has the vet searching their head 😉

Oh Fuzz are you going to be spoilt!!

[FernieB]

Oooo - antibiotics for weeks! Mine are so jealous. They love having meds.

Glad Fuzz has vet approval. It’s great he’s making such a good recovery.