File :-(, x, )
Anonymous
I have a big problem.

I bought a new guinea pig today, and my other one marked his scent all over him, so I promptly bathed the both of them and prepared seperate cages. I made sure to dry both, even using a blow dryer with a low setting.

He is young, and also small. I noticed soon after getting him that he "wheezed" when he breathed, and his breathing was heavy, but he seemed active so I didn't worry too much.

Now he's breathing very heavily and wheezing/hooting when he does so. I don't want my new baby to die, please /an/, what can I do?

Pic related, it's the new baby.
>> Anonymous
don't worry, I have a snake that would like him. and his friend.
>> Anonymous
Guinea pigs are nature's Wilford Brimleys. Of course he is going to be wheezing.
>> Anonymous
best you can do is take it to the small animal vet and make sure it's really wheezing or if it's just sounds its making.
Always possible it could have upper respiratory problems.
>> Anonymous
>>184158
Beware of Diabeetus.
>> Liska !!LIVFOETqL8j
>>184137

What a little cutie; congratulations. Give him some vitamin C (either in a treat or in his water) and get him to the vet to be checked out right away. better safe than sorry.
>> Liska !!LIVFOETqL8j
forgot to mention too, as you go in and get them aquainted, put them in a neutral spot- such as the living room or something and make sure to keep a close eye on both. Is the older one neutered? I hope so, if not that may be where your trouble is coming from.
>> Anonymous
Shouldn't you have quarantined him first?

I do that when I bring home new rats. I'd assume it goes for other rodents.
>> Liska !!LIVFOETqL8j
I keep thinking of stuff, sorry. OP, does your little guy have any discharge around his nose or his eyes? Also, has your other guinea pig plucked any of his fur off, or do they just vy for dominance? keeping him seperate is good right now until you are sure about his health
>> Anonymous
Okay, let's use our brain for a minute here.

YOU THINK YOUR NEW PIG MIGHT BE SICK

THEREFORE, KEEP HIM THE HELL AWAY FROM THE OTHER ONE UNLESS YOU WANT THEM BOTH TO DIE

FUCKING CHRIST
>> Anonymous
Make him train goddamnit he's really out of shape to be wheezing from just sitting in one place. Make him jog every morning and do muscle training at the gym in the evenings. Swimming is fine too.
>> Anonymous
OP here, thanks for all the input, and no, I didn't have him in the same cage as my other pig while he was showing symptoms. My new one didn't have any discharge around his eyes or nose.

Unfortunately the soonest I could take him in today was around 10, and he seemed to be doing better. About 5 minutes before we got to the vet he passed away. We went to the store we bought him from and told them about his symptoms so they could check out and tend to the others that he was caged with.

Thanks for all of the input.
>> Liska !!LIVFOETqL8j
>>184490

i'm so sorry to hear :(
>> Anonymous
I wouldn't be comfortable at all with that thing so close to my crotch.
>> Anonymous
>>184490
Sorry for your loss, OP.
Now you have to keep a close eye on your current pig just in case whatever the other pig had was contagious.

You got the recently deceased one from the pet store, right? Rodents there are not usually taken care of so well, come from rodent mills, etc. They are prone to illnesses. When you are ready for a new one, try looking into adopting a new pig or a good breeder.
>> Anonymous
>>184137
Don't. Bath. Rodents. Unless you know how to do so, don't test it. Moreover, NEVER dry them with a hairdryer unless you want them to get a heart attack.

I'm sorry for your lose. He was most likely sick from the beggining. Seconding>>184512.
>> Anonymous
microwave that son of a bitch
>> Anonymous
>>184490
betcha it was your fault somehow
>> Liska !!LIVFOETqL8j
     File :-(, x)
>>184500
>> spiderman !!Q+JluTncCte
sorry to hear the bad news OP..hopefully your other pig is fine.

>>184650
that's the "arm pic" i was talking about. :P
>> Liska !!LIVFOETqL8j
>>184663

I know, but it isn't it.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
OP here with an update.

My boyfriend was sweet enough to adopt a pair piggies for me. One male and the other female.

Yes we cleaned out everything that Baby (R.I.P) had touched and whatnot, and also changed out our air filter and disenfected our bedroom where we kept it for that night.

We've kept them quarentined from our other boar Geraldo, and will do so for awhile. Unfortunately the new boar sneezes on occasion and has a little bit of dried snot in his nose, but is running around and eating healthy. We will be taking him to the vet as soon as their doors open tomorrow though, as to not repeat the last pig.

I've named the sow "Girly-Girl", but have yet to officially name the boar. He has a very imposing body-guard demeanor to him, and any attempts at a name would be appreciated.

Here they are ^^
>> Anonymous
Guinea pigs are be prone to catching upper respiratory infections, which can be fatal rather quickly. You have to give them guinea-pig-safe antibiotics (baytril, chloramphenicol or bactrim, not penicillin-type) as soon as you notice symptoms.
>> Anonymous
>>185139
Deidre, is that you?
>> Anonymous
>>185139

You got a girl and a boy? How in the world are you going to keep them from mating as they mature (I believe females reach sexual maturity at 1 month, the male's is a little later)? Unless you know a small animal specialist, risking to spay the female is a 50/50 chance of her survival. Then again, maybe you want a herd of twelve?

Anyway, sad to hear about the first one, but if your other boar is showing signs of eye or nose crust, he might have received the infection. Good to hear you'll be taking him in, however. Either way, congratulations on the two new cavies nonetheless. Got a baby girl a few weeks ago myself.
>> Anonymous
>>184137
in before second and third death

STOP KILLING ANIMALS
>> Anonymous
>>185172I believe females reach sexual maturity at 1 month, the male's is even sooner*

Sorry, this is what I meant to say.
>> Liska !!LIVFOETqL8j
>>185139

name it Terminator :D

>>185172
Simple- neuter the male. Thats what i ended up doing, when my other male passed i got him a younger female. They can do whatever they want but there won't be a any babies.

give your sneezing piggy plenty of vitamin C.
>> Anonymous
>>185195
Aren't the same risks involved with any sort of surgery involving sedation? I hear that they don't handle it very well and die while under.
>> Liska !!LIVFOETqL8j
>>185206

this is true; as it is exactly how mine ended up passing away (though there was something else going on too, and i felt it necessary, as he was growing lumps around his belly). Only do necessary procedures and it's very much a on a need to have basis. One of my male piggies were really aggressive to the other one, so I needed to have them both neutered. They thankfully both calmed down after that.
>> Anonymous
>>185211
Ah, I did hear that neutering males may be required if there is aggression, though a larger cage was also recommended. Either way, I guess it really depends on the vet and the surgery, maybe.
>> evil-I_r_n00b !uBtEV.LAic
ITT: people get upset over lab test animals.
>> Anonymous
awww I remember my guinea pig louie started breathing strangely/wheezing after two years with him; he shortly died a few says after. I think you should take the little guinea to a vet soon soon.
>> Anonymous
Neutering is definitely the less invasive procedure, much easier to do than spaying. In most cases, doesn't it help the animal to live longer, too? Calms them down enough to make a difference? I know it does in rabbits, at least.
>> Liska !!LIVFOETqL8j
>>185230

mine started wheezing too. it freaked me out, i rushed him to the emergency vet and they told me he was Ok. I brought him to my other vet the next morning-- his infection had gotten worse. Stuff happens unfortunately, though it's absolutely heartbreaking when it does.
>> Liska !!LIVFOETqL8j
>>185286

yeah, it calmed my freaky piggy down a LOT. He's much easier to pet and gets along better with the other girl and back when the guy. Both of my boys made it through the neutering no problem- just monitor their eating & drinking habits very, VERY carefully. Mine just stopped eating and i had to hand feed him.

lately, i've also found that putting a towel over half the cage makes them come and play outside more. I've never seen them so active (i originally put it there to help keep them warm from the window, they actually love it)
>> Anonymous
OP again.

The male doesn't seem too "interested" in the female. They're both definately mature, so she might already be preggers. In any case we'll raise the babies to maturity and sell or give them away to good homes.

The piggy with snot seems to be doing better, he's running around and eating plenty, so he might be able to ride it out.

We tried getting him into a vet, but the only small animal vet in town is booked up until 9 AM tomorrow.
>> Liska !!LIVFOETqL8j
>>185293

emergency vet. Do you all have 24 hour emergency vets nearby? Take him in. The crusting is the sign that something's wrong and he needs to be treated! Google VCA Animal Hospitals and see if there's one local. That's where i took my baby when he started wheezing.
>> Anonymous
>>184137
TAKE TO VET
>> Anonymous
Hey if you really are Deidre, I want you to know that every moment you spend drawing breath makes another fracture on my heart.
I wasn't done with you, damn it.
>> Anonymous
OP here.

We're not really on the financialy "well off" side, so the emergency vet was out of the question.

We took him in this morning however, and found he had a simple cold. The vet gave him a shot, some antibiotics, and sent us on our way. He said the pig would be fine, just that the people who had him before us didn't give him enough vitamin C, so his immune system was down, but that we were giving him plenty and to keep up what we're doing.