3436. What causes a guinea pig to make loud wheezing lung sounds?

 VIDEO CREATION BY STEFANIE

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VIDEO. Show footage of around 30 seconds.

"My guinea pig was wheezing loudly yesterday evening," the young lady told me that her pet could have caught a cold as the past days were rainy days.  The young female guinea pig's nostrils were opening and closing very fast as she whistled.

   

BKTP IMAGE AND TITLE 

PHYSICAL EXAMINATION.

The guinea pig was the quiet type. She had lost some weight as she was over 800 g. She had no fever and was still eating. I checked her eyes and nose. They did not have any discharge. She also did not cough. Hence I would say she was not suffering from respiratory infections.

  
I auscultated her lungs. I heard loud harsh whistling sounds louder one the left lungs. (IMAGE OF STETHOSCOPE).

She reacted to pain when I palpated the sides of her rib cage were palpated. 

X-RAYS
TRAUMATIC INJURY TO THE LUNG AREAS. The cloudy areas in the left lung area suggested fluid. This could be blood, caused by traumatic injury. The fluid blocked the smooth flow of air in the airways. This lead to wheezes---high pitched whistles when the guinea pig breathes. 

Fluid in the left lungs block the airway passages. When the 
guinea breathes in and out, you can hear the whistling sounds. 

The male guinea pig was around 1 kg while she was around 800g. Both stayed together. 

The sudden onset harsh respiratory sounds, teeth grinding noise were due to great pain to

the chest area, likely caused by the male guinea pig or during play. 

TREATMENT
I warded the guinea pig for one night. I injected antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory. Her wheezes were much reduced in frequency. She passed around 90 pellets and hence was normal.

The owner took her home with antibiotics for 10 days. 

FOLLOW UP

5 days later, on 9 November 2020, I phoned the owner. "My guinea pig still wheezes but her sounds are softer. "She is eating and does not mount the male guinea pig."  

  

A review 2 weeks later is recommended if the wheezes are still present.

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OTHER VIDEOS TO BE EDITED TO BE INCLUDED IN ABOVE FINAL VIDEO.

Consultation. Day 1

Consultation. Day 1

After injection. Day 2. Before going home. Had passed over 80 faecal pellets

overnight as an inpatient

Video from owner. Day 5 of treatment. Guinea pig

at home. Still wheezes but not so loud.

Active. Eating normally. 

 

What does wheezy breathing sound like?

Wheezing is simply a whistling sound made when breathing. It is typically heard when a person exhales (breathes out) and sounds like a high-pitched whistle. Sometimes it is heard when inhaling — or breathing in — as well. It is not simply loud breathing or the sound of congestion or mucus when you breathe.

Wheezing happens when the airways are tightened, blocked, or inflamed, making a person's breathing sound like whistling or squeaking. Common causes include a cold, asthma, allergies, or more serious conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Image of auscultation

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Youtube and Facebook posting

5 days ago, on Thursday 5 Nov 2020, the young lady owner suspected that the loud wheezes of her guinea pig was due to the cold weather (raining for the past few days). The whistling sounds were audible even from afar.

There was no loss of appetite, but loss of weight. No fever. I palpated both sides of the chest laterally. The guinea pig moved in response to pain experienced on my finger palpation of the chest. X-rays showed fluid in the left lungs. After an antibiotic and anti-inflammatory injection and an overnight inpatient stay, the guinea pig had much lesser wheezes and was sent home. 10 November 2020. I asked the owner to WhatsApp her guinea pig wheezes. This owner's video shows that the whistling sounds are still present but less loud, according to the owner. My diagnosis of the cause in this case was traumatic injury to the lungs, likely due to the mounting and dismounting of the two guinea pigs. I based this finding on pain being felt on the side of the chest during palpation of the chest wall. Also the X-rays. The "fluid" in the lungs were likely "bleeding or inflammation" "No mounting by the male guinea pig," the owner said. "In fact this female, although 800 g in weight was proactive in trying to mount the male who is over 1 kg!" As the female guinea pig still had excellent appetite and the whistling sounds were softer, the guinea pig would be observed and to continue with the given oral antibiotic for 10 days in total to prevent lung infections.

ORIGINAL IMAGES.