Concerns of URI, please give advice

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ArmyWife

Well-known member
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Sep 13, 2011
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New Jersey
I am currently treating my female for coccidia and having been giving her Albon every night for the past 5 nights. She is currently nursing two, 1 month old kits. Tonight after giving her meds, I gave her and the kits a dust bath and Mom sneezed 10+ times and kept wiping her nose after the dust bath. I just went downstairs to check on them, I heard some slight squeeking coming from her nose while she was breathing. She is still very active and eating/drinking but I'm just concerned that she's starting to get a URI. I still have a bottle of SMZ-TMP from May when she had the beginnings of a URI. I don't know if this is crazy for me to ask but could I switch from the Albon to the SMZ-TMP to treat the URI or should I just bring her to my vet? Sorry just slightly freaking out especially since I've got my two kits to worry about as well.
 
I just spent an hour downstairs with them to observe Mom. She isn't sneezing, I just hear the quiet squeaks when she breathes... I wouldn't say it's "wheezing" Her and the kits are insanely active and rambunctious. I called my vet (it's an emergency vet center) and they recommended I call at 9am tomorrow morning to see if I can see the exotic vet I usually see. If he can't fit me in then I'll have to go through the emergency side and see an ER vet who doesn't specialize in exotics. Last time my female had a URI she acted completely different. She was very lethargic and wasn't eating anything, not even a shredded wheat.
 
Is she squeaking with each breath? If not, she might be talking to her kits. I have a couple who talk non stop when they have little ones. If it is really her breathing causing the squeaking, she needs to see the vet. More often than not, you caught it early so she is not showing any other symptoms but is still sick. The sooner she gets treated, the easier it will be for both you and her.
 
Cuddlebug said:
Is she squeaking with each breath? If not, she might be talking to her kits. I have a couple who talk non stop when they have little ones. If it is really her breathing causing the squeaking, she needs to see the vet. More often than not, you caught it early so she is not showing any other symptoms but is still sick. The sooner she gets treated, the easier it will be for both you and her.
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It sounded like squeaking with each breath. My husband and I checked on her earlier today and we heard no wheezing from her chest. Then tonight we held her and could hear very faint wheezing and she made two little sneezes when we were there. We have an appointment for tomorrow morning to bring in Mom and babies. I'm praying we caught this early and she has a quick recovery.
 
AZChins said:
I hope she's alright! If it is a URI, you will probably want to go with a stronger antibiotic like Baytril. Let us know how it goes tomorrow.
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My husband is taking them to the vet right now. I couldn't go because I have work :( This morning she appeared to be doing ok, awake and active with the kits. My husband thinks I'm literally crazy worrying about this since she doesn't appear sick but he doesn't understand how an URI can worsen so fast and lead to death. I've got good chinnie instincts and I know my girl is definitely getting sick. I'll update you all once I hear from my husband. :crossfingers:
 
Just heard from my husband. The vet observed some irritation around her nose but didn't hear any wheezing. Kits look great and healthy. He wants us to continue giving the Albon but also give her .2mls of baytril (once a day) to help clear it up. If it doesn't start clearing up then we'll have to bring her back in. Our vet is so nice that he didn't even make us pay for the visit. I'm so thankful to have such a great vet to rely on for our fur babies.

My only concern though is is safe to give BOTH since baytril is so strong???
 
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I feel like I'm losing my mind! This morning I went downstairs to hand feed my male chin and before I did that I said hi to my female and her two kits. I could hear very loud squeaking noises coming from my female's nose with every breath she took. She's still very active and eating but I'm nervous that once again she maybe developing a URI. Are some chins just more susceptible to URIs or am I just worrying way too much?
 
URI's can be tough to treat. It could be that she didn't have enough antibiotics in the first round to knock it out.
 
Is it possible for some chins to just have squeaky breathing? My female still squeaks sometimes when she's breathing, but it appears like it's only noticeable when she's smelling around the cage. She's very active and eating/pooping. I haven't noticed any difference, I just sometimes hear the squeaking. I think I may bring her to the vet anyways this weekend because I'm bringing my male in to have his abscess looked at.
 
Some chins will make little squeaks while they are exploring or playing. If she is not showing any other signs of illness, she's just talking.
 
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