Help - Degu with possible respiratory infection

[DorkyChantelle]

It's 3:30am right now and I'm up crying and freaking out because one of my degus seems to have caught my cold. I took as many precautions as I could. The degus had to stay in my room (literally nowhere else in the house they could go, plus every other member of my family was sick as well) so I tried to limit my contact with them. I even slept in the living room on the worst day of my illness. I put a sheet over the cage when I was in the room and washed my hands before handling anything in their cage.

But it seems that nothing worked. I just woke up to a sneezing degu. He has been sneezing in little isolated bursts for a couple days (just one or two sneezes once or twice a day) but now he's sneezing quite a bit. He's stopped for now but I'm so scared. I know how easily they get pneumonia and that there isn't a cure for it. My problem is that there are no vets that deal with degus in my area (at least none that I know of, I've called around). Even if I could find someone, I have absolutely NO money. My dad would never even think of giving me money to take a degu to the vet; he thinks of them as sort of novelties (it's hard to get him to even pay to take a cat or dog to the vet). I just don't know what to do! Are there any at-home remedies I could try? So far, his only symptom that I can tell is the sneezing. No eye discharge, sniffling, or wheezing. Should I put some of a crushed vitamin C pill in the water? I'm posting this in the urgent pet care forum because I know how fast these things can progress.

I feel so horribly guilty right now. Maybe I'm overreacting, but I'm really scared right now. I don't want to lose him...especially to an illness that I gave to him

Any help whatsoever would be greatly appreciated.

[pinkie1205]

I don't know anything really about degus. I would think to try to look stuff up in the internet. I don't think a crushed up vitamin c pill in the water would hurt. I would try to research everything first though.

[twostep]

A vitamin C pill may be too bitter. I think you can get vitamin C drops from a pet shop specifically for pets. A couple of drops in the water bowl will boost the immune system and help to fight colds.

[DorkyChantelle]

I gave a bit of a crushed up pill in water to them yesterday and they loved it. I think it's because it's one of those pills that are chewable and flavored like orange. I've never given them anything with sugar in it, so I figure they can have a tiny bit just this once. They're still sneezing but they're both active and eating and drinking. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they get over it!

[dusterbed]

Hi, I know it's costly for a vet, but a degu with respiratory problems...especially infection is in trouble. My degu has a resp problem and I use FerretRX to help relieve his symptoms. It's basically an organic Vicks Vap-O-Rub that you rub under their nostrils to clear the airway. You can usually get it at larger pet stores...ask them for Ferret Respiratory Meds. I do recommend searching for an exotic vet in your area. If you can't afford treatment, maybe someone can lend you the $ for a short time until you can pay them back.
I used the FerretRX for a short while but his breathing became too laboured and he got into serious trouble...but that's another story!
He's better now, but only with the care of a vet. Your degu might have any of a number of reesp problems. I hope he is feeling better soon!

[DorkyChantelle]

Thanks Their only symptom is still the sneezing. They only sneeze occasionally and never for as long as the first fit that prompted me to write this post. They love the vitamin C water and are continuing to be active and playful (eating and drinking fine). Haha, I'm watching them right now...one of them has discovered that he can get the wheel spinning from the outside by standing on his hind legs and pawing at it really fast. It seems to be keeping him busy

I'm really trying to find a vet even within an hour from here. Chances are poor that I could get there, but maybe I could talk to them on the phone or something. I'm making a trip to the pet store probably within the next day or two so I'll definitely ask about ferret meds. I heard (well...read on a sketchy website) that you can put Vicks Vap-o-Rub outside the cage and it will help. I just don't know if I wanna take the chance of irritating them more. I don't think they have an infection as of yet and I'm really hoping they can get over this since they seem to be doing really well. They lived in a home with young children before they came to live with me and I imagine they've had kids with runny noses playing with them plenty of times. My dad is going to contact the previous owners to ask about whether or not this has ever happened.

I'm just worried because even if they get over this, is this going to happen every time I get sick? I've recently started working in a hospital and I've been sick more in the last few weeks than in the last few years. *sigh*