Post by angelwyche - ADMIN on Dec 24, 2007 16:59:11 GMT
Guinea pig anatomy
The Respiratory Tract
The Respiratory Tract
Basic Structure
In all mammals, the respiratory system consists of the airways, the lungs, and the respiratory muscles that mediate the movement of air into and out of the body. Within the alveolar system of the lungs, molecules of oxygen and carbon dioxide are passively exchanged between the gaseous environment and the blood. Thus, the respiratory system facilitates oxygenation of the blood with and removal of carbon dioxide and other gaseous metabolic wastes from the circulation. The respiratory system can be conveniently subdivided into a conducting zone and a respiratory zone.
The conducting zone comprises:
The nose
The nasopharynx
The larynx or voice box
The trachea, an air tube that connects with the bronchi
The right main bronchus and the left main bronchus tubes that carry air to and from the lungs
The bronchioles, branches of the bronchi which distribute air to the alveoli
The terminal bronchioles
The respiratory zone comprises:
The respiratory bronchioles
The alveoli ducts
The alveoli, terminal sacs in which gas exchange
Upon inspiration, gas exchange occurs at the alveoli, the tiny sacs which are the basic functional component of the lungs. The alveolar walls are extremely thin (approx. 0.2 micrometers), and are permeable to gases. The alveoli are lined with pulmonary capillaries, the walls of which are also thin enough to permit gas exchange. Oxygen diffuses from the alveolar air to the blood in the pulmonary capillaries, as carbon dioxide diffuses in the opposite direction, from capillary blood to alveolar air. At this point, the pulmonary blood is oxygen-rich, and the lungs are holding carbon dioxide. Expiration follows, thereby ridding the body of the carbon dioxide and completing the cycle of respiration.
What can go wrong.
Upper Respiratory Infections:
This term generally covers any infection affecting of the respiratory tract of a guinea pigs, often termed URi’s
Just like us guinea pigs can catch infections. Some go
after a couple of days and hardly affect the guinea pig. But there are Uri’s either primary or secondary that can become life threatening in a very short time. If you spot any of the symptoms below contact your vet.
-Discharge from nose or eyes
-Wheezing ,or a ruttle when you listen to the
guinea pigs breathing
-Crusting around the eyes, dull eyes that seem
sunken in.
-hunched depressed position, with a staring dull
coat.
-Not eating or drinking
The vet will examine the guinea pig, listening to the chest carefully for cracks, rattles and for any sound not normal for a healthy air flow in the lungs.
Treatment is usually by antibiotics, usually Baytril (enrofloxacin) or Tribrissen (Trimethoprim/Sulfadiazine) or Borgal (Sulfadoxine/Trimethoprim)
He may also prescribe a decongestant such as Bisolvin. Also a Probiotic to give at a different time to the antibiotic, to help keep the guinea pigs gut flora healthy.
Heat exhaustion:
This seriously affects you guinea pigs breathing and the effectiveness of the lungs. If you find a pig with the following symptoms, act very quickly: drooling, listlessness, shallow rapid breathing and/or gasping, unable to stand or very shaky.
Get someone to contact a vet, but act as soon as you find this, run a sink full of tepid water, put the guinea pig up to the neck in the water, hold them there until they are fully soaked. Wrap loosely in a towel and put next to a fan. Once piggy is starting to try and stand up help him or her, offer re-hydration fluid, glucose solution or water from your fingers, dropper or bottle.
You should now have some instructions from your vet, and a check up is strongly advised. It can take a couple of days to completely recover, sometimes more. There is a chance of lung or cardiac problems along with heat stroke/exhaustion, also be sure your pig is drinking to counteract dehydration.
Heart conditions: Gasping and wheezing are sometimes an indication of a heart problem, liquid can also gather in the lungs. Treatment is usually with a diuretic drug such as fucimide.
Foreign object: Your guinea pig will cough and foam at the mouth, paw at his mouth with his front paws and possibly heave like he is going to ‘vomit’ but he wont ‘cause guinea pigs can’t be sick. If he doesn’t manage to move whatever is the problem he will start to look really ill and probably drool. He will need x rays and hopefully the object can be removed if it is in his throat by a surgical procedure.
Allergies: these are very rare, there will be discharge from guinea pigs eyes and nose, and he will wheeze and become depressed. Treatment is usually by identifying the substance that is causing the problem and removing it from the guinea pigs environment, if it is bedding then maybe the guinea pig will get sore feet and itchy skin too.
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