Little Degu's breathing problems

[beardedjqb]

Hello, My degu (Iwan) has been basically sick since I've gotten him. It started with the diagnose of misaligned teeth and one of his front bottom teeth falling out. Since then, He's been on and off medications for respiratory infection. About month ago during a vet visit he was diagnosed with heart problems and will have to take Prilium and Cardisure Oral for the rest of his life.
Sadly, after getting treated for RI and being able to breath normally, about a week ago I started hearing whistling sounds while he was breathing only for it to "evolve" into breathing thru mouth and wet clicking sound from his nose when he gets tired after playing or sometimes simply in the night. Right now He's taking Marbocyl 5mg 1/6 of the tablet, Meloxoral and the two meds I've mentioned before.
My question is, is there any way for me to help him other than giving him those meds? Maybe something to reduce his bloating?
I'm very worried because all the threads I've read that mention bloating and breathing problems usually end up with poor little beans dying.
It really pains me to see him sitting down all hunched up and breathing heavily but at the same time, I don't believe that he's lost cause and would need to be put to sleep.
What do I do? Did anyone have a degu win against RI?

Edit: Forgot to mention that his state can change in a span of 30 minutes. He can go from sitting hunched up breathing heavily through his nose and sometimes gasping with mouth to running at mach 10 in his wheel while "chirping" happily because he sees me.

[hpdegus]

I'm sorry that Iwan's been struggling with so many health problems.

I've had 3 (+1 unconfirmed) degus diagnosed with heart failure. I was too late for 2 of them, but the other two have been on pimobendan for almost 19 months since being diagnosed. They've been doing really well and there wasn't any further heart enlargement as of last August.

One thing my vet asked me to keep an eye out for was mouth breathing. Heart failure can lead to fluid build-up, which puts pressure on the lungs and can make it hard to breathe. Did your vet prescribe a diuretic?

I'm not as familiar with anti-bloating meds, but I believe others have used and recommended simethicone (used for babies/children).

[beardedjqb]

He was not prescribed any diuretic but at the vets he was given Furosemid 5%. The only drugs i am supposed to give him are the one i've listed.
She thinks the mouth breathing is caused by the obstruction in nose caused by RI and so this is the main focus of medication. Other than that, his molars are a bit overgrown but we are appointed for monday for them to be fixed.

[moletteuk]

Yes, simethicone can be given for bloating, the brand name varies by country but it's for gas or colic in babies, it will say simethicone as the active ingredient. It works by making the bubbles coalesce so they are easier to pass, so you can't overdose, but just give a drop or two.

You could try steam inhalation to try to clear his nose a little if it gets blocked again - if you can find a safe way to do it, obviously not too hot and so that he can't escape. Sometimes it is enough to put a travel cage in the bathroom after a hot bath or shower.

I would recommend asking the vet to do mouth xrays while he is in for his dental, it would be useful to find out if his teeth roots are overgrown as this can make infections more frequent.

Other than that, just keep him warm. Well done for trying so hard for him and I'm sorry he's had so many problems.

[beardedjqb]

If i remember correctly he had X-ray done and roots had retrograde growth of reserve crowns, the teeth were growing asymetrically and were overgrown and unstable in their roots and all of his bones are basically weaker than normal degu's. That's why we have to take him every 4 months for his mollars and side teeth to be grinded down and i have to supplement his calcium.