Advice needed - administering treatment to a very, VERY, wriggly Guinea Pig!

[pete*]

Hi everyone,

My Harry, about a week ago or so developed a strange breathing noise. His wheeks were slightly quieter and muffled. It didn't LOOK like he was struggling to breathe
or anything like that. It was simply what it sounded like.
I thought it could be the onset of a respiratory disease so I went off to the vet. He checked his chest with the stethoscope and said it all sounds clear and fine. Checked
his mouth, eyes, ears, but nothing was wrong with them either. He gave him an antibiotic injection just in-case and that was that.
The breathing never went away, and now (about two/three days ago) his right eye has become sore-looking.
He still has the strange muffled breathing too.
So I went to another vet yesterday, one which is closer to me (but didn't realise!) and has exotics specialists in. They also said he "sounds" fine via stethoscope, and looks
fine all over except for the obvious eye. The vet cleaned out Harrys mouth (oh he didn't like that one bit!), and used some greeny/yellow drops on his eye to look at it better.

He has given me metacam, marbocyl, and tiacil (eyedrops) to administer. The problem is - it is almost impossible to do! Harry struggles, and wriggles like mad. Even two of us
struggle to hold him.
And when we really try to keep him still (obviously not trying to hurt him), so he can't move, he squeals THE most AWFUL squeal I have ever heard. Really, REALLY horrible.
Scared the life out of me. He won't take any of the medicine by mouth, and the eyedrops he wriggles so much for aswell.

I'm not used to this!? My other three Pigs haven't cared about eyedrops or by-mouth treatment at all, so just sat there and took it.

Does anyone have any advice to get him to take it?
It is like wrestling a small dog to stay still, but with less to hold on to! haha
The poor boy looks so distressed when I have to do it aswell. Considering I have to do the metacam twice daily, marbo once, and eyedrops at MINIMUM 4-5 times daily as
told to by the vet. Poor piggy.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Wiebke]

Poor boy, and poor you!

Here are tips for administering medication from our reference section: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/...dministering-Medications-and-Wrapping-Piggies

Personally, I have found it easiest to give eye gel when a piggy is distracted eating grass on my knees, facing away from me, but you will have to find out what works best for you. Usually, it becomes easier to treat an eye as soon as it stops being quite as painful. Most piggies will start to behave better once they realise that they can't wiggle out of it and that it is a lot less stressful when they cooperate. Just praise him and fuss over him during and afterwards, whenever he is showing hints of behaviour you want to see.

 

[lauraboara]

Ah, I feel for you and can relate as at the moment I am having to give daily marbocyl injections and clean out an abscess.
Absolutely try what Wiebke suggests - wrapping in a small towel. It really does help and stops the piggie reversing away from the medication.
also try to be as relaxed as possible yourself, hard I know but I tend to put the radio or TV on in the background just so it isnt silent and tense. Piggies are vocal by nature so they will shout at you but I tend to talk back in a quiet voice and have a treat of grass or lettuce ready and waiting as chewing seems to calm them after the experience. Good luck.

 

[MargaretB]

Yes, I too favour the towel wrapping method, quite tightly with just their head poking out. Good luck and I hope Harry's breathing and eye improves very soon.

 

[Stewybus]

I had this problem when trying to feed medicine or syringe feeding & a few months ago bought a medication pouch from Sarah at Chucklebunnies. Since then if I have problems with any of my piggies I put them in the pouch & it's easy to administer medicine etc. Here's the link: - http://www.chucklebunnies.net/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2_76

If Harry is over 2 1/2 pounds get the large one. Or if you've got small & large piggies get both. They're very easy to use.

 

[pete*]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone.

The OH managed to get the eye drops in by tricking him a little, but he might catch on soon so will see how that goes!

I cannot believe I missed that Medication Administration post in the reference section Wiebke! Silly me. But very helpful
that is.
I will try the towel wrapping later when he's calmed down. Will have to try it without putting him on his back, he goes
absolutely skitzo if he is turned over.

 

[neuroticmum]

Hi hope you've been having some success. I too have a very wriggly pig and when he needed antibiotics last year found that wrapping him fairly tightly so he couldn't struggle really helped. Also having a favourite treat on hand to give straight after the treatment made us all feel better (including piggy!) Good luck

 

[Stewybus]

One good thing I noticed after a course of meds is that most piggies get more used to being handled & it gets easier to pick them up & to administer meds.