Arthritis In Leg

[nicolalulu]

Hi, i was wondering if I can get any advice from anyone with any experience? My female guinea pig who's just over 4 years old has been limping on her front left leg. I took her to the vets who say her left elbow is clicking & could be arthritis and gave me Metacam to give her for the next 7 days and if no better, to go back for xrays. I asked if there was anything I could do to help and the vet said no, nothing. I'm not really happy with that so am on here asking anyone who has any piggies with arthritis or have clicking elbows & in pain, if there are any supplements, food or anything to help if it is indeed arthritis. Many thanks

 

[Scooby& Shaggy]

I never had but sure someone more experienced will be able to answer you shortly.
In the meantime I would instinctively say a heat pad for your piggie to lay on.

 

[Gem789]

If it is arthritis the metacam should help.What dose have you been given? Vegan glucosamine is supposed to be good for arthritis too I think.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, i was wondering if I can get any advice from anyone with any experience? My female guinea pig who's just over 4 years old has been limping on her front left leg. I took her to the vets who say her left elbow is clicking & could be arthritis and gave me Metacam to give her for the next 7 days and if no better, to go back for xrays. I asked if there was anything I could do to help and the vet said no, nothing. I'm not really happy with that so am on here asking anyone who has any piggies with arthritis or have clicking elbows & in pain, if there are any supplements, food or anything to help if it is indeed arthritis. Many thanks

Hi!

Long term metacam is the best treatment; it is not just a painkiller but also an anti-inflammatory. Thankfully it is now recognised that guinea pigs can cope with chronic treatment and high dosages much better than other species, so that is no concern. Please split the daily doses into two because of the high metabolism in guinea pigs.

Vegan glucosamine for joints can also help.

 

[miowmix]

Oxbow do a joint support tablet for guinea pigs too which might help alongside the metacam.

 

[Scooby& Shaggy]

Hi!

Long term metacam is the best treatment; it is not just a painkiller but also an anti-inflammatory. Thankfully it is now recognised that guinea pigs can cope with chronic treatment and high dosages much better than other species, so that is no concern. Please split the daily doses into two because of the high metabolism in guinea pigs.

Vegan glucosamine for joints can also help.

Would a heat matt help? I have arthritis and a red hot bath works for me as a temporary measure. Granted my biology is different to a piggy

 

[Wiebke]

Would a heat matt help? I have arthritis and a red hot bath works for me as a temporary measure. Granted my biology is different to a piggy

Heat does work, as long as you give your piggy the chance to move off on its own volition as soon as it gets too hot. I use microwaveable snugglesafes for my arthritis piggies.

With guinea pigs with limited mobility you need to:
- Keep your guinea pig warm, but not hot. This is very important the less mobility a guinea pig has. Overheating can become a problem.
- Change the bedding in the preferred sleeping are/cosy once or twice daily, or even more with total loss of mobility to prevent urine scald and foot infection from sitting in their own faeces and urine.
- Consider changing to vetbed bedding, which is the softest bedding available.
- Have water and hay very close by and accessible without any climbing or jumping (I have a heap of hay on some newspaper, which I change daily)
- Check the bum area daily and gently clean with hand warm water if your girl is no longer able to in order to prevent urine scald.
- Check the foot pads daily. Bumblefoot/Foot infection in older guinea pigs that struggle to take the weight off their front legs and that have a blood circulation that is no longer fully working are prone to it.

 

[nicolalulu]

If it is arthritis the metacam should help.What dose have you been given? Vegan glucosamine is supposed to be good for arthritis too I think.

Thank you. The vet said to give her 3.5 of the metacam syringe once a day

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you. The vet said to give her 3.5 of the metacam syringe once a day

Please give half of that every 12 hours (i.e. 1.75 twice daily). It means that she won't have as large a gap in which the metacam has stopped working in between dosages. This is a recommendation from my own piggy savvy vet for my arthritis piggies.

 

[nicolalulu]

Oxbow do a joint support tablet for guinea pigs too which might help alongside the metacam.

Thank you!

Hi!

Long term metacam is the best treatment; it is not just a painkiller but also an anti-inflammatory. Thankfully it is now recognised that guinea pigs can cope with chronic treatment and high dosages much better than other species, so that is no concern. Please split the daily doses into two because of the high metabolism in guinea pigs.

Vegan glucosamine for joints can also help.

Thanks for the info! The vet said to give 3.5 of metacam with the syringe provided once a day. She said 3.5 as piggies have high metabolism.

 

[nicolalulu]

Please give half of that every 12 hours (i.e. 1.75 twice daily). It means that she won't have as large a gap in which the metacam has stopped working in between dosages. This is a recommendation from my own piggy savvy vet for my arthritis piggies.

Thank you! To be honest it was the first time I saw this vet and I didn't feel confident with her which is what bought me here for help! Thank you

 

[nicolalulu]

Hi!

Long term metacam is the best treatment; it is not just a painkiller but also an anti-inflammatory. Thankfully it is now recognised that guinea pigs can cope with chronic treatment and high dosages much better than other species, so that is no concern. Please split the daily doses into two because of the high metabolism in guinea pigs.

Vegan glucosamine for joints can also help.

Thank you for the info!