Back Legs Not Working

[skip_rat]

One of our older rescue guinea pigs (she's somewhere around 6) has lost the use of her back legs. They sort of work a little but she can't support her own weight.

Other than that she seems fine, she has a good appetite. I have changed the bottle set up so that she can get water and she sort of drags herself to join the other piggies for food time.

I have taken her to the vet twice and had an xray that didn't show much wrong. I can see she's starting to look a bit wasted at the back.

I have tried osteocare as recommended in other threads but this doesn't seem to have helped.

I'm not sure what to do, I'm starting to feel that it's cruel to keep her in this state but I really don't want to take her to be put to sleep unless I really have to.

 

[Sue and Smartie]

I hesitate to offer advice as there are more knowledgeable people about on here, but I will tell you what I did for a long-passed pig who had a similar problem. I used to move his back legs, sort of exercise them and see if he would push against my fingers. I have no idea if it helped but it didn't hurt him and it made me feel less useless. It was also a good excuse to get him out for a cuddle.

 

[Freela]

How long has this been going on for? My elderly pig, Sundae, lost some use of her back legs last summer. Nothing was obviously wrong and she continued to do her normal routine as best as she could. Within a week or so, she improved back to her normal baseline. The vet suggested possibly a small stroke that she recovered from or a minor spine injury/pinched nerve that resolved on its own, but couldn't say for sure. Maybe you will see some improvement if it has been of relatively short duration.

 

[skip_rat]

She's been like this for just over a week now but when I thought about it she hadn't been as active as usual for a few weeks before. I had just put it down to her getting older but it could have been the start of it then.

We have been trying thing like a warm bath and moving her legs for her to keep some movement in them. Both seem to help but only sort term as she seems to find it easier to just drag herself about.

Doing some more searches I'm starting to wonder about a set of wheels...

 

[Wiebke]

One of our older rescue guinea pigs (she's somewhere around 6) has lost the use of her back legs. They sort of work a little but she can't support her own weight.

Other than that she seems fine, she has a good appetite. I have changed the bottle set up so that she can get water and she sort of drags herself to join the other piggies for food time.

I have taken her to the vet twice and had an xray that didn't show much wrong. I can see she's starting to look a bit wasted at the back.

I have tried osteocare as recommended in other threads but this doesn't seem to have helped.

I'm not sure what to do, I'm starting to feel that it's cruel to keep her in this state but I really don't want to take her to be put to sleep unless I really have to.

As long as she is still willing to live and interested in life, please make sure that you change the area she is in 2-3 times daily. Check her front paws regularly as she is putting more pressure on them and there is a risk of developing bumblefoot if the circulation is no longer top notch. You also have to check for signs of urine scald as she won't be able to clean herself anymore. Vetbed is the best bedding to keep her on.

In most cases, movement will eventually return to some degree. My then 7 year old Nerys did lose use of her back legs in April and was touch and go for a while, but she hang on in there just enough to pull through and live a while longer. Her back legs did come back after a few weeks. Hers was also not the classic calcium drop overnight paralysis, but it started as a swelling in the adrenal gland area that then went further until it suddenly disappeared as mysteriously as it had come on again and allowed her to walk again, if much weaker.

 

[Adelle]

Has your pig been put on a course of anti inflammatories such as Metacam to rule out arthritis or any joint inflammation? The fact you saw a gradual decline in activity before this happened as well as temporary improvement with physio etc could mean it's a possibility.

Definately worth enquiring about- it will either help or do nothing, it certainly won't make her worse x

 

[skip_rat]

Thanks to all who have replied. She has been given Metacam but this hasn't helped much.

We noticed she has responded well to a warm bath and some massaging. With a bit of encouragement she's back on her feet at the moment, although she's very unsteady.

I have noticed that when she is standing there is a sort of trembling in her legs, not sure if this means anything.

 

[Adelle]

Thanks to all who have replied. She has been given Metacam but this hasn't helped much.

We noticed she has responded well to a warm bath and some massaging. With a bit of encouragement she's back on her feet at the moment, although she's very unsteady.

I have noticed that when she is standing there is a sort of trembling in her legs, not sure if this means anything.

The trembling is probably just weakness from her trying to hold er weight. However it sounds like she's going in the right direction.

Keep doing what you are doing and keep on with the Metacam as a precaution, it may well be helping albeit slowly.

You could try some heat therapy with a heat pack to give her a break from the baths, it will help get the blood flowing to the legs. Just make sure it isn't too hot or held for too long as she may not be able to show you it's too hot if she has reduced sensation in the legs.

Really hope she recovers xx