Behaviour seriously changed following overnight at the vets.

[Guinea piggie mummy]

Hi everyone,
My piggie oreo had to stay at the vets overnight on thursday due to a blockage of her wee wee tube.
Now, as with most piggies she doesn't like the vet at all. But I have never seen her behaviour change like this. She is constantly hiding, whenever we go to see her she goes into fright mode and when we go to stroke her she nips us every time (although she will do this normally it is because she is having her nails done or when she is on heat). Normally when we hold her she is calm and relaxed now she rumbles and making un happy sounds. We put on the floor to free roam last night and she was going from hide to hide and looked petrified. Normally running around like a mad thing. She will not take food from our hands either well thats if she dosnt nip us first.
Unfortunately I had to make a complaint to the vets as the condition she was in was terrible. Her mat i left with her was soaked in urine and this was put in her carrier and she was placed on it to come home in. This I didnt notice until I got home. She also smelt of urine and poo and I think this must of been wet for a time and she had been sitting on it most of the night. Obviously she got given loads of water to help her so her wees had increased. I was also told a bird was on her side (small furries) in separate cage who was very vocal. She was also given rocket when they knew and was told twice at separate times she is on a low calcium diet. The vet nurse said she had been really skittish but this is not her at all. I also wonder if they force feed her water as she will not take water from syringe now where before she would.
I really think she has been traumatised by the whole experience. Your help and advice and thoughts on this situation will be helpful as I am speaking to the clinical director of the vets on Monday already spoke to the practice director.

 

[Truffolo]

She sounds like she is feeling sore and tender. She might respond to Metacam if approved by a vet. A little bit of rocket would be OK to encourage her to eat as one portion wouldn't have a great deal if calcium, but you are right, something like cucumber wound have been better. Vets often have more rabbit experience and may not realise the species have different needs. The situation with sitting in her own wee and poo is more worrying. They should have changed her bedding when it was soiled
What treatment did she get? Has she been checked and is free of the blockage? Was it sludge or a stone? Sometimes stones can be removed if they are at the opening of the urether. I think a local anaesthetic is given, but perhaps it was painful. Do you need to provide any after care? She may signal that she wants to rest and avoid contact for a while, poor girl. After a vet visit my piggies just want to sleep for a while. Spending a night away from home in a noisy environment must have been stressful. The bird should have been covered up at night to encourage him or her to rest.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear this

I agree, one portion of rocket won’t cause issues (although rabbits and piggies do have the same dietary needs re calcium).

I would go back to basics with her - cover the cage with a blanket to help her feel more secure and leave her to calm down over the next couple of days (of course making sure you still do the daily weight checks etc).

Is she on any painkillers?

I hope she is ok

 

[Guinea piggie mummy]

She sounds like she is feeling sore and tender. She might respond to Metacam if approved by a vet. A little bit of rocket would be OK to encourage her to eat as one portion wouldn't have a great deal if calcium, but you are right, something like cucumber wound have been better. Vets often have more rabbit experience and may not realise the species have different needs. The situation with sitting in her own wee and poo is more worrying. They should have changed her bedding when it was soiled
What treatment did she get? Has she been checked and is free of the blockage? Was it sludge or a stone? Sometimes stones can be removed if they are at the opening of the urether. I think a local anaesthetic is given, but perhaps it was painful. Do you need to provide any after care? She may signal that she wants to rest and avoid contact for a while, poor girl. After a vet visit my piggies just want to sleep for a while. Spending a night away from home in a noisy environment must have been stressful. The bird should have been covered up at night to encourage him or her to rest.

Hi
It was a sludge blockage which was passed. The vets has exotic experience and has 2 vets specialising in exotic. She has loxicom and tramadol for her pain relief. The good thing is she is eating. We are letting her chill as much as possible over weekend. We have to go back on Monday for a check up. I am fuming a bird was there in the first place.

 

[Guinea piggie mummy]

I’m sorry to hear this

I agree, one portion of rocket won’t cause issues (although rabbits and piggies do have the same dietary needs re calcium).

I would go back to basics with her - cover the cage with a blanket to help her feel more secure and leave her to calm down over the next couple of days (of course making sure you still do the daily weight checks etc).

Is she on any painkillers?

I hope she is ok

I’m sorry to hear this

I agree, one portion of rocket won’t cause issues (although rabbits and piggies do have the same dietary needs re calcium).

I would go back to basics with her - cover the cage with a blanket to help her feel more secure and leave her to calm down over the next couple of days (of course making sure you still do the daily weight checks etc).

Is she on any painkillers?

I hope she is ok

Hi

Yes we have gone back to basics with her. She has just called for her snack when she heard me in the kitchen just which she normally does. Last night she did but not as much.
Yes she is on loxicom and tramadol for painkillers. She had a sludge blockage so she is still tender in her tummy as her bladder did go hard and big too .

 

[Merab]

It sounds as if she just needs time to get over her experience at the vets.
In her own home and with your care she will settle again.
Hugs

 

[Guinea piggie mummy]

Thank you xx

 

[Truffolo]

Hi
It was a sludge blockage which was passed. The vets has exotic experience and has 2 vets specialising in exotic. She has loxicom and tramadol for her pain relief. The good thing is she is eating. We are letting her chill as much as possible over weekend. We have to go back on Monday for a check up. I am fuming a bird was there in the first place.

I don't think birds will do any harm, and their noise can be contained with skillful care. I have seen all sorts of animals in my exotic vet surgery (but safely confined of course, some as much for human safety as for patient safety ) There are pictures of the vets handling snakes on the walls, which I suppose is a kind of warning Fortunately for me I have no fear of snakes or reptiles
I'm glad she is on pain relief and your vets are exotic trained. It's good news that the sludge has passed

 

[Roselina]

Poor girl - with your love and care hopefully she’ll settle down soon
Sadly Vets forget our piggies are very very important to us …despite them being little pets

 

[Guinea piggie mummy]

Poor girl - with your love and care hopefully she’ll settle down soon
Sadly Vets forget our piggies are very very important to us …despite them being little pets

Hi
Yes that's what I felt like. My piggies are my babies as I cant have children so they are my life.

 

[Guinea piggie mummy]

I don't think birds will do any harm, and their noise can be contained with skillful care. I have seen all sorts of animals in my exotic vet surgery (but safely confined of course, some as much for human safety as for patient safety ) There are pictures of the vets handling snakes on the walls, which I suppose is a kind of warning Fortunately for me I have no fear of snakes or reptiles
I'm glad she is on pain relief and your vets are exotic trained. It's good news that the sludge has passed

Yes we are pleased it passed too and she only has one more stone out of 4 left to pass . This afternoon she has been much better with us and actually seems to be back to her full eating habits as this morning was eating but not her norm.
Unfortunately the vet wasnt an exotic as emergency vet time and our vet was on annual leave (how dare she ) i think if she was there things would of been so different.
Oh yes we have lots of different animals in our vets too I have seen snakes, parrots, hawk, lizards, bearded dragons and even a chicken.