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Chicco is not doing well

UPDATE: I called the out of hours, no exotic available. I'll wait to call the branch at 8.30 am to see if there is anything they can do or to prepare for the worst. The little prince is still fighting.
 
Sorry to hear handsome little Chicco isn't doing too well, he does sound quite poorly :(

Was he checked/ xrayed for bladder stones or a very hard/big sperm rod? It's possible with the reluctance to move & bunny hopping that he may have a stone/rod stuck in his urethra?

I'd ask for the maximum dose of painkiller (is it loxicom he's on?) twice daily, this will reduce any inflammation & help with pain, try and keep him on the same level if possible, so he doesn't strain himself any further if its nerve or muscle pain.

Pain will often reduce a Guineas appetite.

Holding you in our thoughts & really hope the vet can help you.
Good luck & a truckload of healing vibes being sent your way.
Love the girls & I. :hug: Xx
 
Sorry to hear handsome little Chicco isn't doing too well, he does sound quite poorly :(

Was he checked/ xrayed for bladder stones or a very hard/big sperm rod? It's possible with the reluctance to move & bunny hopping that he may have a stone/rod stuck in his urethra?

I'd ask for the maximum dose of painkiller (is it loxicom he's on?) twice daily, this will reduce any inflammation & help with pain, try and keep him on the same level if possible, so he doesn't strain himself any further if its nerve or muscle pain.

Pain will often reduce a Guineas appetite.

Holding you in our thoughts & really hope the vet can help you.
Good luck & a truckload of healing vibes being sent your way.
Love the girls & I. :hug: Xx
Hi there!
Thank you for the message.
Vet put him on antibiotics and painkillers twice a day. He is booked for xray and blood test on Saturday morning.

I am going to call the exotic vet again as soon as the clinic opens. Meanwhile Chicco is trying to fight but he is moving less and less.

We are trying to make him comfortable and relaxed.

:(
 
I think I'd try and get him in as an emergency at a savvy vets earlier than Saturday, if it is a stone it will be painful, also according to its size & position it could block the urethra, stopping him from peeing. This would be very dangerous for him.

Ask the vet if he's on the maximum dose of painkiller, short term he needs to get his pain down now for quality of life, long term use I know it could possibly have an effect on his kidneys, but I do think the 'here & now' is the most important thing for his quality of life at present.

Big hug for you both as poorly piggy parents :hug:
Xx
 
Can a stone be diagnosed without internal exams? He's been examined externally quite throughly. We are booking another visit with an exotic vet today asap. I even tried to call the Northampton clinic but they are on holiday until Tuesday unfortunately. At least Chicco was alive this morning when I woke up, which is honestly more than what I could hope for when I went to sleep yesterday. Thanks everyone.
 
Can a stone be diagnosed without internal exams? He's been examined externally quite throughly. We are booking another visit with an exotic vet today asap. I even tried to call the Northampton clinic but they are on holiday until Tuesday unfortunately. At least Chicco was alive this morning when I woke up, which is honestly more than what I could hope for when I went to sleep yesterday. Thanks everyone.
Unless the vet can feel a stone, an x-ray would be the next step to find out for sure x
 
Morning all.
Chicco is still fighting.

I can see he wants to eat but he is having trouble with the critical care too. It's almost like any kind of movement is becoming an impossible task.

I will call Manor Vets as soon as they open, with the out of hour vet they never know ehat to say.

I am getting concerned for hay intake since he is not getting it for himself. Is the critical care going to be enough? I am using the oxbow brand.

Thank in advance.

Martina

Critical Care is enough when you feed it every 2 hours to a guinea pig that has stopped eating altogether.
Here are our emergency and crisis care tips: Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
 
Small update: we just left Chicco and Lenticchia with the vet, he's gonna have an x-ray and an ultrasound this morning. Hope it's not too much stress for him. He looked better this morning than yesterday night, more responsive and could move more, so that gives us a bit of hope, but he's still far from being his usual self. We'll wait for a call when the tests are done.
 
Thinking if you both and little Chicco. I do hope the vet can help. xx
 
Sad news.

Chicco passed away. As soon as the vet started the procedure he went in kidney failure. We've been told he went peacefully.

He was the bravest, kindest, sweetest little Guinea Pig ever. He was a true prince and we will miss him forever.

Thank you all for your support.

We will write the rainbow bridge post as soon as we are ready.
 
The vet called us, Chicco passed away as he was prepped for the x-ray. We went there and said goodbye. Lenticchia said goodbye as well. I really think we gave him the best year he could have asked for, but now it's really painful.
 
Oh no, I'm so sorry :( he really did sound poorly, you gave him every chance & TLC.

Although it'll probably feel like you've been ripped apart losing this little guy, please go easy on yourselves. Take time to grieve.

When things go wrong, they often do so rapidly we can't do anything about it. Guineas are prey animals & hide illness so well.
It sounds like he went peacefully, which is something to hold on to, he didn't suffer and would have known he was loved.

There are some threads on here to help you cope with losing a pet, the blue Cross bereavement line & wiebke has done helpful threads on assisting a bereaved guinea.
Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig

Human Bereavement - Grieving, coping tips and support links for guinea pig owners and their children



Pet Bereavement Support Service (The Blue Cross)
0800 096 6606 (free phone call) (8.30am-8.30pm)
Email: [email protected]
www.bluecross.org.uk

Big hug for you both :hug:
RIP Little man & popcorn pain free over rainbow bridge.

Love the girls & I ♥
Xx
 
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Thanks for the kind words,
Hope you don't mind if I write a few words, it's important to share at a time like this and I feel good doing it here.
Little Chicco was pure sweetness. He was so happy to finally have a loving home after 3 years in a rescue, I've never seen a piggy express happiness so clearly, and for any little thing. He was always friendly with us and with Lenticchia, never a bite, never an annoyed behavior. Always curious, always so friendly, even at first when we were still grieving for our Nocciola who had passed away before we got him, he slowly grown on us and at some point he made us fall in love with him and we didn't even realize it was happening. Now looking back we can't believe we've been blessed with such a sweet and friendly companion, when after losing Nocciola we had pretty much lost all hope of loving another pet again. I want to write a post here about this one of these days, because I know I would have wanted to know this at the time, and maybe it could help another beveread pig parent who's lost a very special piggie. Chicco was a gift, as we and our home were a gift to him. We are really heartbroken, but we know we did something great for him, as he did for us.
 
Thanks for the kind words,
Hope you don't mind if I write a few words, it's important to share at a time like this and I feel good doing it here.
Little Chicco was pure sweetness. He was so happy to finally have a loving home after 3 years in a rescue, I've never seen a piggy express happiness so clearly, and for any little thing. He was always friendly with us and with Lenticchia, never a bite, never an annoyed behavior. Always curious, always so friendly, even at first when we were still grieving for our Nocciola who had passed away before we got him, he slowly grown on us and at some point he made us fall in love with him and we didn't even realize it was happening. Now looking back we can't believe we've been blessed with such a sweet and friendly companion, when after losing Nocciola we had pretty much lost all hope of loving another pet again. I want to write a post here about this one of these days, because I know I would have wanted to know this at the time, and maybe it could help another beveread pig parent who's lost a very special piggie. Chicco was a gift, as we and our home were a gift to him. We are really heartbroken, but we know we did something great for him, as he did for us.
That was a beautiful tribute to a much loved piggie xx
 
So sorry for the loss of your beloved piggy. What a beautiful tribute you have written.
He was so lucky to find a home with two such caring people and you gave him a wonderful life.
RIP little one. 🐾🌈💕
 
I'm so sorry for your loss. You seem to have been through such a stressful, trying and heart breaking time :(
I cannot imagine that Chicco would have had anything other than a wonderful life with you. It sounds like he helped you to find hope and trust again by arriving in your lives when he did and that you learnt to cherish him as much as he did you. What a beautiful gift ❤
Rest in peace little Chicco 🌈
 
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