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Chinook is at the vets; Mystery Lameness

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Carma Violet

Carma Violet

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Chinook was taken to the vets this morning after his third attack of lameness. This time one of his back feet. Previously each of his front feet, both on seperate occasions.

They are somewhat miffed as he went from being unable to bear weight on that leg last night, to being absolutely fine this morning. No swelling, soreness or stiffness. Just perfectly fine. He's having tests and xrays run on him today.

His symtoms are as follows;
- Progressive lameness getting worse over a few days. Until he will not even lay with any weight on that foot/paw.
- No pain to touch it when checking him over. Only pain on bearing weight.
- Appatite absolutely normal. Drinking normal. Interest in the ladies normal.
- Lame foot has an abnormal clenching of the toes. They lay straight, yet held tight together rather than the normal splayed position.
- He is able to feel me, and pulls away when I try to hold the limb.
- Lame limb feels cooler than the other normal feet/paws.
- Movement on lame limb normal, no tightness, swelling or lack of movement. No noticeble 'grittiness'
- No signs of vitamin deficiency. Very healthy animal excluding the lameness.

Chinook is a rescue piggie, so I don't believe there is any certainty surrounding his age. But he doesn't look much older than 2 years.

The possible causes could be extensive, some the vet has mentioned are as follows:
Arthritis caused by age,
Arthritis caused by infection,
Heart condition, I think the vet mentioned either embolism or oedema, think they mentioned embolism.
Neurological (Possible worse case as that would probably be untreatable and degenerative)

Should be interesting to find out what might be the problem. Send your positive vibes to Chinook!

-Carma
 
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Good luck Chinook!

Keep us updated, fingers crossed it's nothing too serious for you guys!
 
Have you tried osteocare? That is usually given in cases of "overnight lameness" of usually the back legs (caused by a sudden drop on calcium).
http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/paral.htm

Otherwise, it rather sounds like neurological problem.

Fingers firmly crossed!
 
Sorry I can't help but I really hope you can find some answers very soon. Fingers crossed x
 
Thanks everyone, I will be leaving with Claire at half past to hopefully pick him up. He came round from the anaestetic well and is awake. I am hoping the xrays come back with something because at least that would be treatable.

I don't think it's anything to do with the drop in calcium as its only ever in one of the legs and normally the front ones. Plus he can move it, but rather chooses to not put weight on it. Plus he has had it on 3 seperate occasions which have always got better with time themselves.

But, you never know! Be great if it was that as at least that was be an easy-ish solution!

Will let you all know as soon as we are back!

-Carma
 
All the best that you can find out what it is!
 
Poor Chinook, I hope you get some answers soon. Healing vibes to Chinook x
 
Oh poor little baby. I really hope all is okay and he recovers soon.
 
Thanks guys, he's still not recovered properly from the general. And he's pretty darn terrified. Hope he comes round soon, he's not himself. :(

-Carma
 
oh dear poor Chinook :(
Keep him warm and offer him little bits of his fave treats, also some watery ones like cucumber or cos lettuce. Whee will all have our paws crossed that he comes out of the anaes quickly (it seems like an eternity doesn't it) and for some diagnosis too.

HEALING WHEEEEEEEEEEEEKS CHINOOK XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
 
Glynis said:
oh dear poor Chinook :(
Keep him warm and offer him little bits of his fave treats, also some watery ones like cucumber or cos lettuce. Whee will all have our paws crossed that he comes out of the anaes quickly (it seems like an eternity doesn't it) and for some diagnosis too.

HEALING WHEEEEEEEEEEEEKS CHINOOK XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Click to expand...

Thank you so much, I am at work now, so won't see him till tonight. I miss my cheeky boy, want to nurse him back to health myself. Will hope the peace and quiet, and the loving attention his girls give him cheer him up.

-Carma
 
No results from the blood tests yet. Chinook finally came round about 9pm last night 18 hours after his general. However, he began behaving EXCEPTIONALLY aggressively towards his ladies. I though he was going to attack the Alpha female Gadget, and mean it. She managed to keep just out of his reach though, but I could still hear his clicking over my music.

Haven't seen him drink yet though, but I never see him drink anyway.

Hopefully will hear about his bloods today.

-Carma
 
any update love? :...

i'm about to go to bed (aussie time sorry)
but was hoping to hear how Chinook was doing xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>
 
Sorry to hear Chinook is poorly again. I would try a daily dose of oestocare, even though he gets his veggies you never know, he may not be processing his vitamins and minerals properly and needs more.

His brother is at the other Crawley rescue and I see him most weeks, he was paired with a baby boy but decided after a couple of months he didnt want to share, he has had no lameness and prefers humans.

Have you read the peter gurney page on lameness, thats interesting.
 
Hey guys, Chinook is back to his normal self, didn't get a call from the vets today. But Claire is popping into the vets tomorrow so is going to ask for me, I am sure tomorrow we should have some answers.

I am just crossing everything that it's not Neurological.

I read the whole page on Peter Gurneys lameness article. Just doesn't seem to sit with Chinooks syntoms however. I will wait to see what the results are before giving him Oestocare, as I am somewhat paranoid about anything calcium based.

-Carma
 
Poor you and Chinook! I hope that you can find out what is causing it. It doesn't sound like anything we have had on here before. :{
 
Wiebke said:
Poor you and Chinook! I hope that you can find out what is causing it. It doesn't sound like anything we have had on here before. :{
Click to expand...

Thats why I wanted to post it, thought it might be useful if we find a proper solid cause. I think many Guinea illnesses just arn't documented enough, so it's better to write things down on here for others to read.

Just to let people know, Chinook isn't in pain, and he has all his faculties, so, it's not too bad at the moment. :)

He's perfectly normal right now, but I might try to video it next time he has an episode, as the way he holds the affected limb is odd.

Finger crossed for the results tomorrow!

I will try to add a photo of my boy in here too tomorrow, as it's so much nicer when you know who he is!

-Carma
 
We have a diagnosis!

Chinook has Scurvy.

Mark at Trinity Vets called me to discuss his findings, and even though the bloods came back clear, the xray showed a clouding around the joints, which couple with the changing lameness puts a Vit C deficiency square in sight as the cause.

We rehomed him from Crawley Guinea Pig rescue a few months ago, so I am wondering if he was never given enough Vit C before he was rescued by them, as I know they must be getting enough from their veggies here. They are also fed on Burgess Excel Tasty Nuggets, which apparently includes additional Vit C.

We are to seperate him from his girls, and increase his supplements over the next couple of weeks, as well as adding Cranberry Juice to his water as an extra boost.

I am so relieved it's something treatable! Thanks for the support guys, will keep you all posted of his recovery!

-Carma
 
i think this is great to have a diagnosis!

oh gosh it's obviously from his previous home :0

GOOD LUCK GORGEOUS CHINOOK XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

eat up your veg and slurrrrrrrrrrrp up your crannie juicey xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

paws all crossed and HUGS for you XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
 
Glad you have a diagnosis and at least its easily treatable. Poor Chinook. His brother is fine as he stayed at Palace Piggie Rescue. His daughter is ok too so I wonder if he is more prone to it.
 
CrawleyGuineaPigRescue said:
Glad you have a diagnosis and at least its easily treatable. Poor Chinook. His brother is fine as he stayed at Palace Piggie Rescue. His daughter is ok too so I wonder if he is more prone to it.
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I didn't know Chinook was a daddy! What a busy boy he has been in his past!

He has also calmed right down since increasing the Vit C, I am wondering whether the skin tenderness was due to the Vit C deficiency and maybe having a direct effect on his mood. We can now have cuddles without the fuss, and he relaxes almost immediately now. I am hoping it's not due to being seperated from the girls!

-Carma
 
Glad you've got a firm diagnosis now so you know how to treat him. Hope little Chinook picks up really soon x
 
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