Specialist Cloudy Eye, Sore Feet And More

[Rosey]

I used to have guinea pigs when I was younger and had been thinking about getting one again. Well I saw one on gumtree literally around the corner from me and thought I might as well get that one.

When I went round to collect her, I was a tiny bit worried to be taken to a shed full of guinea pigs and the woman cheerfully told me she used to have 40(!) but has now cut back to about 10. Then she scooped my guinea pig out of a bucket and said that she thought she (the guinea pig not the woman!) was pregnant, but she wasn't. This sent alarm bells ringing and I wanted to run away, but I felt like I couldn't leave the guinea pig behind.

Well I got her home (and named her Rosey) and noticed her eye was cloudy, then saw a piece of hay stuck in it. I managed to pull it out with tweezers and it was at least 5cm long and must have been there for a while. She's also got long hair and there were a lot of hay kernels under her top coat and caught up close to the skin. I've managed to cut these out, but she now seems very reluctant to let me touch her back. Her feet are also quite red and swollen. Can anything be done to help her with this?

I'm really worried about what that woman said about thinking she was pregnant and have noticed she has fairly 'long' nipples, maybe about 4mm? However, when I gave her a wash when I was cutting her hair, she didn't look pregnant, her tummy isn't swollen or anything, she looks a similar width the whole way along. She's about 18 months old.

I'm taking her to the family vet on Thursday for a checkup anyway, but just wanted some opinions from guinea pig people?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome!

With an ulcerated eye poke and potentially bumblefoot, which is also a very serious condition if it is well established, please have her see by a good vet as soon as you can tomorrow! Eye injuries, if left untreated, can lead to the loss of the eye if bacteria can inside. It sounds like she is severely neglected and you will be up against it!
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-vet-locator/

Could you please add your county to your details, so we may be better able to help you; if necessary to get your girl to a good rescue that can take her on and give her the qualified help that she needs, especially if there is also a likelihood of a pregnancy.
Here is how you can add your location: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...cation-and-creating-an-avatar-picture.107444/

You usually notice babies only during the last 2-3 weeks of a 10 week pregnancy. Long nipples can indicate an actual pregnancy, but also a previous one.

http://www.guinealynx.info/eyes.html#signs
http://www.guinealynx.info/pododermatitis.html
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/pregnancy-guide.109375/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/pregnancy-and-nursing-diet.109377/

You can always report that lady anonymously on your local RSPCA's cruelty phone line, but it would be better if you had a vet diagnosis to back up any claims.

 

[Critter]

My goodness me that's shocking! Well done for not turning away, but it's disgusting that she was allowed to get into that condition.
I have to wonder what the other guinea pigs are like......
I wish you all the very best of luck.
In the meantime, before you manage to get her to the vet, I recommend putting her on a soft bit of fleece as bedding, or a soft towel - anything soft that will help her with her sore feat, as she is likely to be in a lot of pain. Monitor her drinking and eating, and encourage her if you can, as she may not feeling like eating if she is in pain.
Keep her quiet and as relaxed as possible, I know that's hard when you have to also monitor her, but I would think if you can avoid causing her to skit around her cage then that may also help her feet.

It may be worth asking (and keeping it friendly and polite) this woman what she has been fed on, and try to give her some of the same amongst her other food, as she doesn't want a tummy upset on top of her health problems! Try offering her some pepper, it's packed full of vit C and will not cure her wounds, but plenty of Vit C will help with the healing process along with vet treatment. If she has been neglected medically and in her housing conditions she may have been in other ways too, and there's no telling at this stage whether she has been given enough vitamin C in her diet.

Please keep us updated on progress, I know if anyone can help advise you as you go along they will try to do so. All the very best xx

 

[Rosey]

Thank you very much for the links and advice.

She does not have any sores on her feet, but it does look like she has bumblefoot. I desperately don't want her eye to cause her anymore pain (I can't imagine how sore it must have been with that hay) so I will get her along to the vet tomorrow.

I have just put her on fleece today (a colleague suggested it too after I said about her feet) and she seems to be moving about the cage ok and seems interested in eating at least. She was eating rabbit royale mixed with hay and I insisted on taking a bag of it! I had bought some Burgess Excel Nuggets with Mint prior to her arrival which I have been mixing with the rabbit royale. However, she's gobbled most of the hay in the mix and left the nuggets! I will definitely try the pepper, I didn't know guinea pigs ate it!

She has had a litter previously, the woman said so, so I really, really hope that that is what her long nipples were from. Poor Rosey

I know this is daft, but the what I'm finding hardest is that she seems so comfortable around humans, she comes out and calls for vegetables when she hears rustling and as long as you don't touch her back, will let you have a stroke and is happy to eat from your hand.

 

[Critter]

Aw what a trusting little sweetheart. It's heart-breaking that one so trusting has been neglected. But it's also a good sign that she will learn to fully trust and relax with you, and live the life she deserves to live, without fear.
Most piggies enjoy bell peppers, but some don't. But a good mix of veggies will be fine if not. I'd ease her into the veggies and build up, if that makes sense Coriander should be gentle on the stomach, and also has good Vit C from what I remember.

 

[Poppy'sMum]

Make sure it is sweet pepper that you give her, green or red ones (Not chilis!) If she doesn't like her back being touched it might be she has mites (Either mange or hay mites) You need to mention to the vet the possibility that she might be pregnant as that may affect the treatment & also to get them to give her an overall check for fungal/mites etc whilst you are there

 

[Wiebke]

Good that you are having that poor girl seen tomorrow. She seems to have about every problem that a neglected, badly kept piggy can have.

I agree with @Poppy'sMum - best have her checked for mange mites, too; it is typical for guinea pigs that they do not want to be touched where the skin is painfully inflamed, usually that is on the back.
http://www.guinealynx.info/mites.html

 

[helen105281]

Agree with all the advice above, poor girl, at least she is safe now. Good luck at the vets.

 

[Rosey]

Thank you all, this is very much appreciated. I will let you know what happens at the vet.

 

[Poppy'sMum]

The very best of luck & well done on helping her out it is very brave of you

 

[Rosey]

Hi all, we went to the vet yesterday and the vet basically said that she is a very lucky guinea pig!

Firstly regarding her eye... She said that she didn't think that the hay could have been in there that long as her eye hardly looks cloudy at all anymore and that if I hadn't said then she wouldn't have noticed - she put some dye in and said there were signs or ulcers or abrasions or anything else. She gave us a tube of eye gel just to soothe.

Regarding the bumblefoot - she said she didn't think it was at the 'bumblefoot' stage yet and probably just the rubbish bedding she'd been on as there is only minor swelling and her feet don't look that red, and gave us an antibacterial wash called hibiscrub to bathe her feet in.

Regarding her back... she said that there's no scuff or dry skin so she doesn't think it is mites, but she did manage to find another couple of stray hay kernels in her undercoat so she thinks that they have just made her really sore. She gave me some topical pipettes just in case (advice on how to apply them would be greatly appreciated!).

Regarding her being pregnant... The vet said she would be surprised if a breeder sold a potentially pregnant guinea pig and couldn't feel anything but obviously I should keep a very close eye on her.

The vet also listened to her chest and said breathing well and there's no sign of an infection, so that's good, but when she was giving her a poke she noticed her bladder was quite hard and was concerned about bladder stones... But then she put Rosey back on the table and 15 seconds later she peed everywhere lol so the vet had another feel and said it felt fine, Rosey was obviously just being polite and keeping it in so she didn't go on her hand!

So... some minor treatments but much, much better than I was expecting.