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Continued issues with Willow :(

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irishsea

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Sorry I have not been letting everyone know about Willow. Between vet visits and hand feeding I have not had much free time. We had to seperate Willow and Faith as Faith was intimidating her to the point that she would not allow Willow to eat out of her mush bowl between hand feedings as well as not allowing her out of the house they shared. Also she was knocking Willow over, all natural things out in the wild but not helping Willow in her recovery and making her even more ill with weight loss. So last Friday Willow came to stay with me, which means she truely gets around the clock care, and I do not have to walk to go and do feedings.

Willow weighed around 450g on April 20th, on May 6th she had went down to 419g despite what we have been trying to do (Faith was a contributing issue with this we know). On the 8th she had gained up to 429g yet today before feeding she was down to 415g and after feeding back up to 424g. We try to weigh her every day at the same time under the same conditions, but honestly we are starting to pull our hair out. Is it normal for a guinea pig to put on weight and loose it like this? We have a vet appointment Friday to set up when to do dental work on her. But the vet we saw yesterday (not the vet that has helped us through her head tilt, eyes being rolled etc. which are now almost nonexistant.) said that he thought it wasn't her teeth that were the issue and it was due to brain damage. She wants to eat, she stares at her hay roll at times, she goes over to her mush bowl between feedings and does her best to eat out of it. She does have balance issues but wants to explore when allowed very short moments to stretch her legs outside the cage. Her eyes are bright and she is very vocal and strong. Even her vision seems better as she isnt running into things in her new room. She is forever purring when we come in the room especially when she knows it is my partner and comes out for head rubs.

My partner and I are really starting to think she was 6 weeks old when "adopted" and not 6 months old. As she is very tiny and "runt" like. She really looks like a rat without a tail I am told. So how much is she to weigh if she is aprox. 17 weeks? This is causing us both to have high blood pressure please help :(

Here are some bad pictures of her:

Standing in her mush bowl


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About to fall over mid high speed turn:


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And her in my hands:


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Off for another feeding, thank you all in advance.
 
BTW - all those pictures were taken about an hour ago with my horrible camera phone in a dim room, not the best pictures i know. Also the Vet we did see the other day was rather negitive on the surgery issue and told us that its a dangerous process as shes a sick guinea pig and in other terms, may not survive it, which did not help us amounst all the bad luck we have been having with poor little willow, i'm really worried about this...is this something others have gone through aswell with putting a guinea pig in surgery? He also said that under no terms would he cut the front of a guineapigs teeth without putting them to sleep first as he felt it was inhumane...the vet we normally see cut willows teeth in a matter of seconds without saying anything about putting her to sleep!
 
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I'm sorry but i cannot offer you any advise as ive never dealt with anything like this before, i hope someone comes along soons and just wanted to send hugs! x
 
Hi and sorry for the late night reply, I actuall fell asleep :(

We seen Willows normal vet (God I cannot say enough good about her, she takes the time to answer all my questions and smiles constantly at Willow) and she was happy with her progress. She checked her breathing and all was fine there, as well as skin, coat and she has gained more weitght to a huge 440g! lol She was happy with her size and said that since she had such a hard start to life and with the brain damage she doesnt see her gaining to much more then that or getting much bigger. She said to just maintain this should be our current goal and that adding weight can be tried in the future if all contines to progress.

She put willow on another 2 weeks of steroids and although she is very happy at her head there is still a slight tilt, especially when she first wakes up. She also tested her eyes again and said she seems to be seeing just a tiny bit better. She is calling me at the start of the week to set up when she can be brought in to have her teeth done as I am more comfortable sticking with the same vet. Especially since she knows her issues and what she has been through. The vet also tried calming me that while I have the need to be concerned that I need to try to relax some lol. She is comfortable with Willows current weight and sedating her for the look at her teeth and she said hopefully after this she can learn how to eat again on her own.

She said right now she sees it as a 50-50 chance she eats on her own again. It is just the hope she didnt suffer to much brain damage to loose that.

Thank you again for recomending Glenburn to me, its saved Willows life.
 
Hey, that's great news, it all sounds very reassuring for you! I know that with Thumper, he will always be quite small, he's only put on 80g since he had his teeth done in March, but he has never lost any weight which is the main thing. He eats like a horse but it's been said on here, and by the vet, that as he had problems so early on his growth may have been stunted a little and I just need to keep an eye on it.
Really hope to hear she is eating on her own soon :) xox
 
Thanks! just waiting on the vet to call me to set up an appointment this week.

On a side note how much am I to be feeding Willow? The back of the bag says 30-50g for an adult guinea pig. I have been feeding her 90-110ml daily, any more and she fights and refuses no matter how hard I try. Some days even 90 is a struggle.
 
I would just continue trying to get as much as you can into her as you are doing. I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but as long as you're getting enough into her to maintain her weight at the moment with the rest of her problems you're doing well. Just check with the vet too xox
 
You should try and aim for 120ml but I'd say you're doing well getting 90-110ml into her.
 
We are to take Willow in between 9:30-10:30 Wed. morning. My partner and I are scared to death. So we are both saying prayers as well as Willows other owner and she has a St. Francis of Assisi medal above her bed.

I asked the vet and she said it depended on the food. I think I will just continue to set 120 as goal and get all I can into her.

Thank you both for the answers, I had read that but was not sure considering her size.
 
Much love for Willow! :( its so sad to hear about poorly guinea-pigs, they're such innocent lovely creatures.

cuddles for willow, and fingers crossed :)
 
Sorry for my burst of excitement... but Willow just ate part of a peeled blueberry!

My partner who seems to be the therapy one of the two of us and has been working hard with Willow had to help her hold her head still to get some of it in her mouth. She has a stevie wonder sway to her making it hard for her to hold her head steady. I am hoping with time and heat treatment (my partner has REALLY warm hands and Willow likes them on her neck) that we can strengthen her neck muscles so she doesnt sway so much.

But right now I am so happy I could cry!
 
Come on Willow, you can do it. Sending lots of get well wheeks to lovely Willow...
 
Gosh what a little fighter! x)x)x)

COME ON WILLOW XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

My girls and I send her loads of wheeeeeeeeky loves and HUGE HUGS for you and your partner, you've been thru hell and back! and you're doing a brilliant job with the little girl x)

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
 
She is definatly our little fighter, so stong and hard headed.

Droping Willow off at the vets this morning was very hard. But She was out in the lobby waiting on us when we got there. Finally what seemed hours and hours later witht he time filled with pacing, checking to see if the phone was ringing properly etc. I broke down and called about Willow. The vet was just waiting till Willow came around a little bit more before calling us.

Willow had as the vet put it severe burring in her back teeth that was cutting into her little tongue. Also her back teeth are not growing properly due to the prolonged head tilt and strange facial structure. Her teeth have a small gap between them. She filed the back teeth and trimed the front teeth. Also poor little Willows head tilt as the vet put it was terribly back due to her brain damage and her being put to sleep for the teeth. But she said she is hoping that in a few days it will be closer to Willows normal after everything has time to wear off. She said she was going to keep her warm and cosy and give her time to come around. She said she was snuggling with her stuffed mouse and later she would try feeding her some. Hopefully we will be able to pick her up at 5pm today to bring her home.

She wants to continue the steroids and is putting her on another antibiotic. Also said that Willow would be very, very sore for a few days as her teeth were very bad. We just want her home, its not right coming into the room and her not wheaking.

Thank you all for the support, we are doing the best we can as first time guinea pig owners. This forum has been a life savor of information.
 
You're doing amazingly! Poor Willow, she's lucky to have you. Are her teeth going to be a long term problem because of the head tilt? Gosh poor thing, I hope they can minimise the pain for her over the coming days xox
 
Willow is back with us, the vet gave us Baytril (also she gave her a shot of Emequell)and said she will be drowsy for a while.

Can anyone tell me for about how long? I managed to get 10-13ml down her but it was a struggle as it was falling out the side of her mouth. Also she cannot walk at all and is just falling over everywhere (a lot more then normal) and its very distressing. We put her into her pigloo and she hasnt made a squeek since.

I know she is very tired as her little eyes were closing. They fed her while at the vets office but I am unsure on how much. I also fed her 42ml between 3am and 9:30am. So in total around 52ml from me.

sigh I worry to much maybe, just need to know what I should be doing. I know shes not used to her "new teeth". They also said not to try veg or solids for a few days.
 
My Mimsi was very groggy following his anaesthetic when he had a procedure for his bladder stone, he kept staggering around the cage as though drunk (well, I guess thats what he was). It took hours for it to wear off. I removed anything from the cage that he could attempt to climb on, just in case he fell off. Big higs to you and willow. What an amazing job you are doing taking sure good care of your special piggie..
 
I haven't really ever had a post-anaesthetic pig but it sounds like you're doing an absolutely amazing job looking after her.

As my vet wisely told me when Pie was sick, ensuring proper nutrition and medication is important but can only go so far. What are piggies really need when they are sick is an unending supply of love. Have you considered putting Willow in a cuddle cup or something and letting her sleep on your bed next to you? On Pie's final day I put him in his cuddle cup and I stayed on my bed with him and just stroked him the whole day. I think it helped him tremendously to know there was someone with him. Sometimes he'd started trembling and I would just hold his paw and he would stop. Unfortunately he was just too sick to come back but the thought remains, and possibly it would help little Willow a lot... Also when he was a bit stronger I could help him sit up or shift when he wanted too as he also had great difficulty walking.

What I'm basically trying to say is... lots of love, I'm sure she'll be just fine, you're doing such a fantastic job.
 
Thank you for the reply Farquhar Willow does seem "drunk" falling around everywhere. I will try to let it wear off and not get to upset. I know when she went to pee earlier it was a very acidy smell so I am guessing that is it going through her system?

CaseyTiggerPie, I am doing my best with mush pellets (she refuses CC) with veg added to it and water. Keeping a very detailed track of how much goes in. To the point i scoop everything that doesnt into another syringe to measure as close as possible the amounts. Meds are on strict time slots. We are going to try the bed, but Willow cannot really be trusted to not bolt (even now she tries) if no ones holding her. She does like laying on my partners cats blanket and is rather calm when on it. So we are going to try that. As of right now we are just trying to let her rest.
 
Just caught up with Willow's story. I'm so pleased to hear she's back home with you. You're doing a fantastic job with her. She sounds like a real treasure.

My adult male guinea pig took a good 24 hours to really shake off his GA so I would hope that you will see good improvement tomorrow. He wanted to be left alone most of the time and wasn't impressed that I kept checking whether he had eaten and pooped. I gave him something soft and snuggly to cuddle up in. You are doing all the right things for Willow. Will be thinking of you.

Kisses for Willow. xx>>>
 
I think you have done well getting what you have into her. I guess with piggies being so small it can hit them a lot harder so hopefully tomorrow will see an improvement in her. We're all rooting for you and her xox
 
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