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Specialist Cookie Is Ill! Fur Problems?

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Firstly, take a deep breath - a guinea pig that is gaining weight is usually not in any imminent danger of dying! Just continue with what you have been doing and if necessary, topping her up with hand feed. ;)

Most scans and x-rays can be performed under very little sedation, just enough to keep the piggy quiet, but they don't need a full GA. Any operation is a leap of faith for any of us; they are usually only undertaken when any alternatives are much worse. Thankfully, the success rate has gone up enormously over the last five years. But by the sound of it, an operation is not even on the cards!

However, you have to face up to the fact that your fears of losing your guinea pig are currently getting very much in the way of both her recovery and your being able to make any decisions to help her getting better. You will have to address your own anxiety issues first and foremost, as they are currently totally dominating and paralysing you to an extent that is very counterproductive. I know that you are under a lot of stress, which is making everything worse for you in all respects up to the point where you struggle to function at all.
This website her contains links to free helplines which can help you talk things through with somebody who is uninvolved and can hopefully help you develop some coping mechanisms. Stress can really take it out of you and magnify any issues that you have got; between an ill piggy, your exams and your lack of parental support, you have got a lot on your plate right now - just get some help to turn the big heap into bitesized portions so it can be tackled; ideally with somebody that is bound to confidentiality. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/pages/mental-health-helplines.aspx

Guinea pigs are very sensitive; they pick up on your fears and panic, so by expecting only the very worst any moment, but being unable to make any decisions about her, you are not helping her at all, never mind turning yourself into a very knotted bundle of sheer misery over it all! If you don't want to do it for yourself, please do it for Cookie! ;)

Most people end up in situations of multiple or extreme stress sooner or later in life; there is no shame in it. happens to prety much everybody. The trick is to know when and where to get help. I have certainly been there, and so have a fair number of members.
 
Thank you. I'll give the links a read over in the morning.

I am seeing a doctor currently about my mental health state - however she's not being very helpful either; I know I need to get it together for Cookie and I'm doing my best to do just that. I might go back it see another doctor...although usually they just stick me on the useless doctors list as she knows me best :/

Thanks for all your support over the past few days; it's been helping me out a lot. I'll probably hang on for a few days before deciding about the x rays.
 
DoragonHinansho said:
Thank you. I'll give the links a read over in the morning.

I am seeing a doctor currently about my mental health state - however she's not being very helpful either; I know I need to get it together for Cookie and I'm doing my best to do just that. I might go back it see another doctor...although usually they just stick me on the useless doctors list as she knows me best :/

Thanks for all your support over the past few days; it's been helping me out a lot. I'll probably hang on for a few days before deciding about the x rays.
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You might try the helpline I have linked to or google for other independent free helplines; just talking to somebody who hasn't got an agenda and getting rid of some of the steam in your internal pressure cooker can help enormously and free up your head a bit.

You don't get over a narrow ridge by staring at the chasms on both sides while doing complicated maths in your head; you get across by concentrating on setting one foot in front of the other. Cookie has got a very good chance of making a good recovery - visualise that as the other end of the ridge, and concentrate on gettng her through one day at a time. You are allowed to use a stick and handrails in form of support from others, friends and professionals.
 
aww sorry to hear you are going through it at the moment, it all seems to be piling up for you :(

As the others have said, make sure you get help for yourself as well as cookie, dont let them put you on for with a doctor thats not compatible with you at the moment, try asking for another one at the practice if you dont feel entirely comfortable with the one they keep giving you. sometimes a fresh approach with a different doctor is all thats needed to kick start the healing process for you. A different angle/perspective is often all thats needed to start putting pieces together again :tu:
(maybe look at the Surgery's website & see if the Drs have a timetable on it, pick a day when the usual Dr isnt in, will save you having to ask for a different one, if its awkward for you)

i'm not sure how cavvy savvy your vet is.... but £110 seems excessive for an ultrasound, my Ellie had one for ovarian cysts about a month or so ago & they didnt charge me more than the consultation fee this time, dont remember for sure, but cant remember her charging for the first ultrasound either, but if she did it wasnt much.... definitely not that much anyway:yikes: mine are not an exotics vets & generally well priced, but thats just crazy pricing!

could you try a different vets? or even double check with the vet that they got the price right if you want to stay with your current vet?
***Ellies ultrasound consisted of 45 seconds worth of belly hair clipping, 10 seconds of squirty stuff application on the scanner & about 5-10 minutes max of looking around on the scan for all the important bits& checking what was going on. then another 30 seconds of squirty stuff being removed with a soft cloth. i held her throughout & had a good look at all the process going on :nod:
I dont think they can justify £110 for that.

Good luck with the hand feeding, seems like you have done it before so that's a bonus!:nod:
i think sweetcorn is a food that helps with weight gain short term, they can eat the corn, green husks/leaves &cornsilks (stringy bits that go up through & poke out the top)
introduce it gradually i usually do about 1/4 a day each for mine they love it. dont know if it does them any good to feed it in large amounts long term, but it should help to get the weight on now whilst she needs it. :tu:

Did you try @Kerrie74 's link for financial help, sounds like you could do with a boost :D

Take care of yourself & make use of any help that you can get.... A happy healthy you, is a start towards a happy healthy cookie too.

Keep us updated & please have a look through other members links they have posted for you, they are a wonderfully, helpful, caring bunch, with a vast amount of knowledge.

Big hug for you & hope things start looking up for you. Take care. luv Ellie, Grace & I. x
 
aww sorry to hear you are going through it at the moment, it all seems to be piling up for you :(

As the others have said, make sure you get help for yourself as well as cookie, dont let them put you on for with a doctor thats not compatible with you at the moment, try asking for another one at the practice if you dont feel entirely comfortable with the one they keep giving you. sometimes a fresh approach with a different doctor is all thats needed to kick start the healing process for you. A different angle/perspective is often all thats needed to start putting pieces together again :tu:
(maybe look at the Surgery's website & see if the Drs have a timetable on it, pick a day when the usual Dr isnt in, will save you having to ask for a different one, if its awkward for you)

i'm not sure how cavvy savvy your vet is.... but £110 seems excessive for an ultrasound, my Ellie had one for ovarian cysts about a month or so ago & they didnt charge me more than the consultation fee this time, dont remember for sure, but cant remember her charging for the first ultrasound either, but if she did it wasnt much.... definitely not that much anyway:yikes: mine are not an exotics vets & generally well priced, but thats just crazy pricing!

could you try a different vets? or even double check with the vet that they got the price right if you want to stay with your current vet?
***Ellies ultrasound consisted of 45 seconds worth of belly hair clipping, 10 seconds of squirty stuff application on the scanner & about 5-10 minutes max of looking around on the scan for all the important bits& checking what was going on. then another 30 seconds of squirty stuff being removed with a soft cloth. i held her throughout & had a good look at all the process going on :nod:
I dont think they can justify £110 for that.

Good luck with the hand feeding, seems like you have done it before so that's a bonus!:nod:
i think sweetcorn is a food that helps with weight gain short term, they can eat the corn, green husks/leaves &cornsilks (stringy bits that go up through & poke out the top)
introduce it gradually i usually do about 1/4 a day each for mine they love it. dont know if it does them any good to feed it in large amounts long term, but it should help to get the weight on now whilst she needs it. :tu:

Did you try @Kerrie74 's link for financial help, sounds like you could do with a boost :D

Take care of yourself & make use of any help that you can get.... A happy healthy you, is a start towards a happy healthy cookie too.

Keep us updated & please have a look through other members links they have posted for you, they are a wonderfully, helpful, caring bunch, with a vast amount of knowledge.

Big hug for you & hope things start looking up for you. Take care. luv Ellie, Grace & I. x
 
Thank you; everyone, for all of your lovely advice.

Cookie has suddenly dropped weight - about 40g. This has been in the pace of the day. I'm going to ring the vet back and get her in.

Meanwhile, I'm stepping in with hand feeding. It's a hard blow since she's eating and guzzling down food, but I need the x rays to work out what I can do for her now.

Just waiting for the vets to open to give them a call.
 
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The vet isn't in yet, she will be in very shortly to ring me back. There is a chance Cookie can be x-rated today.

I'm so nervous I feel physically sick, let alone when she actually goes to get them done; aha. Trying to distract myself with the schoolwork I've been sent without much luck.
 
Morning @DoragonHinansho sorry to hear about Cookie loosing weight again, I hope your ok and not getting too stressed.

In regards to your Dr's, I would try and see a different one and ask for help from them also you can contact people like the Samaritans (I've done this several times) or get in touch with Bristol Mind and ask if they can help. The links are below. You can email the Samaritans.

http://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help-you/contact-us

http://www.bristolmind.org.uk/mental-health-resources

I hope you manage to get Cookie sorted out.
 
Agree with what everyone has said, you need to look after yourself too.

I too am shocked at the price of the Ultrasound, at my vets it is about £60 I think, maybe cheaper. The ultrasound can be done conscious, and like Wiebke has said even an xray can be done conscious or with a whiff of gas.

Hope all goes ok today, if cysts are found maybe your vet would consider the hormone injections rather than spaying unless the cysts are too big?
 
They are able to x ray Cookie today. Turns out they want to do that and apparently it's 70 am image.

We are on out way to the vets now- cookie seems a bit confused about why we're taking the bus but seems okay, she's eating her celery.

I'm extremely stressed out but I'm hoping she's going to be okay.
 
Take some deep breaths :) I thought they might be charging per image/xray.

Good luck to you both, let us know what happens.
 
I'll keep you all updated with what happens; I'm probably going to be a massive ball of stress and worry today while this happens.

Meant to be going away with my boyfriend next weekend; thank god we paid it all in advance is all I can say!
 
I've JSIT dropped her off at x ray, a few tears may have been shed over leaving her there.

I'll be called if there's an emergency. For now all I can do is go to college and try and carry on; and ring later to know when I can pick her up.

Wishing begins.
 
I know I have it as well remember :P I worry about the smallest things sometimes. You'll be ok once you hear from the vet :)
 
Waiting is always the worst. It is likely that they are putting her rather to the end of the queue, so you may not hear until a bit later.
 
I got told that I should ring them up at about 2 oclock to be able to know when I can pick her up tonight. I just wish I knew if she was just settled in okay, eating anything, is she just okay? Have them done the x-rays yet? I wish I could ring but I don't want to distract them...
 
Best wait until you can ring and concentrate on sending her loving and supporting thoughts.
 
I'm doing just that, sending her lots of loving thoughts and hopefully they placed the celery I brought in with her! I know now matter what happens now, Cookie has been active and eating this morning. My worst fear is her being PTS.

I'm just glad I pushed the fears aside and focusing on getting on her better, the x-rays will be able to see what's going on and help us make her all better.
 
DoragonHinansho said:
STILL no calls. However I'll be able to ring up soon and ask about her x3

Can I assume that no news is good news since I haven't been contacted @Wiebke ?
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It is either good news or they haven't got around to x-raying her yet, depending on how many animals are waiting to be operated and/or x-rayed. In my experience, any small animals are usually put at the end of the queue.
 
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