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Specialist Cookie Is Ill! Fur Problems?

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Cookie's okay! They've done the x rays, and they want me to come and pick her up. She's completely fine, ut they want to talk to me about the results when I'm there. I'm slightly worried that's bad news but I'll find out when I get there, she did not have to be sedate her either, but I'm extremely worried about what they found as she wouldn't say over the phone..thoughts?
 
Try not to read too much info that. They would want you to see her more And you might take more in once you've seen her. Good luck xx
 
Yes, I'm thinking if it was anything very serious then they'd have told me over the phone...I hope. I'm on my way home to pick up my baby girl now, I want her home..
 
Bad news for Cookie.

She's got an infection of the uterus. Her bladder works perfectly fine; when they x-rayed it was all white. Ultra sounded her to find her whole uterus infected; why she's so swelled up.

Spaying her is my only option. She's only got a one in one hundred chance of surviving. I'm on anitbiotics while I think it over. Either she got surgery - and then all the aftercare, or I look after her as best as I can and let nature take its course.
 
She's put Cookie on antibiotics to try and make her more healthier to survive the surgery. She hasn't metioned PTS yet; she's set on trying to sort it out by surgery.

However, the risk is high with Cookie. The antibiotics will only make her better up to a point and this will kill her eventually.

They've shaved my little girl's tummy :(
 
They have to do that for the ultrasound so they can get a clear picture.

Do you know what antibiotics she is on. Also did she mention the word Pyometra? and if so it is open or closed Pyometra?
 
She just said when she did the ultrasound the uterus lining was lumps and full off puss; if that helps.

Can she stil go in the run with a shaved tummy?
 
I would not be putting her in the run if she is poorly but I have never had my pigs outside so am not the best person to answer that really.

Pyometra is a uterine infection but there are 2 types, and if I remember correctly the closed version is more serious. Did the vet give her any pain relief?
 
No; she's just put her on antibiotics.

I'd rather let nature run its course rather than attempt surgery and put her through all that with such low chances. Personally. But...
 
DoragonHinansho said:
Cookie's okay! They've done the x rays, and they want me to come and pick her up. She's completely fine, ut they want to talk to me about the results when I'm there. I'm slightly worried that's bad news but I'll find out when I get there, she did not have to be sedate her either, but I'm extremely worried about what they found as she wouldn't say over the phone..thoughts?
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Staff are not entitled to give you any medical details over the phone, good or bad, unless you are speaking directly to a vet. ;)

Good that the x-ray has gone well and that it could be done without sedation.
 
DoragonHinansho said:
@Wiebke the results aren't great though...
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I am very sorry. Just catching up!

Please do not put her out on the lawn with a shaved belly! the last you want is her getting a urinary or respiratory stract infection.

My four year old 700g Cariad did make it through an emergency spay after similar findings only half a year after a major stone operation; she lived on for over a year and died from old age on the hottest day of the year.

But you will have to talk with your parents re. financing an operation. At least now you have got proof of what you are up against. :(
 
She's got a uterus infection, the x ray simply should fluid so they did an ultrasound. It's not free moving fluid; and the uterus lining is full of lumps and puss.

The only way to remove it is via surgery but Cookie has low chances, it's very high risk.

We're trying to keep going with antibiotics and I'm hand feeding to try and get her ready to consider the surgery.

I personally do not want to put her through a surgery. And all the aftercare; I think it'll be too much for her. The vet mentioned nothing about PTS or cookie being in any pain... I kinda want to keep her with me; but she needs hand feeding to top her up, she needs foods with lots of weight gaining, she needs so much. Is it really fair for her to keep going like this?

So much swimming around in my head right now.
 
DoragonHinansho said:
She's got a uterus infection, the x ray simply should fluid so they did an ultrasound. It's not free moving fluid; and the uterus lining is full of lumps and puss.

The only way to remove it is via surgery but Cookie has low chances, it's very high risk.

We're trying to keep going with antibiotics and I'm hand feeding to try and get her ready to consider the surgery.

I personally do not want to put her through a surgery. And all the aftercare; I think it'll be too much for her. The vet mentioned nothing about PTS or cookie being in any pain... I kinda want to keep her with me; but she needs hand feeding to top her up, she needs foods with lots of weight gaining, she needs so much. Is it really fair for her to keep going like this?

So much swimming around in my head right now.
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My 700g / 4 year old Cariad did undergo an emergency spay successfully after very similar findings, but I was lucky to have a very experienced vet, so she just sailed through her op and lived for over a year to a good age. You will have to weigh up the risks of an operation against the chances of success. Would your parents pay for an operation and would they be prepared if you looked around for a more specialised exotics vet?

Without an operation, she will either need a strong antibiotic or pts. Pyometra (infection of the womb lining) will kill if you leave any decision re. operation for too long. It is certainly not the news you wanted to hear! :(
 
You see, when discussing about a spay plan my Dad did say that he'd lend me the £100 to do it if I wanted to, but apparently according to the vets antibiotics won't work. It'll only help up to a point; and it will kill her eventually. She thinks this is why the whole thing in January happened (not eating, suspected urine problems) when in reality, it was just this.

I don't know if I should see what the nature holds, attempt to help her by the spay (but the vet has said it's very high risk) or PTS. I really don't know what to do.
 
DoragonHinansho said:
You see, when discussing about a spay plan my Dad did say that he'd lend me the £100 to do it if I wanted to, but apparently according to the vets antibiotics won't work. It'll only help up to a point; and it will kill her eventually. She thinks this is why the whole thing in January happened (not eating, suspected urine problems) when in reality, it was just this.

I don't know if I should see what the nature holds, attempt to help her by the spay (but the vet has said it's very high risk) or PTS. I really don't know what to do.
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I am linking in our medical specialists. You still have a certain period of grace as Cookie is currently stable, but if you want to go for an operation, the sooner, the better. Otherwise, you will have to be prepared to pts as soon as she is starting to go downhill.
@Pebble @Elwickcavies @furryfriends Excellent Adventure Sanctuary
 
You see...I might prefer that. Let Cookie live out the rest of the time she's got, and the pts when she starts going down hill, let her go out the kinder way. I'm scared about the fact that she could be under lots of stress going to the operation, and then not surviving the operation of dying in the aftercare afterwards when it's so confusing and everything - I don't want to put her through that.
But then I'm thinking will pts now be the kindest way to go? I don't know. And it's really hurting as I don'#t know.

I go away next week. I don't want to leave her. What if she dies while I'm away? My parents aren't around either, it will be up to my Nan to care for her. Is it kinder to PTS now and so I can say goodbye? It's all too much to cope with.
 
DoragonHinansho said:
You see...I might prefer that. Let Cookie live out the rest of the time she's got, and the pts when she starts going down hill, let her go out the kinder way. I'm scared about the fact that she could be under lots of stress going to the operation, and then not surviving the operation of dying in the aftercare afterwards when it's so confusing and everything - I don't want to put her through that.
But then I'm thinking will pts now be the kindest way to go? I don't know. And it's really hurting as I don'#t know.

I go away next week. I don't want to leave her. What if she dies while I'm away? My parents aren't around either, it will be up to my Nan to care for her. Is it kinder to PTS now and so I can say goodbye? It's all too much to cope with.
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Just see what the experts say and only then make an informed decision.
 
Okay, we've decided to go ahead and book Cookie in for surgery. We want to give her a chance. We don't want to give up on her. Parents are going to give me the money to try and save her life.

I am ringing the vets tomorrow morning and hopefully booking her in for it on Thursday or Friday.
 
A spay can be relatively safe if done by a very experienced vet. How experienced is your vet in carrying out spays on guinea pigs? My vet has done lots, and I have had many guinea pigs come to stay with me post surgery, and they have all been very well following the op, and have gone home once they have had their post op check.
 
This is my first experience on surgery with any pigs, let along a spay. Please can you let me know what's involved? I'm ringing to book her in for it tomorrow, will probably be carried out on Thursday.
 
I really think you need to be asking questions, such as how many spays do they carry out, because the success rate is going to be very different for vets who have done plenty of these ops and those who very rarely do guinea pig spays. I wouldn't be rushing into anything without finding out more information first.
 
We have moved the guinea pigs back inside. First of all, we were worried that Cookie may struggle outdoors with her tummy shaved, and then we wanted them to be indoors while Cookie recovers from her surgery.

I'm nervous about signing up for this but I want to give her the best chance and know I did everything I could. I'd feel horrible if I didn't do everything to help.
 
I'm feeling better about doing it, I mean, I want to do it for her.

She's busy munching hay now, she's my little fighter and I'm hoping she'll be okay and pull through just fine.

Moved them indoors; worried about Cookie will struggle with her little shaved tummy, and to help her stay warm after surgery.

image.webp
 
The best vet to perform the spay would be Simon Maddock from the Cat and Rabbit clinic in Northampton. He is on holiday from a week on Friday though so Cookie would need to be there by the end of this week or early next week. It may be possible to arrange a piggy train from Bristol to Simon if needed but we would need to act quickly. Is this something you would consider as an option for Cookie?

@furryfriends Excellent Adventure Sanctuary
 
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