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Critical Care Oxbow Feeds

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Shannon R

Shannon R

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi there,

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this? My vet recommended it for some recent weight loss in my guinea pig. He went from 1.2kg to 1.08kg and now 1.05kg. He is on antibiotics(Bactrim 0.2ml twice daily) but doesn't tolerate the pro biotics(Bene bac gel) I have been trying to give him.

Should I try the fine grind or the apple/banana?
 
Mine all love the fine grind - never had experience of the apple and banana.
 
I have never used this product, but I know that it is excellent for feeding ill piggies and the ones who are weak. Here vets (and owners) suggest to keep a box at home, especially when the piggie often gets ill. This because in our shops it is almost never on sale and it's necessary to buy it online, therefore it may be not soon available.
 
I have used the apple/banana, but just as a supplement to older piggies and also my bunny occasionally. I keep a packet on hand, just in case, I was lucky as mine is good till Dec. 2017 and I purchased it last year, that is when it is unopened, of course.
 
We have used it with sick piggies who were not able to eat normally (mainly with dental abscess issues.) We had the banana/apple one. Sundae was pretty good about taking it (but then again, she was a really good patient who always did her best to eat and didn't put up much of a fight with meds, etc.) The expiry date will be written on the package, though my vet did say I could extend that range by freezing it after opening. That being said, I did end up just tossing it after a long time had passed with no opportunity to use it up. I believe the expiry date was at least a year in advance (though, of course, like all food, that is the 'seal not broken yet' date and you are supposed to use it up faster once opened.)
 
From your other thread I think you are thinking of this as extra feed as a boost after bladder issues? If so I think it is a good idea. I have used the Fine grind - sometimes mixed with other recovery foods or ground pellets and fed as a supplementary food in post op pigs. For bladder issue pigs it seems v good as it gives them calories and fluid. I usually use cooled camomile tea rather than water to make it into a loose paste for syringe feeding but warm water is fine. Feeding a couple of 'top up' feeds a day is not the same as full on Syringe feeds but have u looked through the syringe feeding guide thread as some good tips? I have a boy who struggled post op early this year and unfortunately now has kidney failure but he is still lively and 1kg due to pain relief and me continuing with top up feeds, he eats hay and veg in between.
 
Thanks everyone. Spike isn't doing well this morning, seems lethargic, not wanting to eat his veggies. Just noticed this yesterday :( Going to start the feeds tonight, I will look up some tips, thanks for mentioning that.

Have you guys or do you guys know anyone who has had a guinea pig with antibiotic intolerance? I think that is what is going on, he has been so well of the past 4 weeks(that is how long he has been on his antibiotics). I'm very scared. He has been on Bactrim 0.2ml twice a day.
 
Bactrim kills appetite and energy... syringe him as often as you can, just a little bit, but often. Intolerance and bad consequences on the gut flora are a possibility, but you have no choice as the infection kills as well... I would give him a great dose of vit C, too. At the rescue the lady had a pig affected with a bad pneumonia, he was lethargic and without any hope for the future. She went on with critical care, some natural tea herb (don't know which) and a great amount of vit C. The piggie recovered and was considered a miracle...
What kind of infection has your piggie?
 
rome_italy said:
Bactrim kills appetite and energy... syringe him as often as you can, just a little bit, but often. Intolerance and bad consequences on the gut flora are a possibility, but you have no choice as the infection kills as well... I would give him a great dose of vit C, too. At the rescue the lady had a pig affected with a bad pneumonia, he was lethargic and without any hope for the future. She went on with critical care, some natural tea herb (don't know which) and a great amount of vit C. The piggie recovered and was considered a miracle...
What kind of infection has your piggie?
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Hi there, thank you for the reply, that is reassuring. He had a bad UTI after being catheterized to retrieve to small stones. I have little vitamin C pellets he normally eats but since this morning he isn't eating anything except a small amount of hay :(
 
Have you weighed him today? If he is eating very little you will need to start syringe feeding now. Can you get hold of the vet - even a phone discussion? Sounds like he is deteriorating not rallying so I think you need some vet input. I have not had issues with Bactrim with my pigs but you need to discuss. Is he off it now? There is also the possibility that another stone was missed or some grit is causing pain? Hopefully not.
 
He is not doing well :( Took him to the vet this afternoon and his temp was low, low HR, weak :( Ive started syringe feeding him but I really do not know how much to give him, we just got done giving him 5ml of mixed critical care. The vet said to wrap him in blankets and turn the heat up really high. Any advice on how much and how often to feed him :( He is almost too weak to swallow, we have to rub his chin and try tricks to get him to swallow. The vet doesn't know whats going on :( Any advice is welcomed, especially on how much to syringe feed him at this point. The vet also gave him sub q fluids, pain meds and a gut motility agent.
 
I am so sorry for this bad news... I unfortunately lived the same experience long ago and my vet didn't know what to do and called and asked also some collegues in UK for a consult. Sometimes piggies' bodies simply give up... even when the disease and the infection is over. I don't know what to suggest because in similar situations only the owner should decide. Today I sent an email to the lady of the rescue, just for asking her more about her miracled pig; but it was just a real miracle... she did something against the vets' rules and she had luck. Long ago I was able to let my piggie "live" only by syringe for some weeks... but that was not a life of course.
Do what your mind and your heart will suggest; you may want to go on like that, waiting and feeding him, or to try deleting some med... but in such cases even a vet is not helpful...
These little pets are a mistery sometimes even for the best vets.
 
Really sorry he is so poorly. Here is the syringe feeding guide which you really need to read
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
You are aiming for 60ml over 24 hours (more about that in the guide) but if he is very poorly that may be more than is feasible and if he really is struggling to swallow, don't force feed him. If you you think he can manage some food then try again. what pain killer is he on?
I am not sure about wrapping him and keeping him really hot - the usual approach is that he should be comfy and warm but not hot. Has he a favourite fleece sack /bed or similar? you are doing all you can but he does sound very poorly. Do you have an emergency number to ring if needed?
 
I'm not sure what pain med they gave him
He doesn't want to swallow initially but seems to get better as the feedings go on :(

Emergency number for euthanasia?
 
I was just thinking for advice if he gets worse.
If he will take some food that is good just make sure he gets a chance to chew between mouthfuls. Everything crossed
 
the important thing is that he is under painkillers, therefore there is no sufference for sure... I wouldn't waste my money for euthanasia in similar cases. Also my piggie falled "asleep" naturally, just like my father and so many pets and people... But this is only your decision. My piggie (and my father) stopped swallowing totally, therefore it doesn't sound to me that your piggie has no hope...
fingers crossed for you!
 
I hope everything is okay @Shannon R ?

When they get to this level you need to make a very hard choice. You can support them and give them food only as they want it and hope they have the fight to recover themselves. Or you can be the bad guy and force them to eat as much as you can get into them. I've done this, and I felt awful but I wanted him to survive.

My fingers are crossed for you.
 
We lost him the same evening of my last post. I am devastated and heart broken. He was doing so well after getting his UTI under control(~4-5 weeks ago). I am so scared I did this to him with the antibiotics(Bactrim). But he just got SO much better and was so happy after his UTI symptoms were under control and showed no signs of intolerance until recently when I noticed a bit of weight loss. Truly devastated and questioning everything Ive done. I just don't know what happened. I wish he would have gave us more time to help him out. In hindsight, I should have started his critical care sooner :( I feel so bad now trying to force feeding him but I probably would have regretted not doing it if I hadn't. Now, his brother is left alone...and I'm worrying about him. He has never been alone but I feel terrible getting another pig right now :( Don't know what to do. We put Spike in a box in his favourite bed and are getting him cremated :( RIP little guy. Thanks everyone for the support. I suppose what I have learned is to start critical care right away..I spent to much time weighing the pros/cons, find probiotics that the pig is tolerant of( the pro biotics I tried giving him gave him very runny poos so I stopped), if you can't find pro biotic try the poop soup. Its also very frustrating that we do not have vets trained in the care of guinea pigs here, I had very little help and had to phone vets in another province to try to seek advice. I really wish I could have saved my little spikey hair dude, he was special!
 
Really very sorry to hear this news about Spike. All the 'what ifs' are normal and just show you really cared for him. Often people want to blame the meds but more often it is the underlying illness that is the bigger factor. The first serious illness and death you have to deal with is a really steep learning curve - it knocked me when I had similar. But you have a remaining piggie to care for and that will focus you. There is a very good thread on bereaved piggie care which I will find for you soon. Most piggies are quiet but ok, the odd one grieves really hard but you will notice that by behaviour, not eating - see thread. A soft toy with no plastic eyes nose can be a comfort for the remaining piggie. Really sorry for your loss - sleep well little Spike.
 
lauraboara said:
Here is the thread about caring for your remaining piggie - worth a look through for some tips and what to look out for.
Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
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Thank you very much.

Do you have any advice/threads on how to introduce a new piggy into Marbles(Spikes brothers) life? I know guineas need a companion and I am a busy medical student so he definitely needs a friend around when its quiet at home. I am really nervous to get a companion, I want one thats right for him and I am not sure when the right time is. He is probably so confused about where Spike is :( . The SPCA(animal rescue here) has so many guineas available from young to older but I am not sure whats right for him and they don't do "meet and greets". Spike was more of the dominant pig I think. They were both pretty chill but he tended to put on more of the tough man show.
 
Shannon R said:
Thank you very much.

Do you have any advice/threads on how to introduce a new piggy into Marbles(Spikes brothers) life? I know guineas need a companion and I am a busy medical student so he definitely needs a friend around when its quiet at home. I am really nervous to get a companion, I want one thats right for him and I am not sure when the right time is. He is probably so confused about where Spike is :( . The SPCA(animal rescue here) has so many guineas available from young to older but I am not sure whats right for him and they don't do "meet and greets". Spike was more of the dominant pig I think. They were both pretty chill but he tended to put on more of the tough man show.
Click to expand...



I just read over the link you gave me and I see there is a bit about getting a new companion on there! Any other advice is welcomed
 
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