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Critical Care Question

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ILoveGilbertTheGuineaPig

ILoveGilbertTheGuineaPig

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So I get that you should feed critical care a few times a day, but the vet said that you should make them separately. So if Gilbert didn't finish the critical care I made for him in the morning, I"d have to toss that and make some new critical care for him later. I was just wondering if it would be fine if I didn't toss it, and reused it for later in the day?
 
I think too many germs and stuff would get on the food, so it's best just to make a fresh lot for each meal. If you only make what you need, nothing should be wasted.
 
Thank you. I just felt like it was a huge waste. I used it for the first time today, but made a bit too much. It's only been a few hours. I feel like it would still be safe to use it, but I don't want to take any risks.
 
It's better to be safe than sorry, especially when dealing with poorly pigs!
 
I mixed a good amount in a small airtight container, for a few reasons. One, it was easier to get a consistent suspension and I could put the lid on and shake, and two, my sick piggie was coming to and from work with me and it was simply easier to have it pre-mixed. Also, I was ALWAYS making too much when I tried to do single servings.

However! When it was feeding time I always spooned some into a separate, clean dish, warmed it up if possible, and syringed from there. Any left in the little dish got rinsed away. It meant I could pre-mix but minimise contamination as we weren't syringing from the main container.
 
I expect that the vet has suggested this because some sorts of critical care contain pro-biotics including yeasts which start to ferment once you have added water and left at room temperature for a few hours. Also as already stated, if you keep dipping a syringe back into the main mix that has been in a piggies mouth then you are transferring other bugs that could multiply and spoil the food.

Like spinningnickel I make up a batch of thick paste (personally I use the piggies own nuggets with added Vit C and probiotcs, soaked in warm boiled water and then blended with a hand blender - much cheaper and they prefer it) . This is stored in the fridge in an airtight container over a period of 24hours. I decant what I need into a seperate clean dish each time , add some warm boiled water and maybe, depending upon the pig, some Ellas Organic baby food, and then syringe this, throwing away any that remains.

If you are syringing a pig that isn;t eating at all you need to aim for 120ml in 24hours - that's 20-30ml max stomach capacity per feed spread 3-4 hours apart (to give their stomach time to empty bewteen meals). It also helps to syringe some water after every 3-4 syringes of mush to help rinse their mouths !

If the pig isn;t pooping very well, producing tiny poops or is not pooping at all then you need to go back to the vet to get some oral gut simulants - metoclo-promide (or eme-prid) and zan-tac are most commonly prescribed. Also ensure that if necessary there is adequate pain relief (normally met-cam) as pain is one of the main resons why piggies stop eating.

Hope this helps
x
 
SpinningNickel said:
However! When it was feeding time I always spooned some into a separate, clean dish, warmed it up if possible, and syringed from there. Any left in the little dish got rinsed away. It meant I could pre-mix but minimise contamination as we weren't syringing from the main container.
Click to expand...

Thank you! This helped a lot. I'll do this next time if I plan on making a bigger serving.
 
Pebble said:
I expect that the vet has suggested this because some sorts of critical care contain pro-biotics including yeasts which start to ferment once you have added water and left at room temperature for a few hours. Also as already stated, if you keep dipping a syringe back into the main mix that has been in a piggies mouth then you are transferring other bugs that could multiply and spoil the food.

Like spinningnickel I make up a batch of thick paste (personally I use the piggies own nuggets with added Vit C and probiotcs, soaked in warm boiled water and then blended with a hand blender - much cheaper and they prefer it) . This is stored in the fridge in an airtight container over a period of 24hours. I decant what I need into a seperate clean dish each time , add some warm boiled water and maybe, depending upon the pig, some Ellas Organic baby food, and then syringe this, throwing away any that remains.

If you are syringing a pig that isn;t eating at all you need to aim for 120ml in 24hours - that's 20-30ml max stomach capacity per feed spread 3-4 hours apart (to give their stomach time to empty bewteen meals). It also helps to syringe some water after every 3-4 syringes of mush to help rinse their mouths !

If the pig isn;t pooping very well, producing tiny poops or is not pooping at all then you need to go back to the vet to get some oral gut simulants - metoclo-promide (or eme-prid) and zan-tac are most commonly prescribed. Also ensure that if necessary there is adequate pain relief (normally met-cam) as pain is one of the main resons why piggies stop eating.

Hope this helps
x
Click to expand...

Thanks :) Now my problem is he HATES it! I'm planning on mixing some banana with it when the bananas are more ripe. He's eating less than normal but luckily still eating. He was pooping less and they were really small, but after a day of medicine and some critical care, there's been more and they're a bit bigger. Hopefully once I mix the banana in, he'll like it a bit more. :)
 
Hi Glynisx>>

Don't worry! You already have Velvet to worry about! I took him to the vets on Saturday. He was losing a lot of weight (down to 900g!), eating a lot less, pooping less, his breathing wasn't sounding good. He was just acting really lethargic and it was getting worse. The exotics specialist was on vacation so we couldn't see him. The doctor made it sound reallly bad, and even brought up the idea of cancer! She wanted to take xrays but said it'd be $500, so we just went with the antibiotics and critical care. She recommended us see the specialist which I will do if Gilbert is still not better after his medicine. He's already looking better today, so rest your little heart haha. I really do hope you will see improvement in Velvet! xx
 
Don't worry?? about Gilby??
No wayyyyyyyy Amelia!

OK it could be his toofies, is he dribbling or has he a wet chinnie?
Good to feed him the critical care, you could also cut up his food into long strips to make it easier for him if it is his toofies.
Give it a couple of days, but only if you don't notice any changes, remember how clever Gilbert is at hiding things! Then ask to see the exotics vet, an xray might have to be done if he's concerned. It's also worth asking if you can pay off the vet bills (this will perhaps make mum and dad happier)

FOR OUR LITTLE MATE GILBY WHEE SEND YOU THESE xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

AND FROM AUNTIE GLYNIS xoxoxoxoxoxo (yeah the girls insisted that they give him more!)
 
Oh but the problem is, I really have no money! And no job! So..I'd have to ask my lovely brothers to sponsor :)) I can work my sister charm, but $500 really is a lot...and I don't think it's a dental issue. They checked his teeth and didn't say there was anything wrong with them. And from my observations, I don't see any problem. I think it's a URI. She kept saying she was concerned about his bulging eye, which I didn't even notice! I kept staring at his eyes on the car ride home and couldn't figure out what she was talking about. But she thinks there may be a mass/abscess/cancer behind his eye?/

Because I'm not the doctor, I know I can't be sure of his condition, but I never imagined it would be so serious. So if he doesn't improve, then I will consult the specialist and have him clarify the problem. Thanks for your concern Glynis, me and Gilbert appreciate itxoxoxoxo You are always there for all of the forum members and piggies. I admire your big heart x)
 
Oh no, poor dear. :( All our claws are crossed for him over here.

If this is any help, when Picchu was losing weight with his ear infection, my vet just said, if he'll take Critical Care, great. If he'll take his normal food mashed up, great. Just get whatever you can down him for a few days, so long as he's eating and drinking. I made Picchu a smoothie from carrot and red bell pepper, to get some extra food and vitamin C down him. He loved that and it was thinned with water so it got fluids down too. I alternated it with his CC stuff, especially for night feeds as I was shattered and it was so so so much easier to get down him.
 
When I was using it the vet said it sort of went funny if you left it to stand, because it had live properties in it. So I would try not to.

My boy hated it too, but he did love oats & warm water & took it a bit better mixed in with that xx
 
Well whee have known Gilbert for so long now...... x) and i just know how worried you'll be sweetie HUGGLES XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

yup get those sisterly big dark eyes of yours working on your big brothers!
Bulging eye may even mean abscess which could be from a toofie ..... but yeah you need to see an exotics for this.

MORE LOVES FOR DEAR GILBERT XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
 
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