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Fozzy heat stroke

Managed to get 11ml of cc into him. Currently eating a slice of pepper. Will try some more cc in a couple of hours as a top up and just to get as much into him as possible.
 
nedajaffa said:
Managed to get 11ml of cc into him. Currently eating a slice of pepper. Will try some more cc in a couple of hours as a top up and just to get as much into him as possible.
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Keep weighing him daily in order to monitor his food intake. It is a good sign that he is eating veg and that is actually taking as much as 11 cc - that is a fair portion, considering that he is eating somewhat indepently. It means that his appetite is definitely coming back as during the acute crisis you have to fight for every single cc and often struggle to get in more than 5 cc in one go.

What you can do, and what we suggest in the syringe feeding guide for recovering piggies is to syringe feed a little to help trigger the appetite and then offer regular food (including the crucial mainstay of any diet, hay) to encourage independent eating as much as possible. Finish off the session with more willingly taken syringe feed depending how much he is eating on his own.
You are definitely over the critical stage into recovery now. He should hopefully be better with every passing day.
 
Wiebke said:
Keep weighing him daily in order to monitor his food intake. It is a good sign that he is eating veg and that is actually taking as much as 11 cc - that is a fair portion and means that his appetite is coming back.

What you can do, and what we suggest in the syringe feeding guide for recovering piggies is to syringe feed a little to help trigger the appetite and then offer regular food (including the crucial mainstay of any diet, hay) to encourage independent eating as much as possible. Finish off the session with more willingly taken syringe feed depending how much he is eating on his own.
You are definitely over the critical stage into recovery now. He should hopefully be better with every passing day.
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That's really helpful, thanks @Wiebke
We've done quite a bit of syringe feeding as Rollie is a dental piggie and his in between visits to Simon sometimes require our intervention but we've never been comfortable with how much to aim for in one sitting. I remember when Rollie was last really ill crying because I could only get a few mls into him (I'm sure I captured it on one of my threads.....!) The illusive 120ml in a day was as mystical as flying unicorns!
 
nedajaffa said:
That's really helpful, thanks @Wiebke
We've done quite a bit of syringe feeding as Rollie is a dental piggie and his in between visits to Simon sometimes require our intervention but we've never been comfortable with how much to aim for in one sitting. I remember when Rollie was last really ill crying because I could only get a few mls into him (I'm sure I captured it on one of my threads.....!) The illusive 120ml in a day was as mystical as flying unicorns!
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120 ml is elusive and at the best applies to guinea pigs in the prime of their lives. 60-90 ml is what you aim for in a recovering guinea pig - but you have to try to also count in what they are eating on their own. Elderly piggies can often get by with 40 ml...

That is where the scales and the daily weigh-in are coming in. Be aware that when weighing daily the weight swings in about a 30g band. You are looking for trends rather than absolute weights; there is also a bit of up and down in any recovery. Ideally you always weigh at the same time in the feeding cycle, like first thing in the morning or before the evening feed; this way you can minimise the weight swing over the course of a day.
This guide here explains it all: Weight - Monitoring and Management

How much you can get into them in a single sitting is actually a good indication as to how well they are doing.
Average is about 15 ml; 20 ml or even more when they are famished and keen to make up lost ground. 10 ml means that the guts are working again if still not quite up to full speed, but getting there. At this stage apart from stabilising the weight first and foremost it is your aim to encourage him to eat for himself as much as possible; that will then translate into weight gain as soon as the body has recovered enough to concentrate on healing. ;)

You are doing great! Hoo is lucky to have such a caring owner. :tu:
 
Wiebke said:
Hang on in there! Give him one more feed before you go to bed, one feed during the night and then when you get up.
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We're up to 12ml now. Going to aim for 14ml. Along with the cc, I ground down some of his usual nuggets as well. Thank the argos god for that coffee grinder!
 
nedajaffa said:
We're up to 12ml now. Going to aim for 14ml. Along with the cc, I ground down some of his usual nuggets as well. Thank the argos god for that coffee grinder!
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A bit of warm water will also do the trick with pellets. ;)
 
nedajaffa said:
That's really helpful, thanks @Wiebke
We've done quite a bit of syringe feeding as Rollie is a dental piggie and his in between visits to Simon sometimes require our intervention but we've never been comfortable with how much to aim for in one sitting. I remember when Rollie was last really ill crying because I could only get a few mls into him (I'm sure I captured it on one of my threads.....!) The illusive 120ml in a day was as mystical as flying unicorns!
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Yes I remember when I used to feed Ted (dental piggie too) Critical Care and 40 ml a day was about my best too!
 
I never use Critical Care. Normal nuggets, mushed up, is the way to go! I pop some in a cup, boil the kettle, pour boiling water over them and allow to cool. The piggies all seem to love them warm. In fact my elderly bunny has a portion of warm nuggets, every night. I think it's the equivalent of a cup of bedtime cocoa for him! ha ha
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
I never use Critical Care. Normal nuggets, mushed up, is the way to go! I pop some in a cup, boil the kettle, pour boiling water over them and allow to cool. The piggies all seem to love them warm. In fact my elderly bunny has a portion of warm nuggets, every night. I think it's the equivalent of a cup of bedtime cocoa for him! ha ha
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I've never had much luck sucking it up in the syringe! Mind you, I even have trouble with plain old cc. (special, me!)
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
I find when I use normal nuggets the piggies just grab the syringe, but when I used Critical Care it was a battle to get it in.
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furryfriends (TEAS) said:
Do you cut the end of your 1ml syringe? It's really easy to draw up. I find it works so well. It goes to a smooth paste when mixed up x
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Yeah, use the cut off end, still had problems. Like I say, I'm special me!

I think I'll try the nuggets thing. Anything that makes it more attractive. I've always found cc a real struggle, no matter what flavour.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
The piggies like the Burgess Dual Care. They are nuggets, but designed to be mushed up for syringe feeding too.
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Rollie didn't take too well to that! I don't know whether it was just the wrong "time" for him? I can't stand the smell of cc now.... It's like a hospital smell!
 
Tilly's favourites are the Burgess Blackcurrant and Oregano nuggets and the Pets at Home nuggets. She has some normal ones and then some mushed up ones. I keep them in the cup, after adding boiling water and then turn it out, like a sandcastle. She loves her nugget castle!
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
Tilly's favourites are the Burgess Blackcurrant and Oregano nuggets and the Pets at Home nuggets. She has some normal ones and then some mushed up ones. I keep them in the cup, after adding boiling water and then turn it out, like a sandcastle. She loves her nugget castle!
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I've made up some nuggets for fozz's night time feed. I hope he likes them, if not, we're back to the darn cc! I have a bag of the dual care in my piggie first aid kit so could try those as well.
 
You could try leaving a small amount of pellet mush in the cage as well so he can help himself between feeds. Though I can't guarantee cage mates won't snaffle it :))
 
nedajaffa said:
It's a real fight isn't it!
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Yes, Ted is just never been a fan of anything mushy CC or Science Selective or mushed up pellets! I did get quite good at it but he didn’t enjoy it, you could see by the look on his face! But I think in the end he knew it was coming and that was that, it kept him alive until we could a proper piggie vet in Simon Maddock
Bill loves it, will eat it off a spoon! Although touch wood he has never needed it and managed to eat ok, he just had a broken front incisor which is now growing fat and has to be filed down to size to fit the others
 
I'm just wondering about his treatment whilst at the vets. They gave him injected metacam (5mg/ml) Could he be in pain and that effect his appetite? I'm giving him so e floor time with Rollie to make sure those guts keep moving. He's passed poops but they are much smaller (thinner) than his usual. Is this the period when he was under the most gut stress?
 
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