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Specialist GP with enlarged gallbladder and stones in liver

Tani

Tani

Junior Guinea Pig
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Shrewsbury, Shropshire
My 5.7 year old dolly has suffered on and off over the years with bloat but today, I’ve rushed her to the vets as she felt full of liquid and wasn’t eating - yet didn’t have typical bloat symptoms.

The vet scanned her and said her gallbladder was enlarged and she has stone type deposits in her liver - small opaque calcium like deposits. Could be in the bile ducts?

She isn’t sure what caused it and what they can do to sort it as the priority is trying to get her guts moving again which is currently life threatening.
First thing I saw she wasn’t eating and did the usual:- tried hand feeding with Recovery, water, Pro biotic (fibreplex) but she just wasn’t swallowing it.

At the vets now and she’s had the usually metacam, gut stimulus meds etc so will just have to wait it out now and see if she recovers.

I’m worried about what has caused it - although she said it could just be old age? My pigs get a varied balanced diet and I filter all water.
 
Hi! I am very sorry for your problems. It is not something that I have ever come across in guinea pigs (although more than I would have liked with my husband). But then, medical knowledge in guinea pigs is exanding all the time and pushing horizons.

I am not sure how much there is that you can do in an elderly guinea pigs as gallstone/liver operations would be extremely tricky since it the gallbladder and pancreas are very much embedded between other organs and tricky to operate even in humans. Like one surgeon told my husband who was at risk of needing switching to a traditional op 'it's all very squishy down there.'
Guinea pigs are no less complicated than humans, just veterinary knowledge and ability is a lot more limited. :(

Concentrate on her guts and use quality of life as your guide. Your girl is a good age and well into the average life span of a healthy guinea pig.
Medication and treatment for the gut issues caused by this is pretty much similar to what you'll find in this guide: Bloat, GI Stasis ( No Gut Movement) And Not Eating

@Jaycey @helen105281 @furryfriends (TEAS) @Abi_nurse
 
Thank you.

I’ve been snuggling and massaging her gently since I got home but she’s just getting even more bloated and uncomfortable :(

The vet gave her Emeprid and metacam and sub cu fluid.

I’ve got emeprid for her to give her 8hours after she had the first dose. 1ml

Considering she’s getting worse - is there anything else I can do at home now to help her?
 
Anyone? I’m at a loss. The on call vet is not at the vets yet so I can’t talk to them and the vet nurse only told me I can’t give dolly anymore meds until the time on the bottles.

She’s just getting worse and her eyes are all red and I’m worried she’s going to suffer more pain :soz:
 
I’m sorry I can’t help you, but I just wanted to send healing vibes 🙂
 
Tani said:
Anyone? I’m at a loss. The on call vet is not at the vets yet so I can’t talk to them and the vet nurse only told me I can’t give dolly anymore meds until the time on the bottles.

She’s just getting worse and her eyes are all red and I’m worried she’s going to suffer more pain :soz:
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HUGS

If the meds and any care from you are not helping, then there is sadly nothing else you can do but to spare her any further suffering as the ultimate loving and heart-breaking gift.
In older and very ill piggies whose organs are going wrong, the end can come very quickly and rather dramatically as they have a much faster metabolism and are so much smaller. :( :( :(
 
How long should I give the meds chance to work before taking her to rest?
She had them about 3pm today and hasn’t pooped since.
 
@Tani If you can try to get her active that can help jiggle the bloat around and try to get it out.

I've found that taking them out in the car can sometimes help shift bloat.


How is she now?
 
Hi, I’ve had her with me all evening and I’m sleeping down on the sofa to be with her.

She’s not doing well at all. I’ve been jiggling her about gently, massaging and patting her stomach and side and tapping to try and help her guts move about but nothing.

Called the vet who said to give her another dose of the emeprid earlier than 11 which I have done and he said I just have to wait now. Only give her small bits of water and no food as she’s not passing anything.
Her breathing is rapid and she’s obviously in pain from it all. I’m just heartbroken 😭
 
Tani said:
Hi, I’ve had her with me all evening and I’m sleeping down on the sofa to be with her.

She’s not doing well at all. I’ve been jiggling her about gently, massaging and patting her stomach and side and tapping to try and help her guts move about but nothing.

Called the vet who said to give her another dose of the emeprid earlier than 11 which I have done and he said I just have to wait now. Only give her small bits of water and no food as she’s not passing anything.
Her breathing is rapid and she’s obviously in pain from it all. I’m just heartbroken 😭
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I’m so sorry you are going through this.Massive hugs xx
 
Thank you.

She’s just squeaking in time with her breathing and the bloating is getting worse and none of it is making any difference. All I can do is to keep stroking her and hope she passes soon so she isn’t suffering anymore. Wish I hadn’t listened to the vet about giving her until morning and should have gone with my instincts. The on call isn’t even local tonight as they have another branch so just send people there which is ridiculous.
Think I’m going to swap vets with my piggies as they don’t even have an exotic at either branch and it’s not a small company:(
 
Tani said:
Thank you.

She’s just squeaking in time with her breathing and the bloating is getting worse and none of it is making any difference. All I can do is to keep stroking her and hope she passes soon so she isn’t suffering anymore. Wish I hadn’t listened to the vet about giving her until morning and should have gone with my instincts. The on call isn’t even local tonight as they have another branch so just send people there which is ridiculous.
Think I’m going to swap vets with my piggies as they don’t even have an exotic at either branch and it’s not a small company:(
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Sending hugs.
I’m sorry you and your piggy have to go through this :(
 
Thank you all.
Unfortunately she passed away about 2am

It was so traumatic. She was crying in pain and I was balling my eyes out because I felt so awful for her. We were sat in bed and she was lying on me in a warm blanket. She started having fits which lasted a while before her last breath. All I could do was to stroke her head.
I feel so gutted she had to suffer and should have just gone with my instinct yesterday to pts that night. I wouldn’t now have this horrible image in my head when I think of her.

She was such a sweet sweet soft piggy who should have lived much longer :(
 
I'm so sorry for your loss. Every passing is always hard. :( I can remember ALL of my guinea pigs passing, every vivid details. I don't know why and how. :bye:

Big hugs to you. :hug: You've done everything you think would be best, regardless of you listening to the vet. Most people would listen to what they say because they supposed to have the knowledge we usually don't. Don't be too hard on yourself.

Run free Dolly. My rainbrow bridge piggies would be there to welcome you.
 
Yes it’s sad because the only piggies I can think of and not feel like crying over are the ones who didn’t suffer. I have a few pigs who had horrible endings and that was years ago and I still can’t think of them as it’s just too painful :(


Typically, my eldest died a couple of weeks ago (posted on another thread) and she was 6.5 years so it’s strange they both went close together with unrelated issues except old age perhaps.
I then adopted a little piggy last weekend to make up my 4 again - she is maybe around 1-2 years old.
Now I’m back to 3 and I have a baby (few months old) the adopted piggy and my now eldest who is I think 2-3. Missing the oldies badly.
 
So sorry to read this.
Please be gentle with yourself as you grieve.
You did everything you could for Dolly and her life was filled with love.
Hold on to the good memories.
 
Massive hugs and so sorry you had to witness her running off to the rainbow bridge like that. She is happy now and out of pain and in her prime with all your others.
 
So sorry to hear this. Poor little girl, but she'll be popcorning over the rainbow bridge now and eating all the lovely long grass. Xx
 
So sorry for your loss. I didn't get to the thread earlier but wanted to say I have seen this issue and we currently don't really know or understand the cause fully I'm afraid. RIP little one.

x
 
Abi_nurse said:
So sorry for your loss. I didn't get to the thread earlier but wanted to say I have seen this issue and we currently don't really know or understand the cause fully I'm afraid. RIP little one.

x
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Thank you. It's just so frustrating at why it happens. I check all the veg and salad leaves and pick out any dodgy or wilted ones but maybe i missed some and she was already sensitive :/
 
I’m so sorry for your loss, you did everything you could, we are at the mercy of our vets. Sleep tight little Dolly x
 
Tani said:
Thank you. It's just so frustrating at why it happens. I check all the veg and salad leaves and pick out any dodgy or wilted ones but maybe i missed some and she was already sensitive :/
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I very much doubt that what happened was anything you did, please don't blame yourself. We really don't fully understand the cause at this point so it would be wrong to blame yourself or anything.

Hope your okay. Hugs

x
 
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