• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Guinea Pig having difficulty walking after surgery

R

romseinhersh

New Born Pup
Joined
Jan 23, 2025
Messages
3
Reaction score
3
Points
45
Location
Massachusetts
Hello, It's my first time posting, hoping to get some feedback. My boy Olaf had surgery on Tues to remove a mass. It turned out to be a bigger mass than expected. It was located on his nipple area. All was reported to have gone well. When I picked him up I noticed him moving in a strange way in the carrier. I didn't think anything of it really because I expected him to be off after anesthesia. Later that night he was dragging his back legs. I was still expecting it to get better which it did, later he was able to push of of his back legs and try to walk a little but knuckling. I still hoped he would be better by this morning but he was not. He is on meloxicam. He saw the vet today who added gabepentin and feels it is likely pain related due to the fact that she had to go so deep and from what I described she believes he's in pain. The other thing that was mentioned was that perhaps when he had his injection which was given in the back hip area that it could have caused some inflammation to the spine and that the meds would help with that. I said, so it should pass? and she said it should. I was hoping for something more definite than that of course. I am posting here to ask if anyone has been through anything similar and offer any insight. Thank you!
 
I'm sorry that sounds very worrying. I'm hoping it passes, as your vet said.

I've never had anything similar with my guineas, but I think some similar things have come up recently on the forum. Most mbrs are in the UK or continental Europe, so in bed now (as I should be) but maybe @Freela is around? She's in Canada. She might have experience.
 
Mrs Tiggy Winkle said:
I'm sorry that sounds very worrying. I'm hoping it passes, as your vet said.

I've never had anything similar with my guineas, but I think some similar things have come up recently on the forum. Most mbrs are in the UK or continental Europe, so in bed now (as I should be) but maybe @Freela is around? She's in Canada. She might have experience.
Click to expand...
Thank you for responding, I didn't think about the time differences.
 
romseinhersh said:
Hello, It's my first time posting, hoping to get some feedback. My boy Olaf had surgery on Tues to remove a mass. It turned out to be a bigger mass than expected. It was located on his nipple area. All was reported to have gone well. When I picked him up I noticed him moving in a strange way in the carrier. I didn't think anything of it really because I expected him to be off after anesthesia. Later that night he was dragging his back legs. I was still expecting it to get better which it did, later he was able to push of of his back legs and try to walk a little but knuckling. I still hoped he would be better by this morning but he was not. He is on meloxicam. He saw the vet today who added gabepentin and feels it is likely pain related due to the fact that she had to go so deep and from what I described she believes he's in pain. The other thing that was mentioned was that perhaps when he had his injection which was given in the back hip area that it could have caused some inflammation to the spine and that the meds would help with that. I said, so it should pass? and she said it should. I was hoping for something more definite than that of course. I am posting here to ask if anyone has been through anything similar and offer any insight. Thank you!
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome

Fingers firmly crossed that he will get better in time. It may take a while. When it comes any form of back leg paralysis, it tends to come on much more quickly than it leaves but most forms (unless you have progressive cause) tend to improve either partially or fully over time. Post-op paralysis is not the most common side effect but it can happen. It is an encouraging sign that he is trying to walk so the paralysis is not complete. Be patient and hopefully the pain meds will help to speed up the progress a bit or at least make him more comfortable.

You may find the practical tips in this guide here helpful in looking after him in the meantime: Looking After Guinea Pigs With Limited or No Mobility

Please keep checking the weight on your kitchen scales every morning to ensure that he is eating enough hay (which makes three quarters of the daily food intake and which you cannot control by eye). You need to step in with feeding and watering support if needed.
Tips For Post-operative Care

Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
How to Improvise Feeding Support in an Emergency

Please take the time to read the links. They contain all the necessary information, advice and the practical how-to tips that we cannot repeat in every post; including tips on avoiding further secondary issues. You will hopefully find them very helpful.

Wishing you and your beloved little one all the best for a full recovery. Please let us know how you are getting on.
 
Thank you so much for your response and encouragement. I am feeding him critical care as a supplement although I do see him eating so hay on his own as well as some of him favorite veggies. He is pooping well again. I'm worried about him not being able to drink water, haven't seen him even try even though I lowered the water bottle. He was trying to use his right leg pretty well today but not his left. His surgery was on the left so maybe that side is more painful, he has stitches right there. I know I have to try to be more patient. Thanks again, I will be reading through all your links! If there are any similar situations out there, I would love to hear about them!
 
romseinhersh said:
Thank you so much for your response and encouragement. I am feeding him critical care as a supplement although I do see him eating so hay on his own as well as some of him favorite veggies. He is pooping well again. I'm worried about him not being able to drink water, haven't seen him even try even though I lowered the water bottle. He was trying to use his right leg pretty well today but not his left. His surgery was on the left so maybe that side is more painful, he has stitches right there. I know I have to try to be more patient. Thanks again, I will be reading through all your links! If there are any similar situations out there, I would love to hear about them!
Click to expand...

Please also offer water via syringe for every 2-5 syringefuls but allow him to drink it from the syringe and not just squirt any fluid into the mouth.

I sincerely hope that your boy is going to be more perky with every passing day. Just hang on in there.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top