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Guinea Pig Possibly In Shock? Not Certain

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gamermouse

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Three days ago my daughter's 2 year old female guinea pig died unexpectedly, and she was very healthy. Running in the morning, found dead in her hide at noon. We were bewildered.

The daughter of the same pig suddenly had a squeaking fit in her cage two hour ago. She was shaking all over, calmed in my lap, but has been quiet ever since.

If I pick her up, she gets the shakes and trembles.

I worried she was dehydrated but when I gave her water by pipette she drank it. I offered her a bit of carrot, since she loves carrots, she nibbled a piece but very little. Won't touch the sage I offered.

I can see her breathing, and her heart beat is rather quick now. It's past midnight and I live in a rural area so emergency-vet is out of the question, because as far as I know, there isn't one who deals with pigs.

Does this sound like shock? Is it safe for me to go to sleep?Or does this sound like she's dying of something neurological. As far as I know, she's had no drops, no injuries.
 
Oh bless her, I don't know the answer to your question but I hope me responding bumps it to the top of the new posts for you.

Is she eating hay? You might need to consider syringe feeding her if she isn't but it really does sound like she needs to see a vet as soon as you are able. (There is a sticky in how to do this in the health section)

Hope she's ok.
 
How is she now? please can you confirm your location? are you able to access a vet in the morning? As Tigermoth has said, you will need to step in with syringe feeding if she is not eating. Here is our guide:

Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Does she live on her own? is there a chance something could have frightened her? a predator of any kind?
 
It's been a few hours and she's much the same as she was before. Very quiet. She scoots when nudged. No, she isn't eating hay, she ate a tiny bit of carrot then lost interest, so I spoon fed her some water mixed with crushed, soggy pellet.

There's a vet I used for our male piggy who got an abrasion on his eye a few months ago but they won't open until 9 and it's currently 630 am here in Texas. She is alone now since her mother died, and yes, a noise startled both cages of pigs. The boys shot down one end of the cage and she was shaking around on her back. I'm worried she had a heart attack.
 
I think if she had had a heart attack you would have lost her almost straight away. How is her breathing? is it laboured at all?
 
It was the weirdest thing. Shaking and rolling on her back and vibrating fast, so I scooped her up and comforted her and she was fine. She was still mobile then, and moving around her cage, accepting food for a bite or two then being disinterested.

Then around an hour later she was only very quiet, but she stopped moving on her own and would suddenly do her vibrating buzz shake and start squeaking. Then she dragged her back legs to some degree and moved around like her joints hurt. I'd fear scurvy too if she didn't eat exactly what the males ate and they're healthy and chubby. I'm just speculating out of fear now since we lost the other and had no idea why.

It's the strangest thing because she doesn't seem to be in pain when stroked or picked up now but her hind leg shakes some. She won't move much on her own in the cage. I just tried to feed her again, she's very disinterested in it and she's largely immobile, won't touch the hay. Every once in a while she starts squeaking and shaking/vibrating very fast on her own then she's quiet again.

The breathing was labored last night. I could see her breathing which I normally can't.
 
A stroke could be a possibility too if she was dragging her legs?

Does she seem to be leaning to the side at all or have a head tilt?
 
If it's a stroke, what should I expect at the vet? Is it possible that's what happened to her mother?

I just picked her up to feed her again with the slurry. She won't take it, but she wobbles from side to side and hopes. I don't see her head tilting really or favoring one side.
 
I called. the clinic is open for calls but the veterinarian isn't there until 9 like i thought.
 
And the receptionist called the vet who said it's outside her range.
 
Are there any other vets in your area?
 
I just phoned Texas A and M, they're roughly 3 hours away and I'm only getting voice mail.
 
I feel so helpless. My child is going to be devastated, and I don't know what else to do aside from a possible road trip. But she's very weak.
 
The wobbling doesn't sound good. I am sorry to say but at this point any vets would be better than none.

So to recap, exactly how is she acting now? If she standing okay? Can she walk?
 
That really doesn't sound good. Would the local vet not even be able to help in an emergency situation? I think her mum had something different unless there was some kind of genetic weakness.
 
I thought the same, but the vet then said at this point the pig is too sick for her to treat her and there's nothing she can do from the symptoms but refer me to the vet I called (who hasn't responded because I suppose the office isn't open)
 
If I scoop my hand under her, she wobbles and shakes her hind end, Sport Billy. She's very quiet. I'm going to go get my daughter from school so she can at least sit with her if this is her final hours, until TX A&M lets me know if we should try to bring her.
 
It sounds like she could be having seizures of some sort- getting her to a vet is your best bet at the moment.

Did the girls have anything the boys didnt? Any wild plants? Or have they been treated with any shop bought flea/mite treatments recently?

I think you need a vet to look at her as she cant go on like she is.

Very sorry for the loss of your sow xx
 
I don't know if this will help or if it is closer to where you live but I live in Texas in the DFW area and there are tons of exotic pet vets in my area and even an after hours emergency clinic in flower mound. Is this too far for you?
 
Animal Clinic & Vet Services | Flower Mound, TX (I use this vet)

The vet below is in Dallas and is used by the Texas Rustlers Guinea Pig Rescue


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City Veterinary Center
2732 Oak Lawn Ave.
Dallas, Texas 75219
214-219-2838
http://www.cityvet.com/
[email protected]
Hours
7.00 a.m. - 7.00 p.m.
Emergency
The E-Clinic 214-520-8388 3337 N.Fitzhugh Ave. Dallas 75219
Animal Types
Facilities
  • Surgical facilities
  • X-ray equipment
  • Ultrasound equipment
Country
USA
Street
2732 Oak Lawn Ave.
City
Dallas
State
Texas
Zip/Postal
75219
Only vet that Texas Rustlers Guinea Pig rescue uses and will recommend
 
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