Guinea pig suddenly limping

[GuineaGirl479]

Hi everyone,

My 3 year old rescue guinea pig, fondly known as Mr Peach, started limping yesterday. He was perfectly fine the day before, but when it came to breakfast time I noticed he was moving strangely and almost 'hopping' around the cage. The problem appears to be with his front right leg which he is holding in a slightly elevated position when moving around (see photo). When resting, he is placing his paw tentatively on the ground but not applying too much pressure. He is still attempting to run around with his companion, and is able to move quickly despite being rather wobbly. His appetite has also not changed at all, and he is still standing up to beg for treats and showing his usual enthusiasm for anything food related.

I handled him gently a couple of times to investigate, and there were no obvious marks besides a lump of dried poo stuck to his foot which I carefully removed. Over the last few hours he seems to have improved slightly and is putting a little more pressure on the leg, but his movements are still rather wobbly.

If anyone has experienced something similar with one of their guinea pigs or has some advice they could offer I would really appreciate it.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear this.

Hopefully it just a soft tissue injury (which can happen very easily - one of mine has done it by jumping off his house roof) but he will need to see a vet and will likely need to be given painkillers

I hope he is ok

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone,

My 3 year old rescue guinea pig, fondly known as Mr Peach, started limping yesterday. He was perfectly fine the day before, but when it came to breakfast time I noticed he was moving strangely and almost 'hopping' around the cage. The problem appears to be with his front right leg which he is holding in a slightly elevated position when moving around (see photo). When resting, he is placing his paw tentatively on the ground but not applying too much pressure. He is still attempting to run around with his companion, and is able to move quickly despite being rather wobbly. His appetite has also not changed at all, and he is still standing up to beg for treats and showing his usual enthusiasm for anything food related.

I handled him gently a couple of times to investigate, and there were no obvious marks besides a lump of dried poo stuck to his foot which I carefully removed. Over the last few hours he seems to have improved slightly and is putting a little more pressure on the leg, but his movements are still rather wobbly.

If anyone has experienced something similar with one of their guinea pigs or has some advice they could offer I would really appreciate it.

View attachment 282929

Hi

Sprains and injuries are not uncommon; all it takes is a bad landing from a popcorn or jumps or a misstep. They can happen anywhere along the legs right up to the should/hip and not necessarily in the foot. The limping is usually more noticeable with a weight bearing front leg than with the back legs which act more as springs/propellers.

Please see a vet asap if your piggy is not able to give any resistance when you gently push against the foot sole (indicates a broken bone) and see a vet at need if there is no significanty improvement or another aggravation; they may need some painkillers/anti-inflammatories. Depending on the severity of a sprain it can take anything from a few days to a few weeks for a guinea pig to heal up.

I hope that this helps you?

 

[GuineaGirl479]

I’m sorry to hear this.

Hopefully it just a soft tissue injury (which can happen very easily - one of mine has done it by jumping off his house roof) but he will need to see a vet and will likely need to be given painkillers

I hope he is ok

Hi

Sprains and injuries are not uncommon; all it takes is a bad landing from a popcorn or jumps or a misstep. They can happen anywhere along the legs right up to the should/hip and not necessarily in the foot. The limping is usually more noticeable with a weight bearing front leg than with the back legs which act more as springs/propellers.

Please see a vet asap if your piggy is not able to give any resistance when you gently push against the foot sole (indicates a broken bone) and see a vet at need if there is no significanty improvement or another aggravation; they may need some painkillers/anti-inflammatories. Depending on the severity of a sprain it can take anything from a few days to a few weeks for a guinea pig to heal up.

I hope that this helps you?

Thank you both, this is really useful info!

He is putting more weight on the leg today, and is definitely giving resistance when I push against the foot sole. He also seems to want to be more active overall, although I am trying to get him to rest as much as possible.

When standing up to beg for treats he is placing the foot down and applying some pressure, although he is not properly splaying the toes yet. When moving around he still prefers to hold the leg slightly up, but has started to put it down on the ground periodically when standing.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you both, this is really useful info!

He is putting more weight on the leg today, and is definitely giving resistance when I push against the foot sole. He also seems to want to be more active overall, although I am trying to get him to rest as much as possible.

When standing up to beg for treats he is placing the foot down and applying some pressure, although he is not properly splaying the toes yet. When moving around he still prefers to hold the leg slightly up, but has started to put it down on the ground periodically when standing.

This is normal for a sprain, which in your case can be in the foot but also in the wrist , the elbow or the shoulder or it can be a bad muscle pull. You will have to be patient in the coming days; especially if they make a wrong movement and aggravate the injury again. It's not the quickest of healing processes, so will take a number of days, or if you have a very active boy and setbacks, some weeks.

But you are definitely not dealing with a break.

If you have concerns, see a vet.

 

[GuineaGirl479]

This is normal for a sprain, which in your case can be in the foot but also in the wrist , the elbow or the shoulder or it can be a bad muscle pull. You will have to be patient in the coming days; especially if they make a wrong movement and aggravate the injury again. It's not the quickest of healing processes, so will take a number of days, or if you have a very active boy and setbacks, some weeks.

But you are definitely not dealing with a break.

If you have concerns, see a vet.

Really relieved it is not a break!

He has made a lot of progress today, and is now running around with only a slight limp. I can tell he is also applying a lot more weight to the leg than he was previously. He's spending a fair bit of time resting in one of his hidey huts, and I think this extra resting time is definitely helping to speed up the healing process.

 

[Wiebke]

Really relieved it is not a break!

He has made a lot of progress today, and is now running around with only a slight limp. I can tell he is also applying a lot more weight to the leg than he was previously. He's spending a fair bit of time resting in one of his hidey huts, and I think this extra resting time is definitely helping to speed up the healing process.

This is about average for a sprain recovery. Give it a few more days to come fully right.

Glad that it was not anything serious. The limping can really throw you and give you a fright.

 

[GuineaGirl479]

This is about average for a sprain recovery. Give it a few more days to come fully right.

Glad that it was not anything serious. The limping can really throw you and give you a fright.

Yes it is really frightening! My mind instantly considered the worst case scenario

His walking/running is almost back to normal now and there is virtually no visible limp. Thank you for all your help!

 

[Wiebke]

Yes it is really frightening! My mind instantly considered the worst case scenario

His walking/running is almost back to normal now and there is virtually no visible limp. Thank you for all your help!

Thank you.

Sprains are not at all uncommon, especially in boisterous youngsters. It is worth knowing, and also knowing what to check and how quickly to see a vet. It's part of your ownership learning curve. We are always here to help you with any questions and concerns in a supportive and constructive way.

You may find these two links here helpful and want to bookmark them:
- Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
- First Aid: Immediate Care Measures and Non-medication Products

 

[GuineaGirl479]

You may find these two links here helpful and want to bookmark them:
- Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
- First Aid: Immediate Care Measures and Non-medication Products

That's amazing, thank you! I will definitely be having a read of those.

 

[Wiebke]

That's amazing, thank you! I will definitely be having a read of those.

We have likely got one of the most extensive information collections on this forum, which you may find interesting and would also like to bookmark. The guides format allows us to update if needed and to add to it as needed and if we have any spare time.
Another link to bookmark: Owners' Comprehensive Helpful and Supportive Information Collection

We are however always here for any questions of any sort and moral support during difficult times.