Guinea pig with history of bloat regurgitating

[Danielle Smith]

TLDR; boar with history of bloat, drooling and regurgitating food and water but otherwise bright (though not willing to eat for himself). Comments appreciated.

My boar Rolo, has a history of bloat (2 episodes in the year I've had him). Yesterday evening he showed the signs of being bloaty; very quiet, not eating anything, tummy tight as a drum.

I gave him rescue meds: ranitidine and loxicom. However, he still didn't look comfortable. He then started to retch quite violently, once every couple of minutes. After an hour, he was drooling very heavily, his chin was soaked.

A trip to the emergency vet and he got his loxicom topped up via injection and an injection of metaclopramide, as the vet thought he may be in a huge amount of pain from the bloat. However, no improvement overnight and he brought syringe feed and water right back up. There were 4 poops overnight. Distressingly he was now bringing up saliva through his nostrils as well.

Another trip to the vet this morning, no obstruction in his mouth, no huge amount of salivating that would indicate oesophageal obstruction, bloated tummy was now soft. She gave an injection of another anti-emetic/bloat med (can't remember which, sorry) and recommended we try syringe feeding and watering upright (and keeping him upright for at least 10 mins afterwards), as she was wondering if upper GI stasis had caused megaesophagus (dilated esophagus with little to no motility) -- this would cause him to bring up anything syringed into him. We also gave 20ml of ringers solution under the skin and she gave me more to take home. We are to continue with ranitidine and loxicom.

Has anyone every experienced this inability to keep food and water down? Aside from the drooling, he is still bright - moving around, sniffing the air, and with bright eyes, which is why we are trying treatment. I know it is likely he will have to be PTS.

Literally any comments are appreciated.

 

[Danielle Smith]

Worth noting that we've fed and watered him upright a couple times now (13ml of watered down CC), and it's mostly staying down! I guess once it's in the stomach it won't come back up through regurgitating. Next step is to try a stiffer mixture of CC to see if his esophagus muscles can move it down into his tummy, rather than 100% relying on gravity...

 

[Wheekallweek]

I have no experience in this, however it is good to hear he is starting to keep food and water down!
Good luck x

 

[pig in the city]

This sounds awful. I have never seen anything like it myself. Your vet seems very good. I hope he improves soon.

 

[Danielle Smith]

Thanks for the well-wishes all.

Last night wasn't great, he didn't appear to be swallowing or chewing much when syringe feeding. I made it very runny and held him upright, and it appeared to make it down to his tummy despite not detecting much swallowing. To make it worse, I'm travelling and forgot his loxicom. His injection covered him until 1am this morning, so if I can get home this morning we should be okay.

This morning he's a lot brighter -- he's no longer drooling or anything coming from his nose. This means I can feed him horizontally rather than upright, woohoo. He fought the syringe but ultimately took some Critical Care and water. Even more exciting he ate a couple pellets by himself! He's also had some more subcutaneous fluids.

There have been only a few misshapen poos, but at least food is making it through the system. When I gently shook him last night he sounded like a hot water bottle, indicating liquid bloat. I'm keeping up with the ranitidine but will take him to the vet today for more upper GI motility drugs.

We're doing all we can, but I'm still not holding out much hope. Poor little soul.

 

[VickiA]

I’ve nothing to add but support. Sounds a very difficult situation and you are clearly doing your very best.

 

[Danielle Smith]

Does anyone have tips on caring for a poorly piggy when other things are going on?

I work four days a week. My other half is poorly, so I'm having to care for them at the minute. I'm having to do all of the house work (hardy hard, the house is disgusting at the moment) and cooking, which is usually split between myself and the OH. I'm syringe feeding poor Rolo 4 times a day, for around an hour each time. I'm cleaning the pigs cages and feeding/watering them each day.

I'm exhausted! I don't know how people can look after babies I can cope with poorly piggy or poorly partner, but not both!

Any tips?

 

[Piggies&buns]

The way I manage everything is to have set days for things: fish get their water changed on a Tuesday; piggies and rabbit get spot cleaned daily but their main clean out is on a Wednesday and a Sunday; my half of the housework is to do a few tasks everyday. I get overwhelmed when I think of everything that needs to be done but if I have in mind to do a few jobs a day and then prioritise those jobs then it is much more manageable. ie one day mop the hard floors and vacuum the carpets, the next day will dust the bedrooms and change the bedding etc
(I have two children, two piggies, a rabbit and an aquarium. We run our own business but I also have another part time job as well which takes me out three part days a week. I also help run a Girlguiding unit. I do all the cooking and help the children with homework etc, but my husband and I split the housework)

 

[Danielle Smith]

Thanks @piggiesandbuns, for some reason I had in my head I had to keep on top of everything! As you say, should be easier if I assign days to things