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Gut Stasis :(

molzify

molzify

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Sep 29, 2018
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Hi all,
Rupert decided that since his bumblefoot is doing much better that he'd quite like to try having gut stasis! Obviously I'm not thrilled about this but thanks to having a camera aimed at the cage we caught it early.

He was already having 20mls of syringe feed daily to bulk him up a little bit as he was losing small amounts of weight. So as soon as I noticed the lack of eating overnight we started syringe feeding 10mls every 4 hours. He's seen a vet who has given us metaclop/emeprid, his teeth are fine. He's already on baytril and metacam and I have been supplementing him with fibreplex. All our piggies have pro c sprinkled on wet veg and don't seem to notice the tampering of the food.

Anything else anyone has to recommend getting him over this? I've purchased child life vitamin c supplement, anyone used this before? Doses?
 
molzify said:
Hi all,
Rupert decided that since his bumblefoot is doing much better that he'd quite like to try having gut stasis! Obviously I'm not thrilled about this but thanks to having a camera aimed at the cage we caught it early.

He was already having 20mls of syringe feed daily to bulk him up a little bit as he was losing small amounts of weight. So as soon as I noticed the lack of eating overnight we started syringe feeding 10mls every 4 hours. He's seen a vet who has given us metaclop/emeprid, his teeth are fine. He's already on baytril and metacam and I have been supplementing him with fibreplex. All our piggies have pro c sprinkled on wet veg and don't seem to notice the tampering of the food.

Anything else anyone has to recommend getting him over this? I've purchased child life vitamin c supplement, anyone used this before? Doses?
Click to expand...

Hi

As far as I can see Rupert has gut motility. His current tummy upset is not due gut stasis (the gut falling silent) butmore likely a reaction to baytril which also affects the digestive bacteria in the gut. With an iffy digestion, the antbiotic can just tip the tender balance again. The good news is that it is not a total wipe out so you just top him up, give him his meds and supplement with probiotics. Just hang on in there. You are doing the right things and you don't need to do more; it won't help you.

Pro C is vitamin C enriched and Rupert is still holding his weight to a good degree on his own so he is getting a fair bit of vitamin C in his normal diet. Keep in mind that pellets are also enriched with vitamin C and that there is a little in hay.
The problem with over-supplementing with vitamin C is that the body accustoms to the higher levels of vitamin C and can react with scurvy symptoms if those levels suddenly drop for some reason; even though the actual level is still above normal. There is some vitamin C in virtually everything piggies eat. In nearly 20 years of this forum running, we have seen extremely few cases of suspected or diagnosed scurvy and - apart from some newly rescued piggies with malnutrional issues - the majority of those cases were caused by over-supplementation.
 
Vet couldn't find anything wrong with Rupert visibly, so we agreed to try SQ fluids at home and some paracetamol. I don't know if it was that or just the threat of being at the vets but Rupert decided to eat again! He's eaten some grass and hay and taken his syringe feeds like a dream. So fingers crossed this continues, I really thought we were gonna lose him today
 
The little bandit is continuing to do well, though I do find it offensive he'd rather eat poops than the syringe feed he is being offered 🤣🤣

He is gaining weight on the syringe feeds and definitely eating for himself between the feeds!
 

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molzify said:
The little bandit is continuing to do well, though I do find it offensive he'd rather eat poops than the syringe feed he is being offered 🤣🤣

He is gaining weight on the syringe feeds and definitely eating for himself between the feeds!
Click to expand...
Aw that's great news! 😊
 
Billy would eat his own poo in preference over syringe food, and he would also chew as if his mouth was still full, just because I dared put the syringe near his mouth!
Very clever delaying tactics, just like toddlers.

Glad your Rupert is doing well & enjoying his syringe food.
 
Bless them. They know what they want! Get well soon Rupert, I'm glad you are eating again.
I've had a couple of piggies in the past who would chew when the syringe was approaching their mouths. I also have grass on hand when syringe feeding as they will often eat that when off other food. They know I have grass and will shut their mouths tight against the syringe whilst looking round me for the grass.
 
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