Head tilt

[Proud Pig Mom]

Hi everyone. So Mocha has been having some health issues. She got a hay poke in her eye a while back, which we fixed, then she got an ear infection, causing a head tilt, which affected her balance. We cured that with antibiotics, but the vet said their might always be a head tilt, which will always cause balance issues. Is there anything I can do to help lessen the head tilt and or make her more comfortable? One of our rat's got a head tilt a while back and we gave him apple cider vinegar and turmeric powder, and now the tilt is almost non-existent, can guinea pigs have turmeric powder and or apple cider vinegar?

 

[PERFECT G PIGS]

May be blind, go onto Los Angeles Guinea pig rescue you tube videos about head tilt and she explained it on there.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone. So Mocha has been having some health issues. She got a hay poke in her eye a while back, which we fixed, then she got an ear infection, causing a head tilt, which affected her balance. We cured that with antibiotics, but the vet said their might always be a head tilt, which will always cause balance issues. Is there anything I can do to help lessen the head tilt and or make her more comfortable? One of our rat's got a head tilt a while back and we gave him apple cider vinegar and turmeric powder, and now the tilt is almost non-existent, can guinea pigs have turmeric powder and or apple cider vinegar?

Hi and welcome

Unfortunately a head tilt can be permanent if the ear has been badly affected. It can get somewhat better over time.
I have never heard of turmeric powder or apple cider being used on guinea pigs and would personally not recommend it.

As to @PERFECT G PIGS : While blindness can also result in a head tilts, it is by no means the only cause. One of the alternative causes is and remains ear infections. We have seen a fair number of them on here treated promptly with the head tilt disappearing quickly again when on antibiotics; and in some cases sadly not.
Not every case of blindness does result in a head tilt, either. It is a bit more complicated than that.
And it is definitely NOT a reason to not seek medical help promptly! Before you can diagnose blindness, you have to exclude any other potential factors first.

 

[PERFECT G PIGS]

Hi and welcome

Unfortunately a head tilt can be permanent if the ear has been badly affected. It can get somewhat better over time.
I have never heard of turmeric powder or apple cider being used on guinea pigs and would personally not recommend it.

As to @PERFECT G PIGS : While blindness can also result in a head tilts, it is by no means the only cause. One of the alternative causes is and remains ear infections. We have seen a fair number of them on here treated promptly with the head tilt disappearing quickly again when on antibiotics; and in some cases sadly not.
Not every case of blindness does result in a head tilt, either. It is a bit more complicated than that.
And it is definitely NOT a reason to not seek medical help promptly! Before you can diagnose blindness, you have to exclude any other potential factors first.

Yes I do get what you are saying because I have experienced it my self with past piggies, I was just pointing out it could be blindness as that's what Los Angeles Guinea pig rescue says on some of there YouTube videos.

 

[Wiebke]

Yes I do get what you are saying because I have experienced it my self with past piggies, I was just pointing out it could be blindness as that's what Los Angeles Guinea pig rescue says on some of there YouTube videos.

I have been aware of head tilts as a side effect of blindness for quite some time as I fundraise regularly for a sanctuary that often looks after lethal piggies. I have seen Saskia's videos but I am also not at all happy that any head tilt seems to be currently explained away as potential blindness as the latest and potentially lethal online fad because an untreated ear infection can kill or damage permanently.

Our threads have a way of turning up years later on google searches; that is why I want to make that point. There are usually other pointers that mark out a piggy as potentially blind, whether that is congenital blindness or acquired blindness through cataracts or serious eye conditions.

 

[PERFECT G PIGS]

I have been aware of head tilts as a side effect of blindness for quite some time as I fundraise regularly for a sanctuary that often looks after lethal piggies. I have seen Saskia's videos but I am also not at all happy that any head tilt seems to be currently explained away as potential blindness as the latest and potentially lethal online fad because an untreated ear infection can kill or damage permanently.

Our threads have a way of turning up years later on google searches; that is why I want to make that point. There are usually other pointers that mark out a piggy as potentially blind, whether that is congenital blindness or acquired blindness through cataracts or serious eye conditions.

It was just a idea of what it may be, I keep an open mind on what see says.

I do also know that it can be other thing causing the problem and should be looked at by a vet sooner rather than later.

 

[Proud Pig Mom]

It was just a idea of what it may be, I keep an open mind on what see says.

I do also know that it can be other thing causing the problem and should be looked at by a vet sooner rather than later.

She is not blind. It was an ear infection that we cured. I just wanted to know if there was any way to make the head tilt better. Earlier today I found her spinning around in circles and she didn't stop until I put my hand on her. She also has a hard time walking because of it. She's normal otherwise, still eating and everything.

 

[Wiebke]

She is not blind. It was an ear infection that we cured. I just wanted to know if there was any way to make the head tilt better. Earlier today I found her spinning around in circles and she didn't stop until I put my hand on her. She also has a hard time walking because of it. She's normal otherwise, still eating and everything.

I am sorry that the balance organ in her inner ear has been affected. I do not know of any measures that can heal that.

 

[Proud Pig Mom]

I am sorry that her inner ear has been badly affected. I do not know of any measures that can heal that.

Her ear infection is gone, the vet gave us antibiotics and we used those. Is there anything I can do to make things easier on her, as I guess she's a special needs pig now.

 

[Eriathwen]

I don't know if there's anything that can cure it, but when I had a piggy with a head tilt she would also walk in circles, the best thing I found to help her was to put lots of obstacles in her cage for her. Having objects and walls to guide her really helped her move around like a normal piggy without circling. Open spaces were her Achilles heel, otherwise she was unstoppable

 

[Proud Pig Mom]

I don't know if there's anything that can cure it, but when I had a piggy with a head tilt she would also walk in circles, the best thing I found to help her was to put lots of obstacles in her cage for her. Having objects and walls to guide her really helped her move around like a normal piggy without circling. Open spaces were her Achilles heel, otherwise she was unstoppable

all right, I'll try adding more things to the cage, I just don't want it to be too crowded, especially since my other piggy likes to run around. Thanks

 

[Betsy]

May be blind,

My Betsy is blind due to cataracts and she doesn't have a head tilt.

 

[PERFECT G PIGS]

My Betsy is blind due to cataracts and she doesn't have a head tilt.

Bless her