Hunched Over

[Munch_Bunch]

Hi can someone help me.
My guinea pig (it's her birthday today she is 1) has recently been sat looking hunched over and with it being Christmas I can't get her seen to untill Thursday she isn't constantly like it. It's just every now and then but I'm my experience it's a sign of something is wrong. I have metacam but unsure how much to give her and how often? Would this help her if she is in pain? She is acting herself eating drinking popcorning..
Thank you
Sarah

 

[Guinea Slave]

It’s never a good thing when they are bunched up. It does mean something is not right with them which will ultimately show itself, probably at the most inopportune moment! Can you ring an out of hours vet and ask for advice?

With regards to the metacam, yes it may be a good idea to give some but again it’s much better to do this on the advice of a vet as they will be able to tell you how much to give them.

Hope you get to the root of the cause!

 

[Munch_Bunch]

It’s never a good thing when they are bunched up. It does mean something is not right with them which will ultimately show itself, probably at the most inopportune moment! Can you ring an out of hours vet and ask for advice?

With regards to the metacam, yes it may be a good idea to give some but again it’s much better to do this on the advice of a vet as they will be able to tell you how much to give them.

Hope you get to the root of the cause!

Thank you there is but they aren't great with guinea pigs. They are just normall vets great with cats and dogs. The guinea pig specialist is off until Thursday. She was hunched up this morning I stroked her and she started popcorning.

 

[Guinea Slave]

Argh that is annoying. Why don’t you speak to one anyway and at least get an idea of what dose of metacam to give her...they should know this, it’s very basic and based on your Guineas weight. They may want to see her before prescribing but at least you’ll have some cover over Christmas with the pain killer. Then if she improves over Christmas you’ll have an idea that it is pain related and you can share this with the gp specialist on Thursday?

Wish your Guinea happy birthday from me btw! She/he is very pretty!

 

[Guinea Slave]

Btw can you share your location? Someone on here may know another gp vet in your location.

 

[Munch_Bunch]

Btw can you share your location? Someone on here may know another gp vet in your location.

I'm not sure how I do that I'm new on here. I'm in Derbyshire.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi can someone help me.
My guinea pig (it's her birthday today she is 1) has recently been sat looking hunched over and with it being Christmas I can't get her seen to untill Thursday she isn't constantly like it. It's just every now and then but I'm my experience it's a sign of something is wrong. I have metacam but unsure how much to give her and how often? Would this help her if she is in pain? She is acting herself eating drinking popcorning..
Thank you
Sarah

Hi!

It is always difficult at this time of the year. Please do not medicate on spec.

Please weigh daily to check the daily food intake. Over 80% is hay, which you can't check by eye.

See an out-of-hours vet as soon as your piggy loses more than 50g from one day to the next. That means that the pain is stopping it to eat.

Smaller and thinner poos are also a sign of a decreased food intake; keep in mind that they reflect what has gone in a day or two before.
See an out-of-hours vet ASAP as an emergency if your piggy is apathetic or has stopped eating altogether.
List Of Life And Death Out-of-hours Emergencies
The Problems With Steroids And Why They Shouldn't Be Used.

Make sure that you can step in with top-up syringe feed as soon as your piggy has lost over 50g. You can use mushed up pellets in an emergency if you cut off the tip as shown in the syringe feeding guide to allow fibre to come through.
First Aid Kit For Guinea Pigs
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

 

[Munch_Bunch]

Hi!

It is always difficult at this time of the year. Please do not medicate on spec.

Please weigh daily to check the daily food intake. Over 80% is hay, which you can't check by eye.

See an out-of-hours vet as soon as your piggy loses more than 50g from one day to the next. That means that the pain is stopping it to eat.

Smaller and thinner poos are also a sign of a decreased food intake; keep in mind that they reflect what has gone in a day or two before.
See an out-of-hours vet ASAP as an emergency if your piggy is apathetic or has stopped eating altogether.
List Of Life And Death Out-of-hours Emergencies
The Problems With Steroids And Why They Shouldn't Be Used.

Make sure that you can step in with top-up syringe feed as soon as your piggy has lost over 50g. You can use mushed up pellets in an emergency if you cut off the tip as shown in the syringe feeding guide to allow fibre to come through.
First Aid Kit For Guinea Pigs
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Thank you so much that's really useful information. I weigh my pigs weekly and December 1st she was 987g
December 8th 996g
December 15th 980g
December 22nd 971g
Today 987g
I always check their poo which she lives with another female and all the poos are looking OK. I just really worry so much as I love them to pieces I get over protective of them. Am I best to just keep my eye on her? I'm worried incase she gets worse over Christmas. Xx

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much that's really useful information. I weigh my pigs weekly and December 1st she was 987g
December 8th 996g
December 15th 980g
December 22nd 971g
Today 987g
I always check their poo which she lives with another female and all the poos are looking OK. I just really worry so much as I love them to pieces I get over protective of them. Am I best to just keep my eye on her? I'm worried incase she gets worse over Christmas. Xx

At the moment it is a case of keeping your eye on her as there is not much for an emergency vet to go on, and whatever it is (if it is indeed something), it is not yet impacting. You are always naturally more jittery with the holidays approaching; I have been there myself.

When you are actually worried, you switch from a weekly weigh-in to a daily one. Make sure that you weigh at the same time in the feeding cycle, like before their breakfast or dinner. The natural variance in a day between a full/empty bladder/belly can be as much as 30-40g, so you want to exclude that as much as possible. That is why any weight loss below that amount doesn't count unless is it is part of a steady weight loss pattern over several days.

 

[Munch_Bunch]

At the moment it is a case of keeping your eye on her as there is not much for an emergency vet to go on, and whatever it is (if it is indeed something), it is not yet impacting. You are always naturally more jittery with the holidays approaching; I have been there myself.

When you are actually worried, you switch from a weekly weigh-in to a daily one. Make sure that you weigh at the same time in the feeding cycle, like before their breakfast or dinner. The natural variance in a day between a full/empty bladder/belly can be as much as 30-40g, so you want to exclude that as much as possible. That is why any weight loss below that amount doesn't count unless is it is part of a steady weight loss pattern over several days.

Wow i didn't relise it can have such a big difference.. I always weigh on a Saturday morning before a big cage clean. My vet is open tomorrow so I'm just going to try get an appointment with a normal vet better then nothing ease my mind..
Thank you so much for your help x
Merry Christmas x

 

[Merab]

Let us know how you get on please.
Holding you in my thoughts

 

[Claire W]

Please let us know how you get on x

 

[Munch_Bunch]

Yes I will do thank you so much everyone for being helpful and so kind x

 

[Munch_Bunch]

So went to the vet today she said it was odd how she looks so bright and she is still eating drinking and acting completely normal she did an ultrasound and couldn't see anything out the norm so have her some metacam (pain relief) and said to just keep an eye on her monitor her eating drinking poo and wee she was so nosey when we was there. Thank you everyone for the advice and kindness xx merry Christmas xx

 

[Swissgreys]

I am glad you were able to see a vet and get some reassurance.
It sounds like you are doing everything you can and are a very caring owner, so I am sure she will be fine.
Try and relax and enjoy Christmas with your piggies.

 

[Munch_Bunch]

I am glad you were able to see a vet and get some reassurance.
It sounds like you are doing everything you can and are a very caring owner, so I am sure she will be fine.
Try and relax and enjoy Christmas with your piggies.

Thank you so much xx