Is She Comfy Or Is Something Wrong?

[Adelle]

My elderly heart piggy fudge has recently (past couple of weeks) started sleeping/relaxing with her feet curled over. Sometimes its like in the picture shown, other times her toes are bent so far down their nearly touching the sole of her foot! She does have mild arthritis and started to get a bit weak at the back end but i must say this has improved greatly after a month of having her on oxbow science senior tablets- she isnt stiff/weak at all anymore. Her nails arent long enough to be catching on the bed and forcing her foot to sit like that (it looks like that on the pic so iv included one of her foot normally). Up until around a fortnight ago, none of my piggies ever done this but its a regular occurance for her now. Her feet are fine when walking and she only does it when shes "chilling!" It looks uncomfortable but maybe it is for her? Was wondering if anyone had any ideas

 

[Drezella]

@Wiebke can you help?

 

[Beans&Toast]

I'd have thought if it was uncomfortable for her she'd move? Perhaps it's not bothering her?

 

[Wiebke]

My elderly heart piggy fudge has recently (past couple of weeks) started sleeping/relaxing with her feet curled over. Sometimes its like in the picture shown, other times her toes are bent so far down their nearly touching the sole of her foot! She does have mild arthritis and started to get a bit weak at the back end but i must say this has improved greatly after a month of having her on oxbow science senior tablets- she isnt stiff/weak at all anymore. Her nails arent long enough to be catching on the bed and forcing her foot to sit like that (it looks like that on the pic so iv included one of her foot normally). Up until around a fortnight ago, none of my piggies ever done this but its a regular occurance for her now. Her feet are fine when walking and she only does it when shes "chilling!" It looks uncomfortable but maybe it is for her? Was wondering if anyone had any ideas
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Please have her checked for arthritis; it is not at all uncommon in older guinea pigs.

 

[Adelle]

Please have her checked for arthritis; it is not at all uncommon in older guinea pigs.

She has mild arthritis in the hips but has been symptom free from that for around a month before she started sitting like this. Her oxbow senior hay tabs have helped it immensly. She used to be stiff when rising and a little wobbly at first but no signs of that for a good while.

 

[helen105281]

Do the tablets have Glucosamine in them? if not it may be worth adding that in too?

 

[Adelle]

Do the tablets have Glucosamine in them? if not it may be worth adding that in too?

They dont, its all just herbs etc but they have definately helped her hips (assuming its them as the only other meds shes on is spironolactone, frusemide and fortekor). What dose would u recommend trying her on? She is a little sensitive gut wise in her old age so wouldnt want to go whole hog to start with just incase. I have vegetarian glucosamine (but is free from dairy/egg also) for crunchies bladder so already have it to hand x

 

[helen105281]

Maybe start her on 62.5 mg and work up from there up to a maximum of 250mg. The starting dose is usually 125mg. Do it over a few weeks.

 

[biscandmatt]

i was going to say arthritis aswell. she could have it elsewhere now, especially if she already has it in her hips. maisie had arthritis in one ankle joint and it made her foot a bit like this aswell (although not as curled) - the vet taught us how to do physio on the joint and she was on metacam aswell.