Latest on Salvatore (not all bad)

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Pat Shields

Pat Shields

Adult Guinea Pig
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Got some normal saline and sterile water, got some syringes and needles, but the poor thing is so skin and bones I'm still searching for a good place to put the subQ fluid; is there a usual place on a guinea pig to do this? (I'm beginning to think the other two pigs he was with kept him from the food and water which is why he is physically so poorly.)

I got home from my trip out to get him some things, and he is still alive! Here are the hopeful parts - Even though I've got him a water bottle set up, I put a little bowl of water in there too just in case he's not used to a water bottle; he had managed to get all the way across the cage, tip over the water, and go all the way back to his cozy towel. There were also little poopies all over the back of the cage.

I managed to get the baby food carrots in the right place inside his cheek and he nommed them and swallowed several times, so I know he got at least that much to eat. I also got some more water with vitamin C (crushed the tablet with my mortar and pestle and then mixed some of the powder with some purified water and took that up into a medicine dropper) into him. I put on my high-power reading glasses so that I could see his mouth and teeth clearly so as better not to choke him. I even wiped off his little face with a tissue.

I had cleaned out the cage and made him a new hidey place out of a plastic basket covered in newspapers. The whole time I tried to get things into him he assumed a catatonic position and offered no resistance and even seemed to be fading a time or two. But as soon as he looked like he had tolerated enough and I set him back inside the cage with the warm water bottle, he went as fast as he could into the basket and chattered his teeth at me as though to say, "Leave me the h*** alone!" I had to laugh. He's still quite ill, but that tells me the spark is still there for now.
 
Aww bless the little guy! It certainly sounds positive and I'm keeping everything crossed that he continues to do well
 
Thanks for the update, hopefully the little fella pulls through.
 
Tell him he's got a whole forumful of people rooting for him, all round the world. He sounds like a little fighter which is good, and every hour he's with us is hopeful.
 
Hi Pat,

Good to hear the little chap is progressing, albeit slowly. When I have a sick pig I use a product made by Oxbow called Critical Care. It has all the things a cavy needs in powder form to which you add water and feed through a syringe. I start very slowly with a 1ml syringe a bit at a time to prevent choke, and gradually build up so that the cavy is taking between 35 to 40ml daily spread over as many feeds as you can manage. They love the taste and from personal experience I've found they soon start 'looking' for the syringe at feedtime! You will need to give water too. Here is a link:

http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/products/type/detail?object=1631

I personally wouldn't administer any fluids S/C if you are not sure what you are doing because the risk of haematoma and the such outweigh the benefits. It sound like this little fella's digestive system is starting to kick in and hopefully you'll be able to get enough fluids on board without the need for invasive treatments.

Hope he continues to improve. :)
 
There's a lot of positive signs there so fingers crossed for you. I'm
Not a vet but he mainly sounds malnourished so hopefully now his digestive system seems to be moving you may see more improvements...
You're doing a wonderful job Pat, bless you and keep us updated xx
 
Your doing such a fantastic job Pat due to the animal welfare problems where you are. Well done! You are giving Salvadore a chance at life. Hopefully his tummy will be telling him soon to eat more and then he'll thrive.
 
Oh that's such good news Pat! So glad he was feeling well enough to tell you off! :))
Keeping everything crossed for Salvatore. x
 
cavykisser said:
I personally wouldn't administer any fluids S/C if you are not sure what you are doing
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That's a mixed bag - yes, I've done it on other animals after surgeries and accidents so that I can care for them at home, and I give myself subQ treatments every day (multiple sclerosis medication) but I'm not familiar with guinea pigs, especially ones with no body fat. Hence, my hesitation and question as to where.

piggyfan said:
Have you tried offering him hay?
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Yes, he has everything a healthy guinea pig would want and then some; I'm trying to give him every opportunity as we know there are many things I don't know about him yet.
 
I'm so glad the wee one is hanging on in there! Bless him for telling you off. Keep up the good work.
 
Hi Pat,
Just some comments on the sub-cut fluids, do you think he really needs them? As I am unsure of the practicalities of it all, would you be hanging a small drip somewhere in the cage? What if he chews the line up to the bag? How would you fix the tegaderm? If he really needs it, and it's a "nothing to lose" situation, go for the meatiest part of him that you can and only run the fluids very slowly. It definitely isn't ideal, though, and you should avoid it unless he really isn't taking oral fluids. I guess in the situation you are in-where you can't get to the vets, you will just have to use your own skills to save him. I am not even going to ask where you got the equipment from-my guess is work! :))
 
2280CLAIRE said:
Hi Pat,
Just some comments on the sub-cut fluids, do you think he really needs them? As I am unsure of the practicalities of it all, would you be hanging a small drip somewhere in the cage? What if he chews the line up to the bag? How would you fix the tegaderm? If he really needs it, and it's a "nothing to lose" situation, go for the meatiest part of him that you can and only run the fluids very slowly. It definitely isn't ideal, though, and you should avoid it unless he really isn't taking oral fluids. I guess in the situation you are in-where you can't get to the vets, you will just have to use your own skills to save him. I am not even going to ask where you got the equipment from-my guess is work! :))
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Oh no, none of that, I would simply do as I have done before with other animals and inject a pocket of liquid just under the skin and leave that alone, letting the body absorb the fluid into the tissues. No drip, no equipment in the cage, nothing but putting the fluid into the animal and then leaving it be. What you are describing sounds more like an intravenous administration and I'm definitely not into doing that, especially on something so tiny as a GP.

(But as to where I would have gotten such equipment - yesterday I made a trip out to an emergency horse clinic to get some things; I served a few years as an emergency medical technician on ambulance and rescue so have started IV's on quite a few people and still know where to get those things and how to use them. No, no, no, I'm not freelancing, thinking I know something when I don't, I am quite ethical and would not do that, and I am using great caution before undertaking any invasive procedure on any creature, man or beast.)

SubQ administration of fluids is quite an easy thing to do IF you know where to insert the fluid, how to bevel the needle and make sure you are not injecting it into a muscle. THAT is why I have not done it yet on Sal after getting the material; I went looking for a spot, and he just does not have enough body fat for me to determine where to slide the needle, and I do not have any prior knowledge of where likely spots on guinea pigs are, so for his safety I have refrained.
 
you dont want to hit a vein either when giving sub cut fluids, i guess that in the scruff of the neck is the best place, as this is where animals are given their vaccines, but i am not suggesting at all you do this, if he is taking fluids by mouth now , he is doing better x x
 
Heya, I dont know about injecting the fluids but if you cut a chunk of cucumber, and dip the end of the syringe into the middle fleshy bit the Vit C water will taste nicer and he might want to eat it more. :) (worked with my boys, who fought to get away from the syringe before)
 
Connie said:
Heya, I dont know about injecting the fluids but if you cut a chunk of cucumber, and dip the end of the syringe into the middle fleshy bit the Vit C water will taste nicer and he might want to eat it more. :) (worked with my boys, who fought to get away from the syringe before)
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What a wonderful idea, I will do that this afternoon, this sort of information is exactly why I am here, thank you!
 
I would also say, if its possible, after feeding the vitamin C water See if you can syringe feed him that nice squishy middle bit using the syringe you feed the baby food with. (its got lots of liquid but tastes much nicer) Perhaps leave him a little cucumber in the cage too if you havnt already. other high water content veg includes celery. But obviously dont feed too much new stuff at once or it may upset his tummy.

P.s. I think its great your trying so hard and eager to learn how to help this little guy. :)
 
Pat Shields said:
Oh no, none of that, I would simply do as I have done before with other animals and inject a pocket of liquid just under the skin and leave that alone, letting the body absorb the fluid into the tissues. No drip, no equipment in the cage, nothing but putting the fluid into the animal and then leaving it be. What you are describing sounds more like an intravenous administration and I'm definitely not into doing that, especially on something so tiny as a GP.

(But as to where I would have gotten such equipment - yesterday I made a trip out to an emergency horse clinic to get some things; I served a few years as an emergency medical technician on ambulance and rescue so have started IV's on quite a few people and still know where to get those things and how to use them. No, no, no, I'm not freelancing, thinking I know something when I don't, I am quite ethical and would not do that, and I am using great caution before undertaking any invasive procedure on any creature, man or beast.)

SubQ administration of fluids is quite an easy thing to do IF you know where to insert the fluid, how to bevel the needle and make sure you are not injecting it into a muscle. THAT is why I have not done it yet on Sal after getting the material; I went looking for a spot, and he just does not have enough body fat for me to determine where to slide the needle, and I do not have any prior knowledge of where likely spots on guinea pigs are, so for his safety I have refrained.
Click to expand...

Phew :o I had images of the drip getting caught/chewed etc. When I was a student, I did my final placement on an elderly ward (I am a nurse), some of them had sub-cut infusions, as no-one could cannulate them-their veins were just too fragile. We'd normally just put it in the thigh, as there's more meat there. I am glad it looks like he doesn't need it, anyway...
 
Gosh he does have some pigsonality!


COME ON SAL LOTS OF ENCOURAGING KISSES AND BRRRRRRRRRRRRRR'S FROM THE GIRLS AND I XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
 
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