Legs Not Working - 4 Year Old Boar

[Werezal]

My 4 year old Boar Charles lost his two top teeth last Wednesday through fighting with his cage mate. He's living on his own now and I took him to the vets who prescribed 0.5 Baytril and 0.5 metacam (he weighed 1.2 kg). On Sunday he was very subdued, lethargic, not eating and could barely stand upright. It looked as if he wasn't able to use his back legs and he would hop rather than walk. He was making a squawking noise every time you touched him and he was impacted so I cleaned his faeces out and I took him back to the vets. The vets said she couldn't find anything wrong with him but advised stopped the Baytril.

Yesterday he seemed a bit brighter, he had more of an appetite and took water when offered. Hes now weighing 1.14 kg so not massive amounts of weight loss. He's very much the same today, he will eat little amounts and drink when prompted but doesn't appear to be seeking these out independently and his use of his back legs is limited. He hasn't had a fall or been exposed to anything falling on him. If anyone has any suggestions on what I can do to help or what might be going on that would be amazing. My concern is that his quality of life right now isn't great, I'm checking him every two hours to make sure he's not impacted and remove faeces and he's on 0.2ml of metacam now. I'll trying to hand feed him and give him his water bottle if he'll take it.

Thanks in advance - Sadie

 

[Wiebke]

My 4 year old Boar Charles lost his two top teeth last Wednesday through fighting with his cage mate. He's living on his own now and I took him to the vets who prescribed 0.5 Baytril and 0.5 metacam (he weighed 1.2 kg). On Sunday he was very subdued, lethargic, not eating and could barely stand upright. It looked as if he wasn't able to use his back legs and he would hop rather than walk. He was making a squawking noise every time you touched him and he was impacted so I cleaned his faeces out and I took him back to the vets. The vets said she couldn't find anything wrong with him but advised stopped the Baytril.

Yesterday he seemed a bit brighter, he had more of an appetite and took water when offered. Hes now weighing 1.14 kg so not massive amounts of weight loss. He's very much the same today, he will eat little amounts and drink when prompted but doesn't appear to be seeking these out independently and his use of his back legs is limited. He hasn't had a fall or been exposed to anything falling on him. If anyone has any suggestions on what I can do to help or what might be going on that would be amazing. My concern is that his quality of life right now isn't great, I'm checking him every two hours to make sure he's not impacted and remove faeces and he's on 0.2ml of metacam now. I'll trying to hand feed him and give him his water bottle if he'll take it.

Thanks in advance - Sadie

Please contact a piggy savvy vet asap! Guinea Pig Vet Locator

Start syringe feeding and watering asap to make sure that the guts keep going; plenty of fibre with help with the impaction. Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Impaction Recovery - How To Help Your Guinea Pig.

Your boy may need painkillers for a bit longer yet; sometimes back leg paralysis can be caused by intense pain (sciatica or a blood clot where the bloood vessels for the legs branch out). Arthritis can also cause it. However, back leg paralysis can be caused a by number of things and usually requires some detective work to get an idea. Somehow I don't think that the most common form, caused by a sudden drop of calcium applies here. In most cases, back leg paralysis eventually reverses.
I would recommend to split the dose of metacam and give 0.2 ml twice daily.

@Jaycey @helen105281 @Freela

 

[helen105281]

Is he dragging his legs behind him or using them but only hopping? If it is the latter I have one other suggestion and that would be to get him xrayed and checked for a bladder stone as that can cause bunny hopping (my Johnny was an example of this). An xray would also help check for spinal damage etc.

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

It is also possible that the fight he had may have something to do with it. If the fight involved twisting and rolling around it may have caused soft tissue damage to his spine, or caught a nerve or aggravated an existing athritis, either way he needs to stay on the metacam as it is both a pain killer and anti inflammatory

 

[Werezal]

Thank you all so so much for your responses - I really can't thank you enough.

Wiebke - I've been syringe feeding him his nuggets and water - those guides have been wonderful. He's produced his first reasonable sized poo this afternoon which made me so happy I nearly cried (rationale Guinea pig mum behaviour). I will split the metacam and give it to him twice daily.

Is he dragging his legs behind him or using them but only hopping? If it is the latter I have one other suggestion and that would be to get him xrayed and checked for a bladder stone as that can cause bunny hopping (my Johnny was an example of this). An xray would also help check for spinal damage etc.

He was dragging and today and yesterday evening he has been hopping. He seems almost reluctant to stand up fully on his legs. Will check this out with the vet tomorrow and get an X-ray done.

It is also possible that the fight he had may have something to do with it. If the fight involved twisting and rolling around it may have caused soft tissue damage to his spine, or caught a nerve or aggravated an existing athritis, either way he needs to stay on the metacam as it is both a pain killer and anti inflammatory

I didn't actually see the fight, just the aftermath but will definitely continue to use the metacam. He's so much brighter since we stopped the Baytril. I'll keep you all posted and thank you again for your help. He's a very important little chap in my life so want to do the best I can for him.

 

[Wheekallweek]

Poor little piggy, hope he gets better soon!

 

[Werezal]

I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much but this is my boy this morning. He is using his back legs again and was excited to see whether I had brought him any cucumber for breakfast, this is the first time he's properly moved since Sunday. I really can't thank you all enough for your suggestions and I'll carry on feeding him nugget mash until he shows more interest in them independently xx

 

[gizzy]

I'm not sure but one of the side efects of batril can be loss coordination ie leg control?
It seems to vary from animal to animal, perhaps if you ask your vet what he thinks

 

[gizzy]

http://m.petmd.com/pet-medication/baytril

,

 

[Werezal]

I'm not sure but one of the side efects of batril can be loss coordination ie leg control?
It seems to vary from animal to animal, perhaps if you ask your vet what he thinks

Just seen the vet - they believe the Baytril caused the symptoms like you said Gizzy. Absolutely terrifying to think it can cause that much chaos. He's a much happier chap with very small teeth now and has been given the green light to stop the metacam. Thank you all again for your help, I really do appreciate it xx

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

Thank you for the updates, that's great news he's doing so wellVery interesting about the Baytril, I hadn't realised that could happen.

 

[helen105281]

Thank you for the updates, that's great news he's doing so wellVery interesting about the Baytril, I hadn't realised that could happen.

Me neither.

 

[piggieminder]

Pleased to hear your boy is improving. I've got everything crossed for his speedy recovery. Sending Charles loads of healing vibes.
He looks a real cheeky chappie.