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Melvin is unwell

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alisont

alisont

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I've been away at the weekend, first weekend away in ages and typically return to one of the gang not being right.

Mum said Melvin developed head tilt over the weekend. He's not right and I'm not much wiser after seeing the vet tonight. When I got home I checked his ears and skin, teeth etc but couldn't see anything. Vets said ears have wax in but can't see anything else, his skins no different, teeth fine, heart and lungs fine. He's circling a lot too at times. I'm thinking ear infection, stroke, mites/fungal. Hoping not fungal as Artie my other guinea isn't a strong guinea and I can't risk him getting anything.

He's on antibiotics for a week and has had a steroid injection, he's had a lump checked as the vet wanted to investigate the new lump as different feel to his others.

Melvin was very grumpy/angry and stressed by the visit, he was very loud I've never seen him so stressed, he's now sulking and has worn himself out.

Will see how he goes day by day, my exotics vets away at the moment.

Any advice on what this could be would be welcome but I'm hoping he responds well to the antibiotics and improves soon both in health and mood. Such a worry when they are not right but you can't work out what is wrong.
 
Sorry to hear your little one has been unwell. This happened to Pappy last Thursday, just the tilting of her head no other symptoms and she was behaving normally apart from looking lopsided. I haven't been able to get her to the vets as quickly as I normally would have but I had some septrin already from another piggy so she's been having that. It seems to have sorted the problem out. She is having a visit to the vets tomorrow just to make sure everything is ok. Sending healing vibes to Melvin. x
 
Hi, sorry Melvin is unwell

There are several possible reasons for head tilt and circling. If an ear infection it is likely to be an inner ear infection, which a vet wouldn't be able to tell by looking down them but which should respond to appropriate antibiotics. A stroke type event is also a possibilty, in which case you should see daily ( but not necessarily rapid) improvement as the brain re wires itsself. E.coniculli is also a possibilty, it is a parasite that effects the brain (and kidneys) and is commonly treated by a months course of panacur.

When is your exotics vet back? I wouldn't recomend he has any more steroid injections until you can discuss this with them as steroids surpress the immune system and are not generally recomended for use in piggies, especially without an acurate diagnosis.

If he is uncoordinated please make sure he is getting enough to eat and drink, he may need hand feeding or syringe feeding for a couple of days to help him out. weighing him daily would be a good idea.

This happened to a pig of mine last year, it was very severe and he could't pick up food by himself for two days or walk properly but he improved daily and after a couple of weeks was back to his usual self, except for the head tilt which remained :)
 
Thanks - he's better today but still got the head tilt, he's eating very well by himself and drinking as usual, weeking for breakfast today and seems ok in himself. I've got plenty of supplies in here like critical care if needed.

the vet said the steroid injection was a one off, she mentioned E Coniculli - a few other guineas have presented with that as a possible illness as have rabbits locally.

I've had guineas who have had a stroke and I don't think it's a stroke but do think its an ear infection, possibly mites/fungal related? He's been shaking his head as if his ears are irritating him.

He's been treated with ivermectin too.

I hope he will feel better soon:)
 
Have seen the exotics vet tonight with Melvin - he feels that Melvin has an inner ear infection - wants another week of antibiotics but says the head tilt could be permanent, just got to see how things go. He felt going on mine and the other vets comments that Melvin has done really well this week in his recovery. There is a mild discharge in one ear. Other possibility is Melvin had a stroke but vet feels its an ear infection.
Melvin was very unhappy and vocal being examined but the vet got a good grip and Melvin had to give in!
He's much happier but not fully recovered yet...
Melvin to me is improving he is much happier than he was and is wanting fuss and to be held again, he had gone off this last week but I think that was the fact he was feeling unwell, and at times angry/confused. The head tilt is still there and may not go but he is eating, drinking very well and is more himself again.
The vet said about guineas who have inner ear infections and develop abscesses - that are very complex to operate on but hopefully Melvin will make a full recovery.
 
Lots of love to Melvin and hugs to you Alison. Hope he makes a full recovery soon and the AB's will sort out the infection that the vet thinks is there. Keep us updated on him. Lots of healing vibes x
 
Hi sorry I forgot to update on here. Melvin improved a lot and the head tilt went he gained weight, and was his usual self.....

until yesterday when I thought I saw head tilt again in the opposite direction to before. I can't see it now but there is something not right.

Have got antibiotics, metacam etc here but am going to ring the vets tomorrow see when the exotics vets about as I'd like to get Melvin's chest listened to and maybe try different antibiotics.
I've not got a good feeling about Melvin - I do think there is something but not sure what.

Want to check its not a URI or it could be the ear infection again, may need X-rays.

I go away to Berlin for a weeks holiday a week Wednesday. My Mum is looking after the gang here but Melvin if poorly might go to boarding if he needs meds (thanks Tracey :)) but I want to work out what is wrong this week and get him checked.

I've not been abroad for several years and am looking forward to my holiday but its tricky with Melvin not being well.
 
A sad update Melvin has gone tonight, he wasn't well/right when I got home tonight and when I went to give him his antibiotics he had a seizure, he was very worn out after it and very floppy, I felt he was in pain so ran up to the vets with him just as they were closing and he saw a vet who knows him there and she agreed he was very poorly and there was only one option.
i think he would of gone naturally overnight but decided to have him pts to avoid any suffering for him.

Very sad, the vets were thinking it was a brain tumour - impossible to ow without a scan but he went downhill so fast tonight:(
 
I'm so sorry to hear you lost Melvin. Big hugs for you. Sleep well, little guy. x
 
So sorry Alison. Lots of love to you x

RIP Melvin
x x
 
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