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My black rodent can't stand or walk

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Sue_P

Sue_P

Teenage Guinea Pig
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24 hours after the vet saw him and didn't think he looked too bad this happens.

Can Meloxicam cause him to get worse? His worse back leg feels hot. Before it kept on feeling cold or warmish but not as warm as it should but now it feels hot. When I pick him up he holds it up and tucks it near his body and doesn't want to put any weight on it at all. What was his better leg now feels cold although that used to feel not too bad. This one now looks limp like the other used to. Again he refuses to put weight on it. I put him out to eat his grass but he can't walk. He tried to make it back to his bed area at one point and just dragged his back legs along behind him using only his front legs to go forward and he never made it properly into his hay bed and into a comfy position. Is it possible for him to recover or is it best to put him down this weekend or next few days? He's losing weight and I don't think it would be very kind to keep him disabled and bed bound and getting thinner and thinner. I've asked a vet to phone me later to discuss options. Any opinions from you lot?
 
I think something like this quickly becomes a welfare issue so considering euthanasia may well be the right thing to do. Maybe if a diagnosis was made sooner a recovery may have been possible but it's definitely time to weigh up the options.
 
Poor baby. What's his/her name? I have to say just hold him and look into his eyes. You can see when it has become too much and it is time to let go. Definitely discuss options with your vet though. I'm not a qualified professional so I couldn't possibly guess if recovery is possible.

My heart goes out to you and the poor little piggy at this terrible time.

Amy
x
 
Poor little guy, hopefully you'll make the right decision by him, it sounds like he could really be suffering. Sending him some comforting vibes.
 
Poor piggie, I hope he isnt too uncomfortable. Go with what the vet says but as you sound like a good piggie owner I am sure you will do whatever you have to....hugs xx
 
My heart goes out to you as euthanasia is always a hard decision to make :( Talk it out with your vet and see if they're are any other options. However, if your pig is suffering and has a poor quality of life, you may have to consider letting him go :( xx
 
My rodent’s snuffed it.
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*Nibbles&Nugget* said:
I have to say just hold him and look into his eyes. You can see when it has become too much and it is time to let go.
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Not true. I totally wasn’t sure if I should put him down but I just did as the vet said. On our way there and in the waiting room my mum and I were thinking that maybe we should head off back home again. It seemed all very rushed, the vet wanted to put him down without even seeing him. Anyway he’s dead now.
 
I really am so very sorry to hear this and it sounds like the vet handled it very badly. I really do not think you should use that vet again.
 
Well I presume the sense of urgency on his part was warrantied. I was trying to get through to the vets all day on the phone and have a vet phone me back to say why the medication wasn’t working and what to do. No one got back to me. I finally managed to get to speak to a vet at 7.20pm and he was a guy I’ve never seen before and I described what was wrong and he said bring him in to be put down. I said I hadn’t said goodbye to him and that I’d like to keep him for one more night and to make an appointment for the next morning but he talked me out of it. I just had to have faith that he knew best. They shut at 8pm, he told me to get there in 10 or 15 minutes, I only had time to get changed before my ride to the vets was knocking on the door. Hence why I say it was all a bit rushed. I wasn’t prepared for it.
 
I'm sorry to hear you've lost your guinea pig, especially under these rushed circumstances.

How is your other boy faring without his companion?
 
Think he’s depressed. He’s staying in his bed most of the time and doesn’t come out to forage for food like he used to. There’s heaps of his fave treats all lying around uneaten and a big pile of grass.

I brought his brother’s body back home on Friday night and put it in his usual bed area but I dunno if the fudge coloured rodent realized if he was dead or not. I presumed not so half an hour before I buried him I put him closer to him and then I moved his body into Fudge’s bed area and then Fudge went up to him and started licking his eye and grooming him. Still didn’t know if he realized he was dead, perhaps he thought the dead one was asleep? Anyway I buried the dead one and I’m not sure if it was the right or wrong thing to do but I slightly rearranged the pen and had it so there’s only one bed area now so he instantly realized he’s on his own and his friend is no longer there.

It’s a bummer he’s dead cos it ain’t half gonna be borin’ without him. They liked foraging for food together and arguing. Fudge ain’t got no one to talk to now.

I’ve been thinking about getting him a friend but don’t know how to go about it. I don’t want to give him an op to get his balls cut out in case I lose him during surgery but rescue centres don’t have spayed females sitting about do they? Is it totally impossible to add in a male?

I’ve been trying to spend more time with him so that he ain’t lonely but I’m at work right now and so most of his days he’s gonna be on his own which is bad. I got out a plastic pet enclosure from the hut and brought him downstairs to watch X Factor with me last night, I can do that in future when I’m watching telly but even so I think he’d far rather have a rodent friend cos I don’t reckon’ he likes me right much. He teeth chatters at me. Me and the black one loved each other and the black one liked being stroked and he’d lick me, Fudge has always been unco-operative.
 
I'm sorry to read this, Sue. It is awful when they pass away. Perhaps give yourself and your fudge guinea some time to grieve, and then when you feel ready maybe you could find him a new friend. Most reputable rescues offer boar-dating where your guinea will be paired up with a new, compatible friend.

This is a link to a map showing all Piggy-Bank approved rescues:
https://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?m...ll=52.643063,-1.230469&spn=6.775737,19.753418

I would recommend that you contact one of them, should you wish to go down that route.
 
Is boar-dating finding boars a new boar friend? Milhaven is on that link but I dunno if Joanne would hand over a rodent to me, you lot on this forum are always telling me I’m a horrible rodent owner and should give mine up to rescues.
 
I am so sorry to hear you have lost your poor piggy :( I personally think it is disgraceful how you have been treated by your vet and although I think the right decision was made, you were rushed in to making it.

In the meantime, you could try giving your Fudge guinea a soft cuddly toy with sewn eyes (not the ones with plastic eyes sewn on) as this may provide him with something to snuggle up to.

Guinea pigs aren't stupid and I expect he would have realised his brother had died so don't fret about that. You did the right thing letting him say goodbye.

Male piggies can be bonding with another male if you know what you are doing. It is all about personality just like it is with any animal. How old is your Fudge guinea pig?

You are not a horrible rodent owner. I think the thing that gets members backs up is when you ask advise when your animals are poorly but then do not take them to the vet when it is recommended to you.

Try contacting a rescue and see what they say. Most rescues will want to see your housing set up anyway and most will allow you to take your Fudge piggy to the rescue so he can choose his own friend. My only advise would be to listen to what they say and to take their advise.

I am not sure what your black coloured piggy was called but sleep peacefully piggy x
 
I'm sure no one will refuse to let you have a piggy if you meet all the needs and requirements of adoption. Boar dating and letting your piggy pick a new friend would be a great option. I wouldn't say anyone is a bad piggy owner simply because of what I read on here. When one of my boys was ill earlier this year I had people saying I should give him to a rescue too. I didn't need to because people had misunderstood my situation. I'll admit I find it odd that you refer to them as rodents rather than their names but I see that you use it as a term of endearment and probably think I'm strange for calling mine 'ickle piggy-wigs'!

I think that it is terrible that you didn't get a chance to say goodbye properly. Very unprofessional and wrong of the vet. My only other input to this would be to suggest spending lots of time with your remaining piggy until a time when you can get him a friend. Putting a pet safe toy in for him to cuddle up to may also help with the grieving process.

Once again I am sorry for your loss.

Amy
x
 
I'm sure you're right that he's feeling lonely without his pal, and it's good you're able to give him quality time when you're at home. But yes, it sounds like he'd welcome another friend. I believe some rescues do have spayed females, but boar dating is a popular option also. I'm not an expert, as I've not been in this position myself, but perhaps a baby boar would fit it nicely - your boy might take to a youngster more easily.

Anyway, hopefully some others will come along who have better advice than me, and I wish you success with whatever option you choose. My own opinion is that you are thinking along the right lines, wanting to get him a companion.
 
I’ll see if I have a suitable toy for him. Presumably it would have to be rodent sized yeah? Does colour matter or are they colour blind like dogs?

My remaining rodent is 4 ½ years old. He had an op to remove a polyp a few months ago, I don’t know if that means his life expectancy is reduced or if he’s been fully cured. Knowing my luck I’ll get him a friend and then he’ll get problems again. Just a thought but is getting more than one boar gonna result in a mass brawl? I have enough room to house a few. I mean taking on a new boar is fine with me but I’m also up for taking on a couple. It would be lovely if a couple of spayed females were out there looking for a new man. Although I imagine it’s unlikely.

BTW I thought I read a long time ago that you can’t guarantee a baby boar won’t fight with an adult boar when it reaches maturity? Isn’t it safer to introduce an adult boar to see if they get on?

Fudge is the type of rodent to initiate arguing BTW. Plus he’s a fatty at 1.5kg. He’d go up to the other for a fight all the time but would never bite, the black one used to get peeved off by him being a nuisance and bite/butt him.

The black rodent was called Rumball.

@ Niggles&Nuggets - ‘Rodents’ is a cooler term than 'ickle piggy-wigs'.
 
Do not worry about the colour of the toy. I am sure Fudge will not mind.

If you want to get a boar friend for Fudge then best to get just one as more then a pair can result in a nasty fight. You can always contact the rescues on here and ask if they will agree to taking Fudge boar dating.
 
I’ve just been looking through my a zillion photos of the rodents and they’re together in most shots, it does make me realize Fudge needs a friend and he does look awfully lost in the pen now. He seems so small and the pen is so big. I think it needs filling up.
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Here’s some old pen photos from last year.

2011-09-15rodentpena.jpg


2011-09-15rodentpenb.jpg


2011-09-15rodentpene.jpg


2011-09-15rodentpend.jpg



I may ask Joanne what she’s got or go to the rescue I got these two from originally. In fact I’ll probo go to where I got them from originally, there was lone males when I last went.
 
As piggyfan advises, I would only pair Fudge with another boar and not anymore as boars work best in pairs.

Most rescues will allow you to take Fudge with you to choose his own friend. One of the reasons fights happen is if you get two boars who want to be top guinea pig. A rescue will be able to select some laid back boars and then your Fudge and the potential new pig can decide if they like each other. The rescue will help you will all this.

Spayed sows are very hard to come by because spaying a sow is a complicated procedure. Although guinea pigs older than 4 can be neutered, they have to be in perfect health and the risk goes up with age.

I would strongly suggest you contact some rescues and go down the boar route. There are hundreds of singles boars in rescues looking for homes.

P.S I like the name Rumball. He was gorgeous and so is Fudge. I like your set up too :)
 
Finding a mate if I do get one will have to wait 'til the weekend as there's no way I'm risking going to work for 11 hours and leaving them alone all that time unattended. God knows what'd happen.

Can they at first seem to get on and then fall out? Do they need to be introduced slowly? Such as keeping them apart whilst I'm not around and then putting them together for short periods of time? I could house the new one in my small pet enclosure until its fully introduced if needs be.
 
I am so sorry Sue :(
I don't like the sound of the vet & you should never have been rushed into making such a decision even though I think it was the right decision for Rumball.
I'm glad Fudge got to say goodbye to his mate & I hope he's alright on his own; some relish being on their own where others grieve.
There are rescues who will boar-date Fudge, this allows him & his prospective friend to choose one another. Bonding him to a young boar will likely work whilst the baby is young but you may encounter problems when the baby becomes older, sadly there is no way to tell beforehand.
The only rescue that spays all sows is Rabbit & Guinea Pig Welfare in Rugby but again there are no guarantees that the girls will take to Fudge & vice versa.
I wish you luck in finding Fudge his perfect friend. RIP beautiful Rumball x
 
Fudge is still depressed, there’s so much delicious food left lying out uneaten - that never happens. He clearly isn’t leaving his bed when I’m not there. Plus its hard when I’m with him cos he isn’t an affectionate rodent that likes being touched.
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When I pick him up its not like he likes it. Dunno where Rugby is but it must be far away, I can’ t be bothered traipsing there. If I’m getting a rodent I’ll get it from where my other pets came from or try Milhaven. I’d better ask Rebecca what she’s got in at her rescue first or she may be peeved that I’ve gone somewhere else to get one when she has them sat at her place needing homes. At what age has a boar fully finished puberty and gone through the stage of wanting to be top rodent? Cos I was thinking of getting a young rodent. I think it may be best to get a value-for-money one, one that has the possibility of living a good few years rather than adopting an old boar that isn’t far off from death. What age would you be suggesting? I was thinking from above puberty age to about 3 ½ years old. Would you concur? (Fudge is 4 ½.) Hope Fudge doesn’t take a liking to an ugly rodent. Or worse still – one with red eyes.

BTW I gave him a toy, he isn’t right impressed.
 
All guinea pigs are special regardless of their eye colour and looks. If you have the attitude that you are worried it may be 'ugly' then perhaps you should think about rehoming Fudge instead of getting another guinea pig.
 
OI! Red eyes are NOT ugly though I do know there are many people who don't like red eyes for all manner of reasons.
Fudge is the one who is choosing, your opinion really doesn't count because you're not living with the pig.
Some boars (& sows) never stop wanting to be top pig, it depends on the personality of the pig which is why Fudge & his potential partner need to choose one another.

I do agree Fudge is beautiful :)
 
I agree Fudge is gorgeous but I just feel sad you seem to put a value on how a guinea pig looks.
 
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