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Mystery Illness

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pasiphae

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My poor piggy Alex has been off his food and water for a couple of days now :... Went to vets yesterday and he was given a load of injections and some recovery food and some syringes (very messy and a total failure....I thought rats were trouble to syringe stuff to :o ) but this morning there was still no improvement so back we toddled. Different vet this time, different injections but noone seems to know why its happening. His teeth appear OK but unless they sedate him they cant check the back ones really well but both vets seemed happy that they were almost certainly fine and they wont sedate if they can avoid it because of whatever is causing this. His chest is clear, his heart is fine and although his guts are moving a bit slowly there is nothing to indicate a major problem there including no signs of impaction.

I dont know what to do, can anyone give me any advice please
 
Could you try and find an exotics vet (covers specialising in guinea pigs) near you or a rodentologist for checking the back teeth properly and without GA?
http://www.britishassociationofrodentologists.co.uk/index.html

Has your boy also been checked for rash/soreness/ulcers of the mouth or throat (can happen from acidic fruit like apple etc) or abscesses and pain caused by caused back teeth?
http://www.guinealynx.info/teeth.html

Please keep weighing him daily and write it down, so you have a chart you can show.
 
i would say try to see another vet and persevere with the syringe feeding i find wrapping the piggy in a towel helps and feed little and often
 
How old is he, what is his weight, does he want to eat, any signs of bladder problems, does he have heart problems?
There is never any need to sedate/anaesthetise a pig in order to have a look at it's teeth.
Syringe feeding can take some getting used to, both for the pig and the person holding the syringe!.
 
He's 2 and a half, weighs 1.1 kg which is low for him and is refusing all food (even curly kale which he loves normally). Theres no sign of heart problems, as for bladder he doesnt seem to be producing urine but the vets are both satisfied that he isnt retaining :{ as he isnt bloated or in any discomfort abdominally.
 
I'm sorry to hear he is so poorly and the vets haven't been able to give you any answers. Whereabouts are you? Perhaps we could recommend a vet/rodentologist near you who can see him in person to help?

His urine output may have decreased if he's not getting any (or enough) fluids. Are you able to syringe water into him, between mouthfuls of syringe-food?

Another possiblity, if there doesn't seem to be any urine being expelled, is bladder stones; it's possible for stones to block the urethra, especially in boars, but this would lead to some retention and various other symptoms.

I would initially suspect problems with the back teeth or mouth/throat, but all manner of problems can cause the symptoms you describe and I would wonder if there is more going on than possible dental trouble, given that he's got no appetite at all.
 
If he had acute urine retention he would be dead by now.
He could be shutting down ready to die. It does happen even at that age, unpleasant though it may seem.
It may be a respiratory problem ie blocked nose, unable to smell, unwilling to eat.
Let him have a sniff of Olbas Oil.
What has been his heaviest weight?
 
Hi I have just had my wee Maurice at the vet for the same reason. Long story coming but explains things:

Every year my two guinea pigs gnaw a carrot for me to give to a workmate at Christmas for rudolph and this time Maurice turned his nose up at it - not like him at all usually he is streaking his neck out the cage to get the food from you.

As this wasn't like him I took him to the vet (much to his disgust but overprotective mother instinct kicked in). Vet had as ** a look at his teeth as he was allowed to and said there was definately some old food stuck as there was green gunk on the examination scope but as you say Pasiphae without sedating them he said he couldn't tell about his teeth.

We booked him in and they put him under anaesthetic - didn't find anything stuck but did file his back teeth down a wee bit as vet said they were slightly higher than what they should have been.

maurice has had no ill effects whatsoever and was back to his cheeky, carrot eating self the next day but vet did give us liquid recovery food in case it happens again.

I would try and see another vet and see what they say. Hope this helps and Alex is back to normal soon
 
Well I'm at a loss now :( saw different vet today who checked all his teeth and says absolutely nothing wrong. She check lungs again....nothing, heart.....nothing,guts.....bit sluggish but again nothing major. No bloating, no indication of impaction or retention, eyes clear, mouth clear etc :{.

I cant get him to take any of the science recovery stuff, and he wont take his baytril. If I'm lucky I think I might get maybe a ml of rehydration fluid into him every hour but he spits most of it out and just doesn't seem to want anything.

Maybe he is just giving up but I don't want him to. I've already lost an 18 month old bunny this week and am preparing to lose both my rats. I'm so sad and scared :0
 
pasiphae said:
I cant get him to take any of the science recovery stuff, and he wont take his baytril. If I'm lucky I think I might get maybe a ml of rehydration fluid into him every hour but he spits most of it out and just doesn't seem to want anything.
Click to expand...

keep trying! pigs can be so stubborn at syringe feeding and sometimes you just have to persevere and make sure they take it. they don't know that it's for the best, but you do!
my boy baxter suddenly went downhill a month or two ago, for no reason the vet could see. the less they eat, the more their gut slows down, so it's vital that you keep going with the medication, regardless of whether he seems to want to take it. try mixing up his poo pellets with warm water and syringing him that- healthy poo contains nutrients that can help them pick up.
also banana is a good one to mush up, and some baby foods- as long as it doesn't contain dairy. a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel for them to snuggle up to and a supply of hay and water nearby helps too.
good luck! it can be horrible feeling as though you're making them do something they don't want to, but if you can get his medication in him he should start to pick up.
 
Is he able to swallow the food, or is it just difficult to get the food into his mouth?
 
Liquid has been being given at roughly body temp.....I warmed it same way I used to do my kids bottles and made sure it was OK on my wrist rolleyes but today we have taken very much a turn for the worse. In the last hour or so he has started grunting when I touch him. It seems like its a resp type thing but he's already on baytril and I dont know what to do anymore.

I'm starting to think that maybe I should just help him to the bridge as he doesn't seem to want to get better 8...
 
I think you are right to prepare yourself that it may be his time to go. Don't give up on him just yet, do keep offering him all his favourite foods and try to get him to take some Critical Care, but there's little point in forcing him to eat and drink if he has given up himself. If he won't actually swallow, it's (sadly) often a sign that they're close to the end. Big hugs. xx
 
Things are even worse today :( he now wont accept even fluids from me. It makes him so distressed and its breaking my heart. I dont know what to do anymore.
I've made a vets appointment for later and I don't know what to do when I get there. Should I get them to do everything or do I accept that he has given up? How much more do I put him through? I'm just falling apart 8...
 
I'm sorry things aren't looking so good, I feel so sad for you. :(

I know it's hard, but do try to behave as normally as you can around him, if you can. It was very difficult but I forced myself to talk and behave normally around my poorly pigs (i.e not crying over them, but being proactive and holding onto hope); I let myself get upset and worry myself sick when away from them. It's a bit like when you're tending a sick child, you try to make light of things, see the positive around the place, try to lift their mood. Guineas might not recognise this but it doesn't hurt to try, and you don't really want to spend your time weeping all over him.

Is he showing any interest in life at all - moving at all, sniffing at food, looking around?
 
No interest in anything. Hes cold to the touch and just sat on my legs in a towel. I'm trying so hard to hold it together but I cant. Vets in an hour and tbh I dont think hes coming home if he even makes it there 8...
 
Keep him wrapped up snug and keep talking to him, just be with him and see how things go. Given everything you've described I don't feel there's any point, indeed any way, in forcing him to show an interest or forcing him to eat, as he's not bothered by it all any more and he won't co-operate at all. It might be his way of saying he's had enough. I really hope it is not, though.

x
 
For once I hope I am wrong but it does seem as though the end is very close. He will be getting colder because his heart is starting to fail. There is very little you can do for him other than be with him.
 
Vet says pretty much no chance of recovery. She gave him another dose of baytril and some pain killers after offering the chance to have him pts which I couldnt face but if he makes it through the night with no improvement then I think that will be the way to go.
He's now taking no fluids whatsoever and the vet thinks that its best if he (hopefully) just goes peacefully at home where he feels safe.
I cant stop crying now. I dont want to lose him but I dont want him to suffer because of my selfishness 8...
 
So sorry to hear this. It's an awful decision to have to make. Did the vet give any pain killers? I have a lot of piggies here and most of the time I choose to let them pass away at home, if they don't appear to be in pain. I keep them warm, have a cuddle and continue to offer food and fluids if possible and keep them comfortable.

I don't want to sound morbid, but if you haven't seen a piggy pass away before, I also don't want you to be taken by surprise. Quite often, in the last stages of them passing away, they seem to struggle (looks like a fit) and make running movements with their legs - we call it 'running to the bridge'. It's unlikely they are aware of anything by this stage.

I hope your piggy passes peacefully, I'm sure he'll know that you're there for him. If he won't give up the fight then it may be best to choose to put him to sleep.

Sending hugs

Sophie
x
 
I am so sorry, wish there was something I could do.
Just keep holding on to him and talking to him for as long as you both need.

big hugs to you both
 
"we call it 'running to the bridge'. It's unlikely they are aware of anything by this stage. "

In the world away from guinea pigs it is known as the "running reflex", it occurs in most, if not all, mammals, including humans.
It is not under conscious control, rather like a knee jerk reaction if you hit your knee bone/nerve.
The pig is unconscious, ie in a coma, and is pain free, that is the important fact to keep in your mind, should it happen to your pig.
 
How are things this morning - any news?

I'm sorry the vet confirmed he's fading, but I am glad that the vet gave you the opportunity to let him pass at home. He will be comforted by his normal environment.
 
He's still here with me....no idea how he is managing to hang on this long tbh :( Still gently trying to conving him to have something but he just dribbles 90% out so I guess I'm not doing him any good. This is so hard. Part of me want to take him to be pts but I think I'm being selfish and that its more for me than him. He doesn't seem to be suffering, its just me who is 8....

He's such a lovely little character I dont want him to go it'll be too quiet
 
Just caught your thread.

So sorry to hear about Alex xx I can't imagine being in your shoes. Big hugs to you both
 
I'm sorry it's been as prolonged as this, you are doing well keeping him comfortable. xx
 
He's gone 8... Does anyone still have contact with Damonshumanslave? I cant remember her real name
 
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