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No Movement From Backend And Hair Loss

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Lolly3734

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Hello everyone, I am new to the community. My son has 2 pigs, olive and smudge. Both are female and just over 5 years old, they both live indoors and have never had any problems with health... Until now. :( Smudge has always been the bigger of the two, let's say chunkier having said that she is not over weight... I have come down to see her this morning sitting in the middle of the hutch and usually, although extremely friendly and used to being handled, smudge runs into her house when the hutch is opened.... Not today! I first noticed the loss of hair behind her right ear and as I stroked her she feels very thin and then noticed as she tried to turn around that she wasn't moving her back end... I'm so worried and my son isn't up yet but he will be also when he comes down. Any advise is greatly appreciated... I did chop up some fresh cucumber and she thoroughly enjoyed munching so she certainly has an appetite... Anxiously waiting to hear from you...
 
Lolly3734 said:
Hello everyone, I am new to the community. My son has 2 pigs, olive and smudge. Both are female and just over 5 years old, they both live indoors and have never had any problems with health... Until now. :( Smudge has always been the bigger of the two, let's say chunkier having said that she is not over weight... I have come down to see her this morning sitting in the middle of the hutch and usually, although extremely friendly and used to being handled, smudge runs into her house when the hutch is opened.... Not today! I first noticed the loss of hair behind her right ear and as I stroked her she feels very thin and then noticed as she tried to turn around that she wasn't moving her back end... I'm so worried and my son isn't up yet but he will be also when he comes down. Any advise is greatly appreciated... I did chop up some fresh cucumber and she thoroughly enjoyed munching so she certainly has an appetite... Anxiously waiting to hear from you...
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Hi and welcome!

Please have your girl seen by a vet as soon as you can! We have got a recommended UK vets locator on the top bar, but may provide a link to recommended vets in some other countries.

Is the bald ear patch symmetrical one both sides or not? In the latter case, it can be either fungal or caused by mange mites; your vet will need to make a diagnosis. The treatment is different for either, so please do not just plump for home treating on spec with low dosed broad spectrum pet shop products that can do more harm than good. Either is an opportunist that hits when the immune system is lowered.

Back leg paralysis in older guinea pigs is not uncommon. The majority are down to a sudden drop in calcium, but by far not all, so again, you need to see a vet for the correct treatment. Thankfully, in the majority of cases it will right itself again slowly over the coming weeks.
Until then, you will need to change any cosies or bedding where she is sitting twice daily to prevent her from sitting in her own faeces and developing urine scald. Move hay, water and pellets within her reach.

Please change from weighing weekly to weighing daily at the same time in the feeding cycle. Please start syringe feeding and watering her to stabilise her weight and if possible get it up again; your care in that respect is as important as any vet care. Be aware that hay is making up to 80% of the daily food intake, so seeing her eating a piece of veg will not be enough. Dropping a food group is most often down to a pain issue somewhere.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Administering Medications
 
Thank you for your advice. We took her to the vet soon after I posted this query this morning and with sadness in our hearts we unfortunately had to have Smudge put to sleep... It was found she had a rather large tumor that seems to have caused her paralysis so more than likely to be also in her spine...
 
Lolly3734 said:
Thank you for your advice. We took her to the vet soon after I posted this query this morning and with sadness in our hearts we unfortunately had to have Smudge put to sleep... It was found she had a rather large tumor that seems to have caused her paralysis so more than likely to be also in her spine...
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HUGS!

I am very sorry; it is the kind of news that none of us ever wants to get. But you have done the right thing. :(
You are welcome to post a tribute to Smudge in our Rainbow Bridge section if or whenever you wish to.

Here are our tips on what you can do for her companion: Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
 
Hugest of Hugs to you.

You have made the kindest decision for your girl. So sorry for your loss x
 
hello :)
I have a guinea pig for almost a year. in the past month or so, He started pulling out his own hair. we went to the vet, he doesn't have any mites or something like that.. the vet said that maybe he is allergic to something and gave me a medicine but it doesn't help :(
he mainly pulling out hair from his chest, and from his legs.
he eats good food, vegetables an etc, have fresh water and a very big cage.
did this happened to anyone here?
please I'm so worried :(
thank you!
 
How old is he? I ask because I had a 5 year old boar that started pulling the hair out of his back legs. He was diagnosed with arthritis and was given pain relief medicine and he stopped.

So, it could be a sign of pain?

Was he treated for mites? If not, how did the vet decide that he didn't have them?

Which medicine was given for the allergy? It should say on your receipt if you do have the bottle still.
 
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