Not well again...

[PiratePig]

So last week Athena had an issue with bloat.

We went to the vet and he perscribed some gut mobility meds and a hay only diet. Within a day Athena was pooping again and the gas build up felt to be completely gone.

Yesterday I went to pick her up and noticed that she was bloated again. I massaged her tummy and managed to get some of the gas out. I also gave her some of the gut mobility med that I had left from the vet visit and some olive oil to help break the gas bubbles and maybe help move things along.

This morning she was still bloated but I couldn't tell if she was pooping or not. This afternoon I put down a towel in her hidey house. When I left home to come to work a couple hours ago there was only one poop.

I'm going to call the vet tomorrow morning to see if I can get in to see him in the afternoon between school and work. I really hope I can get in then because if I can't I will have to wait until Friday.

Is there anything else I could be doing while I wait? Is there anything that I could suggest that the vet look for?

I'm just feeling really run down and stressed out at the moment (not because of poor Athena but other things). I'm kind of worried that Athena's time might be near.

*sigh*

 

[RoadRunner]

Bloat in guinea pigs is a very difficult problem to deal with and the success rate in restoring them to full health is not common.

The most common cause is intestinal blockage, the other, which is relatively rare but treated in the same way is caused by a build up of gas in the gut.
Many of the cases that have been investigated with a P.M. (post mortem), a piece of plastic wrapping of some kind of another is the cause of the blockages.

Buscopan, a gut relaxant and analgesic is a vital item for easing this type problem, I suggest checking the living area for badly chewed items such as houses, water bottles, or other items that the pig may have chewed up, should any damage be found be sure to mention this to the vet as it could be the cause and that information could save its life should the problem persist.

I hope this bit of information can aid you further. Let us know how you get on.

 

[Wiebke]

I am so sorry that poor Athena has problems again!

Laura has a lot of experience with chronic/repeated bloat issues in some of her older piggies. It might be worth contacting her.
http://www.guineapighelpline.com/

 

[PiratePig]

Thanks Wiebke and RoadRunner.

I got up to feed Athena this morning and I checked her tummy and it seems that the gas is pretty much gone. I think that the meds the vet gave have worked again. Thus, we are not going to the vet but I think I will call him this afternoon to let him know what is going on to see if he has any other solutions.

I'm going to keep her on an almost all hay diet for the next couple days to see if that will help clear things up for good. If not it seems that I have the tools for treating mild bloat at home. Though if it seems her tummy gets more bloated (size wise) than it has been the last couple times off to the vet we go.

I am a little worried that this will be a chronic or at least repeated problem so I will send Laura a PM.