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Peppers hunched and listless

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daisyd

daisyd

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When I got home from work today Pepper (2 years old) was all hunched up in her hutch and looking very poorly. I got her out for a cuddle but she just lay in my arms and kept tensing up every few seconds looking in pain. I put her on the floor (where she normally plays) to see if she would perk up but she just gingerly picked her way over to her favourite spot and lay down. She wouldn't accept any greens, dandelion leaves or carrot. She did 2 very small round, but otherwise normal, poos.

Fearing the worst I rang the vet and they said I could take her up if I was quick. By the time I got there she seemed to have perked up a little and I saw her eat one pellet in the box on the way there.

The vet said she looks very well and as she's eating (I don’t think 1 pellet counts myself...) I shouldn't worry unless she looks worse tomorrow. She had an injection of antibiotics.

She still really doesn't look herself to me. What can I do?

I love this little piggy! ")
 
So sorry to hear about pepper.Is her poops ok? I would syringe feed her mashed pellets or critical care if you have any and syring feed water every couple of hours to keep her going.

Sounds like the vet doesn't know his onions to me, can you find another?
 
I normally go to a different vet but they were closed, this other one is at the end of my road and have been pretty useless every time I take a piggy there. Only go in emergencies and am normally armed with ginealynx printouts to demand stuff!

The vets suggestions for her being listless were;

1. Maybe she was frightened of something (Pepper is NOT timid by any stretch of the imagination)
2. Maybe she was too hot (her hutch isn't in the sun at all)
3. Maybe she was picked on by one of the other guineas (Pepper is the boss piggy - no chance of this whatsoever!)

She has just started eating a little bit of hay so I'm starting to feel a bit better about her. Its just the last time I saw a piggy looking like she did earlier (her sister), she was dead in 6 hours so its v.worrying...

Her poos are coming out small and round like a rabbits, but of normal consistency?
 
Glad she is eating some hay, do keep on the feeding though it will help to keep her going. I have had the same in Feb Pearl was all puffed up 6 hours later she died of an internal infection which gave her runny poops. Nothing we could have done.

Will keep everything crossed for Pepper! x
 
She doesn't sound right at all, poor Pepper! Do your normal vets have an emergency contact number? Most surgeries leave a name and contact number of the duty vet on their answering machine. Even just talking to someone else could be worthwhile.

You've already had great advice. The odd poops could be down to abnormal pattern/amount of eating, and/or dehydration. Worth syringing some water to her between mouthfuls of food, and be sure to keep her comfortable and warm.

Wishing you and Pepper the best of luck, will keep watching this thread and hope she picks up soon. x
 
That’s what Poppy, Peps sister had. Thankfully not runny poos with Pepper this time but just a definite look that she’s some how in pain...

She had a bladder infection 6 months ago so I'm wondering maybe if that’s returned and is the reason for her pain and straining. If so the antibiotics should do her some good and maybe she'll be feeling a bit better tomorrow. It's just she doesn't have any of the other symptoms of bladder infection (musty smell, crusty 'lady-bits'). She'll be sleeping by my bed tonight tho anyway so I can keep a close eye on her...
 
Hi CCC4 (sorry I don't know your name!). Thanks for the advice...

My normal vets just gave me the number for 'vets now', which I have never used before so no idea if they're any good. It always depends on the individual vet I guess but I'm thinking not many pple would call out vets now for a piggy so didn't want to ring them...
 
I'm thinking of you and Pepper - it's so harrowing when your nightmare looks like it is repeating itself.

The small poo could be down to the fact that she's stopped eating.

PS: Go with your instinct - something is not right inside!

Big vibes
Vicky xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
daisyd said:
Hi CCC4 (sorry I don't know your name!). Thanks for the advice...

My normal vets just gave me the number for 'vets now', which I have never used before so no idea if they're any good. It always depends on the individual vet I guess but I'm thinking not many pple would call out vets now for a piggy so didn't want to ring them...
Click to expand...

Go for it, it's worth it to get a second opinion. I called out an "average" vet at midnight on a Saturday, and again at 5pm on a Sunday when Tuppy was ill. The vet didn't begrudge me it at all, she did what I asked for. I was lucky that the vet was willing to work with me (not so lucky in that I lost Tuppy anyway just an hour after the second appointment). The cost of a weekend/out-of-hours call out was not pretty either! But worth it as I know I did everything possible to save Tup.

I do wonder if Pepper has a stone, if she is straining a bit and in pain. Could also explain the abscence of the other UTI/cystitis symptoms. Is she peeing normally?

PS. I'm Laura. :)
 
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I soaked, mashed and sieved some pellets and boiled water together and Pep took 4ml reasonably happily by syringe about an hour ago. She still wont eat any carrot, cucumber or her other usual favourites tho. She sniffed the cucumber like she was interested then just lay down next to it. She hasn't eaten any more pellets other than those in the syringe, but the fact she took them is encouraging... She seemed grateful for the 2ml of water she took by syringe too - I dont know why she wouldn't have helped herself to the water bottle if she is thirsty!?!

How much should I aim to be giving her each sitting. I guess little and often, but how little & how often?

Think I will do it all again in an hour, once in the night and first thing tomorrow... fingers crossed she feels better soon...
 
daisyd said:
It always depends on the individual vet I guess but I'm thinking not many pple would call out vets now for a piggy so didn't want to ring them...
Click to expand...

Oh, I think this was a bit badly written - I meant because people probably don't use vets now for guinea pigs very often, the vets that work for them might not have much experience working with Guinea Pigs as they probably only treat cats and dogs etc... Nothing against them tho, I'm really only speculating - they could be amazing!

The vet I saw earlier even asked me if Pepper had been sick at all... honestly!
 
My first thought was gut problems not UTI.
You have nothing to lose by giving her one crushed Buscopan tablet, with water.
It will relieve any gut spasm whch can lead to pain.
Why did the vet give an antibiotic without even, apparently, making a diagnosis?
The first priority must be pain relief.
 
What do vets give for pain relief. When we took Poppy who was in pain they gave her something like morphine (all my husband can remember) and she definately went downhill very quickly seemingly in response to this. We're warry the vet may give something not suitable for guinea pigs little systems.
 
To update, Pepper has been admitted to the vets for severe bloat. The vet said she needs drugs to get the system going, subQ fluids and feeding critical care all day. It is a bad case and is life threatening....

I'm worried my feeding her in the night might have just made her worse seeing as she has bloat :red I was just trying to do the best for her.

I'm so worried and not sure I can pull myself together enough to go to work today :(
 
Oh no! She is in the right place, try and stay positive I know its hard and bloat is serious but with the right care she may be ok! Will be thinking of you and Pepper. (((hugs))) x
 
I thought it was gut trouble, as I said. Buscopan is safe and effective for pigs with bloat. (Were you able to give her any Buscopan last night?) I would also have given her Dentinox Colic Drops, 2ml.
In the case of severe bloat it can sometimes be necessary to release the trapped gas, this is done without anaesthetic and can be a life saving procedure.
 
Still thinking of poor Pepper - hopefully she can make it!

Sending my vibes to Pepper and you in thes anxious hours.

Vicky xxxxxxxxxxx
 
Hello, thank you every one for kind words and thoughts.

Pep has come home from the vets with me looking a little brighter this evening. She's not out of the woods yet but she doesn't seem in as much pain (no more hunching over and tensing up). The vet said she has had 2 doses of Metroclopromide, SubQ fluids and has been syringe feed every 2 hours. The bloat has reduced, although not completely cleared, but she has been pooing more normally throughout the day and is weeing fine too.

After a cuddle I popped her in her freshly made cage (indoors) and she snuggled up in the hay and started eating some! Then I put the water bottle on the side and she toddled over and had a long drink! :)

There is no way she would have done that this morning or last night...

She still seems very quite and a bit disinterested and isn't eating pellets but I'm just so happy she made it through today and seems a bit more comfortable. Back to the vets tomorrow morning to see how she's progressing...
 
What a relief!

All the best to Pepper (good appetite!), have a good nights sleep yourself and a successful trip to the vets tomorrow!
 
Great news that she has perked up. Was she given anything to treat the bloat? Metaclopromide is the gut motility drug, to keep things moving through, does this deal with the gas as well?
 
Just been back to the vets for another check up with Pep and the vet is very please with her progress!

I think the Metaclopromide getting the guts going must be what has cleared the gas through her system because her abdomen has gone down considerably since yesterday and she hasn't been given anything else that would shift it. She's just been given another dose this morning and seems to have her appetite back since getting home again. I've seen her eating pellets, hay, grass, carrot, dandelion leaves and drinking water all under her own steam! I will continue to syringe the recovery food for the time being to ensure she’s getting enough as she didn’t take a lot, more tried a little bit of everything, but its very good to see her eating all the same!

The vet thinks that the bloat was probably caused by her stopping eating (maybe due to eating something poisonous or stress) which led to the build up of gas, more pain, even less appetite, even more gas etc...

She’s got to go back again tomorrow for another check but if she’s eating properly by then hopefully wont need more drugs. Its just a mystery as to what caused it…?

Here are some pics of her, the first one when she was feeling very sick 2 days ago, and the last 2 taken just now…

pep004.jpg

Lying in my lap whilst I get emergency advice from tgpf, feeling very poorly...

pep007.jpg

'I'll eat EVERYTHING if you promise I don't have to have another injection!'

pep010.jpg


'Ooooooohhhhhh.... that feels good' :))
 
Oh this has made my day! She is gorgeous! So pleased she is a lot brighter! And doesn't she look better than the other day? Keep it up Pepper! x
 
The last pic is wonderful, she is a lovely piggie. Good to see and hear how well she is doing.
 
OHH, I'm so glad that Pepper is getting better so quickly!

That last pic is wonderful - what a sweet lady!
 
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