Piggy Dragging Back Legs (but Not All The Time)

[Oscarbunson]

Hi, my piggy Poppy is 5 years old and since Friday I have just noticed her not walking quite right. On occasions she is dragging her hind legs or they are sticking out. She seems to be very happy, eating and pooping very normally. Anyway took her to the vet today and they say it might either be strain from either a fall or some injury - I'm not aware of her injuring herself. Or vet said it could be arthritis or more serious degenerative nerve damage for which she says there is nothing than can be done. She has prescribed metacam and suggested that at best this could alleviate any pain (if there is any) or worse she continues to further loose her ability to walk. Vet tested all four legs and she definitely has reduced responsiveness in the hind ones. What do people think?

 

[piggyfan]

My piggy has arthritis in her left leg. She is on loxicom daily and I give her a supplement called potters tabritis which is for elderly joints. She copes very well. I hope your little one does too.

 

[Wiebke]

Older guinea pigs can suffer from paralysis of the hind legs; it is not all that rare. If it comes on very suddenly, it can be due to a drop in calcium (overnight lameness), but it can have various reasons, as your vet has cited and as I have experienced in one of my own older sows last spring (who thankfully has regained full movement again).

Gentle massage and in some cases, swimming therapy can help; the more movement she has, the better - it also helps keeping her guts going. There is often a slow recovery, so it is worth persisting.

http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/paral.htm
http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/swimming.htm

 

[Oscarbunson]

My piggy has arthritis in her left leg. She is on loxicom daily and I give her a supplement called potters tabritis which is for elderly joints. She copes very well. I hope your little one does too.

Thanks, how did you establish it was arthritis? Does the vet prescribe the loxicom?

 

[Oscarbunson]

Older guinea pigs can suffer from paralysis of the hind legs; it is not all that rare. If it comes on very suddenly, it can be due to a drop in calcium (overnight lameness), but it can have various reasons, as your vet has cited and as I have experienced in one of my own older sows last spring (who thankfully has regained full movement again).

Gentle massage and in some cases, swimming therapy can help; the more movement she has, the better - it also helps keeping her guts going. There is often a slow recovery, so it is worth persisting.

http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/paral.htm
http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/swimming.htm

Thanks, so how did your sow make a full recovery? I've read stuff about osteocare - what do you think? When you say it's worth persisting - do you mean I should try and metacam but still go back to the vet if no improvement? The vet said she would do some research, but I'm wondering if she simply does know what to suggest (that's not meant to be a criticism of my vet).

 

[piggyfan]

Thanks, how did you establish it was arthritis? Does the vet prescribe the loxicom?

She had an xray.

 

[piggyfan]

She had an xray.

Yes the vet gave the loxicom.

 

[Oscarbunson]

Yes the vet gave the loxicom.

Thanks, will consider an X-ray if metacam fails.

 

[ASTRID]

Hope she gets better soon x

 

[Wiebke]

I hope that things will get better again! If the suspicion is for arthritis, perhaps an x-ray may help with the diagnosis.

With Ffraid, there was an acute huge pain in the spine in the hours before the back legs lost all mobility for a few hours during Saturday night; it was so bad that she was twisting with it. Mobility started to come back in the early morning hours, but it took several weeks for the reflex in the legs to fully come back and the intensive pre-paralysis pain caused a partial gut stasis, despite Ffraid going on the maximum metacam dose immediately. In her case, the suspicion was rather for either schiatica or a very small blood clot where the blood vessel for the legs goes off (which can obviously happen in cats and cause similar symptoms) - none of which would show up on any x-ray or scan. Thankfully, there has been no repeat in 10 months!

 

[Oscarbunson]

I hope that things will get better again! If the suspicion is for arthritis, perhaps an x-ray may help with the diagnosis.

With Ffraid, there was an acute huge pain in the spine in the hours before the back legs lost all mobility for a few hours during Saturday night; it was so bad that she was twisting with it. Mobility started to come back in the early morning hours, but it took several weeks for the reflex in the legs to fully come back and the intensive pre-paralysis pain caused a partial gut stasis, despite Ffraid going on the maximum metacam dose immediately. In her case, the suspicion was rather for either schiatica or a very small blood clot where the blood vessel for the legs goes off (which can obviously happen in cats and cause similar symptoms) - none of which would show up on any x-ray or scan. Thankfully, there has been no repeat in 10 months!

Thanks, yes I'm wondering if the metacam does make a difference then to ask for an X-ray. I mentioned it today but the vet wasn't keen, especially if Poppy needed anesthetic to keep her still for the X-ray. We've tonight given here some osteocare which I've read can help in certain circumstances. Will keep our fingers crossed for her.

 

[Oscarbunson]

Thanks, yes I'm wondering if the metacam does make a difference then to ask for an X-ray. I mentioned it today but the vet wasn't keen, especially if Poppy needed anesthetic to keep her still for the X-ray. We've tonight given here some osteocare which I've read can help in certain circumstances. Will keep our fingers crossed for her.

I meant to say if the metacam doesn't make a difference then will probably go for X-ray