Please Help My Guinea Pig Get Through Tonight

[Amba]

She has bloat (x-ray confirmed). I have been advised on here not to give her any fruits, vegetables or herbs. I'm a bit worried about this, as my vet (guinea pig specialist) says to keep giving it to her. It's night here in Australia, so I can't call her. She is sick of critical care today, and doesn't want to take it. When I put her in her hutch, she walked past the fresh, green hay, and to the food bowl, which was empty. She found a little piece of celery in there which she quickly ate, and searched for more, then she walked dejectedly past the hay and sat in the corner. She really want vegetables, but I'm told on here giving it to her can be fatal. She has lost a lot of weight. And I'm very worried that when I wake up she'll be starved. She does eat a bit of hay once in a while, but is only keen on vegetables atm. I used to give her 80% vegetables and 10% hay, since learning I should do otherwise, I've switched it, and she isn't happy with the change. I'm very grateful for all advice, and sorry to be contrary, I just am worried she'll starve herself. I'm not sure how much longer I can stay awake to check on her, I'm already nodding off... :-/

 

[AbiS]

I do not have any experience of bloat but I am tagging @Stewybus who has been through this with one of his piggies.

Can you set an alarm to wake you over night so you can syringe feed her every few hours?

Sending lots of positive healing vibes your way.

 

[AbiS]

Are you also syringing water to her?

 

[Amba]

Thank you for replying. I don't think it would be good to keep waking her, as I have been doing. I just wanted to know if I could safely leave any veges in there for her to eat. There is hardly any info on line. Thanks again for your reply though!

 

[Wiebke]

I have found with piggies of mine who have been suffering from bloat that vegetables have made things worse; I have lost one of mine to severe bloat in February when the gas just couldn't be shifted and kept building up, despite seeing a vet quickly and giving the right meds straight away.
I have currently two elderly piggies with bloating issues that keep me awake at night on a regular basis. Some veg can cause bloat in piggies, especially when they are not used to them, like cabbages (including kale), broccoli and cauliflower (especially the leaves), grass or other veg if a piggy develops a sensitivity to a particular veg.

Most importantly is to please keep massaging her to help break up the gas and to please keep hand feeding/watering her, especially if she is not eating/drinking much to make sure that the guts are not closing down (gut stasis). Has your vet given you painkiller since bloat is very painful?

 

[Amba]

can i give her carrots or tomato or celery (something like that) just so I know she'll eat something, since she is uninterested in hay. I do keep massarging her, but she is sleeping, and I need to sleep too (i've only been getting about 5 hours these past few days while looking after her)

 

[Pebble]

Hugs - I know this must be a worrying time for you.
Does she have "full-on" bloat or is it just the vet has seen gas in the intestines? Is her abdomen a bit swollen and when you tap it does it sound hollow?

Please do not. under any circumstances, feed her veggies, fruit or grass atm - they will make the problem worse.
Do you have any idea what she ate 24hours prior to the first symptoms as that could help identify what might have caused this?

FEEDING
The only way to get fibre/nutrition into a piggie with bloat is to syringe feed mushed up nuggets, preferably with a probiotic in it (or Oxbow Critical Care or Supreme Recovery)
Additional fluids (water) will also help. She will need approx 20ml every 4hours.
The syringe feeding guide is here
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/complete-hand-feeding-guide.115359/

MEDICATION
Has the vet given any gut motility drugs (by injection or orally). Something like metoclopromide or Reglan or (preferably) Cisapride? If not, do you have any Zantac (Ranitidine) in the house? (If so please reply to my PM). Gut motility drugs (pro-kinetics) are an absolute necessity for piggies with gas in the intestines as they help the stomach empty and intestines keep moving thus expelling the gas. If your piggie has not received any, then please go back to the vet when they open and ask for them to be given.

Has the vet given any pain relief? Normally this would be Loxicam (Metacam)

Please do NOT give Infacol/Simethicone or similar.....nor any liquid paraffin.

OTHER ASSISTANCE
Vibration/gentle massage can help shift the gas. I have a vibrating massage pad and also have taken my bloaty pigs for car journeys in the middle of the night to help move the gas further through the gut. @Stewybus has a very good way of helping massage a piggie with bloat using an electric toothbrush so hopefully he will be on later to explain.

The most important thing is to keep putting food and fluids into her at regular intervals whilst letting her take them at her own pace (which will be slowly - no more than 0.5ml per mouthful). And then to ensure she is getting gut motility meds.

Providing it's not too serious, she should recover within 48hours. (NB No fruit/veggies for a few days afterwards as her tummy will be very sensitive. Then start introducing one by one - starting with grass/lettuce/dandelion/spinach/parsley/cucumber......gradually introduce baby corn/carrots...and finally try the brassicas (broccoli/kale etc) and fruit,

Hope this helps
x

 

[Stewybus]

Have you got an old electric toothbrush or even a new one. Make use it's the type that vibrates. Gently massage her tummy while she's laid on her back between your legs head on one side. Do this for about 30 to 45 minutes at a time. Here's a picture of Minky in December. She had it really bad but pulled through in the end.


Other things you can do, forgive me if someone else has already mentioned them. Instead of critical care you could try some mushed up pellets mixed with water or unsweetened tomato juice. Twice a day after a feed give her 5ml of baby gripe water. In the UK I'd use Boots baby gripe water but not Infacol which can cause bubbles which could make it worse but you should have an equivalent in Oz.. In between feeds use the electric toothbrush just moving it back and forward gently. For syringe feeding it's best to use a 1ml syringe with the open end cut off. You can find out more @ http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/complete-hand-feeding-guide.115359/ & don't forget to give her 1 or 2 ml of water for every 5 or 6 ml of food.

It's a case of perseverance & all of a sudden things will go right. After one massage session, Minky did 52 poos in under 10 minutes. It was like a poo conveyor belt. I must be sad for counting them.

Good Luck & lots of healing vibes. I do hope she pulls through.

 

[Amba]

Thank you all for your advice. And the very cute photo of Minky (Beano would never get in that position!) I have a hand held vibrating massager, which I've been using. I had an x-ray three days ago and the x-ray now shows a great improvement in her bloat. The vet told me to put her on asian green leafy vegetables, but no other vegetables, grass or fruit, just critical care and pellets. Beano is now on Cisaprive, tramadol and metecam. The vet told me every guinea pig is also built with mites, which stay with them during their life but don't bother them, but when their immunity starts to go low they can breed and start bothering them. Three weeks ago she weighed a kilo, three days ago 800 grams, and now she's down to 700 grams (gone down 100 in three days) Beano has had a uti (which cleared up) then bloat (still working on) and now a skin problem (she'll recieve her first dose tonight for that)

 

[Amba]

oh, and she can have celery leaves and corn leaves