I literally just put that idea to my other half on the way here haha. Will try some pellet mash tonight thank you x
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Please Help :-( - Post-spaying Op Complications
- Thread starter Adelle
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I literally just put that idea to my other half on the way here haha. Will try some pellet mash tonight thank you x
Just me, again.. ! Came home to plenty of poos last night, mallow was bright but a little tender in her abdomen (her pain relief was due) so i gave her that then went to syringe her, she put up more of a fight than she has done- the same during the night. Only managed 4ml each time. This morning i got up to a happy piggy, popcorning and very bright. Although she is still continuing to lose weight despite a full syringe daily allowance the first 24 hours, but only 20ml the past 16 hours as shes really fighting me off. Heres her weights (all before feeds)
Pre op- 1106g
Post op- 1083g
12 hours post op- 1063g
24 hours post op- 1057g
36 hours "- 1042g
42 hours " (now)- 1032g
She is eating but its hard to tell how much. I havent yet saw her eat pellets since a few post op or drink water, mostly eating hay and around Half her usual veggie portion 3 times a day. Iv been syringing water theough her feeds but just runs out her mouth when syringed just water so been feeding extra watery veg- she seems hydrated enough. Any advice? Do i power through with syringing even though its pretty impossible now (she has her strength back) or stop and see how she maintains on her own with handfeeding and tlc? I know its early days, i just dont know where to go from here. Do i look at the baytril being a cause as i know she isnt painful (popcorning and standing on hind legs at hay rack). Thank you
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Firstly, the VERY good news is that there are plenty of poos, Mallow is popcorning and moving around.
She is also mostly eating on her own as she is not losing the kind of weight that you would expect from the small amount of syringe feed; you are still very much within the safe range so shortly after a big operation.
Secondly, have you tried syringing mushed up pellets? Many guinea pigs don't like the taste of recovery food. Mix some probiotics into the pellets. I find that I have more success with syringing familiar tasting pellets. If you are worried about hydration, make them up a bit runnier. Sometimes, a little syringe food is stimulating a piggy into eating on its own. Perhaps you have some tasty fresh greens (lettuce, spring greens, spinach, carrot greens, dandelion, grass etc - thay also contain lots of water) ready to give her on your lap and see how that is going down together with some syringe feed? Give her lots of praise and encouragement.
Thirdly, you could consider trying poo soup if you have got a healthy companion that is not on antibiotics. Soak some fresh poos in a little water and then syringe the water. This additionally helps to re-stock the guts and mimics natural behaviour. It contains all the "right" stuff - including gut bacteria.
It is a bit of a toss up whether operations drugs, baytril or remaining soreness are contributing to her appetite, but to be honest, I would still be delighted with Mallow's progress if she was mine, considering it is only two days post-op!
Firstly, the VERY good news is that there are plenty of poos, Mallow is popcorning and moving around.
She is also mostly eating on her own as she is not losing the kind of weight that you would expect from the small amount of syringe feed; you are still very much within the safe range so shortly after a big operation.
Secondly, have you tried syringing mushed up pellets? Many guinea pigs don't like the taste of recovery food. Mix some probiotics into the pellets. I find that I have more success with syringing familiar tasting pellets. If you are worried about hydration, make them up a bit runnier. Sometimes, a little syringe food is stimulating a piggy into eating on its own. Perhaps you have some tasty fresh greens (lettuce, spring greens, spinach, carrot greens, dandelion, grass etc - thay also contain lots of water) ready to give her on your lap and see how that is going down together with some syringe feed? Give her lots of praise and encouragement.
Thirdly, you could consider trying poo soup if you have got a healthy companion that is not on antibiotics. Soak some fresh poos in a little water and then syringe the water. This additionally helps to re-stock the guts and mimics natural behaviour. It contains all the "right" stuff - including gut bacteria.
It is a bit of a toss up whether operations drugs, baytril or remaining soreness are contributing to her appetite, but to be honest, I would still be delighted with Mallow's progress if she was mine, considering it is only two days post-op!
She is on probiotics, avipro plus. I tried the mushed pellets but literally after one mouthful she just trys to get away. I was just wanting to know if it was safe to try her without as many syringe feeds throughout the day and see how her weight does- its a major fight now and i dont want to stress/hurt her. She IS eating on her own but how much is beyond me. I just didnt know what to do with regards to syringing as shes losing weight (although only little) despite still syringing.
Shes been eating some of her own/ the babys poos too.
Basically trying to find a place between not stressing her but making sure shes eating enough
If she is eating other piggies' poos, then she is doing her own "poo-souping" and re-stocking her guts. That is a very good sign, as it means that she is actively helping her own recovery and really has the will to live and get well!
You can try and leave off the syringe food and see whether her weight is stabilising if she really doesn't want it. Hopefully, her appetite is returning fully now that she is feeling so much better in herself.
If she is eating other piggies' poos, then she is doing her own "poo-souping" and re-stocking her pellets. That is a very good sign, as it means that she is actively helping her own recovery and really has the will to live and get well!
You can try and leave off the syringe food and see whether her weight is stabilising if she really doesn't want it. Hopefully, her appetite is returning fully now that she is feeling so much better in herself.
Just leaving her be an will moniter; she gave her veg a good go and ate some hay when i put her back.just had her pain relief so hopefully that will boost her appetite when it kicks in. Thanks again x
Mallows doing well, eating more for herself and enjoyed some kale and spring green for her dinner- i dont usually buy either as they come in such big bags and fudge and crunchie bloat if they eat it, so it usually goes to waste. Shes started drinking on her own too which is great. Weight has stayed the same over the past 12 hours so she must be eating enough. She started to have noisy breathing just before bed last night (24 hours after first biosolvin dose) so i gave her another- i checked on her 4 hrs later during the night, she had yellow staining under her nose and breathing clearly so it mustve broken up whatever was in her nose again. Shes due a post op check on tuesday so will mention it then- i think the GA has just exasperated the problems she gets with narrowed nasal passages.
All in all we are doing well x
All in all we are doing well x
Lauren83
Junior Guinea Pig
Glad to hear she is on the mend, good job mummy slave!
Mallow is doing great considering it is just two days post op!
Mallows still doing well. Breathing clearly still but gave her a tiny sprinkle of biosolvin as its usually around 2/3am its been kicking off and i fancied an early night tonight.. By early i mean 1.30am after fudges meds/veg/chin dry/cuddle!
Her weights gone up a little and shes still fairly bright. I gave her another plate of watery veggies an hour ago along with her pain killer (i feed veg split into 3 meals at same time as fudges meds for efficiancy!) and it was a big plate.. A good amount of each different thing so that, once shes chosen what she wants to eat, i dont need to go back to the fridge and get more.. And just chuck whats left.. Was too busy sorting fudge nd by the time i was done, mallow had pretty much cleared the plate.. Looked at me as if i had horns then continued eating her cucumber!
I'm glad she has her appetite back.. But will need to reign in the veg tomorrow to prevent any runny poos!
Her weights gone up a little and shes still fairly bright. I gave her another plate of watery veggies an hour ago along with her pain killer (i feed veg split into 3 meals at same time as fudges meds for efficiancy!) and it was a big plate.. A good amount of each different thing so that, once shes chosen what she wants to eat, i dont need to go back to the fridge and get more.. And just chuck whats left.. Was too busy sorting fudge nd by the time i was done, mallow had pretty much cleared the plate.. Looked at me as if i had horns then continued eating her cucumber!
I'm glad she has her appetite back.. But will need to reign in the veg tomorrow to prevent any runny poos!
Please switch to weighing once daily before either her breakfast or dinner for the most comparable results now that she is safely eating all on her own. The difference between a full/emtpy tummy/bladder can make as much as 30-40g, so the more often you weigh, the greater the variance.
She is doing fine!
Please switch to weighing once daily before either her breakfast or dinner for the most comparable results now that she is safely eating all on her own. The difference between a full/emtpy tummy/bladder can make as much as 30-40g, so the more often you weigh, the greater the variance.
She is doing fine!
Thank you. I always weigh fudge before dinner everyday so am doing the same with mallow now too. She doesnt seem to be affected by the baytril so will keep her on it and maybe slowly reduce her lunchtime dose of metacalm (actually an extra dose) over the next couple of days. She was prescribed 4 drops (0.1ml) dog metacalm once a day, can give twice a day if needed but not to half the dose. She only started eating properly herself when given the metacalm every 12 hours and is now popcorning, running around etc so will try n slightly reduce extra dose until shes just on single dose.
Mallow is now finished her antibs, off the biosolvin and is on one dose of metacalm a day- shes back to her full weight, eating fully on her own, breathing clearly, popcorning and has a lovely n clean wound.. Nearly back to normal x
Cookies&Glitter
Teenage Guinea Pig
Woohoo victory! 
That is great news!
helen105281
Senior Guinea Pig
Wonderful news.
Quick question.. Tomorrow is day 8 post op for mallow, her wound is healing nicely and dry scabs are coming away. Is it safe to bath her?
Shes a long haired piggy and had alot of dried hibiscrub in the hair surrounding the shaved abdomen from her surgery- managed to get most of that away with a flannel.
But theres a patch on her hip (really thick area of hair!) that has the same stuff on it but its went hard, like when a child gets sticky sweeties stuck in their hair. It was their when she came home from her op and i tried softening it yesterday with warm water and a dot of shampoo on a flannel, but it wont budge. I cant comb through it and shes getting really annoyed when i try untangle it (i think its pulling on her skin when i do.)
Can i bathe her tomorrow and give this clump of hair a good washing?
Shes a long haired piggy and had alot of dried hibiscrub in the hair surrounding the shaved abdomen from her surgery- managed to get most of that away with a flannel.
But theres a patch on her hip (really thick area of hair!) that has the same stuff on it but its went hard, like when a child gets sticky sweeties stuck in their hair. It was their when she came home from her op and i tried softening it yesterday with warm water and a dot of shampoo on a flannel, but it wont budge. I cant comb through it and shes getting really annoyed when i try untangle it (i think its pulling on her skin when i do.)
Can i bathe her tomorrow and give this clump of hair a good washing?
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