melsey3
Junior Guinea Pig
Hey everybody, hope you are all doing okay!
we have had a pretty rubbish year with our guinea pigs this year, my whole herd were struck with a really nasty URI and sadly 6 passed away, despite being under the vets, and being given all the care we could muster together as a family, as well as hundreds of pounds spent on vet fees.
Death really has ruled this household this year!
First it was the children's grandad on their fathers side, then it was 2 of my guinea pigs, followed by one of my rabbits, followed by another 2 Guinea pigs, followed by losing my stepmum, followed by a further 2 Guinea pigs, and now Oreo is fighting for his life, so am pretty certain we will lose him over the next 24 hours. We had 2 months virus free, but as said Oreo is really, really bad with one.
What I want to know is whether anybody has managed to recover a guinea pig who you think is beyond help? I wanted to have Oreo put to sleep yesterday because of how much weight he has lost (Emaciated), how weak he is, and how poorly he is, but the vets had no space! I had him on Baytril for a week, but it was having no effect whatsoever, apart from keeping him stable! We were given a new antibiotic to try with him, but since then he has gone really downhill. We now have him on 0.1mls metacam, recovery food from the vets, as the pellet mush I was giving didn't seem to help, 0.25mls zithromax twice a day, and I am syringe feeding water at every feed as well! This is being done every 3-4 hours night, and day. He started off by being enthusiastic with the food, and water, but now he is really not interested, and when I do finally manage to get some food into him, he struggles to eat it! He is an indoor piggy, and has tonnes of hay in his cage, and water and food available to him. He hasn't eaten or drank anything independently since last tuesday, which is when I started with the force feeding (a mixture of GP pellets, baby food and water) I really am at a loss! So any advise will be greatly received! As stated Oreo is under vet consultation.
we have had a pretty rubbish year with our guinea pigs this year, my whole herd were struck with a really nasty URI and sadly 6 passed away, despite being under the vets, and being given all the care we could muster together as a family, as well as hundreds of pounds spent on vet fees.
Death really has ruled this household this year!
First it was the children's grandad on their fathers side, then it was 2 of my guinea pigs, followed by one of my rabbits, followed by another 2 Guinea pigs, followed by losing my stepmum, followed by a further 2 Guinea pigs, and now Oreo is fighting for his life, so am pretty certain we will lose him over the next 24 hours. We had 2 months virus free, but as said Oreo is really, really bad with one.
What I want to know is whether anybody has managed to recover a guinea pig who you think is beyond help? I wanted to have Oreo put to sleep yesterday because of how much weight he has lost (Emaciated), how weak he is, and how poorly he is, but the vets had no space! I had him on Baytril for a week, but it was having no effect whatsoever, apart from keeping him stable! We were given a new antibiotic to try with him, but since then he has gone really downhill. We now have him on 0.1mls metacam, recovery food from the vets, as the pellet mush I was giving didn't seem to help, 0.25mls zithromax twice a day, and I am syringe feeding water at every feed as well! This is being done every 3-4 hours night, and day. He started off by being enthusiastic with the food, and water, but now he is really not interested, and when I do finally manage to get some food into him, he struggles to eat it! He is an indoor piggy, and has tonnes of hay in his cage, and water and food available to him. He hasn't eaten or drank anything independently since last tuesday, which is when I started with the force feeding (a mixture of GP pellets, baby food and water) I really am at a loss! So any advise will be greatly received! As stated Oreo is under vet consultation.