Hellz
Junior Guinea Pig
Hi,
I am a first time guinea pig owner with 2 boars, who are around 4 years old.
Recently, one of our boys, Sprinkles, starting suffering with a head tilt and trouble balancing and walking. He also had lost some weight and was not eating much. We took him straight to the vets and they advised it was an ear infection so prescribed Baytril and pain relief and after a week he seemed right as rain again. He had gained weight, was running round as normal and eating and drinking loads again!
However, a few days ago, the symptoms appeared again only this time he is still eating but was very hunched and staring at the corner. When he does walk, it's like his back legs don't work properly. After another immediate trip to the vets, we were given more Baytril and pain relief and sent on our way, as they said the ear infection has likely not totally cleared and this is probably the cause.
That's the background info-I'm posting in here because tonight, while we were giving him his medicine, he seemed to be in pain whenever we held him near his bum. After some gentle probing we felt a mass in his anal sac and so after reading some forums, realised he was impacted. We have disimpacted him now (a very eye opening and eye watering experience!) and given him lots of hay which he is now eating.
I was just after some advice-could impaction be causing the difficulty walking, the staring at the corner, the lethargy etc? And if so, should we lay off the baytril until his digestion is back to normal? And apart from tons of hay which he has daily anyway, what are the best things to give him in his diet to help stop the impaction or at least ease it and get him eating normally and gaining weight again? We have some critical care food-will this help? And finally, should we take him back to the vet to make sure he is fully cleaned out down there?
Apologies for the huge essay and millions of questions! I would be grateful for any advice you can give me!
I am a first time guinea pig owner with 2 boars, who are around 4 years old.
Recently, one of our boys, Sprinkles, starting suffering with a head tilt and trouble balancing and walking. He also had lost some weight and was not eating much. We took him straight to the vets and they advised it was an ear infection so prescribed Baytril and pain relief and after a week he seemed right as rain again. He had gained weight, was running round as normal and eating and drinking loads again!
However, a few days ago, the symptoms appeared again only this time he is still eating but was very hunched and staring at the corner. When he does walk, it's like his back legs don't work properly. After another immediate trip to the vets, we were given more Baytril and pain relief and sent on our way, as they said the ear infection has likely not totally cleared and this is probably the cause.
That's the background info-I'm posting in here because tonight, while we were giving him his medicine, he seemed to be in pain whenever we held him near his bum. After some gentle probing we felt a mass in his anal sac and so after reading some forums, realised he was impacted. We have disimpacted him now (a very eye opening and eye watering experience!) and given him lots of hay which he is now eating.
I was just after some advice-could impaction be causing the difficulty walking, the staring at the corner, the lethargy etc? And if so, should we lay off the baytril until his digestion is back to normal? And apart from tons of hay which he has daily anyway, what are the best things to give him in his diet to help stop the impaction or at least ease it and get him eating normally and gaining weight again? We have some critical care food-will this help? And finally, should we take him back to the vet to make sure he is fully cleaned out down there?
Apologies for the huge essay and millions of questions! I would be grateful for any advice you can give me!
)