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Post op issues

AppleandTwig

AppleandTwig

New Born Pup
Joined
Nov 24, 2021
Messages
18
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1
Points
130
Location
Canada
Hello, my Guinea pig (4 years old) recently about 5-7 hours ago got surgery on his cheek/below cheek, he had a small tumour that caused his teeth to vary in length making it difficult for him to eat.

During the car ride home (we picked him up about 1 and a half hours ago) he was rubbing his cheek against his blanket.

Now, he’s very sleepy and front paw by the cheek is still frozen so he can’t walk well but he’s spending a lot of his energy rubbing his cheek. Is this normal?

I had to remove his house because he went against the corner trying to scratch it and when I put paper in the cage for him he rubbed his cheek against the metal bars of the cage. Now, I put pieces of cardboard in the interior trying to stop him from doing it and he’s calmed down, but I’m worried because normally he’s a very calm pig and it looks like it’s bothering him. Is this normal and is there any way to help him?

(Note: we put him in a different cage then his partner so his partner didn’t bother him)
 
Hi, I need urgent help, I got my Guinea pig back from after surgery 2 hours ago. He hasn’t eaten, drinken, and is reluctant to move, he also had more rapid and heavier breathing, I do believe he’s in pain but we’re not suppose to give him pain meds until tomorrow morning but I really feel like he needs them now…. What should I do? He’s also making very sad noises that are like a dull scratchy week and I’m very worried. Please help.
 
I assume he was given pain meds before he left the vets? And is he on once or twice daily doses? Which painkiller has he been given? You may have to syringe feed him for now if he’s not eating. If he looks like he’s really not well then you will need to get him back in to see the vet. All the best and I hope he starts improving soon.

PS what operation did he have?
 
It may be sore. But please don’t separate him from his friend. That can sometimes cause more stress and could potentially lead to a broken bond.
 
Siikibam said:
I assume he was given pain meds before he left the vets? And is he on once or twice daily doses? Which painkiller has he been given? You may have to syringe feed him for now if he’s not eating. If he looks like he’s really not well then you will need to get him back in to see the vet. All the best and I hope he starts improving soon.

PS what operation did he have?
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Hi, thanks for the advice, starting the medicine in the morning (so about 7 hours from now), he had a tumour In his mouth or by his cheek, somewhere over there. It caused his teeth to be uneven and he wasn’t eating very well. Thanks again for the advice!
 
You need to step in with syringe feeding and weighing every day. If he’s not eating you’re aiming for 60ml in a 24 hour period.
 
Siikibam said:
It may be sore. But please don’t separate him from his friend. That can sometimes cause more stress and could potentially lead to a broken bond.
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Oh dear, in the morning I’ll move him, but i’m a bit worried though because his friend is very playful and likes to climb on him and run around the cage and such. In his condition Twig (sick pig) can’t really stand that well right now…. Also his cage is right beside his friends so they can see eachother and hear eachother, they both are in outdoor pens but we keep them inside so it’s a pretty see-through metal…

Are you sure I should put them back together? I definitely don’t want a broken bond or for him to be even more stressed but I really don’t want to risk him tearing his stitches or getting an infection as veterinarian services are pretty expensive where I live.
 
Siikibam said:
You need to step in with syringe feeding and weighing every day. If he’s not eating you’re aiming for 60ml in a 24 hour period.
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Alright, I will definitely start doing that if he doesn’t start eating soon, if I do syringe feed him, and try to get him to eat some small pieces of hay.
He did try to eat some lettuce but I think it’s painful for him to open his mouth right now so he gave him, he’s really been trying really hard though. Thanks for all your help! I will update in the morning
 
My Guinea pig had his surgery to remove a tumour in his right side by his chin about 15 hours ago, I got him back yesterday afternoon and he refuses to eat food or hay, I’ve managed to make him drink but he’s really not opening his mouth, I’ve given him all his medicine.


Also, he can barely walk and barely stand. He can’t walk actually he drags himself across the ground and I think he’s had a few seizures because he was rolling on the ground. Like log role. I’m holding him now and he’s just lying on his side and I’m really scared. Please because even if I syringe feed him he still can’t really walk and he keeps trying to run into walls when he’s in his cage.

To top it all off his partner is really scared right now and watch’s him but won’t go near him and it’s horribly heartbreaking to see my Guinea pig collapsed on the floor not moving and the other one watching from the other corner of the cage. PLEASE. I NEED help.

Also: I’m really scared to leave him because I want him to be with someone right now but I need to try to find a way to syringing feed him.
 
AppleandTwig said:
My Guinea pig had his surgery to remove a tumour in his right side by his chin about 15 hours ago, I got him back yesterday afternoon and he refuses to eat food or hay, I’ve managed to make him drink but he’s really not opening his mouth, I’ve given him all his medicine.


Also, he can barely walk and barely stand. He can’t walk actually he drags himself across the ground and I think he’s had a few seizures because he was rolling on the ground. Like log role. I’m holding him now and he’s just lying on his side and I’m really scared. Please because even if I syringe feed him he still can’t really walk and he keeps trying to run into walls when he’s in his cage.

To top it all off his partner is really scared right now and watch’s him but won’t go near him and it’s horribly heartbreaking to see my Guinea pig collapsed on the floor not moving and the other one watching from the other corner of the cage. PLEASE. I NEED help.

Also: I’m really scared to leave him because I want him to be with someone right now but I need to try to find a way to syringing feed him.
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Please see a vet as a matter of urgency. While being quiet and not necessarily feeling like eating (hence needing to be syringe fed) can be normal in the hours post op, what you are now reporting sounds to be a lot more of an issue and one which requires veterinary help.

I hope he is ok

Ps - Ive merged all your threads into one as they all relate to the same piggy/issue. This will enable us to keep track of the full background and advice which has previously been given
 
Piggies&buns said:
Please see a vet as a matter of urgency. While being quiet and not necessarily feeling like eating (hence needing to be syringe fed) can be normal in the hours post op, what you are now reporting sounds to be a lot more of an issue and one which requires veterinary help.

I hope he is ok

Ps - Ive merged all your threads into one as they all relate to the same piggy/issue. This will enable us to keep track of the full background and advice which has previously been given
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I’ve called the vet and they said they were going to call back and they haven’t yet. I’m holdon’t my piggy but he keeps on having convulsions and sudden twitchings. I’ve syringe fed him some mushed up pellets but he’s really not doing well. His friend is really afraid and running away. Holding him now. He seems to have the hiccups.
 
Were you able to get him to the vet? I would have risked it and just taken him in and not wait for a call back. I know it’s more difficult in Canada because I don’t believe you have emergency (out of hours) vets and piggy experienced vets are also few and far between.
 
Siikibam said:
Were you able to get him to the vet? I would have risked it and just taken him in and not wait for a call back. I know it’s more difficult in Canada because I don’t believe you have emergency (out of hours) vets and piggy experienced vets are also few and far between.
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It was to late, he spent the last hour in my arms. He really fought and tried so hard but he passed away.
 
I'm so very sorry to hear about Twig. Sometimes it's the anaesthetic but I couldn't tell you why. Someone did suggest there might sometimes be some brain damage but I couldn't tell you if that was true or not. If Twig had seizures that might explain it though.

I've kept piggies for many years now. I lost a lovely fuzzy girl last year following a general anaesthetic. Her op was very quick, they removed an infected front tooth in about 20 mins and then brought her round. She was monitored overnight, given painkiller and syringe fed. I took her home the next day and the vet still wasn't happy. She said, "this guinea pig is very 'flat'..." meaning that although she'd run and hide when she was left alone with her companion she was just laying - they thought she should have recovered better by then and hoped she'd pick up back at home. Once home she took a lot of syringe food and her pain meds so I was satisfied but she was just exhausted. I heard her breathing hard on and off through the night and by the next day I could tell she was dying so I just made her comfortable as best I could and sat with them until she went. It broke my heart that such a little thing could be the end of her - it still makes me cry even now. We had to do it as she'd not been able to eat properly with the pain of the cracked, malformed tooth and we were against the clock with gut stasis because she was losing weight, but it still doesn't help. Sometimes it seems there is no right decision. I lost a lovely big boar within hours of a stone removal, yet another boar was neutered and I'm not sure he even realised anything had happened. All these pigs were the same age - about 3 to 3-1/2. I'm so sorry for your experience but it sounds like you really didn't have a choice and these little ones are so fragile that sometimes we just have to do what we can and hope for the best. Spend time with your remaining piggy and comfort each other. Twig was obviously a very special boy and will be missed for a long time. People on the forum understand how much it can hurt to lose a beloved guinea pig x
 
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