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Post Operative Care - Please Help

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Leigh P

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Pip has just come home from having surgery yesterday (Monday) during which he had an infected cyst removed from an anal gland, and some other glands removed from the same area. He has quite a large area of stitches which look clean.

My question is (as I cannot find an answer on any of the other piggie sites) is do I feed him critical care during the night? He has eaten and little and I gave him some cc earlier today at about 4pm, but am unsure if I need to set the alarm during the night to "top him up".

I think that he has come through OK. I have seen him eat, I think he has wee-ed... unsure about poo as he is in with his cage mate (who is being very kind and gentle!). He is a little hunched and his fur is a bit "spiky" but am guessing, from Guinealynx post op care and pain information, that he is probably uncomfortable (as I suppose you would be). He had a painkiller after the surgery and another today, but I was only given antibiotics to bring home. I have put towels in the cage and he is also sitting on a doubled piece of fleece, so is as comfortable as possible.

Any help would be really appreciated - I am just about to go and get my pillow and duvet for a night on the sofa!
 
Hi, I hope Pip gets on well. My Piggy has surgery Thursday. I think I would get up in the night to ensure Pip does not go all night without food. After my loss (Yesterday) of my beloved piggy I would move heaven and earth to do anything to bring her back to me. I would for peace of mind that all Pips post op care is top notch. I reckon once in night should be ok maybe every 4 hours with him eating in between if he can. When I asked a vet before would I make my piggy vomit and aspirate with a syringe I was told it was not possible as they dont vomit. I will ask my vet about food as I have not considered it yet for my piggy. I am not in a good place to think clearly. The vet I spoke to today said she wanted to see poo and wee before my piggy goes home after surgery, so make sure you see it soon, monitor well. I hope all goes well for you. Try and rest as well. x
 
I would advise making sure he is nice and warm all night (temps are dropping across the country tonight), feed 20-30 ml of syringe feed every 4 hours if he is not eating for himself yet - give 2-3 ml of water for every 5ml of feed.

Suzy x
 
Wiggie, I am so sorry that you lost one of your piggies yesterday and that you have to go through the stress of surgery on another piggie on Thursday. What an awful week you are having. My thoughts will be with you on Thursday ....

I have just watched Pip eat some lettuce and parsley, he also had some celery earlier, so is eating ... just not as much as he normally would. He stayed at the vets last night so I am sure they would not have let him come home if he hadn't wee-ed and poo-ed.

Pip is very quiet, but not in distress. He is quite alert when awake, but is just napping alot. I suppose its the same for them as it is for us when we have had surgery, so I am just going to keep an eye. I am a bit worried about tomorrow as I have to go to work at 8am, but my daughter is going to pop in at 12 to see Pip. Unfortunately I am temping so have to go to work (especially after paying out quite a lot today for the surgery etc). I am hoping this is OK. I will feed him before I go and leave some food out to be given to him at 12.

Anyway, here's hoping for a peaceful night.
 
Hi, Thank you for your thoughts. I would do a little feed in the night. I reckon check Pip eats before you leave for work if not do a feed. Then 12 o clock appears ok. We can only give as much as we can. I have felt awful at work, I found out my piggy has lost a soft tissue tumour from her womb so we plan to get it removed asap. I prayed on my drive home she would be ok so I can make it to Thursday with her. We have to work but can put in place all what we can. I reckon my luck has to change this week. Best of luck, do what you can. Any concerns just call your out of hours vet for advice. xx
 
I managed hand feeding around work a few months back; I fed last thing at night, maybe 12:30 & then did a feed 6:30am & I was home again by 4pm so I did another feed then & then about 8pm. This was once Bertie had picked up a bit more though & was eating for himself a bit too. Luckily I was able to do the real emergency feeding from Friday night to Sunday to get him over the worst. I probably did 5 feeds a day at the critical time.

At least if Pip is eating a bit himself then it's not like he is getting all his food from the hand feeds & should be ok while you are out especially as your daughter is popping in.

If Pip remains hunched & looking in pain, talk to your vet about pain relief for him. We have used Metacam very successfully after surgery & they like the taste of it at least. Pain is a huge barrier to getting pigs eating normally again.

Best wishes for you & Pip overnight, shiny :)
 
Pip has gone off his food and looks very uncomfortable. I have called the vet this morning and am picking up some Metacam and some more Recovery sachets. They did offer to take him back in again but I think that he'll be happier at home. His cage mate is being so good with him and I really don't want to separate them for any more time than is necessary.

I will get the Metacam at about 10am and pop home to give him some and hand feed him, then I'll be back at 2pm so can feed him again. Its like having a baby again!

Fingers crossed that he pulls though.
 
Fingers crossed for pip, have you been weighing him since the surgery, i know it could be tricky with his wound, but this will give you a good idea of how much he is eating. Offer lots of variety and new things to interest him, new hay, some readigrass, new dry foods and special veggie treats they dont often get, I am surprised they didn;t give you any pain meds, but hopefully it will make him more comfortable.

xx
 
Hopefully the Metacam will help - what antibiotic is Pip on ?
Baytril can cause an upset in gut flora so reduces appetite - a little probiotic can help 2 hours after his antibiotic.
One of my boys suffered terribly on Baytril but none of the other piggies have ever had an adverse effect from it, it is a harsh one and tastes disgusting so mix with a few drops of Ribena helps.
Check his wound site twice a day if possible, any redness or warmness can indicate infection so always worth keeping a very close eye on.
I remove anything from pens to tempt them from over exertion, hay is better placed in a rack if possible as piggies do love to lie in it which makes them susceptible to infection from any poo/wee :(
Hope Pip feels better very soon and send hugs x>>
 
Have just given Pip 0.5ml Metacam and also 40ml Recovery which he took well. He's still quite still and looks very uncomfortable. His eyes are bright though, so hoping it really is just the pain. He is on Baytril (has had this before with no adverse affects) - this is a 0.4ml dose twice a day. I will continue feeding the Recovery to him every 3-4 hrs when possible, and then once during the night (I only got 4 hrs sleep myself last night as I couldn't go back to sleep again once I'd been up to see to Pip!).

Thanks for the tip about giving some Ribena with the Baytril, he really hates the taste of it! I used to mix it in with some Recovery but it still didn't mask it.

Has anyone given their piggies baby food before? I was given this tip but have never done it... maybe some mashed carrot or apple?

Also, does anyone know how long a piggie can be off colour before you need to take him back to the vet - obviously will do so asap if he really goes downhill, but if there is not much change to his movement etc. do I just stick with the Metacam until he is more active?
 
Another update!

Came home from work at 2pm and fed Pip 40ml of Recovery, and he was much more receptive (less floppy). I think that the painkiller has kicked in. I then put some cut grass and home grown kale into the hutch, and he started to eat the grass... I was so relieved that he is starting to eat again. I will still keep up with the Recovery feeding, but also keep an eye on what he eats. If he has had quite a bit this evening I will probably not get up in the night to feed him, but will probably check on him quickly (as I will wake anyway worrying!).

Thanks to all for your support during this awful time.

Wiggy, am thinking about you and piggie for tomorrow... hugs to both of you. Please let me know how everything goes.
 
Hi, I hope Pip continues to perk up more. You are doing everything. Whats happening with you now is helping me know what to be prepared for tomorrow. I am not really sleeping much and keep checking on them since Sunday when Bo got ill. I am therefore sure I am going to be all over her. I am lucky it is falling at the end of the week so I can tend to her at the weekend, although I work half day fri and sat. As we did not know if peples had cancer or an infection I have given her antibiotics all week, I hope that may help her. She takes meds well, which is good.
I wish you well and I am thinking of you. I hope all goes well. x
 
Leigh P said:
Has anyone given their piggies baby food before? I was given this tip but have never done it... maybe some mashed carrot or apple?
Click to expand...

Hey Leigh,

How is Pip doing today? We fed Bertie a bit of baby food when he couldn't eat properly after his surgery. It was something that he could eat independently & we wanted to get him using his jaw muscles again to build up some strength. We used Ella's Kitchen organic pouches in sweet potato, broccoli & carrot flavour. We only gave a little bit though as I had read on guinealynx that you risk bloat with feeding too much baby food as the fibre content is nowhere near as high as hay & it can cause problems when returning to a normal guinea diet. We were still hand feeding Critical Care at this stage so I was happy that the fibre was there in Bertie's diet, the baby food was more of a physio / rehab thing really. If Pip is eating veggies by himself I wouldn't worry about introducing baby food really.

I hope his pain seems to be under control now, how is his weight doing?
 
Hi All

Pip seems to be better today (had perked up quite a lot yesterday afternoon once the painkiller had kicked in). I got up in the night to feed him some CC at 2am, and then gave him his meds and painkiller at 7am this morning along with a bit more CC. He actually popped his nose out of the bedroom when I got there and picked up a piece of celery, so is now interested in eating again... phew.

I haven't actually weighed him, just forgot to do it along with everything else. I will do this when I get in from work this afternoon and will keep an eye daily until he is better.

Pip seems OK as long as his wound isn't touching anything, but if he rests his bottom against me on my lap or in the hutch, he hops around like a rabbit! I always try to keep him away from anything so that he doesn't jump around. His limping is better today and he looks so much brighter, is not lying flat and is much perkier. I am so relieved. I know that we are not out of the wood just yet, but all seems to be moving forwards well.

Thanks to everyone for your help and support, I am so glad that I come onto this forum.
 
So please to hear he is doing well. The weighing is really useful so you know if he is keeping his weight on or not especially as you start to ease back on the hand feeding & let him take over on eating normally again.

Keep getting better Pip :)
 
Hi, Let me know how you are getting on again tomorrow. Sounds like things are getting better for Pip. x
 
Pip is really picking up now. I actually didn't set my alarm for a night hand feed as he is eating all his normal food (albeit a bit less). Each morning I give him 40ml of Recovery along with his painkiller and Baytril (mixed with a bit of Ribena as suggested - it goes down much easier!). He then tucks into some fresh food.

Pip is still quite quiet, and I don't think he will enjoy his check up at the vets tomorrow morning as he still doesn't like me going anywhere near his wound site, but I am so relieved that I got him his painkiller quickly as I think he may have gone downhill rapidly.

Wiggie - how did Peples surgery go? Is she back home yet? If I can help at all with anything re post operative care (I feel like a bit of an expert at the moment!), then please ask. I normally check this forum 3-4 times a day. x
 
Glad Pip is getting on well. Do you think Pip is painful at his scar? I am keen to know how he gets on tomorrow at the vets.
Thanks for your advice and support too. I just visited Peples at the vets. I fed her parsley and cucumber she didnt want anything else. They said she has not had a wee or poo today. WHile I was there she has a huge wee and a tiny poo. They said they still want to keep her there. I will hear from them later, if she poos she comes home if not she stays in. I saw my other girls there to. Peples jumped up onto my lap and climbed up my body, it was a job to keep her from being so active. She ran back and forth and I think ? cried. She has a large scar. I just need to wait and see. She licked my hands alot. I am temped to say I will like to take all meds needed and take her home tonight. I have been told if she comes home she needs to stay separate so I can monitor her toileting. xx
 
Glad Pip is getting on well. Do you think Pip is painful at his scar? I am keen to know how he gets on tomorrow at the vets.
Thanks for your advice and support too. I just visited Peples at the vets. I fed her parsley and cucumber she didnt want anything else. They said she has not had a wee or poo today. WHile I was there she has a huge wee and a tiny poo. They said they still want to keep her there. I will hear from them later, if she poos she comes home if not she stays in. I saw my other girls there to. Peples jumped up onto my lap and climbed up my body, it was a job to keep her from being so active. She ran back and forth and I think ? cried. She has a large scar. I just need to wait and see. She licked my hands alot. I am temped to say I will like to take all meds needed and take her home tonight. I have been told if she comes home she needs to stay separate so I can monitor her toileting. xx
 
pip did ok at the vets, but she wants him to go back on Tuesday for another check up. he has really picked up and is eating well too, but I do top him up with recovery. I am going to reduce his painkiller from tomorrow onwards and see how we go. his weight was 1.3 prior to surgery and is 1.22 now, but the vet wasn't worried as he has been eating less.

Wiggie, how is peples today? it was good to hear that she is active. I have been advised to keep pip quiet for a bit longer and to keep him rested. I do think that his wound was the main problem as he wouldn't let me near it... I would check 're painkillers before your piggie comes home. hope there is more good news over the weekend x
 
Pleased to hear Pip is doing well, that's a pretty good weight, not too much lost given all he has been through - sounds like you are doing a great job being a guinea nurse :).

I hope your guinea is better soon too Wiggie.

Best wishes, shiny
 
Glad Pip doing well. You'll need to keep an eye on his weight.

Peples has come home in the last few hours. She seems bright and is making a cherping sound more than I am used to and am not sure what she is saying? She was in last night (at the vets) as she had not pooed yesterday, she apparently did a few last night. She is tucking into food no problem. She has baytril (anti-biotic) x2 per day, a gut mobility one x3 a day and metacam (anti-inflammatory) x1. I am keeping her with my other two and have just put paper down and hay in a rack not to catch on her tummy. She has nothing she can jump on. She has her belly raised up more when she is walking ? because it is sore. I dont think I have herd her cry. We dug Bo's grave today (in the last hour), I plan to put her in tomorrow morning in the day light. x
 
Glad Pip doing well. You'll need to keep an eye on his weight.

Peples has come home in the last few hours. She seems bright and is making a cherping sound more than I am used to and am not sure what she is saying? She was in last night (at the vets) as she had not pooed yesterday, she apparently did a few last night. She is tucking into food no problem. She has baytril (anti-biotic) x2 per day, a gut mobility one x3 a day and metacam (anti-inflammatory) x1. I am keeping her with my other two and have just put paper down and hay in a rack not to catch on her tummy. She has nothing she can jump on. She has her belly raised up more when she is walking ? because it is sore. I dont think I have herd her cry. We dug Bo's grave today (in the last hour), I plan to put her in tomorrow morning in the day light. x
 
Hey Wiggie, do you have a probiotic too for Peples? With the gut motility drugs & antibiotics it might be a good idea. We use Bio-Lapis which is great, easy to make up & the guineas like the taste of it.
 
Leigh I hope you dont mind me using your thread. Shiny, no I dont. What is Bio-Lapis? How is it made up?. Peples had Antibiotics last week as well before we knew she had cancer as we did not know if it was an infection. So she would have had them over 1 week now, she appears to have soft poo's.
 
of course I don't mind you using this thread! glad peples is home, fingers crossed for a speedy recovery. if you want them to be cosy, put down towels... unfortunately they do get a bit soggy and need changing twice a day, but I quite like using them... no worries about stitches getting caught either. I did read that you can mash down half a healthy piggies poop (!) to make a pro- biotic, but haven't tried this myself!

let's hope we have a better week next week than the last one x
 
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Thanks, I have Peples resting on me now and I am wearing fleecy dressing gown. I am warm and she seems really settled on me. I hope next week is better for us too. I feel I have had such a rough start to the year, I wish it never started. I am not sure about mashing poop! I might give my piggies some towels over night. I have not weighed her as she eats well. x
 
Another update... Pip was doing really well till yesterday, now he seems to have gone off his food a bit. The vet gave him another check up yesterday and is happy with the surgery site (Pip is booked in to have the stitches removed on Saturday morning), but said that he has still lost a little bit of weight and to hand feed him a bit. I have also taken him off the pain relief now, so hope his gut will get back to normal. I gave him some Recovery this morning (about 70ml) and will do so again when I get in from work at 2.30. He is eating on his own, but doesn't have much enthusiasm for it (just wants to sit in his hutch on a nice cosy fleece).

Is there something I can get which will get Pip's appetite back again?
 
Hi Leigh, did you try Pip with grass from the garden? That's the best thing I find to tempt a piggie appetite. Kale goes down well in our house too :). Did the weight loss happen before or after taking Pip off the pain control? A guinea in pain will often not eat so well.
 
the eating has been slow throughout, and the vet thought that maybe the painkiller was making things worse. I have also noticed pip has been grinding his teeth and know that this can sometimes show they are in pain, but it's been over a week since the op and all has healed well...

there is also something stuck to his fur near his chin... I think this may be from a flat white pellet that is in Tesco dry mix (this happened once before to one of my other piggies). it is quite near his skin so I am not cutting at it until the fur grows a bit... it doean' t seem to be troubling him. pip did eat grass quite happily today so I will give him this a couple of times a day and continue with a bit of hand feeding.
 
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