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Recovery After Spaying - Please Give Me Some Hope

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Guinea Slave

Guinea Slave

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HI Guys

Some of you may have seen my thread about my little sow. She had to have a spay when not responding to treatment for Cystic ovaries. The cysts were huge so it was the right thing to do and she does seem more comfortable now from that perspective.

She seemed to recover OK for a few days however she picked her stitches so the vet suggested we put her on Baytril to avoid infection. Within 36 hours she was off her food completely, got bloat and was very unhappy. We have taken her off the Baytril, she has now been on Emeprid and Zantac and Metacam (she is a walking pharmacy). Her wound is healing well so we are not bothering with antibiotics.

She is off to the vets today for another check up. I am so worried though, she is nibbling on hay but seems to eat for a short while and then gives up, just sits with the traditional head in corner all hunched up. I am feeding her 6-8ml of recovery food very 2-3 hours (overnight as well) and 5-6 ml water same time. Any more and she fights and gets very uncomfortable. She just seems very uncomfortable all of the time and if I take her off Emeprid and Metacam she gets worse again.

She is pooping OK so getting enough food in, she is just about holding her own with the weight (800g) and peeing OK. She does get constipated if I dont give her Emeprid.

I just wondered if people have experienced this before? The op was just over a week ago. Am I expecting too quick a recovery?

My vet is lovely and says we are doing pretty much all we can and nature will take its course one way or another. But she HATES syringe feeding and its stressing her out no end but if I stop she does'nt eat.

Just need some positive experiences to help me through as I do not know where to go from here .
 
If she hates syringe feeding because it is so forceful try putting food on your finger and let her lick it off it is a slow and painful prose's but she will feel less like she's drowning in her own food :) x
 
HI Astrid

Thanks for this, I have tried it and she won't do it. She did like the food to start with and took it well by syringe but not so now. I do put it into her very very slowly, so push the plunger down at slow intervals allowing her to swallow it as we go. She just won't eat anything off my fingers at all. Just looking at her now she looks so miserable :( I cannot understand how she picks up really well one minute and you think you ahev turned the corner and then a few hours later she is almost worse than before.
 
I am very sorry about it; you seem to be doing all you can to keep her going! With her ongoing painful bloating issues, her appetite won't be great and she won't be able to eat much. :(

This is not a normal recovery; that should have been pretty straight forward - it was for my 5 years old Cariad and her enlarged womb/cysts.
Your description reminds me of Hywel's post neutering op complications three years ago. He developed a band of swelling at the back of the testicle area, which caused very painful gut adhesion. We got him through it with round the clock hand feeding in very small portions and a month long course of zithromax. Thankfully, when the swelling shrank, it did so away from the guts and he has been going well since. He was on metacam for a few months afterwards to prevent a reoccurrance.
Perhaps you may want to discuss this possibility with your vet? It is not one of the usual complications, but it can happen.
 
Brilliant thanks Weibke I'll mention this to the vet today. It does make sense and she is clearly in pain but on a large dose of Metacam which does not seem to touch it. A few days ago she was in agony, she could hardly use one of her back legs and screamed if you picked her up. This went on for about 8 hours I was about to rush her to the emergency vet and then it just stopped so it would point to something like that. I have had muscles stick to bone before through over training and its agony.

Thank you!
 
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I hope that you can get to the bottom of it and get on top of it medically.

As to the pain; if it is that bad, it can also cause partial gut stasis and problems with getting the digestive system back on track for quite a while. Keep going with the metacam and the emeprid.

With Hywel, it was a matter of live a bit shorter or live at all in view of his high dosage meds...
 
I would speak to the vet about an even higher dose of Metacam or even adding something like Tramadol, my Maddie is on this at the moment. Also if she has had bloat is she gassy at all? Maddie recently had a very gassy episode and I got her through it with massage therapy, plenty of fluids, Gripe water and Buscopan in addition to the Metacam she was on at the time. I am not sure she would be able to have Buscopan with Tramadol though.

Tramadol can effect the gut though.
 
Defiantly worth exploring different pain reliefs with your vet available such as Tramadol and Buprecare if the metacam isn't touching it. Keep up with the emeprid it will make sure her guts are working. Just wanted to send our love, poor little girl, I hope she starts to feel better soon.

x
 
Thank you everyone. Just sitting in the car waiting to go into a meeting. Spoken to the vet and she doesn't think it's gut adhesion but she'll see her in a bit when my mum takes her, so let's see what the prognosis is.

I have asked her about different pain relief too. I have used rimadyl in the past so have asked her about this. Not heard of the others before? Will mention them.

It sounds like its time, keeping the guts going and pain relief will get her through?

Btw do you think she could have gripe water and emeprid? Just worried about overdoing it but keen to do anything to keep her going.

Re massage therapy, is there anything u can send me about this?

Thank you guys! Now I have to get my head back into work to pay the vets bills!
 
I would think it is ok to have both as gripe water helps with gas and is not a gut stimulant but you could ask the vet. Maybe an xray could be a good idea to see what is going on? Any gas would show up.
 
Well my vet has given her a thorough check over, even had her running around on the floor following her 'leg issue' earlier in the week. She had a good feel of her abdomen etc and cannot find anything wrong with her. Her coat looks amazing and her eyes clear its just this depression, pain symptons and not eating which is confounding us all.

She has suggested she go back in the guinea shed with the others as interestingly she really picks up when you move her. So she has gone back to her friends. (its a heated shed I will quickly point out). So she is back out there now and practically leapt out of my arms to be there.

We have changed her over to Rimadyl, she did'nt want to look at any other painkillers yet due to her sensitive stomach. We will continue syringe feeding and with the Emeprid and see if all of these and her being out with the others will help.

She thinks its just time now.

I do hope so. At least I wont get moaned at by the other half at all the hay in the house now, thats one good thing!

Keep sending those healing vibes...
 
Big hugs to start with :hug:I have a sensitive tummy piggy who has chronic UTIs so I have been down the adverse reaction routes to antibiotics & recovery after ops etc, so some things to consider if you haven't already : What food are you syringing her? My one hated Critical Care, so maybe try Recovery or simply mushed up Harrington's pellets. Pain relief; Tramodol is great, I have used that with no problem. Regarding antibiotics, I get Marbocyl because mine has a very sensitive tummy, Zithromax really upset her post-op. Also get her mouth checked, she may have oral thrush which will affect her eating & make her very miserable. Hang in there, she obviously has a strong will to live, so you are doing all you can :) xx
 
HI Poppy's Mum

Thanks for this...they are a nightmare are'nt they..anything for the simple life. I am not sure I would have started out with guineas if I had known they were this difficult LOL!

She hated Critical Care too (do any like CC?) and loved the Supreme Recovery to start with, so she is on that. Her usual food is Supreme Selective so I may try giving her some of this mashed up, I always struggle with the syringes though as despite taking the end off to make the hole bigger it still clogs up. Any suggestions?

The vet was keen not to use antibiotics, she said she had no sign of infection so would rather we stay without, due to her tummy. Interesting re Marbocyl, not heard of that one, good to know there is another one out there on the list. Her coat is amazingly shiney and eyes bright and she is perky when she wants to be (she thinks nothing of savaging my hand and fingers at feed time) so the vet is convinced she does'nt have an infection.

She has had her teeth and mouth checked (in fact I asked them to check them each time we go as I am paranoid!) and nothing showing there either. I wish something would present itself.

Thank you for your advice! xx
 
Being with her friends might just be enough to swing things for her. If I have to take one of mine for a GA at the vets, I always take her bed friend, as comfort. Really helps them recover better.
 
She's had her boyfriend with her all the time (I tried one of her sisters but she would not tolerate them in the indoor cage) but maybe she's missing her herd. She is second in command to 5 guineas. She does seem happier, trouble is trying to catch her now!

I do agree, they need a friend. Poor Sebastian wondered what he'd done wrong! Although I think he thinks being a house pig presents great food opportunities.
 
Guinea Slave said:
HI Poppy's Mum

Thanks for this...they are a nightmare are'nt they..anything for the simple life. I am not sure I would have started out with guineas if I had known they were this difficult LOL!

She hated Critical Care too (do any like CC?) and loved the Supreme Recovery to start with, so she is on that. Her usual food is Supreme Selective so I may try giving her some of this mashed up, I always struggle with the syringes though as despite taking the end off to make the hole bigger it still clogs up. Any suggestions?

The vet was keen not to use antibiotics, she said she had no sign of infection so would rather we stay without, due to her tummy. Interesting re Marbocyl, not heard of that one, good to know there is another one out there on the list. Her coat is amazingly shiney and eyes bright and she is perky when she wants to be (she thinks nothing of savaging my hand and fingers at feed time) so the vet is convinced she does'nt have an infection.

She has had her teeth and mouth checked (in fact I asked them to check them each time we go as I am paranoid!) and nothing showing there either. I wish something would present itself.

Thank you for your advice! xx
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I never have a problem with clogging :) I use a 1ml syringe, completely cut the end off, remove the bung & file until smooth. Maybe the consistency is a little thick? I make up a few teaspoons at a time so she gets it fresh ;)
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It's hard to show but whilst I syringe her I always stroke her head & down her back, for some reason she will then readily accept the food, no idea why! :)
 
While I am syringing I am trying to prevent my fingers being bitten off! I will try that but I think she'll be off and up the road with a finger hanging out of her mouth lol! I wish I could get her so chilled out for syringing.

I had never thought about removing the stopper what a great idea! Thank you so much for the pigtures , really appreciate the advice. Pretty guinea ! Xx
 
Guinea Slave said:
While I am syringing I am trying to prevent my fingers being bitten off! I will try that but I think she'll be off and up the road with a finger hanging out of her mouth lol! I wish I could get her so chilled out for syringing.

I had never thought about removing the stopper what a great idea! Thank you so much for the pigtures , really appreciate the advice. Pretty guinea ! Xx
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Thanks :) She looks ok in the pic but she was very poorly; we were giving her empeprid, zantac, metacam, marbocyl & Tramodol :( I sat her on a massage mat & syringe fed her every 3 hours including during the night & it took about 2 weeks before she started to pick up again :)
 
Wow, you did well with her, she is a credit to you.

What are these massage pads I hear about? They sound like a great idea?
 
Guinea Slave said:
Wow, you did well with her, she is a credit to you.

What are these massage pads I hear about? They sound like a great idea?
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I bought a cheap car seat one from Argos :) They vibrate & it shifts the gas in their tummies when they have bloat :) I definitely recommend them, we both fell asleep whilst she was feeding lol :D
 
Oh that's funny! I will have a look online, sounds very useful. Thanks x
 
GS - sorry to hear about your little sow.

If you are still having trouble with the syringe food, see if you can source some Emeraid. When we were having trouble with Benny, it was such a struggle with CC, and the vet we were referred to gave us the Emeraid and the difference was incredible. He went from really fighting to willingly eating it, and when you are syringe feeding around the clock, it makes a lot of difference.

Obviously I can't guarantee it will work, but it would be worth a shot.

I really hope she gets better - you do seem to have had a hard time of it.

Sending you both all our healing vibes.
xx
 
Oh thanks for that, I will have a look. Everything helps and sometimes its finding that one thing which makes a difference. She seems much happier today in with the others. Still not eating properly so syringing still but overall she looks bright. Long way to go but tiny steps forward make a big difference.

Thanks everyone for all your help, it really is much appreciated.
 
guineaguy said:
GS - sorry to hear about your little sow.

If you are still having trouble with the syringe food, see if you can source some Emeraid. When we were having trouble with Benny, it was such a struggle with CC, and the vet we were referred to gave us the Emeraid and the difference was incredible. He went from really fighting to willingly eating it, and when you are syringe feeding around the clock, it makes a lot of difference.

Obviously I can't guarantee it will work, but it would be worth a shot.

I really hope she gets better - you do seem to have had a hard time of it.

Sending you both all our healing vibes.
xx
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Just had a quick look at the website, which Emeraid do you recommend?
 
Guinea Slave said:
Just had a quick look at the website, which Emeraid do you recommend?
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Sorry about the late reply. How is she today?

We use this one: http://emeraid.com/emeraid-herbivore/

Although we tend to have it in the 100g pouch rather than the tubs. We got our first one from Great Western Exotics in Swindon and the second one from our vets in Bristol. I would offer to pick you one up and post but it's a minimum 2.5 hour round trip to the vets :(

Whether anyone online would sell it?
 
Hi guinea guy, thanks for this! I will see where I can get it, the vet will I am sure source me some if need be. Sounds very useful to have around as most guineas hate all the usual recovery feeds don't they!

So I want to be very cautious...and not jinx things....but...

Having put her back in the shed, given her rimadyl and cut down her syringing, she seems to be much better. She is currently tucking into a large piece of celery as we speak. So I am cautiously optimistic. I know they can go back really quickly but keeping everything crossed. Weight wise she has not put any on but she has not lost any either so it's time now I hope.

I wonder how much was depression? She had been spayed (hormones?) and is a little aloof piggy preferring company of piggies to people. She had her boyfriend with her all the time but maybe she wanted to be with the girls too? She is certainly much happier to be back in the herd and has even been running around with the others.....keep sending those vibes...it's working!
 
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