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Rescue Pig, Urine Scald, Mites And Lumps

Katiedid

Katiedid

Adult Guinea Pig
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Hi

*we are booked in to see the small animal vet who specialises in guinea pigs later this week - I decided to wait a few days rather than see someone who knows little about piggies, I am just looking for advice in the interim*

We recently lost our older pig to cancer (ironically not the one I had been concerned about - until I noticed the lump). Other pig was sad so we give him some time and then started looking for a companion. We sourced 2 younger guinea pigs which we will get in 2 weeks after quarantine.

However, on the same day as saying yes to the youngsters we were asked to take on an older girl (our boar is neutered and has been for 2.5 years, the youngsters are girls too) of between 5 and 6. We have the space, we have more than enough space so we said if they couldn't find an alternative home we would take her on. Long story short she arrived Sunday. They dumped and ran, said she had been bathed as she had lay in her own urine as she was sad about her pal dying and that her feet were a little red from lying urine.

She is in a quarantine cage, on vet bed to keep her feet dry, I have treated her for a mite infestation and I am using sudocrem on her feet and bathing them twice daily in water (using a cotton pad).

She is active and quite a feisty madam so last night whilst she ate my jeans I eventually managed to get a good feel of her and she has 2 belly lumps, one between her front legs and a larger one sort of under her back leg. I am hoping that they are just fatty lumps but who knows. What will be will be, we took her on knowing she is older.

I don't know what her cage mate died of - they found her dead in the cage. Because of the urine scald I am worried she may have a UTI but she is showing no signs of it, she is peeing fine and apart from being reclusive (which is understandable as its a new house, its indoors and she has been. I will mention this to the vet (clearly if she looks in any way ill she will be down to the vet straight away to see whoever is available - but at the moment she is running around like a loon at the moment).

So I will keep her in quarantine, I will sudocrem her feet. What else would you recommend?
 
Katiedid said:
Hi

*we are booked in to see the small animal vet who specialises in guinea pigs later this week - I decided to wait a few days rather than see someone who knows little about piggies, I am just looking for advice in the interim*

We recently lost our older pig to cancer (ironically not the one I had been concerned about - until I noticed the lump). Other pig was sad so we give him some time and then started looking for a companion. We sourced 2 younger guinea pigs which we will get in 2 weeks after quarantine.

However, on the same day as saying yes to the youngsters we were asked to take on an older girl (our boar is neutered and has been for 2.5 years, the youngsters are girls too) of between 5 and 6. We have the space, we have more than enough space so we said if they couldn't find an alternative home we would take her on. Long story short she arrived Sunday. They dumped and ran, said she had been bathed as she had lay in her own urine as she was sad about her pal dying and that her feet were a little red from lying urine.

She is in a quarantine cage, on vet bed to keep her feet dry, I have treated her for a mite infestation and I am using sudocrem on her feet and bathing them twice daily in water (using a cotton pad).

She is active and quite a feisty madam so last night whilst she ate my jeans I eventually managed to get a good feel of her and she has 2 belly lumps, one between her front legs and a larger one sort of under her back leg. I am hoping that they are just fatty lumps but who knows. What will be will be, we took her on knowing she is older.

I don't know what her cage mate died of - they found her dead in the cage. Because of the urine scald I am worried she may have a UTI but she is showing no signs of it, she is peeing fine and apart from being reclusive (which is understandable as its a new house, its indoors and she has been. I will mention this to the vet (clearly if she looks in any way ill she will be down to the vet straight away to see whoever is available - but at the moment she is running around like a loon at the moment).

So I will keep her in quarantine, I will sudocrem her feet. What else would you recommend?
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Please change the bedding twice daily in the areas where she sits most often to minimise the urine scald getting the feet. Have her checked for arthritis, bladder/stones sludges and kidney problems, as they all can cause the symptoms you are describing and are not uncommon in older piggies that have issues with increased urination and/or mobility/being able to clean themselves, as are lumps.

All the best with having her checked.

Please gently bathe her bum and back feet with hand warm water, then disinfect with saline solution (you can make it yourself by mixing 1 teaspoon of salt into half a pint/250 ml of boiled, cooled water) and only then used sudocrem very lightly, as it has a habit of drying out the skin.

I would also recommend to check the pads of her front feet regularly; in older piggies where blood circulation is no longer great and mobility is limited, the constant pressure on the weight bearing front feet can contribute to them developing bumblefoot (foot infection).

It is great that you are giving this poor lady a loving and caring forever home. If she is not bonding with your group, she will at least be much happier to have next door company and stimulation.
 
Thank you both. Those tips are brilliant I will put them into action.

I am getting the vet to check everything, including front feet (as they have calluses on them which my other piggies never had so just in case). I was also going to get him to check for bladder stones as the back end of her tummy is firm whereas in my boys its squidgy - which could be male female difference but I want a proper opinion as it feels stony to me. I chose to wait for the piggy vet because even when Mr uncooperative pig goes he manages to get a good look at his teeth - which the others don't.
 
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