Ricky has another big lump...

[choloe]

so glad ricky is doing well, hoping the bucking has stopped the poor little mite with his foot bandaged. hoping this is the last of his lumps for awhile and that he settles down for you. hugs and cuddles :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: as for zoe feeding her grass, oaten hay, straw, brocoli, lucerne pellets,carrot and pellets mush with apple puree every 3-6 hours and giving her water with vitamin C in it. hopefully the poop results will be in tomorrow. take care. :smitten: :smitten:

 

[Annie59]

Thanks again everyone! Ricky is coming along. Very mushy today. Didn't eat as much. I was gone most of today. And his dish of veggies was still full. Maybe he was lonely! When I got home he was all over me trying to eat my shirt! I'll see how he is tomorrow. Choloe, I'll check your post to see if there is anymore news on Zoe. I see Zoe eats a lot of different types of foods. What do all of you feed your guineas? I could use mre suggestions. His diet seems boring. The vet said cut out carrots. Ricky doesn't seem to like many different things. Just green peppers, cucumbers and parsley. Sometimes he'll eat celery. The vet said to keep giving him green bell peppers for the vitamin C. Plus he doesn't drink hardly any water, so he needs the peppers since they contain a lot of water. Well, I'll check in again tomorrow! Good night all!

 

[Glynis]

Hi love i have a piggie who doesn't drink so also give him fruits for that reason and also syringe him preboiled and cooled water thru a 1ml syringe, he loves it now
Good luck with Ricky, sending more healing wheeks for him from us both :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

 

[Lucinda]

Hi, I've only just seen this. I'm so sorry Ricky is poorly. Sending him loads of love and healing xx

 

[choloe]

hello annie,
what ever you feed ricky make sure you don't do what we did and make too many changes too quickily to his diet and also don't give so many greens. as summer told us try herbs like corriander, dill, basil, mint,rocket, pumpkin, capsicium(peppers you call them)water, rock or honey dew melon rinds, tomatoes, cauliflower to name a few. i will PM you a copy of summer's list she sent me. hoping ricky gets better soon he has been through a rough trot too! try feeding him on baby food, we can get carrot or sweetcorn puree here in australia. sending higs and cuddles to you and ricky. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

 

[MemberY]

I cant believe I didnt see this post sooner. Poor Ricky and you having to go through this again :'( You are doing a wonderful job with him. Keep us posted and sending lots of hugs and cuddles your way :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

 

[Annie59]

Thank you ALL again for all your wishes! And thanks for PM's I got! I answered them today, I hope it did it right! Choloe, I got the list. I'm going to try something different today for Ricky. He doesn't want to eat, which worries me because he never stops eating. He seems himself. A little quiet, but when I pick him up, he seems to respond positively. He loves to bite my shirt and crawl under my chin, which he is doing. I've been flushing his cut. It was pretty deep. All the blood dried up and now I can't get the syringe in. I hope I didn't mess up somehow. This one was worse than the first time. I hope he bounces back. I hate seeing his food bowl full. Whenever I fill it, it's empty within a couple of hours! And I really fill it! He just nibbled this morning. Well, I'm going to go check him now! Thank you all again for thinking of us! I'll update again later!

 

[Annie59]

Here's my update...I called the vet this afternoon. I told her he wasn't eating and that he was hardly pooping...she said get him in to see her. To the vet we went! He had a complete checkup. She said the wound was really deep this time and he is probably still in pain, even though he's on a pain killer. It actually dried up, covered with blood. She had to take off the dried blood. I felt so bad for him. It's all opened again. She took his temp, checked all his vitals! It was strange watching all this. He lost weight. When I brought him in, he was just laying there and I really started to worry. She said he's dehydrated and needs to get food in him. She gave me some kind of powdered food (it contained Timothy Hay and other vitamins) and I had to add water and syringe feed him. Which I did. They gave him a shot for the dehydration (she said it's like putting in an IV for fluids) and another shot for his tummy. She said his tummy is probably not feeling to well either. She also said to go buy gas relief liquid for infants and to give him that. I haven't done that yet. I'm not sure if he needs that. In the end, she cleaned the wound again and sent me home with another stronger pain killer and told me to give him both of them. She said to continue with the antibiotic and then she gave me a medicine for his tummy. Poor thing is on 4 medicines. And I need to keep flushing the saw and putting antibiotic cream on it. So I did all this hours ago and just went to check on him. Wouldn't you know it, he's tipped his veggie bowl over and is eating. He is also playing with his chew stick. He throws it up in the air! So maybe he's feeling better. Someone told me that the vet is soaking me for every penny she can, but he looks like he is so much better than earlier. I think she knows her stuff! I hope he stays like this. She said if he doesn't get better, I'll have to leave him there. So I'm crossing my fingers that he's better tomorrow. I'll let you know!

 

[nutty_lou]

i need to find a vet like yours!

my vet or rather vets...because having 3 instead of 1 vet check his lump you know would of been a good idea! but one said he'd be fine, the other ended up putting xavier to sleep just 4 days after seeing the positive vet!

but am sure he'll be fine, it seems like he's getting alot of needed attention from you and your nice vet...feel free to wrap her up and send her to me for my birthday! lol

hugs

 

[choloe]

i need to find a vet like yours!

that is so true for me too. so glad little ricky is getting better. and i not know how much you vet charges but if she has made ricky better then she is a gem and i DON'T think she is milking you! sending hugs and cuddles to you and ricky. glad you took him to the vet. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: did you discuss the food list? when little zoe had her surgery she never got any pain killers. as you know zoe's poop tests were normal. hoping to plan a plan of attack with our vet today. keep up the good work! cheeky devil tipping his bowl up and throwing his chew stick in the air. maybe you could tell me is timothy grass hay the same as meadow hay? i have asked in my post but as yet got no answers. as i am looking for something with timothy hay in it for zoe, but people just look at me as if i am an alien as they have never heard of timothy grass hay.
keep going ricky boy. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

 

[nutty_lou]

hmmm i dunno about the hay thing...but maybe get someone to send you some! lol P & P would be hell but you can get smallish bags of it around, i wasnt prepared for new guineas really yesterday obviously i had all the food and hay and veg cuz xavier hasnt been gone long but they dont have any thing to chew on yet...its on my list of things to do!

you know what i'm finding hard to find-- a hay rack and nail clippers! its mental i've been to 3 pet stores!

 

[choloe]

hi,
we use dog/cat nail clippers and as for a hay rack we use a wire peg basket and we have cut it so we can put hay in. in fact if i remember right 1 peg basket made 2 makeshift hayracks. have you tried ebay? i know there are hay racks on the aussie auction site oztion if that is any help? did you get new piggies? was so sad to hear your baby passed. glynis sent some oxbow pellets made of timothy hay about a week ago which they weren't keen on at all. even if you use a teeny pair of scissors for their claws. here in south aussie we don't have guinea pig clippers. what are these chew things again these are not available here except the ones in supermarkets which i have been told is a no no but jessie loves them. good luck with the clippers and hayrack. hugs and cuddles to you and your new babies. things happen for a reason even if we don't know why. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: why is you up so early must be around 3-5.00am in the UK. enjoy your thursday it is 17.00pm here. :smitten: :smitten:

 

[nutty_lou]

fruit sticks and things...i can find loads of them! need to remember where i found the wood blocks i had for xavier he loved them!

thankfully for now the boys have got a tube which is eat able! a cardboard tube covered in hay stuff which they can munch on!

i'll end up in one of the massive like supermarket pet stores at the weekend and get the rest of the stuff i need then.

yeah 5am is about right for me...i have to be up early for work and the whole being excited about my new babies helps!

i love it the less fluffier of the 2 just stepped out of the pigloo, i looked around and he spotted me so he slowly reversed back in! aww i love them soo much.
tonight i burry xaviers pillow i'd made him, which smelt of me so he'd get used to my smell. i've got him a little snow drop plant and it'll go in one of his favortie spots in the garden, with it will also go his wood chews and his tube...of course all are biodegradable. of course i still miss him but the boys keep me busy and so i cant linger on my horrible thoughts about his pain for long. they are little cuties and i think they'll help me get over xavier. ?

 

[Annie59]

Oh Nutty Lou, I'm so sorry about Xavier. My heart breaks when I hear of someone losing their little piggy. :'( :'( You must be so sad. I wish I could help. I wish I could send my vet over there to help you all with your sick guineas. Yes it is nice to have such an experienced vet with small animals, but as one of you asked, it really is costly. The first operation with all the followup visits totals well over $700 American dollars (757 to be exact) and so far the 2nd operation has cost about $400 American dollars and he just had surger on Sunday. He has a few more followups. Everything in America is so overpriced. But I have no choice! Ricky is important to me and if I can find a qualified vet, then I guess I have to pay the price. My husband is so against this and wants me to put him to sleep. I could never do that. I love Ricky. He seems better today. I'm concerned because he's not eating as much but he's eating a little. I'm syringe feeding him with the stuff the vet gave me. He seems to like it. It actually smells really good. He was biting my shirt so hard before that he ripped holes in it. He just seems more quiet than usual. I'm still worried. I'm hoping he gets better. Poor Ricky is not even 6 months yet. I'd like to see him full grown. I'm trying not to think about it. As far as the Timothy Hay...it's in every pet store here. Very easy to get. Timothy Hay is recommended for growing piggies, so it's perfect for Ricky. When they get older, they suggest Alfalfa Hay. Ricky leaps all over his cage when I give him Timothy Hay. He'll hate it when I switch. They say here that Alfalfa Hay is not good for growing piggies. Also, his chew sticks are made for their teeth. Ricky chews them to shreads. They come in all colors. When I put a new one in, he goes crazy. It's just colored wood. The make fruit flavored ones here, but he won't eat them. If you ever need these things, I would be happy to send them. Just let me know. Nutty Lou, I imagine you are not in Australia like Choloe since you are able to get these things. Where do you live? I'm in New York. Well, have to go pick my daughter up at school. Have a good day everyone!

 

[nutty_lou]

:'( i miss NY! :'( :'(

i'm in the UK now...but i've traveled around the world alot...i was born in italy lived in france, london, suffolk, Aus, NY...i'm a lucky lass in some respects!

i only realise how ill xavvy was comparing him to my boys. they eat everything and he well he didnt!

the vet here told me it was pointless having a £70 xray which would just confirm the lump "well done we could bloody feel it for less" came to my mind. i feel bad because i could of done more for him but the vet wasnt prepared to help in that sense. :'( it makes me sad to think that the vet had given up on xavier when even he (xavier) and i hadnt and werent quite ready to give up.

xavvy was just under a year...it would of been his birthday sometime in march...

i didnt know that about the hay i'm gonna go get some while at work! now am trying to get a hay cube thingy for the boys...i dont like them pooping and things on the hay they're going to eat...silly arent i!

 

[choloe]

no your not silly, your a caring person who loves her babies. have you tried ebay for the hay rack? they are available here in oz on an auction site called oztion. good luck with your babies. and i hate it too when a vet gives up and your baby or mucks you around. hugs and cuddles :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

 

[Laure]

Timothy Hay is recommended for growing piggies, so it's perfect for Ricky. When they get older, they suggest Alfalfa Hay. Ricky leaps all over his cage when I give him Timothy Hay. He'll hate it when I switch. They say here that Alfalfa Hay is not good for growing piggies.

Actually I think this is the other way round. Alfalfa is high in calcium and so should not be fed to adult piggies much. It is good for nursing/pregnant sows and babies though. Timothy hay is best for everyday feeding.

 

[Annie59]

I'll check with the vet when he goes back in for a followup. The girl in the pet store, she raises piggies, was the one that told me never give a baby piggy Alfalfa Hay. I should have check with my vet first. But this girl has lots of guineas. She raises them so I took her word on this. She seemed so knowledgeable about piggies! She could have been wrong! I will check on that. Thanks for pointing that out!
Boy Nutty Lou..I feel so sad when I read about Xavier. Especially that he could have been saved. Do not blame yourself. You should be able to trust your vet. It's hard when the vet is not qualified. There are really quite a few "exotic" pet vets on Long Island (where I live). And you can see that my vet knows everything there is to know about guineas. It does mean a lot because we, as owners, have to put our faith in these vets. We don't know how to treat these little animals. Never feel bad about what happened. He as lucky to have such a caring, loving owner like yourself. You know, I love my sister, but she told me that when her kids were little, she had a guinea pig (which I remember) and she said she can't remember what happened to him! I told her, are you crazy? You don't even remember your guinea pig? This was only about 15 years ago. She thinks she returned it to the store because the kids never played with him. My sister is a great person, but I told her people like her should'nt have pets! She laughed because she had every pet imaginable when her kids were small! That's why I say that Xavier was lucky to have you Nutty Lou. People (like my sis) just have them to entertain their kids and don't take care of them the proper way, nor show them any love. It's sad.
As to Ricky today, finally, there are poops all over the cage! Good sign! Also, his veggie bowl was empty and I refilled it, and he went to town on it! So that's good. Only problem is, he not giving me any Wheeks when I walk into the room. He just sits there and stares. That worries me. Although the doc said that the extra pain killer may make him mellow. I hope thats all it is. He seems ok when I take him out. But he's very quiet in his cage. Well, at least he's eating and pooping. I'll be watching him a lot today. I'll be back on line later!

 

[nutty_lou]

am glad he's getting better...

my boys trashed everything today...found the cage in a right old mess when i got home! it seems they like the ball i got for them...which was floating in their water bowl! now they are watching me type to you guys and they send soft cuddles! they wont mweep at me yet...they still think am a big scary monster!

i dont know if xavier could of been saved...but not all lumps are cancer right...i keep doing the what if thing, what if he had got better, what if it was just a rough time for him and he could of got better, i'm still clutching at straws even though i know he's dead. i do love my new boys but i miss xavier like crazy i keep expecting him to be there even though i know its the boys now... :'( :'( :'(

when i'm out and have to keep smiling about things i say i'm just glad he had a happy 5 months with me...then i get home and wish i'd done more and cry my eyes out.

hope Ricky starts talking again soon.

 

[choloe]

glad ricky is doing better today. and nutty_lou i know how you feel about xavier.the vets here in australia well south australia anyway wouldn't know a guinea pig if one bit them on the bum! we have lost many guinea pigs due to bad vets, and we feel we had failed them as owners. and when we got new piggies we felt we were betraying their memory and the love we shared. so we do know how you feel! the latest is there is talk of them taking some of zoe's blood from her jagular for testing but with no sedation! these vets are barbaric(sp). good luck with your babies. and know xavier is wheeking at you from above! :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: