• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Severe Anorexia And Lethargy

Status
Not open for further replies.
Cookies&Glitter

Cookies&Glitter

Teenage Guinea Pig
Joined
Apr 14, 2016
Messages
711
Reaction score
498
Points
475
Location
Maryland, USA
k so trying to keep it short and simple. This is my first post am in the US but you guys have the best piggie info I could find. Long story short have a sick girl started 4 days ago when I came out to give her a morning veggie and she didn't want it, was very booted, picked her up and discovered rectal bleeding. To vet 2 hr later and he gave me batril with first dose subq and some fluids subq just in case(diagnosis was hemorrhagic enteritis). 48 hr later no bleeding but anorexia and diarrhea back to vet he said just keep giving lots of fluids and critical care no more batril. Within next 24 hours no poop at all so back to vet where he did more subq fluids and pain management. We also did X-rays to be sure no blockage and it was just tons of intestinal gas. So story as current is 4 days of only eating syringe feelings of veggie/hay smoothies, critical care, pellet mush and water. Been using simethicone 0.15ml 3x daily, benebac 1 g 2xdaily and subq buprenorphine 2x daily from vet. Today did 43ml of various food smoothies divided every 2 hours and after a warm bath at lunch she pooped the largest thing I have ever seen. She is now having sort of mushy mishapen poops that are mucusy but number one concern is she doesn't get up and certainly won't eat or drink on her own. She can get up just fine she's just miserable and won't I need to get her to start eating again. She has at least pooped and is far less bloated but has no desire to eat or live. Her cage mate stays over in the kitchen with the hay and seems to be ignoring her when they used to snuggle constantly-so any suggestions?
 
Update: doing worse this AM as her temp and breathing rate have increased. Pretty sure I know what the vet will recommend
 
Hi welcome to the forum, I am sorry she is so poorly. Are you able to see your vet today? Is she still on the sub cut pain meds? it is possible that that is making her lethargic.
 
She is and has been but there is no change in meds from yesterday just her I think she's loosing strength. I will call the vet asap they aren't open yet.
 
Fingers very firmly crossed for your poorly piggy!
 
Just got back to the vet he said he wouldn't give up just yet if it was his piggy but that she probably doesn't have a few days left. We gave her some more subq fluids and maropitant which is an anti nausea but has some analgesic effects and then I just gave her another dose of buprenorphine. If she was my human patient in the hospital I would say her symptoms seem like metabolic acidosis due likely to liver failure but getting a blood sample just to confirm that right now seems unnecessary so I may have to consider the fact I will have to look for a new cage mate for her terribly skiddish sister.
 
Cookies&Glitter said:
Just got back to the vet he said he wouldn't give up just yet if it was his piggy but that she probably doesn't have a few days left. We gave her some more subq fluids and maropitant which is an anti nausea but has some analgesic effects and then I just gave her another dose of buprenorphine. If she was my human patient in the hospital I would say her symptoms seem like metabolic acidosis due likely to liver failure but getting a blood sample just to confirm that right now seems unnecessary so I may have to consider the fact I will have to look for a new cage mate for her terribly skiddish sister.
Click to expand...

BIG HUGS!

I am very sorry; she couldn't have a better or more dedicated mum! It is always so tough when there is so little you can do.

Here are links you may find helpful when looking after her sister:
Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig
Guinea Lynx :: US Guinea Pig Rescue and Shelter Organizations
(You can also see whether you have got a Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue Centre within your reach.)
 
Hi, sorry to hear your piggy is ill!
It may worth asking the vet about zantac, with that diagnosis I'm suprised he hasnt given any. Also some metocloprimide to keep her guts moving whilst you syringe feed. I can see the need for buprenorphine over metacalm considering there was bleeding from the guts, but this could well be making her so lethargic.

If she now has a fever, has your vet not wanted to restart antibiotics incase there is infection there?
Hope you can get ontop of it soon :-(
 
We discussed Zantac and metoclomprimide after doing the X-rays but they are both for the stomach (to increase stomach emptying and protect stomach lining) and her stomach was fine all the air causing her bloat was in the intestines. There could be a small chance that they could have helped her but the cost and stress of medication for an area we don't think is causing a problem was not necessary and yesterday she did so well and ate 47 ml of hay smoothie, mashed pellets and critical care and a few of just water and even started pooing again. Today she won't even swallow what I feed her it just runs back out.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top