M
missmarshmallow
Dougals story:
My Peruvian guinea pig Dougal was in perfect health until he got a dehydration problem two months ago and lost weight. He stopped eating his nuggets, then gradually stopped eating his favourite greens and less water. Managed to keep him eating grass and sweetcorn. At the vets he was given an antibiotic injection and a course of baytril mixed with Ribena to help the medicine go down.
He recovered gradually and put weight back on tucking into his favourite food cucumber and back on the nuggets. He was still boney in places but seemed a lot better. His morning 'wheek' would welcome us as he waited for his breakfast like a begging dog with his two front paws on the run entrance.
I noticed a short time after this that he started drinking alot of water. Normally he and his run mate, Brillo, would only get through 1/8th of their bottle at most daily. I'd pick him up sometimes and he'd be soaking wet at his rear end.
Between the space of Friday and Sunday he'd lost 100g just like that. He was nibbling as blades of grass and hay but wouldn't touch anything else. His fur had dulled in colour and his eyes were dry and receding. I was worried at once and on the Monday got him straight to the vets. The vet weighed him and felt his bloated abdomen for lumps. He gave him an antibiotc injection then asked to that we bring him in on Wednesday again and he'd prescribe 'something for us to be going on with'. Since then he just went downhill. I had him booked in for early evening appointment on Weds but got him seen in the morning as I wasn't sure he'd make it to the afternoon. I got hold of some syringes and used cranberry juice and water to help to rehydrate him.
Today (Wed) the vet said he was surprised to see Dougal again as he looked like 'he's probably on his way out'! The vet then weighed him, felt his abdomen again then said he was either compacted or had some sort of growth but it was hard to say. He advised to try Liquid paraffin (1ml twice daily) to get things moving again and Complan to rehydrate. They advised an X-Ray would mean he'd have to be anaesthetisd (which he may not cope with) and after costing £50/£60 for this even if they find a lump on the X-Ray know what type of lump nor how to treat it.
Sad to say he never got past his first dosage of the liquid paraffin. He'd had more cranberry and water forced down him earlier today. Then later we tried to get some Complan into his belly but he was becoming difficult even to force feed as wasn't gnawing on the syringe like before. He went from moving slowly, nibbling hay and pushing his guinea castle around the run to lying down whimpering. In a last desperate attempt we phoned another vet for advice. We were told not to force feed him anymore as it may cause undue stress. Keep him warm and comfortable with everything he needs near him. If he makes it through the night they would see him in the morning to judge if he could cope with an anaesthetic.
I massaged his sore, bloated belly and he seemed to stop whimpering periodically. He lay looking like he couldn't get comfortable. Then later this evening he got worse, lying on his side kicking and gasping for air while his heart beat erratically. After a painful half hour he passed away.
I was reading the advice given on this forum and have been touched by how many caring piggy lovers there are out there. I don't know what Dougal suffered from, nor the cause (any ideas peeps?)- especially as he was only coming up for his 2nd birthday in June. Reading the advice has taught me the importance of finding a vet you can trust and having useful remedies nearby at the first sign of trouble.
My Peruvian guinea pig Dougal was in perfect health until he got a dehydration problem two months ago and lost weight. He stopped eating his nuggets, then gradually stopped eating his favourite greens and less water. Managed to keep him eating grass and sweetcorn. At the vets he was given an antibiotic injection and a course of baytril mixed with Ribena to help the medicine go down.
He recovered gradually and put weight back on tucking into his favourite food cucumber and back on the nuggets. He was still boney in places but seemed a lot better. His morning 'wheek' would welcome us as he waited for his breakfast like a begging dog with his two front paws on the run entrance.
I noticed a short time after this that he started drinking alot of water. Normally he and his run mate, Brillo, would only get through 1/8th of their bottle at most daily. I'd pick him up sometimes and he'd be soaking wet at his rear end.
Between the space of Friday and Sunday he'd lost 100g just like that. He was nibbling as blades of grass and hay but wouldn't touch anything else. His fur had dulled in colour and his eyes were dry and receding. I was worried at once and on the Monday got him straight to the vets. The vet weighed him and felt his bloated abdomen for lumps. He gave him an antibiotc injection then asked to that we bring him in on Wednesday again and he'd prescribe 'something for us to be going on with'. Since then he just went downhill. I had him booked in for early evening appointment on Weds but got him seen in the morning as I wasn't sure he'd make it to the afternoon. I got hold of some syringes and used cranberry juice and water to help to rehydrate him.
Today (Wed) the vet said he was surprised to see Dougal again as he looked like 'he's probably on his way out'! The vet then weighed him, felt his abdomen again then said he was either compacted or had some sort of growth but it was hard to say. He advised to try Liquid paraffin (1ml twice daily) to get things moving again and Complan to rehydrate. They advised an X-Ray would mean he'd have to be anaesthetisd (which he may not cope with) and after costing £50/£60 for this even if they find a lump on the X-Ray know what type of lump nor how to treat it.
Sad to say he never got past his first dosage of the liquid paraffin. He'd had more cranberry and water forced down him earlier today. Then later we tried to get some Complan into his belly but he was becoming difficult even to force feed as wasn't gnawing on the syringe like before. He went from moving slowly, nibbling hay and pushing his guinea castle around the run to lying down whimpering. In a last desperate attempt we phoned another vet for advice. We were told not to force feed him anymore as it may cause undue stress. Keep him warm and comfortable with everything he needs near him. If he makes it through the night they would see him in the morning to judge if he could cope with an anaesthetic.
I massaged his sore, bloated belly and he seemed to stop whimpering periodically. He lay looking like he couldn't get comfortable. Then later this evening he got worse, lying on his side kicking and gasping for air while his heart beat erratically. After a painful half hour he passed away.
I was reading the advice given on this forum and have been touched by how many caring piggy lovers there are out there. I don't know what Dougal suffered from, nor the cause (any ideas peeps?)- especially as he was only coming up for his 2nd birthday in June. Reading the advice has taught me the importance of finding a vet you can trust and having useful remedies nearby at the first sign of trouble.
Sleep in peace Dougal x
