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Signs Of Pain: Metacam

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TheAurora

TheAurora

Adult Guinea Pig
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My vet would like me to now use Metacam when I judge Casran needs it instead of just using it constantly for the sake of it.

If he needs it regularly she says that is fine but it would be better not to give him a drug if he doesn't need it so to see how it goes.

I know sitting in a corner, hunched up and hair fuzzy is a sign of pain. As is not eating.

But I wondered, do you - far more experienced forum members - know of other 'pain signs' I should be looking for.

I'm paranoid my little lion might be suffering in silence.

x

Edit: Hi everyone. Just an FYI ... I'm not asking about doses here, just pain signs. Cheers everyone x
 
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Aww how is he today? I would be inclined to reduce it gradually, maybe by 0.1 ml for a few days, then reduce again etc. Weight is a good indicator, any drop in weight & I would go back to the higher dose again for a few days. With Petal my bladder piggy I could tell just by looking at the position of her ears on her head, if they were slightly lower then I would know to increase her pain meds, but then after 3 1/2 years of medicating her I could read her little face pretty well x
 
Thanks @Poppy'sMum

That's useful information about the ears and head, I wouldn't know to look for that. I shall keep an eye on Casran and read/make note of his body language better.

Not going to be making any changes ref doses, will stick with the dosage Sarah told me to use. And follow her instructions on that score. But understanding pain signs better would be useful for me to know (now and going forward).

Thanks again. x

P.s... Casran always seems at death's door to me because his breathing is so noisy and bad. But Sarah has seen changes inside and she was happy with him so. I don't know how long he will now live but...
 
If she was happy with him that is great, I trusted her completely to tell me when it was Petal's time & she lived 5 1/2 years of very good quality life despite us nearly losing her after her spay & many UTIs. So Casran may surprise us all yet....... :)
 
Poppy'sMum said:
If she was happy with him that is great, I trusted her completely to tell me when it was Petal's time & she lived 5 1/2 years of very good quality life despite us nearly losing her after her spay & many UTIs. So Casran may surprise us all yet....... :)
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She's brilliant. I've never been so happy with a vet ever. Thanks for helping me find/get to her x
 
TheAurora said:
My vet would like me to now use Metacam when I judge Casran needs it instead of just using it constantly for the sake of it.

If he needs it regularly she says that is fine but it would be better not to give him a drug if he doesn't need it so to see how it goes.

I know sitting in a corner, hunched up and hair fuzzy is a sign of pain. As is not eating.

But I wondered, do you - far more experienced forum members - know of other 'pain signs' I should be looking for.

I'm paranoid my little lion might be suffering in silence.

x

Edit: Hi everyone. Just an FYI ... I'm not asking about doses here, just pain signs. Cheers everyone x
Click to expand...

Usually being hunched up is often the first sign of pain in the body, especially when a piggy is also doing it when sleeping and is not relaxing. Sometimes, the fur can be fuzzy, depending on where the pain sits and how acute it is, teeth grinding can also be a sign of acute pain. Localised pain in the body can result in self-barbering.
Once the pain is getting worse, it impacts on the appetite. When a piggy is very ill, it will usually remove itself from the group in order to not spread any illness to the group, but in a cage, this translates to turning their head to the wall, often at a distance or in a cranny.
 
This is all incredibly helpful @Wiebke

I've given Casran his Metacam dose now as I do believe he needs it this afternoon.

These are all things you just don't realise you need know-how about until it becomes imperative.

X
 
Pain scoring Guinea pigs and other prey species is very difficult to do. I currently have a sow with chronic pain and personally finding it difficult to assess her. I have however recently introduced a scoring chart at work for rabbits and rodents (including Guinea pigs) to try and assess their pain. There is a huge long list, but I would google rabbit and rat grimace scale for a start, lots of useful information on that. But apart from that there are a lot of different behaviours which can be associated with pain including (but not limited to) the following:
- piloerection (hairs standing up)
- hunched
- teeth grinding (bruxism)
- squinting eyes
- reduced activity/movement
- increased 'aggression' to cage mates - seem to be easily agitated
- incontinence (urinary) or sometimes sitting in urine even if continent
- squeaking and vocalising
- unusual gate or limping
- whiskers pulled back
- lack of appetite
- over grooming, barbering and in some cases self mutilating

x
 
Poppy'sMum said:
@Abi_nurse check out the level if the ears too, I could definitely tell when Petal was in pain when her ears were lower on her head x
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Level of ears is certainly something seen in rabbits with pain, it's just harder to assess in piggies due to the floppy like ears but certainly a sign.

x
 
Abi_nurse said:
Level of ears is certainly something seen in rabbits with pain, it's just harder to assess in piggies due to the floppy like ears but certainly a sign.

x
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That's interesting about rabbits, so I wasn't imagining it with my piggy! I thought I was going nuts but when she was ok her ears seemed higher up & when she was having a bout of cystitis her ears were definitely lower & her expression changed :) I think the vet thought I was odd when I mentioned it lol :)
 
Jerry when he has pain,grinds his teeth loudly,less active,hiding in corner,not eating.after his pain meds he started to show interest in his wives!,eating small amounts,hair stopped standing on end.he is a dental piggie,but a very remarkable difference in behaviour when he is in pain.I do hope Casran is on the mend.subtle signs of pain come more easily to define and see ,the more you get to know your individual piggie,you will instinctly know best as you have looked after him so lovingly constantly.xx
 
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