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Something wrong with leg

Bugsy-Malone

Bugsy-Malone

Junior Guinea Pig
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Jan 7, 2016
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Location
Birmingham, UK
Discovered my Guinea Pig Fudge (4 year old boar) hardly moving yesterday. Can't bear weight on one leg. Took him straight to the vets. Has no apparent injury but said could be dislocated or perhaps arthritis. He gave him an injection for pain and some oral painkillers for me to administer today and tomorrow. I am also syringe feeding water and critical care. Thank God for your advice page on syringe feeding it's really helped. The syringe the vet provided was far too large so swopped to a smaller one and he was readily eating from it as i gently pushed to food out. Back to vets Monday. Not sure what else I can do.
I'm not sure it's arthritis and I can't see how he's been injured as was fine up until the day and hasn't been out of cage. He does live with another boar but they are fine and the other one is leaving him alone at the moment. Hes just sleeping and not moving. Not sure what else I can do. Any advice ?
 
Bugsy-Malone said:
Discovered my Guinea Pig Fudge (4 year old boar) hardly moving yesterday. Can't bear weight on one leg. Took him straight to the vets. Has no apparent injury but said could be dislocated or perhaps arthritis. He gave him an injection for pain and some oral painkillers for me to administer today and tomorrow. I am also syringe feeding water and critical care. Thank God for your advice page on syringe feeding it's really helped. The syringe the vet provided was far too large so swopped to a smaller one and he was readily eating from it as i gently pushed to food out. Back to vets Monday. Not sure what else I can do.
I'm not sure it's arthritis and I can't see how he's been injured as was fine up until the day and hasn't been out of cage. He does live with another boar but they are fine and the other one is leaving him alone at the moment. Hes just sleeping and not moving. Not sure what else I can do. Any advice ?
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Sprains on legs are not at all common in guinea pigs. They can happen anywhere from the soulder/hip joint downwards. They are usually more noticeable on the weight bearing front legs.

Is your piggy totally unable to put any weight on the leg at all (not able to stand or move) or is it just favouring the bad leg and taking any weight off as much as possible, but able to make steps?
 
He's not moving around at all. He only did yesterday when moved out of his hidey and tried to get back in but then flops straight down. it's as if his right leg is the one that's the problem as he was looking to the right. The vet said couldnt feel any fractures and there are no swellings but said he could feel pressure from both legs. Really don't know what it could be. I'm checking on him regularly and will feed/give water throughout the day.
 
Some injuries take weeks to heal. My least active piggy has been recovering from a nasty back leg limp that had her bunny hopping and staying immobile through choice. There were no fractures but it’s taken 4 weeks to see improvement.
You’re doing the right things support feeding & giving pain relief.
 
The good thing is he wants to eat so that's giving me some hope. He's always been a vocal feisty guinea, very energetic and always waiting at the cage for his greens. Hate to see him like this.
 
Bugsy-Malone said:
He's not moving around at all. He only did yesterday when moved out of his hidey and tried to get back in but then flops straight down. it's as if his right leg is the one that's the problem as he was looking to the right. The vet said couldnt feel any fractures and there are no swellings but said he could feel pressure from both legs. Really don't know what it could be. I'm checking on him regularly and will feed/give water throughout the day.
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Has your vet given you painkillers? If they can feel pressure in the leg, then it means that the leg is not broken.

Has he got a problem with a front leg or a back leg? Movement is much more impaired when a weight bearing front leg is involved than a back leg, which acts as a forward spring.

If he has got a dislocation, then it becomes more of a problem the longer it is left as tissue will swell up around it. A major dislocation usually shows up as a sticky-out leg.

A major sprain can take several days or even weeks to heal out properly.
 
Update. Syringe fed Fudge the critical care yesterday and he readily ate it. Is eating greens which I put by him but still not moving about. Is pooping normally. The vet only gave me 1 days worth of critical care though I mashed up watered pellets but he won't take them and can't syringe feed as too thick. He is eating hay. Will he be ok on just greens and hay. Seeing vet again tomorrow. He is bright and alert in himself.
 
Have you chopped off the end of the syringe to allow the watered and mushed up pellets through? The guide shows you how.
 
Bugsy-Malone said:
Yes but they don't seem to be mushing up well.
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Um ..... Have you tried adding luke warm water? They mush up better in luke warm water. Leave them to soak for about 5 mins and add more water if necessary to make it into a runnyish paste that you can syringe easily. Sorry if you have tried this but I'm just trying to think of things to make it easier to feed your piggy.:)
 
Bugsy-Malone said:
Update. Syringe fed Fudge the critical care yesterday and he readily ate it. Is eating greens which I put by him but still not moving about. Is pooping normally. The vet only gave me 1 days worth of critical care though I mashed up watered pellets but he won't take them and can't syringe feed as too thick. He is eating hay. Will he be ok on just greens and hay. Seeing vet again tomorrow. He is bright and alert in himself.
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When feeding mushed up pellets, you need to cut off the syringe tip (and any plunger that is sticking out) just before the syringe widens. We have got a picture of it in our syringe feeding guide.

Please weigh any piggy you have feeding concerns about once daily at the same time.

If the leg is still not better, you might dicuss an x-ray under minimal sedation with your vet.
 
Wiebke said:
When feeding mushed up pellets, you need to cut off the syringe tip (and any plunger that is sticking out) just before the syringe widens. We have got a picture of it in our syringe feeding guide.

Please weigh any piggy you have feeding concerns about once daily at the same time.

If the leg is still not better, you might dicuss an x-ray under minimal sedation with your vet.
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Yes will do thanks. He's been eating quite well today but only if I put it in front of him. He is not walking to his bowl of pellets. This is quite worrying though when he has moved there does appear to be an improvement.
 
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