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Spinning in circles

Sophie Angus

Sophie Angus

New Born Pup
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Hi
Just gone to bed (11pm) and suddenly heard my piggies squeak very loud.
I got up to find one was walking around in a very tight circle. Her left eye was twitching aswell. I managed to get her to stop circling by stoking behind her left ear (which she never allows me to do normally). She managed to eat a bit of lettuce then walked around the cage, sort of leaning against the walls.
Please help I am really worried about her and don't know what to do.
 
Take her to the vet! Take her tomorrow if it is night. You can never know if it is life threatening. Look after her as well.
 
Iluvmyguineapigs said:
Take her to the vet! Take her tomorrow if it is night. You can never know if it is life threatening. Look after her as well.
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Thanks just so worried as she has always been in perfect health. It has always been the other that went to the vets
 
I'm not at all an expert but to me it sounds as if she's had a stroke - hope somebody more knowledgeable can come along and advise you. Best wishes for you and your guinea pig.
 
Helen82 said:
I'm not at all an expert but to me it sounds as if she's had a stroke - hope somebody more knowledgeable can come along and advise you. Best wishes for you and your guinea pig.
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Thanks hope it's not that fingers crossed 🤞🏻
 
Sophie Angus said:
Hi
Just gone to bed (11pm) and suddenly heard my piggies squeak very loud.
I got up to find one was walking around in a very tight circle. Her left eye was twitching aswell. I managed to get her to stop circling by stoking behind her left ear (which she never allows me to do normally). She managed to eat a bit of lettuce then walked around the cage, sort of leaning against the walls.
Please help I am really worried about her and don't know what to do.
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Hi! Please contact a vet asap - your piggy sounds like she has had a stroke. :(
You can find out-of-hours vet numbers either from the answering machine of your regular vet or by googling out of hours vet services in your area. List Of Life And Death Out-of-hours Emergencies

All the best and fingers firmly crossed!
 
I have just checked on her and she is back to walking normally (not leaning at all and no circles) and growling at me as normal.
Should I still take her to the vets in the morning?
 
Think it's definitely a good idea to get her looked at by a good piggy vet. Glad she's improved :)
 
Dont know if this has been mentioned but my gerbil used to do tbe exact same thing and it was a seizure. Its quite common in gerbils, it was harmless to him .

He would go all confused, tail would go stiff and upright, he would twitch then run in tight circles and then snap out of it like nothing had happened
 
My piggie is fine now up, about, squeaking, eating and even popcorning.
I have rung the vet and they have said as she is okay now and has been most of the morning, monitor her and if she does it again then definitely bring her in.
Thanks for all the advise 🙂
 
Sophie Angus said:
My piggie is fine now up, about, squeaking, eating and even popcorning.
I have rung the vet and they have said as she is okay now and has been most of the morning, monitor her and if she does it again then definitely bring her in.
Thanks for all the advise 🙂
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Thats cool. I wouldnt worry too much. If it is Epilepsy it would happen again tho. My gerbil used to be set off by a sudden change, like when i picked him up or when i cleaned him out. I'm not trying to diagnose your guinea pig in any way. But just giving ideas. Before a moderator jumps on me . After all I'm not even talking about a similar animal
 
Skypipdot said:
Thats cool. I wouldnt worry too much. If it is Epilepsy it would happen again tho. My gerbil used to be set off by a sudden change, like when i picked him up or when i cleaned him out. I'm not trying to diagnose your guinea pig in any way. But just giving ideas. Before a moderator jumps on me . After all I'm not even talking about a similar animal
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Thanks for the advise. We don't pick her up much as she doesn't like it, but she seem to calm down when we held he last night. Shes a strange animal but I love her 😀
 
@Sophie Angus One of my pigs has done it a few time. When it happens I get hin out of the cage and lie on the sofa with him holding him close. Being secure seems to help.

If you can take her straight to the vet but if you're like me it tends to happen at night or after hours so it's not really possible.

It may sound cruel but for a vet to help we need a visual of it happening so take a short video of her next time, and include her eyes so the vet can see what is happening.

My vet says that it can be a number of thigs causing it but if they can see what it happening with their eyes then they may be able to narrow it down.

Try not to worry too much about it. It has happened to my Jon Snow twice (that I've seen) and he's completely fine the rest of the time. He's now 5.5 years old so he's doing great.
 
Jaycey said:
@Sophie Angus One of my pigs has done it a few time. When it happens I get hin out of the cage and lie on the sofa with him holding him close. Being secure seems to help.

If you can take her straight to the vet but if you're like me it tends to happen at night or after hours so it's not really possible.

It may sound cruel but for a vet to help we need a visual of it happening so take a short video of her next time, and include her eyes so the vet can see what is happening.

My vet says that it can be a number of thigs causing it but if they can see what it happening with their eyes then they may be able to narrow it down.

Try not to worry too much about it. It has happened to my Jon Snow twice (that I've seen) and he's completely fine the rest of the time. He's now 5.5 years old so he's doing great.
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Thank you that's made me feel a little better hopefully it doesn't happen again.
I thought about videoing it but was to worried to leave her.
I'm at work today but I think I might get her out later just to hold her for a while
 
My Ted had a strange episode the morning after he had an op under GA for dental work. He was laid out in the bottom of his cage and suddenly his eyes started flickering very fast and trembling and then his body was really limp. Rushed him to the vet and he thought he might have had a fit/possible stroke, possibly due to anaesthetic or heat stroke, as it was extremely hot weather. He had also wet himself, but after that he has been fine and never had an more, so a bit of a mystery really. Just keep an eye on her would be my advice, hope she continues to be ok x
 
Sophie Angus said:
Thank you that's made me feel a little better hopefully it doesn't happen again.
I thought about videoing it but was to worried to leave her.
I'm at work today but I think I might get her out later just to hold her for a while
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I completely understand about worrying about leaving her. I felt awful putting down down on the floor and then videoing his eyes and him spinning in circles. But it did help the vet. He was fine within 30 minutes or so and completely recovered before I could get him to the vet so she really appreciated seeing the video
 
Odd question, but is she itchy on her back? Sometimes they can get mites and it drives them to the point where it looks like they're having a fit
 
BonBon2010 said:
Odd question, but is she itchy on her back? Sometimes they can get mites and it drives them to the point where it looks like they're having a fit
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I couldn't see anything when I looked her over and she doesn't seem to be itching more than normal.
She is back to normal now.
Thanks anyway
 
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