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Sprained leg? Limping pig :(

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Isobel

Isobel

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Hi. My guinea pig is limping on her front left leg. I've been to the vets she got a pain relief injection and the medication to take for a week. If it doesn't improve the vet will do the x-ray. The vet said he can't feel any fractures. She doesn't seem to be bothered about her leg. She is lifting it up while walking and will only put a tiny amount of weight on. In fact I've noticed she can't pull it to the front, like it could be a shoulder injury. It must of have happened in her cage, as I only noticed she was lame when I let her out.

Left foot http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/695/imgp4841k.jpg/
Letf (injured) paw http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/844/imgp4844e.jpg/
Right (well) paw http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/225/imgp4845h.jpg/

The medicine is called Metacam.

It's been 5 days since I noticed she was lame. No improvement.
She has a good appetite though, and is still willing to move around. She also gets an extra amount of vit.c liquid. I think she has no mobility in her toes in the injured paw, but it is warm, so the blood is circulating well.

I'm starting to worry that she'll never heal :( Should I have another vets see her? Try to have an X-ray tomorrow, or wait until my next appointment on Tuesday?
 
it should heal. Although if she is having very little improvement on the limb she may well have a fracture or bad sprain. From a quick xray you vet should be able to tell which. Sprains and strains in humans and animals can take weeks to heal so dont panic at the moment. And a fracture can heal too, all needs some time though, so be patient. If shes happy enough at the moment then just give her some time. The metacam will ease the pain, even if not completely eleviate it.

I wouldnt necessarily see a different vet, this is the usual approach to lameness in all animals. If you are very worried try and get an xray done tomorrow.

x.
 
our pig was limping for weeks; seeing a vet (the one that understands something about guinea pigs) didn't help much - the pig received antiinflammatory injection and recovered a couple of weeks later.
But your foot looks swollen to me, although it's hard to judge from the photos alone. If it was me, I'd get an x-ray done.
 
If any part of leg has been badly strained, it can take up to three weeks for it to go away.

Metacam is a painkiller/anti-inflammator.
 
The vet said said there is no fraction just by touching her leg, tbh I guess there are x-rays out there for a reason ;s she'll get one on Tuesday.

I've put a partition into her cage so she barely move around, because she has limited space. Should I leave it there or remove it? Also she loves spending time with us, especially my mum. I didn't let her out of the cage for 2-3 days, and when I finally did it was easy to notice that she's missed my mum so much, she loves lying in my mums bed! Should I take her out everyday, so she can have some time with my mum? I don't want to make anything worse ;s
but on the other hand, I feel so bad walking pass her cage knowing she is so lonely ;s

and I noticed her black foot is bigger(swollen?) in comparison with the pink one, but I can't see it in real life, only on pictures.
 
This happened to my Bumble 2 weeks ago Today- Bumble launched himself out of my arms when putting him back in his cage and landed badly on his front right paw - he had a really bad limp and was only just putting a little weight on it - no squeeks of pain - but then they try and hid their injuries - took him to the vet on monday morning as no improvement over the weekend- who throughly felt all his paw,foot, leg, and flipped him onto his back and checked all the shoulder out - then put him on the floor to watch him walk - said it was a very bad sprain but didnt think it was broken or fractured - put him on Metacam for 5 days (which he loved) and put him in a smaller hospital hutch which doesnt have a ramp or ledge on - and didnt get him out for cuddles or floor time so the leg was rested and I didnt squash it when cuddling - didnt seem to be getting any better but then by Friday night was nearly gone - now right as rain - but I suppose it depends on how much rest the leg gets and where the sprain actually is - and I did a lot of reiki on him as well - but the vet did say it could take a couple of weeks to heal - I felt so guilty and hardly slept over the weekend - vet was really good - I saw one of the partners in the practice and he only charged me £27 including the Metacam (which cost £10 as my sister got some from them for her cat that day as well ) -
 
Still no improvement :(
Today I've noticed that Peppa's leg is curved in a weird way, and when I touch it she'll bit me, and basically won't rather let me touch it at all and I think the this leg structure feels different to the other one. But I might also be just overreacting ;s
 
Might be worth another trip to the vet - perhaps a more cavy savvy one and an x-ray - sending healing wheeks your way xx
 
More pictures..

I just gave Peppa some vit.C and I noticed something weird on her leg -elbow area ;s

http://imageshack.us/f/88/imgp4852.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/f/829/imgp4850.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/f/849/imgp4851.jpg/
http://imageshack.us/f/687/imgp4848.jpg/

I tried to feel it, but she won't really let me anymore, so I guess it hurts :( and sometimes it feels like a broken bone, but then also it feels just like loose skin, which you can move.. It wasn't there before, and I think it could be that the swollen area is reducing (perhaps was bigger before, that I didn't notice it), or it gets worse - is even more swollen...

I'm really worried now..

Also should I limit her space more than that?
http://imageshack.us/f/339/imgp4846h.jpg/
 
still no improvement :(
the vet on Tuesday said it would cost £60 for the x-ray, and since he lacks in any knowledge on piggies I'm currently looking for a good exotic vet. If she has to have this leg/foot fixed, I want it to be done by someone who knows what to do.
She is going to be on Metacam for 3 weeks and if she doesn't recover, or improve at least then we are seeing an exotic vet.

She is moving around much more though. She is walking better as well, but I'm afraid this is only because she's learnt how to walk without using that leg..
 
Aw,let us know how you get on - its so worrying when they are ill or in pain - but the metacam is good stuff.
 
I've spent another x hours observing Peppa and she has mobility in her shoulder because she can move it forwards and backwards, and the elbow because she can straighten her leg and put tiny amount of weight on it.
It's her foot/paw that causes the problem. It seems to be a bit paralysed?
Sometimes when she is walking she tries to put this leg down, but her paw is curved towards the ground. Seems like no mobility in the wrist (from the human point of view).

I can't wait for her to at least show some sings of improvement. :( I wish I could just wake up one day (soon please!) and she'll be all fine :(:(

Although it's good she is still doing really well overall.
 
her injured foot is really dry and different in comparison to the right one. Maybe this is where the problem comes form?
 
Bumbles front paw was curved in as well - and the vet said his injury was where our wrist would be - so might take longer to heal - although it has been a while with your piggy - really bad sprains could take 2 or 3 weeks - I know what aworry it is :(
 
is there any heat in the foot compared to the other one?
the swelling, is it firm or soft?
how long ago did you notice the swelling?
does she put any weight on the leg? you mentioned that she puts her leg down with the top of the paw on the floor, when she does that, does she correct her self and place it normally or does she put weight on it in the abnormal position?
how is she in herself otherwise? any change in behaviour?
any change in appetite, thirst, urination or pooing?
 
ellie_jo3213 said:
is there any heat in the foot compared to the other one?
the swelling, is it firm or soft?
how long ago did you notice the swelling?
does she put any weight on the leg? you mentioned that she puts her leg down with the top of the paw on the floor, when she does that, does she correct her self and place it normally or does she put weight on it in the abnormal position?
how is she in herself otherwise? any change in behaviour?
any change in appetite, thirst, urination or pooing?
Click to expand...

both feet are equally warm. the leg doesn't seem to be swollen either, although the leg is smaller compared to the right one, I guess it is a muscle loss? and there is some lose skin around. I noticed it Saturday 12th this months. she put weight on it but not when walking, she's trying to use this leg when walking but everytime she 'released' she can't put any weight on it. she hasn't anything in behaviour, but she might be a bit more sleepy, due to the Metacam I think. Good appetite and nothing wrong with thirst, urination and pooing. She is actually quite full of energy when it comes to the feeding time, she is 'popcorning ' just like always just one 3 legs.

The exotic vet charges £40 just for the visit ;o

I was thinking, maybe I should bandage just her paw? So it would stay straight in place?
 
22nd day today and there is still no improvement.

I've made it, 30miles to the exotic vet, the best in my county and for £25 i found out all I already knew. Basically it's an elbow injury. And whether it's sprained or broken it will have to heal itself because bandaging it or putting the cast on 'is a waste of time, because she'll take it off anyway''
Therefore we're not going to perform the x-ray because it is too risky (anaesthetics) and since the leg has to heal on it's own anyways it is also pointless.

Ow in fact the vet told me to try to stretch her leg if she'll let me to.

I'm getting 4th and last bottle of metacam tomorrow. I'll reduce the dosage to 3ml a day, so it will last another 10 days.
Overal she'll complete 32day course of Metacam.
 
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