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Sudden Paralysis in Back Legs

I’m so sorry to hear this has happened. It’s awful.
Sending you huge hugs

Please do make sure that you weigh them each
morning and step in with syringe feeding a recovery feed or mushed pellets, enough to keep their weight stable at each weight check each morning. Their gut needs the fibre to keep functioning and replacing any lost hay intake (there will be weight loss if they are not eating enough hay)
Cucumber and lettuce (while it’s good they are still eating something) isn’t the fibre their gut needs for continued function.

Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
 
Thank you.. I will do that. Peanut has been eating but Shaun won’t touch any veggies. I am just absolutely devastated. I feel numb, like I don’t want to believe it’s happening. I’ll mush up some pellets now; I have to give them their antibiotics and metacalm as well so I’ll do it all at the same time. X
 
Please do at the moment their antibiotics and critical care or mushed pellets are vital.
How is your girl? 💕
 
It will be exhausting for you do you have other adults that are able to help, even if it's with other daily jobs? 🤔
 
CTWC said:
Please do at the moment their antibiotics and critical care or mushed pellets are vital.
How is your girl? 💕
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Thank you.. my girl is fine. I’m just praying it stays that way. I spoke to the boarder as I wanted to ask about her insurance. On her T&Cs she says she accepts no liability for pets who become ill or die in her care, but she has given me a refund. She hasn’t replied either any info about her license or insurance but she is a long standing and reputable business tho. I don’t understand it.
 
CTWC said:
It will be exhausting for you do you have other adults that are able to help, even if it's with other daily jobs? 🤔
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I’ve nobody else but my kids are 17 and 15 so they can do other jobs. I’m a single mum you see. I work full time as a business administrator in a prison but I’m going to try and get a couple of extra days’ time off in lieu 💕🙏
 
Julezfm39 said:
I’ve nobody else but my kids are 17 and 15 so they can do other jobs. I’m a single mum you see. I work full time as a business administrator in a prison but I’m going to try and get a couple of extra days’ time off in lieu 💕🙏
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Could one of your children do some of the syringe feeding when you show her how?

Please weigh them daily first thing in the morning to monitor their food intake and how much additional support they need. With total loss of appetite, you are looking at 40-60 ml in 24 hours plus additional water (40 ml is the absolute survival minimum). It is very time consuming and draining since you can give a weak piggy only 0.1-0.3 ml at once to prevent things going up the nose or down the lungs and then you have to wait until they have swallowed it all.

Please also weigh Peanut in the mornings to make sure that they are eating enough hay by themselves - it makes around 80% of the daily food intake but it is a very encouraging sign that they still have an appetite. The weighing helps you to determine whether they need a top up or not.

My fingers are very firmly crossed for Shaun and Peanut as well as your family.
 
Julezfm39 said:
Thank you.. my girl is fine. I’m just praying it stays that way. I spoke to the boarder as I wanted to ask about her insurance. On her T&Cs she says she accepts no liability for pets who become ill or die in her care, but she has given me a refund. She hasn’t replied either any info about her license or insurance but she is a long standing and reputable business tho. I don’t understand it.
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I would perhaps follow that up in the future not now you have too much on x
 
CTWC said:
I would perhaps follow that up in the future not now you have too much on x
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I definitely will. Tomorrow I’m going to see how much a blood test costs. I need to find out the cause of this so they can be treated properly. Shaun just isn’t eating of his own accord whereas Peanut is. X
 
Julezfm39 said:
I definitely will. Tomorrow I’m going to see how much a blood test costs. I need to find out the cause of this so they can be treated properly. Shaun just isn’t eating of his own accord whereas Peanut is. X
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Have you been able to get syringe feed of mushed pellets or critical care into Shaun today?
 
Wiebke said:
Could one of your children do some of the syringe feeding when you show her how?

Please weigh them daily first thing in the morning to monitor their food intake and how much additional support they need. With total loss of appetite, you are looking at 40-60 ml in 24 hours plus additional water (40 ml is the absolute survival minimum). It is very time consuming and draining since you can give a weak piggy only 0.1-0.3 ml at once to prevent things going up the nose or down the lungs and then you have to wait until they have swallowed it all.

Please also weigh Peanut in the mornings to make sure that they are eating enough hay by themselves - it makes around 80% of the daily food intake but it is a very encouraging sign that they still have an appetite. The weighing helps you to determine whether they need a top up or not.

My fingers are very firmly crossed for Shaun and Peanut as well as your family.
Click to expand...
Thank you for this advice. I was trying to give them too much at once from the syringe so I’ve slowed this down. Both weigh 1.3kg each. I’ll weigh them tomorrow morning again. Shaun still isn’t eating of his own accord.

I intend to pursue this with the boarder as I’m certain this has been caused by something there. I was away for a week and they became paralysed (and Biscuit died) 5 days after I dropped them off. It’s no coincidence. Especially as they keep rabbits there too.

I am not holding out much hope. Shaun is clearly very weak. I’m absolutely heartbroken 💔
 
Piggies&buns said:
Have you been able to get syringe feed of mushed pellets or critical care into Shaun today?
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I have a little bit. Probably only about 4ml and there was water in there too 😔. They’ve just had their 2nd dose of the day of antibiotics and metacalm.
 
Is Shaun refusing to have any critical care (mushed pellets)?
 
Also are they both happily having their meds or is Shaun not taking that either? 😥
 
CTWC said:
Is Shaun refusing to have any critical care (mushed pellets)?
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He is taking it but I’m syringe feeding him. I don’t have the critical care itself, I’m just using the mushed up pellets. It’s hard to get enough of the mushy mixture into the syringe.
 
CTWC said:
Also are they both happily having their meds or is Shaun not taking that either? 😥
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Shaun is taking his meds. He seems quite bright and alert but just doesn’t have the appetite that Peanut has (who has just eaten some washed spinach leaves).
 
Julezfm39 said:
Shaun is taking his meds. He seems quite bright and alert but just doesn’t have the appetite that Peanut has (who has just eaten some washed spinach leaves).
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BIG HUGS

I hope that you can be seen by an experienced vet as an emergency tomorrow. Try to ring before they open or as soon as they open.

I am very worried about Shaun as well.

Holding all of you in my thoughts.
 
Wiebke said:
Hi

Please look at the pictures in this guide here on how to prep a syringe for the much rougher fibre in pellets: How to Improvise Feeding Support in an Emergency
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Thank you but I’m really struggling to get this mush into the syringe. I’ve snipped off a lot bit of plastic but it’s really hard to get this into the syringe. I’m really worried as I have to go back to work tomorrow and won’t be able to do this. I work in a prison and don’t have any flexibility in my job. I’m also on my own. Not sure what can be done.
 
Julezfm39 said:
Thank you but I’m really struggling to get this mush into the syringe. I’ve snipped off a lot bit of plastic but it’s really hard to get this into the syringe. I’m really worried as I have to go back to work tomorrow and won’t be able to do this. I work in a prison and don’t have any flexibility in my job. I’m also on my own. Not sure what can be done.
Click to expand...

Have you tried to make the mix a bit more fluid and have you ordered powdered recovery formula yet?
 
Wiebke said:
Have you tried to make the mix a bit more fluid and have you ordered powdered recovery formula yet?
Click to expand...
Thank you, yes, I got some powdered recovery formula from the vets and have given some to both the boys. This new vet gave me Panacur too. Both boys haven’t lost any weight which is good.
 
Julezfm39 said:
Thank you, yes, I got some powdered recovery formula from the vets and have given some to both the boys. This new vet gave me Panacur too. Both boys haven’t lost any weight which is good.
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That's absolutely wonderful news 🙏
 
Now that's a bit of good news I wondered whether some probiotic would help Shaun as antibiotics can affect their appetite although if he isn't wanting to take critical care he probably won't want that either
Well done you and well done to the boys I pray that they make a full recovery 🙏
 
Julezfm39 said:
Thank you, yes, I got some powdered recovery formula from the vets and have given some to both the boys. This new vet gave me Panacur too. Both boys haven’t lost any weight which is good.
Click to expand...
Good that your vet has given you panacur as well as recovery fare. It is the best medication against e.cuniculi and other non-bacterial bugs. It's not an antibiotic.

I am keeping my fingers firmly crossed!
 
CTWC said:
Now that's a bit of good news I wondered whether some probiotic would help Shaun as antibiotics can affect their appetite although if he isn't wanting to take critical care he probably won't want that either
Well done you and well done to the boys I pray that they make a full recovery 🙏
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Thank you so much.. I was back at work today but the boys are ok. I’m just worried about their lack of appetite so maybe I should get a probiotic. I’ll phone the vet tomorrow and ask. Or can these be bought at a regular pet shop? I’m praying they recover. I feel it’s still 50/50 😣
 
Wiebke said:
Good that your vet has given you panacur as well as recovery fare. It is the best medication against e.cuniculi and other non-bacterial bugs. It's not an antibiotic.

I am keeping my fingers firmly crossed!
Click to expand...
I’m just not sure whether to stop the antibiotic as it may be affecting their appetite. Maybe I should give it a few more days as it’s only been 3 full days of the antibiotics. I’m desperately hoping they recover 😢🙏
 
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