• PLEASE NOTE - the TEAS facebook page has been hacked, take extreme care when visiting the page, for further information visit here
  • Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Unknown spinal injury might have to put down..

Syumiea

New Born Pup
Joined
Aug 25, 2020
Messages
12
Reaction score
4
Points
50
Location
Missouri, st.louis
Hello guinea pigs owners,

I'm in serious need of another opinion.

Tooday I went out shopping for my for myself and once I got home I noticed my guinea pig was out of its cage and the cage is 18 in tall.

I noticed that he was dragging his legs and somehow he got out of the cage. I rushed him to the that hospital to have them take a look at him they said he is paralyzed. Vet told me he could have been shaken are dropped by someone... :( She told me that not common that a guinea pig can climb something so high. she gave me medicine and told me that I had to give them to him daily for 10 days and if he doesn't recover I have to put him down which I am so sad about...

he's cleaning himself and he's eating but I couldn't imagine putting him down because he's so young and I just recently got him. I feel like it's my fault that I should have been home with him and I already lost two other guinea pigs. I asked my family did someone possibly go in my room because there are children in my family but they said no but I have been in my room and my nice has came into my room to check out my guinea pigs. So the children in my family could have accidentally dropped him idk... He is only a 6months old.. it's eating away with me not knowing what happened to him :(
 
Sorry I'm typing this on my phone for clarification my nieces and nephew have been called trying to get into my come into my room to see my guinea pigs. I don't want to point the finger at my family members but I would like us other people opinions.
 
Oh I'm sorry 😥 I'm afraid I don't have any advice on what you can do for your guinea pig, apart from keep him comfortable and if you have another one just make sure the injured one can have quiet time. If there are younger children in the house i'd speak to them again and make it clear they're not in trouble but you need to know if they went in your room and explain what's happened - I have a 4 year old and 15 month old and I think it's important they understand consequences of actions (bit harder with the 15 month old). If it wasn't them then you may never know - I'm sorry though xx
 
I’m sorry your boy has been injured somehow. I don’t have experience with this type of thing but have a few questions. Did the vet do any kind of x-ray to see what (if any) damage may have been done to his spine? Or was it a hands exam with no further tests? And assuming you were given metacam - is it dog or cat metacam, and how much and often (once or twice daily) were you told to give him?

I’ll tag @Wiebke @PigglePuggle @Piggies&buns @VickiA
 
I'm sorry this happened and that it's so hard to figure out what has gone on. What medication have you been given? Is it for pain or inflammation or something like that? Did the vet check for a bony injury of the spine or any other fractures with x-ray or anything like that? I would first want to rule out fractures or dislocated bones or any other skeletal problem that could need immobilization. If this has been ruled out, you are more likely looking at a nerve or soft-tissue injury.

Nerve damage/nerve pinching can be very painful and take some time to resolve. Peripheral nerves (nerves not in the spine and central nervous system) can regenerate but often take some time. Watch him closely for signs of improvement over the next 10 days. In the meantime, allow him some peace and quiet and make his environment easy to navigate (food/water near where he sleeps, no ramps to climb, etc.) Check to see that he is able to pee and poop on his own (spinal injuries can sometimes impair these functions.) Fingers crossed you will see some improvement over the next few days if it is a nerve injury.
 
I’m sorry your boy has been injured somehow. I don’t have experience with this type of thing but have a few questions. Did the vet do any kind of x-ray to see what (if any) damage may have been done to his spine? Or was it a hands exam with no further tests? And assuming you were given metacam - is it dog or cat metacam, and how much and often (once or twice daily) were you told to give him?

I’ll tag @Wiebke @PigglePuggle @Piggies&buns @VickiA
From what she told me that she pinched his foot and he didn't react to it from what she was told me. She never mentioned any x-ray at all just she pinched his foot and they should react to the pinch. Medicine she prescribed to us was a anti-inflammatory I think in the amount she told us to give him 0.07 I have to check. She Told us to give it to him twice a day
 
I'm sorry this happened and that it's so hard to figure out what has gone on. What medication have you been given? Is it for pain or inflammation or something like that? Did the vet check for a bony injury of the spine or any other fractures with x-ray or anything like that? I would first want to rule out fractures or dislocated bones or any other skeletal problem that could need immobilization. If this has been ruled out, you are more likely looking at a nerve or soft-tissue injury.

Nerve damage/nerve pinching can be very painful and take some time to resolve. Peripheral nerves (nerves not in the spine and central nervous system) can regenerate but often take some time. Watch him closely for signs of improvement over the next 10 days. In the meantime, allow him some peace and quiet and make his environment easy to navigate (food/water near where he sleeps, no ramps to climb, etc.) Check to see that he is able to pee and poop on his own (spinal injuries can sometimes impair these functions.) Fingers crossed you will see some improvement over the next few days if it is a nerve injury.
The veterinarian didn't take any x-rays from from my knowledge. She did a pinch test to show that he was paralyzed and that's about it. I did not see her do this test because I wasn't allowed in the building due to the virus. And the medicine she's cried is a inflammatory medicine if I'm not mistaken. It has enrofloxacin on the bottle
 
That’s an antibiotic and not an anti inflammatory. Did they say why they prescribed that and not metacam?
 
Can you get back in touch with the vet and get some pain killers? As siikibam has said enrofloxacin is an antibiotic so isn’t going to be of much use for any pain, it’ll only help with any infection
 
I would call them hi and ask why he was given an antibiotic rather than an anti inflammatory. And ask for metacam as advised above. Is the vet experienced in treating guinea pigs? Have a look at the vet locator link below and see if you’re able to have him seen by one from the list.
Guinea Lynx :: GL's Vet List
 
Can you get back in touch with the vet and get some pain killers? As siikibam has said enrofloxacin is an antibiotic so isn’t going to be of much use for any pain, it’ll only help with any infection
I honestly thought they gave me something to help with the pain so this is a total surprise to me. I assume thought since he's paralyzed that he doesn't feel pain. I will call the vet immediately
 
You don’t know if he’s feeling pain. And if there is a swelling perhaps the metacam could help alleviate it. But that’s not a given. I’m not a vet and don’t know what kind of injury it was so it’s all speculation from me. But I don’t understand why they would prescribe antibiotics - there was no mention of an infection....
 
I would call them hi and ask why he was given an antibiotic rather than an anti inflammatory. And ask for metacam as advised above. Is the vet experienced in treating guinea pigs? Have a look at the vet locator link below and see if you’re able to have him seen by one from the list.
Guinea Lynx :: GL's Vet List
I honestly couldn't say if this vet is experience with treating guinea pigs because it was my first time visiting this specific veterinarian. Not many people are experience with guinea pigs in my city so I was calling around and most doctors wouldn't be in for a week or so.
 
Okay. Call them and ask for anti inflammatory (dog metacam is preferred) and have a ring round of any on the link I sent you and see if they can squeeze him in. I think he really does need an x-ray, or at least something more than just pinching his foot.

Is he still producing poo and weeing? I’d suggest you also start weighing him at the same time each day and step in with syringe feeding if he’s losing weight.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
 
Okay. Call them and ask for anti inflammatory (dog metacam is preferred) and have a ring round of any on the link I sent you and see if they can squeeze him in. I think he really does need an x-ray, or at least something more than just pinching his foot.

Is he still producing poo and weeing?
I haven't noticed him peeing or pooping yet but he did eat hay with his brother. I did put them in a different cage to make sure the other guinea pigs don't disturb him. But I will check if he has pooped or peed yet
 
I wouldn’t separate him. Doing so can be stressful for them, and keeping them together can offer comfort. I don’t think they would bother him. Does he live with one or two boars?
 
I wouldn’t separate him. Doing so can be stressful for them, and keeping them together can offer comfort. I don’t think they would bother him. Does he live with one or two boars?
[/QUOTE
I wouldn’t separate him. Doing so can be stressful for them, and keeping them together can offer comfort. I don’t think they would bother him. Does he live with one or two boars?
oh thanks for the advice I just assumed that I should keep them separate because his injury and how the vet explained to me. there's two other boars but one belongs to my niece but they all get along together he's just visiting for a while.the only thing I'm worried about is my niece guinea pig is a big guinea pig compared to the other two mine they are size of my fist but smaller. he is a fully size adults and he likes to fit inside their tiny house
 
Did the vet say to separate him?

you can’t put three boars together in the same cage at all and certainly not a piggy who is just visiting. It can potentially cause huge problems for your own two.
 
Did the vet say to separate him?

you can’t put three boars together in the same cage at all and certainly not a piggy who is just visiting. It can potentially cause huge problems for your own two.
Yeah the vet told me to separate him to give him a rest and to make sure he doesn't move a lot. My cage is just pretty huge and I a divider in my cage so he can go on the opposite side . I Honestly didn't know but I will make sure he is put on the other side of the divider.
 
Back
Top