• 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

Unsteady Legs

Status
Not open for further replies.

joanie

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Oct 8, 2014
Messages
60
Reaction score
47
Points
165
Location
lincolnshire, uk
Ive checked on my piggies this morning and one doesnt seem right at all. He had an ear infection last month and i thought it had cleared up but this morning he seems to have unsteady back legs and hes fallen a couple of times again like he did when he had the earinfection. Could it have come back? His ears look clean. Also he has an awful smell coming from his back end. He will be seeing a vet this evening but has anyone got any ideas? Ive got to go to work and I'm not going to be able to stop worrying
 
It could well be that he has got an inner ear infection which is affecting his balance; especially if the previous infection was undertreated or has not healed out fully. Please ask your vet for either a stronger antibiotic or a higher dosage than previously. It is good that you have your boy promptly seen tonight, as ear infections are a serious illness. Alternatively balance issues can be caused by neurological problems, which are much harder to diagnose and treat - if at all.
It would be good if you got hold of a probiotic to bolster the guts of your boy while he is on a stronger antibiotic, which can have an appetite dampening effect and is hard on the gut fauna. You give a pinch of probiotic about 1-2 hours after the antibiotic for best effect.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...vitamin-c-overview-with-product-links.115404/

The awful smell at the bum end is likely due to either impaction or a hardened semen rod stuck around the penis - both conditions are smelly, very uncomfortable to painful and can lead to an infection of you do not check your boy's bits regularly and clean them out whenever necessary. if you are squeamish, your vet can do it for you this time and see how bad it is, but it would be good if you had a regular look from now on. Impaction is caused by weakening muscles mainly in older boars and needs regular care for the rest of the life; how often depends on how weak the muscles are.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/impaction-recovery-how-to-help-your-guinea-pig.120787/

Wishing you and your poorly boy all the best! Keep him as comfy as you can and make sure that you have got everything you need at home in case you need to start hand feeding.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/complete-hand-feeding-guide.115359/
 
Thank you for your reply. I was watching him closely before I came to work and I am pretty certain it is an ear infection back again as he was walking in circles and his head it tilted again. He didn't finish his antibiotics last time as they made him ill (the vet didn't give me a probiotic!) so I know what to ask for this time! Ha ha no I'm not squeamish I don't mind checking his boy bits, I'll give him a good clean up tonight. Thanks alot for your help.
 
Ive just got back from the vets and ive got more baytril and a probiotic for my guinea. Hes really gone down hill fast since this morning I'm not feeling very positive at the min. Hes lost his balance completely and keeps falling and is struggling to get up. He just fell and rolled onto his back and couldnt get up without my help
 
Ive just got back from the vets and ive got more baytril and a probiotic for my guinea. Hes really gone down hill fast since this morning I'm not feeling very positive at the min. Hes lost his balance completely and keeps falling and is struggling to get up. He just fell and rolled onto his back and couldnt get up without my help

I'm ever so sorry; how high is the dosage? if it is going to work, he will h

Could you please put him in a confined place (like a padeed cardboard box where he is propped up by soft cosies on either side?
 
The baytril label says 2.5% and hes got to have 0.4ml twice a day. Thats a good idea about putting him in a box propped up. Thank you
 
At least your vet is giving the higher dose of baytril and not a ridiculously low one. Fingers firmly crossed!

Please water and hand feed if necessary to keep him going until the meds cut in. it is likely going to be a bit of a race against time and a very anxious time for you. I am very sorry that you find yourself in this kind of situation that we all dread. :(
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/complete-hand-feeding-guide.115359/

Lots of vibes! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
I wont sleep tonight! I cant thank u enough for your advice. No doubt i will be back on here again at some point! x
 
Just thought i would write a little update and its not the update i thought id be giving. I am so pleasedto say my little boy has improved slightly. On monday i was preparing myself for the worst but he has picked up ever so slightly each day. His walking is still very slow and unsteady but he is not falling now. He still has a long way to go but he is clearly a little fighter and not ready to give up! The above links have been so helpful thank you :nod:
 
I am so glad that your boy is still hanging in there; what a relief for you! I am keeping my fingers firmly crossed that he continues to improve.
 
Does anybody kmow how long it takes for an ear infection to clear up? My piggy had a check up with the vet last night and had improved but this morning his balance is all over the place again. Its upsetting me so much. Hes been on baytril for 10 days
 
Does anybody kmow how long it takes for an ear infection to clear up? My piggy had a check up with the vet last night and had improved but this morning his balance is all over the place again. Its upsetting me so much. Hes been on baytril for 10 days

It depends very much on the severity and tenacity of the infection. Please contact your vet asap if you feel that there is a deterioration. Your vet may consider switching to a higher dose or to a stronger antibiotic.
 
I just popped home in my lunch break to feed him and check on him and I put him on the carpet to see how he is walking. Last night on the carpet he was still very slow but wasn't falling, that's why I was so alarmed to see him falling over in the cage this morning. Anyway, when I put him on the floor just now, at first he was dragging his back legs and was very unsteady but then he picked up speed again and lifted his back end off the floor more to move and didn't fall at all, so I'm thinking it;s maybe him getting used to walking around after sitting / laying for long periods. I am certainly going to keep watching him and will rush him back to the vets if he gets any worse or doesn't improve for that matter.
 
Oh, you poor thing and your poor little piggie boy! What a terrible roller coaster ride you have been on. Up one day, down the next. Our thoughts are with you, hoping your boy gets better very soon. Sending healing vibes and big (((((((HUGS)))))).
 
Can somebody please help me? I am waiting for an emergency vet to ring me back but I'm in a panic in the meantime. My little boy is still struggling to walk and now hes making like a grunting sound coming from his nose ive been up all night with him and hes been doing it. Could it be the discharge from his ear running from his nose? His chest/lungs sound clear. Also hes like trembling. Hes not eating so i am feeding him mashed up pellets and syringing him water
 
I cant offer any advice but just wanted to send hugs over to you guys! Hang in there! x
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top