Urgent: Fell from a height.

[Pantalaimon]

Hello.
I put my pigs outside in their run this evening, and to prevent cats from entering the room that I share with them, I blocket the door with some C&C grids and a walking pole.

You can probably predict where this is going at this point.

When carrying them back in, I had forgotten to take down the barrier and tripped over it. I went flying, and luckily had the instinct to push them away from myself as I hit the ground so that they didn’t get crushed.

The younger one (Spider, 12 months) ran off and was fine, but my old boar (Pat, 6 years) was much worse off.

He has broken off his top incisors, they are still attached but obviously sore and there is a fair bit of blood as well as minor grazes to the lips. This has happened before (he walked right off a sideboard onto a stone floor when I took my eye off him for a second) so I know the general protocol (keep him eating, go to vet for removal and evening of the stumps, keep him eating until teeth have grown back). But my bigger concern is that he is bunny hopping.

I of course feel terrible about this. My parents are disappointed as we are supposed to be going on holiday for three days next week (won’t be happening if I have to care for him).

Right now, he is behaving normally, flopped under his hammock as he always does. But the hopping is really concerning me. He could just be bruised, or it could be a whole break.

I don’t have metacam on hand (my emergency stuff got used for another sick animal and I have no more). The vet will be contacted as soon as they open in the morning, and he will go for the first available appointment.

Is there anything I have missed in terms of immediate first aid? Is there anything more I should be aware of?

I am terrified that he could have a broken bone because of his age. In almost 10 years of guinea pig ownership I have not yet experienced a broken bone so I have no idea of the potential outcomes.

Thank you for any advice or reassurance. I always come here during my guinea pig crises and everyone is very helpful.

(Picture attached of Pat celebrating his 6th birthday in May)

 

[Wiebke]

Hello.
I put my pigs outside in their run this evening, and to prevent cats from entering the room that I share with them, I blocket the door with some C&C grids and a walking pole.

You can probably predict where this is going at this point.

When carrying them back in, I had forgotten to take down the barrier and tripped over it. I went flying, and luckily had the instinct to push them away from myself as I hit the ground so that they didn’t get crushed.

The younger one (Spider, 12 months) ran off and was fine, but my old boar (Pat, 6 years) was much worse off.

He has broken off his top incisors, they are still attached but obviously sore and there is a fair bit of blood as well as minor grazes to the lips. This has happened before (he walked right off a sideboard onto a stone floor when I took my eye off him for a second) so I know the general protocol (keep him eating, go to vet for removal and evening of the stumps, keep him eating until teeth have grown back). But my bigger concern is that he is bunny hopping.

I of course feel terrible about this. My parents are disappointed as we are supposed to be going on holiday for three days next week (won’t be happening if I have to care for him).

Right now, he is behaving normally, flopped under his hammock as he always does. But the hopping is really concerning me. He could just be bruised, or it could be a whole break.

I don’t have metacam on hand (my emergency stuff got used for another sick animal and I have no more). The vet will be contacted as soon as they open in the morning, and he will go for the first available appointment.

Is there anything I have missed in terms of immediate first aid? Is there anything more I should be aware of?

I am terrified that he could have a broken bone because of his age. In almost 10 years of guinea pig ownership I have not yet experienced a broken bone so I have no idea of the potential outcomes.

Thank you for any advice or reassurance. I always come here during my guinea pig crises and everyone is very helpful.

(Picture attached of Pat celebrating his 6th birthday in May)

Hi

HUGS

Please take a deep, calming breath. Falls with piggies or freak jumps happen to all of us at some point or other; I've certainly had my fair share over the years. It doesn't make you a bad owner.

Please see a vet tomorrow for an assessment. It is unlikely that he has broken a bone; it's usually just the front teeth, which in most cases regrow in due time.

Just give him time to calm down from the shock and try not to hover and transmit your own anxiety onto him right now. That is not helping.

Cut some cucumber into fine, short strips and see whether he can still eat them or whether he will have to rely on your feeding support full time.

Incisors are long curved teeth that are very prone to snapping in a fall.
When you have a look at the skull, you can clearly see why and why it is unlikely that other bones are broken. You may need to see your vet during the regrowing period when the lower incisors overgrow because they can no longer abrade against their opposites but it will all sort itself out once the upper incisors are growing back to their ideal length again.


Please take a step back and reassess any feeding care once you have seen the vet tomorrow and have got some painkiller as well.

We are here for more practical tips once you know what you are dealing with.

 

[Pantalaimon]

Hi

HUGS

Please take a deep, calming breath. Falls with piggies or freak jumps happen to all of us at some point or other; I've certainly had my fair share over the years. It doesn't make you a bad owner.

Please see a vet tomorrow for an assessment. It is unlikely that he has broken a bone; it's usually just the front teeth, which in most cases regrow in due time.

Just give him time to calm down from the shock and try not to hover and transmit your own anxiety onto him right now. That is not helping.

Cut some cucumber into fine, short strips and see whether he can still eat them or whether he will have to rely on your feeding support full time.

Incisors are long curved teeth that are very prone to snapping in a fall.
When you have a look at the skull, you can clearly see why and why it is unlikely that other bones are broken. You may need to see your vet during the regrowing period when the lower incisors overgrow because they can no longer abrade against their opposites but it will all sort itself out once the upper incisors are growing back to their ideal length again.
View attachment 286572

Please take a step back and reassess any feeding care once you have seen the vet tomorrow and have got some painkiller as well.

We are here for more practical tips once you know what you are dealing with.

Thank you. I feel pretty stupid for not just turning around and finding someone to help me remove the barrier!

The teeth are obviously pretty unpleasant, but not my biggest concern. He has accepted a pea flake without hesitation, though he was a bit slow to arrange it in his mouth (probably quite sore). I am leaving him alone to sleep and recover from the initial shock for a while.

My biggest concern is the way he is not moving his back legs properly. He is "bunny-hopping" in a way that implies pain in the rear end. I have seen it once before in an elderly pig who had a sudden onset of something GI related and was in a huge amount of pain. (never did find out the cause, but she was 7-8 and dead within 24 hours so I would assume a blockage). I'm just hoping he is a bit bruised and no broken legs.

I'm guessing they will do x-rays if he is still limping in the morning. Hopefully I can get an appointment with my exotics vet, not the other vets at the practice.

 

[CTWC]

Morning please don't be too harsh on yourself you clearly love your guineas and it was an accident. I hope all goes well at the vets

 

[thewheakybeans]

Good luck at the vets today and hope they find out what’s causing him to hop.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you. I feel pretty stupid for not just turning around and finding someone to help me remove the barrier!

The teeth are obviously pretty unpleasant, but not my biggest concern. He has accepted a pea flake without hesitation, though he was a bit slow to arrange it in his mouth (probably quite sore). I am leaving him alone to sleep and recover from the initial shock for a while.

My biggest concern is the way he is not moving his back legs properly. He is "bunny-hopping" in a way that implies pain in the rear end. I have seen it once before in an elderly pig who had a sudden onset of something GI related and was in a huge amount of pain. (never did find out the cause, but she was 7-8 and dead within 24 hours so I would assume a blockage). I'm just hoping he is a bit bruised and no broken legs.

I'm guessing they will do x-rays if he is still limping in the morning. Hopefully I can get an appointment with my exotics vet, not the other vets at the practice.

Yes, please have the spine and back legs checked as well as soon as you can; spinal injuries can take a while to develop. Most vets have emergency slots for the day if you call first thing in the morning.
He will be rather sore and painful in the next few days as he must be rather bruised (and so will you, unfortunately), poor chap! But if he can chew a pea flake, then there shouldn't be anything broken.

Please try not to beat yourself up too much. This comes under the category of 'unforeseeable and therefore not preventable life lesson'. We all hit these kind of potholes when we are distracted or not braced for something.
As long as you take it on board, find a more constructive solution for the actual problem so there is no repeat of that particular mistake, and as long as you grow from it as a person, you are doing fine. Concentrate on finding a better solution for the barrier problem and call for help sooner.
We grow with the getting up from mistakes and learning to use our pain and sorrow to spur us on, but we can't grow as humans with a zero tolerance for mistakes as if we have to be saints, never putting a foot wrong.
Learning to deal with regrets in a positive way is one of the major challenges as an adult because none of us is perfect. Adulthood is a life long learning curve and a growing collection of bruises and regrets - but also a growing collection of coping strategies and empathy/understanding for others (or 'wisdom'), which is not something you acquire the easy way.

Of course, you are going to do your best for your boy. Have you got any feeding formula at home if he struggles to eat hay?
How to Improvise Feeding Support in an Emergency
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

I am keeping my fingers firmly crossed for your boy and for you.

 

[Pantalaimon]

Thank you all.

He is moving more normally, but still a bit stiffly. He is eating with enthusiasm, but getting a bit frustrated with trying to organise the food in his mouth. His teeth are making the most hideous clacking noise as he eats!

Vet at 5 this evening. On the positive side, it means I get a chance to discuss a spay for my other pig, which Pat will be very happy about (she is a monster).

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you all.

He is moving more normally, but still a bit stiffly. He is eating with enthusiasm, but getting a bit frustrated with trying to organise the food in his mouth. His teeth are making the most hideous clacking noise as he eats!

Vet at 5 this evening. On the positive side, it means I get a chance to discuss a spay for my other pig, which Pat will be very happy about (she is a monster).

That is great news - he will be rather bruised, so moving around is going to be painful for the next few days but it should get a little better with every passing day. It's also a good sign that he is eating. Please switch to weighing him daily before his breakfast for best day to day comparison since you cannot judge the hay intake and may have to supplement feed.

All the best for his mouth and teeth!

 

[Merab]

So sorry that Pat has had an accident.
Hope all goes well at the vets.
Hugs

 

[ScrufflesRules]

Good luck at the vets, these horrible accidents happen. I hope they can get him some decent pain relief and fingers crossed put your mind at rest.

 

[Pantalaimon]

That is great news - he will be rather bruised, so moving around is going to be painful for the next few days but it should get a little better with every passing day. It's also a good sign that he is eating. Please switch to weighing him daily before his breakfast for best day to day comparison since you cannot judge the hay intake and may have to supplement feed.

All the best for his mouth and teeth!

I weighed him around noon and he is about 80g lower than usual so I got some critical care mixed for him. He was obviously hungry as he was trying to eat it while I was mixing it! Didn’t even need a syringe, he was slurping it off the spoon, and it’s the aniseed one, so a pretty horrible flavour!

 

[Merab]

I weighed him around noon and he is about 80g lower than usual so I got some critical care mixed for him. He was obviously hungry as he was trying to eat it while I was mixing it! Didn’t even need a syringe, he was slurping it off the spoon, and it’s the aniseed one, so a pretty horrible flavour!

Mine have all loved the aniseed flavour so some piggies obviously like it.
Glad he wants to eat.
He’s in excellent hands with you

 

[Wiebke]

I weighed him around noon and he is about 80g lower than usual so I got some critical care mixed for him. He was obviously hungry as he was trying to eat it while I was mixing it! Didn’t even need a syringe, he was slurping it off the spoon, and it’s the aniseed one, so a pretty horrible flavour!

Great that you are fully on the ball and that is well enough in himself to be very hungry and to actively feed himself. Those are very positive signs.

 

[Pantalaimon]

Mine have all loved the aniseed flavour so some piggies obviously like it.
Glad he wants to eat.
He’s in excellent hands with you

I have had pigs who hated the aniseed so much they would rather starve! To be honest, I would probably also choose starvation over aniseed.

 

[Wiebke]

I have had pigs who hated the aniseed so much they would rather starve! To be honest, I would probably also choose starvation over aniseed.

I love aniseed... and aniseed biscuits! There you are - each to their own. It's another 'marmite' flavour that divides very much.

But it is always nice when piggies accept the flavour of their recovery care product. One battle less to fight.

 

[Pantalaimon]

Just an update. Pat was sedated and had his detached teeth removed. He seems to be a bit more comfortable without them.

Still munching critical care, though he doesn’t like it refrigerated.

I remembered to ask the vet for his (Pats, not the vets!) teeth this time and I have them in a specimen tube!

 

[Pantalaimon]

I love aniseed... and aniseed biscuits! There you are - each to their own. It's another 'marmite' flavour that divides very much.

But it is always nice when piggies accept the flavour of their recovery care product. One battle less to fight.

I think I need to try it in more ways. I have mostly encountered it in aniseed balls as my mum loves them (they are vile, I don’t know how anyone can eat them!).

He has always had a very good appetite. So much so that I have had issues with getting enough food into his cagemates!

 

[piggieminder]

I haven't had aniseed for years. I used to love the aniseed balls when I was at school. I've never had a guinea pig like the aniseed recovery food.
I hope Pat gets well very soon, poor boy.

 

[weepweeps]

Good luck Pat. I hope your teeth grow back quickly.

 

[CTWC]

Morning how are you all today?

 

[Pantalaimon]

Still loving the critical care. Back up over 900g today. Hopefully he will be back at 960 by the end of the week (or even higher, I like older pigs to have a bit of fat for emergencies).