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Very poorly guinea

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Guinea Wiggies

Guinea Wiggies

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Please can anybody offer me any advice, my guinea pig Lilly has seemed quiet for the last few days although she has been eating. Yesterday I came home and she seemed to be hopping when walking and wouldn't eat very much. She later seemed to get worse to the point she seemed very uncomfortable when sitting like her stomach was hurting. I stayed up cuddling her to keep her warm and she is going to the vets this morning but I would like an idea of what it could be.

Thanks
 
Guinea Wiggies said:
Please can anybody offer me any advice, my guinea pig Lilly has seemed quiet for the last few days although she has been eating. Yesterday I came home and she seemed to be hopping when walking and wouldn't eat very much. She later seemed to get worse to the point she seemed very uncomfortable when sitting like her stomach was hurting. I stayed up cuddling her to keep her warm and she is going to the vets this morning but I would like an idea of what it could be.

Thanks
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aww bless, is she pooping and peeing ok?
 
Yes she seems to be weeing ok, she was pooing last night but she hasn't this morning but suspect that is because she hasn't really eaten much.
 
At least she is drinking fluid though,Ahhhhhhhh hope she gets better soon,x,sue
 
She has been to the vets. The vet has given her antibiotics,(baytril, 0.2mil twice daily). She said she could feel a small lump near her left leg and said this could be an ovarian cyst or could just be a build up of poo in her gut. I have to take her back tommorrow and if there is no improvement they will think about x rays.
It's such a shame she seems to be trying to fight it. Not ready to let her go yet, will do whatever it takes.
 
oh bless, hope shes ok, how old is she?

Did the vet recommend also giving a probiotic? I would if taking baytril so it balances out the gut, as baytril is harsh, (sorry if you already know that)

Fingers crossed x
 
She is nearly four. Yes I put some probiotic in her bottle last night so hopefully antibiotics won't upset her tum. Just hope I can tempt her in to eating, she looks so skinny and weak 8... She goes back to vets tommorrow and if no improvements she will have further tests. Fingers crossed for my little babs!
 
Bless her, I really hope she is ok and you get to the bottom of what is making her poorly.
 
Sorry to hear your piggie is unwell.

Mobility issues with those symptoms suggest to me there's pain in the abdominal region rather than the legs themselves e.g. bladder inflammation or stone, or a gastric problem - specifically bloat.

If the vet is sure there is no blockage i.e. from bloat then you will need to syringe feed her, it is essential that you do so if she is not eating enough to sustain her physical strength (to hold off obvious weakness) and her weight. Aim for an absolute minimum of 10ml every 3-4 hours, preferably more - I tend to aim for 20-30ml every four hours these days, basically the more you can safely get into the pig the better. I have a factsheet you may find helpful, it has tips on syringe feeding, so if you wish I can email a copy to you; if you drop me an email at [email protected] I can reply with the info.
 
Laura-CCC4 said:
Sorry to hear your piggie is unwell.

Mobility issues with those symptoms suggest to me there's pain in the abdominal region rather than the legs themselves e.g. bladder inflammation or stone, or a gastric problem - specifically bloat.

If the vet is sure there is no blockage i.e. from bloat then you will need to syringe feed her, it is essential that you do so if she is not eating enough to sustain her physical strength (to hold off obvious weakness) and her weight. Aim for an absolute minimum of 10ml every 3-4 hours, preferably more - I tend to aim for 20-30ml every four hours these days, basically the more you can safely get into the pig the better. I have a factsheet you may find helpful, it has tips on syringe feeding, so if you wish I can email a copy to you; if you drop me an email at [email protected] I can reply with the info.
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Thanks, she semed more interested in her food last night and this morning, she was even moving and getting it herself.
The vet did say she could feel a very small lump near her left leg at the back, she said this could be an ovarian cyst or maybe just a build up of food in her gut. Do you know if this could cause pain and therefore difficulty walking?
 
Great that she is eating a bit more, I would advise weighing her daily to get a more accurate measure of whether she is eating enough.

Pain will affect appetite.

Did the vet say whether the lump was felt more on the surface or actually on palpating the abdomen (i.e. it was felt "internally" )? If it was an ovarian cyst I would expect other symptoms e.g. enlarged nipples, abdominal swelling, hair loss, hormonal behaviour.

But to me, what you describe sounds along the same lines as one of my own pigs earlier this year, which was bloat, the lumps I felt just beneath the surface I could follow as I treated the bloat, they were a backlog of poops e.g. slowdown of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which to me I can also translate to "a build up of food in the gut".

I would personally be looking for other signs of bloat, treating for this, and then if there is any issue with the regularity of poops I would consider discussing a gut motility drug (metoclopramide) with the vet.
 
sending you a hug, I have an ill piggie at the moment, its very upsetting, I hope she if feeling better soon, sally
 
She seemed to be a lot better yesterday and was walking almost normal and eating well but this morning she is hopping again and seems very uncomfortable. What are the systoms of bloat and what can I do for her?
 
You may find these threads helpful with regards to a possible bloat situation:

http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=57368

http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=57336

http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=52972

http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=48701

And my own experiences of a pig with bloat: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=43701

Hopefully by reading throug those threads, you can see if there is anything you recognise as being similar to something your own pig is suffering or has perhaps been prone to.

Otherwise I would consider whether she is in pain from her bladder or kidneys (i.e. have her x-rayed and checked for stones).
 
Thanks. She has had cystitus a number of times and has been very similar to the way she is now, do you it could be this again?
 
Given she does have a history of cystitis, and if you don't feel bloat is quite along the right lines according to her symptoms, I would certainly be looking further into the idea of bladder trouble. A painful and inflamed bladder can and often does affect how a piggie walks, whether the pain is purely inflammation (Interstitial Cystitis) or whether a stone has formed, I do think an x-ray would be a wise step to take sooner rather than later.
 
Lilly still isn't totally right. She is still quiet and now only weighs 750g (although her normal weight is only 900g) We went back to the vet on friday and I explained that she wasn't better yet, the vet had a good feel round her back end and says she thinks she can feel lumps near her kidneys. She is going for x rays today and I have told the vet not to sedate her but I am worried that she won't keep still. Do you think she would survive if they did sedate her?
 
I am glad she is being x-rayed, I hope it gives a clue as to what the problem is.

At her weight I would be a little nervous about a general anaesthetic being used, but that is not to say it should be avoided at all costs, but if they do give any anaesthetic I would hope they give just enough for a few minutes sedation.

Regarding her weight, it may be worth, whatever the outcome of the x-rays, offering a couple of syringe feeds a day to try and build her up. A pig with an appetite will usually lap syringe feeds right up, you could probably manage a good 20-40ml twice a day - in addition to her normal foods - which could really boost her weight.

And finally, just a warning in advance, if the vet finds ovarian cysts (one possible explanation for lumps near the kidneys, if the vet was accurate in saying this), surgery is not the only option. Not saying ovarian cysts seem likely given everything else said in this thread, but what the vet said about lumps near the kidneys, ovarian cysts have been described as such.
 
That is why I don't want them to I don't think she would wake up she is so tiny. She has been eating quite a lot but doesn't seem to be gaining weight, like I said she has always been small her normal weight is only 900g.
She did suggest that it could be cysts but kidneys seems more likely.
I feel so sick with nerves, she is at the vets now, they will ring me and let me know if they have been able to do it.
 
Just a little update. My vet didn't even try to do the x ray, she had a feel of the lump and said it is a tumor and the way to find out what type of tumor is to open her up and see. There's no way I want to risk her life 'just to see'. So I have booked to in to see a guinea pig specialist vet tonight, it is about 45minutes away from my home but I will do anything for my baby! Lilly actually seems a lot better today and certainly won't be happy at two visits to the vets.
 
I hope that you the new vet can offer some positive treatment. Will be thinking of you and Lilly. x
 
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