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Vet struggling to diagnose - problems eating

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Rosie's Mum

Rosie's Mum

Junior Guinea Pig
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Conwy, North Wales
Hi!

I wondered if any of you had had a similar problem and could help?

Rosie is just over 1 years old, but is acting like a very old pig on her last legs...about 2 months ago she lost a load of weight and was struggling to eat. She was also very wobbly on her feet and wanted to sleep most of the time, avoiding the other piggies (2 girls and one neutered boy). She's never been the most sociable pig, but she was one of the fattest I've had, weighing 1175g at just 9 months old. She ran about desperate to find food but then wasn't that interested and gave up after a very short while. She only fancies softer food eg soaked pellets, cucumber. She also had one eye that didn't look totally right, and was weeping.

Took her to the vet for a once over, he couldn't find anything wrong and decided that if she carried on losing weight that she would need an anethsetic to check her teeth. Week later she had that, and had her teeth clipped, there was a spur apparently on one side. Well that was a disaster - she could nolonger eat as well as she was doing, and I had to hand feed her for a couple of weeks to keep her going.

She can now bite better, but her teeth have grown back lopsided again, and again she still only eats with effort. It seems to me that she can't really use her paws like the other piggies do to hold their food while they eat, and she has trouble using her mouth to get the food in off the floor. I suspect she might have had a stroke or a fall on one side, because she only seems to use one side of her mouth, and the other side she has the weak eye, and she dribbles. Has anyone had experience of a piggie who's had a stroke?

I'm taking her to the vet tomorrow am for an xray and another full exam, by a different vet, and I'm not letting them clip her teeth again! But I wanted to get any advice/guidance before I see the vet, so I can guide them in the right direction!
 
Hi,

Sorry to hear you are having problems with your little piggy.

It sounds like you need a specialist piggy vet, one experienced in dental problems. Where abouts in the UK are you?
 
Hi Rosie's Mum,

I really feel for your situation and having had two pigs in the past who have struggled to eat I know what your going though, had the unexplained weight loss to and un-diagnosed illnesses so your not alone.

First off can I ask where you are, it is so important to find a good piggy slavy vet when my boys have there teeth fixed it's done conscious and they eat straight away I have found a huge difference between vets and you really need to find a good one.

I have had my fair share of not so cavy savy vets.

Jo xx
 
Hello & welcome to the forum :) I'm sorry to hear your piggy is poorly. I am wondering if there is an underlying problem, such as the root of the tooth itself that may be causing the eye to weep, but hopefully someone like Furry Friends will see this soon & advise you with regards dental issues. Is your vet very experienced with piggies? Someone on here may be able to give details of experienced vets that may be of more help should you want a second opinion :)
 
Hello and welcome to the forum.

It may well be that your piggies teeth were not trimmed correctly in the first place. So ensure you see a vet who is experienced in dealing with piggies. If you wish to change vets or see someone different let us knowyour location and many of us on here will happily give you a recommended vet.

The dribbling and having trouble picking up food is a sign of dental problems. As for the eye, it could be unrelated. I havent heard of many piggies having stokes just inner ear disease which causes head tilts/circling and disorientation.

Your piggie sounds like its in need of a good experienced vet. I hope she get better soon.

x.
 
Thanks for all your replies!
I could definately do with a vet that doesn't need to anesthetise to check teeth! I'm in Conwy, North Wales. My vet tried to check without putting her out, but every time he says there's too much food in the way.
Inner ear could be an idea, it would explain her wobbliness and generally feeling unwell.
 
Rosie's Mum said:
Thanks for all your replies!
I could definately do with a vet that doesn't need to anesthetise to check teeth! I'm in Conwy, North Wales. My vet tried to check without putting her out, but every time he says there's too much food in the way.
Inner ear could be an idea, it would explain her wobbliness and generally feeling unwell.
Click to expand...

I don't know how close you are to Glynneath but Suzy that runs Glynneath Guinea pig rescue recommends:

Recommended vets
Lance Jepson - Neath, Swansea and West Wales
Mark Bridges - Cardiff

My geography isn't the best I know they use GA but they are good vets.
 
Thanks for your help, but those are both in South Wales and over 2 hours away from us, we're North Wales. We're only an hour from Liverpool, or an hour and a half from Manchester if anyone knows any good vets there?
 
Aha! I've just found the recomended vets list! There are 3 half an hour away, great news! Now question is, does anyone recommend any in particular, and any vet at those surgeries? I'm looking at the ones in Clywd - Meadowbank or Grange both in Mold?
 
Thanks Suzy, it's great to get a personal recommendation for a great vet that's not too far from me :)

Just got back from the vets, and the prognosis is not good :(, but I'm not surprised, I did think it was more than a dental problem, and I wanted to see if I could find out what it was and if there was a cure. Vet noticed that her eye on her weak side doesn't blink, and now I'm wondering if maybe she's blind in that eye and that's one reason for her wobbliness and unwillingness to move much. She saw lots of gunk in her ear on that side, so thinks there's a possibility it could be an ear infection and so has given me baytrill for 7 days, but she also thinks it could be a brain tumour.

Has anyone else had experience of either of these two conditions? And any advice on how best to keep her comfortable? I tried the trick with clothespegs and food and that's really helpful, because she can't pick up off the floor very easily and prefers me to stand there and hold her food for her!

If it was an ear infection surely her eye would be OK - I don't want her to suffer the baytrill if its not going to help?

Thanks for your help so far guys! She's a fighter, and is so loving, she licked me while we were at the vets, and she keeps asking for Reiki now she knows how it feels!
 
To be quite honest, I can't believe a vet would say it's possibly a brain tumour and not did anymore test's. If she has an inner ear infection, it can be treated but may leave her with a head tilt.

The eye, maybe caused by elongated tooth roots, which may have caused an abscess behind the eye.

To be quite frank, I tend to find vet's prescribe Baytril when they don't know what's wrong. Baytril is the only drug that is licensed for guinea pigs so the easy option. I would go to Molly for a second opinion.
 
I would have to agree to get a second opinion from Molly. Your vet doesnt sound too sure. Ear infections usually cause head tilts, and i agree the eye could well be related to the teeth. Piggies dont blink so easily as dogs and cats, there eyes are less sensitive. If your piggie were to not be blinking at all she would have a horrendous eye ulcer by now. Your vet may have mistaken the less reactive eye because they are used to dogs/cats blink reflex being very sensitive. Please see Molly for a second opinion. I'm not convinced by your vet. Sorry.

x.
 
Thanks, I was thinking the same myself, but wanted to check what general opinion was - I was gobsmacked when she said "it could be a brain tumour" and then didn't offer anymore tests or help! I think she just thinks that she's "on the way out"! She even said "its probably just her age" and then I had to remind her that she's only 1! I do need to get her to a savy vet, my only concern is the drive - obviously she hates being in the car because of her balance problem - when we pulled up on the drive today she did that little "brrrr" they do to tell you off! I do think she is blind in that eye though - it all makes sense now because she's been turning her head to the side to look at me since this problem started, poor love.
 
Bless her. I can understand your worry about the drive. But i think to get a better diagnoses and help her more it would be worth it. If Suzy says she is very good i would definatly go.

x.
 
I know first hand what crap vet's are like, I lost my guinea pig because of it even though I did seek another vet I ran out of time.

I'm wishing your girl every success, and I'm not trying to scare you. My guinea pig was in a very different position, we're routing for your girl!

x
 
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Aww such sad news, hope that you can get to see Molly Varga next week, also hope there will be a better outcome, and that is is something that can be easily treated.
 
Rosie's Mum said:
Thanks Suzy, it's great to get a personal recommendation for a great vet that's not too far from me :)

Just got back from the vets, and the prognosis is not good :(, but I'm not surprised, I did think it was more than a dental problem, and I wanted to see if I could find out what it was and if there was a cure. Vet noticed that her eye on her weak side doesn't blink, and now I'm wondering if maybe she's blind in that eye and that's one reason for her wobbliness and unwillingness to move much. She saw lots of gunk in her ear on that side, so thinks there's a possibility it could be an ear infection and so has given me baytrill for 7 days, but she also thinks it could be a brain tumour.

Has anyone else had experience of either of these two conditions? And any advice on how best to keep her comfortable? I tried the trick with clothespegs and food and that's really helpful, because she can't pick up off the floor very easily and prefers me to stand there and hold her food for her!

If it was an ear infection surely her eye would be OK - I don't want her to suffer the baytrill if its not going to help?

Thanks for your help so far guys! She's a fighter, and is so loving, she licked me while we were at the vets, and she keeps asking for Reiki now she knows how it feels!
Click to expand...

I didn't think guinea pigs blinked anyway? Mine never do.
 
Rosie's Mum said:
Thanks, I'll take her next week!
Click to expand...

Please phone the clinic and make the appointment as soon as you can as I would imagine getting an appointment with Molly can be tricky - my vet certainly gets booked up in advance.

If you wait until after the weekend to phone you may have to wait even longer.

Suzy x
 
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