Whats Happening Advice Urgent Please - Babies Dying.

[Curtis Cavies]

Hi. One of my rescued females has had two babies on Friday. She seems to have managed extremely well on her own. I just happened to walk in and she had had one baby and as lifted the hay there was a clicking noise, I found another that she had not cleared the sac from nostrils and mouth. I did this and the sac from first from around its feet. She seemed terrified of them at first but I I tucked the up near her and instinct clicked in and she is wonderful with them.
Today though I have noticed that as I have fed breakfast to my clan and to Natasha with her babes, which I have placed in an indoor cage inside the indoor enclosure that all my girls live in together, that Natasha is limping badly on one of her back legs, if not dragging it. And she is soaked all up around her bottom and back and completely underneath her belly to almost between her font legs with urine. Can anyone tell me what has happened and how I should intervene? I have tried to gently clean her up and put fresh bedding in to see if it has stopped when I check again. She seems very content and is carrying on life very normally, no distress at all and cleaning the babes and letting them feed. I haven't had baby guinea pigs since I was a teenager, 30+years ago. Never had this problem then. Is there something I can do to help before I go down vet and antibiotic route as I'm worried for the babes taking that from her milk?

 

[Curtis Cavies]

Hi hoping wiebke can help me here. Posted in pregnancy section just now for advice for my rescued girl who has just had babies. Not sure if the post should have been here? Can you help or know who can please.
Thank you.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi. One of my rescued females has had two babies on Friday. She seems to have managed extremely well on her own. I just happened to walk in and she had had one baby and as lifted the hay there was a clicking noise, I found another that she had not cleared the sac from nostrils and mouth. I did this and the sac from first from around its feet. She seemed terrified of them at first but I I tucked the up near her and instinct clicked in and she is wonderful with them.
Today though I have noticed that as I have fed breakfast to my clan and to Natasha with her babes, which I have placed in an indoor cage inside the indoor enclosure that all my girls live in together, that Natasha is limping badly on one of her back legs, if not dragging it. And she is soaked all up around her bottom and back and completely underneath her belly to almost between her font legs with urine. Can anyone tell me what has happened and how I should intervene? I have tried to gently clean her up and put fresh bedding in to see if it has stopped when I check again. She seems very content and is carrying on life very normally, no distress at all and cleaning the babes and letting them feed. I haven't had baby guinea pigs since I was a teenager, 30+years ago. Never had this problem then. Is there something I can do to help before I go down vet and antibiotic route as I'm worried for the babes taking that from her milk?

Hi

Please have mum seen by a vet asap! Take her with her pups, but she definitely needs medical care NOW in case she has broken or dislocated her leg; the longer she is left, the less can be done for her. You cannot leave her without painkiller and medical care for days on end. Your vet should able to work out what is the matter and how to best treat her under the circumstances.

Weigh her daily to make sure that she is able to eat enough hay, which should make over 80% of her daily food intake and also get enough water within reach of where she is sitting most while she has only very limited mobility. If she is losing weight quickly, start topping her up with syringe feeding and watering.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Ideally you bring her and the pups indoors if you haven't got them indoors already. If you have got a hutch with a ramp, it can be likely she may have fallen down it.

Clean the area she is sitting at least twice daily to prevent urine scald for as long as she has limited mobility. Replace any pads and cosies as often. Gently wipe the area with hand warm water and dry carefully.

Here is our advice re. pregnancy/nursing diet and baby care:
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/pregnancy-and-nursing-diet.109377/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/after-birth-and-baby-care.109389/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/sexing-separating-baby-boars-and-rehoming-babies.109391/

 

[Freela]

There's really no way to know without a vet assessment- I would pack off both she and her babies to the vet so as not to separate them. It's possible she has injured her pelvis or leg in the birth, or could have a totally unrelated injury. Hoping for a speedy recovery!