Wiebke's Rules: Precise How-to Guidance and Quick Panic Breaker Health Checks

[Wiebke]

1 What are Wiebke's Rules for?
2 Wiebke's Rules Precise How-to Guides
- Weight and Weight Loss Rules
- Introducing and Reintroducing Foods
- Medication Issues (Missed Slots and Wrong Amounts)
- How to Make Your Own Disinfectant At Home (Saline Solution)
3 Anxiety and Easy Checks for Potential Health Issues
- Pet Owner's Anxiety: Practical Advice for Sufferers and Supporters
- Reference Pictures Folder
- How Quickly to See a Vet: A Nurse's Guide
- Easy Health Checks at Home
- Further Helpful Links


1 What are Wiebke's Rules for?
Wiebke's Rules are guides for all the 'little' issues that are too obvious to need explaining for experienced owners and that are decidedly not for those who don't have that practice.
Guides are also included where going by numbers only can be problematic because they fail to put a problem into the proper perspective and can cause unnecessary worry or false safety. Those guides will help you to understand that wider context and how it works.

The links in the first section are also very much aimed at members who require very precise step by step guidance and clear amounts in order to feel safe. The steps in the Wiebke's Rules guides are deliberately erring on the side of caution and already have that extra safety cushion that anxiety sufferers need in order to follow them to the letter with confidence and trust but with having an in-built margin of error if they are unable to reach perfection.

There is also information aimed specifically at new owners and owners prone to panic in order to help them prevent or minimise unnecessary panic attacks by giving them (or a support person) the tools for a quick rule of thumb home check so they can put a potential problem into perspective as fast as possible and take the appropriate action - or hopefully just be able to take a deep breath before instinctively focusing on the worst case scenario.

If you have a health problem, please do the quick check and open a support thread in our Health/Illness section or our End of Life section but try to stay off doing any personal online research because the perspective on there is very skewed: You will inevitably get all the horror stories and miracle cures but what is missing is the vast majority of normal outcomes because they are just taken for granted and are not considered worth posting about.
Bingeing on worst case scenarios can become addictive but it is essentially a non-physical form of self-harming and not conducive to dealing constructively with a problem or helping your piggy. The same in somewhat milder form also applies for forum searches. You have to be aware that we are more often sought out for help with complex issues and bad outcomes than is representative for the overall occurrances.

By opening a thread, you can be assured that we are making that initial assessment for you and giving you the necessary reassurance and ongoing support, whatever the findings and the journey.

There are no silly questions for us on this forum. There is only the need to know something you don't and the need to have confirmation that you are doing the right thing. This need is perfectly normal and legitimate. We'd rather you ask too often in order to avoid trouble than too little when you already have a big problem.

We also fully understand that for some people 'a little' or 'as often as needed' are not helpful guidance at all because they come with a clear picture in the writer's head that you cannot access, so you have to operate with an incomplete data set. Since I am autistic myself, I know just how frustrating that is. I have tried my best to visualise all those volume and timing pictures in my head and describe them in a way that hopefully works for you as well.
You are always welcome to ask for clarification and further explanation. That is your right and there is nothing wrong with it.
After all, we want to give you the kind support you need, as much as we can because we want your piggies to have the best of care - and that also includes for us looking after the owner and enabling them to function to their best.


If you wish to upload pictures, please use the Attach Files button by your post when you write it. This works for all formats. For uploading videos, you will have to do so on a public setting that doesn't require a member sign-in for any viewers. Youtube works for most of us. As the only guinea pig forum that is independent, we have members who are not active on social media and we respect their choice.
If you are a new member who has just signed up, you may have to wait a while until your registration has been fully processed and accepted before you can post media. This can take some time as we are all doing this for free in our own free time, so we haven't got firm rotas. We do however take the safety of our members and our forum seriously and we respect the comparatively stricter legal requirements of the UK (where this forum is based) although we are open to members from all over the world.

I will continue to add to this section as time and health allows.

 

[Wiebke]

2 Wiebke's Rules Precise How-to Guides
The guide links in this section are intended to be very clear step by step 'how to' guides for processes that are often mentioned but only in a vague way.


Weight and Weight Loss Rules
How to interpret weight and weight loss correctly and what each monitoring method can do and will not do: Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support Levels

- This guide here aims to answer all the questions around weight loss, explains the weight loss rules and how to put them into the correct individual perspective re. age, size and BMI. You will need all three aspects for that - knowing the age/general health, the pre-breakfast morning weight on the kitchen scales and the feel around the ribcage (BMI). 100g weight loss is a very different thing for a 1400g adult boar and a 700g youngster or oldie.
- It also explains the different feeding levels from how much to feed with total loss of appetite to topping up amount feeding bands over the course of 24 hours.
- The guide also explains what poos can do and not do and when to see a vet in combination with other symptoms.
For our poo guide, please see this link here: Wiebke's Guide to Poops
For interpreting pees: Wiebke's Guide to Pees and Stones


Introducing or Reintroducing New Foods
How to Introduce New or Reintroduce Regular Fresh and Dry Food Safely - The Rules
This guide covers introducing new veg or going back on veg after a break (including for piggies coming out of a tummy upset or a period of syringe feeding), fresh grass and how to switch pellets or hay brands.


Medication Issues (Missed Slots or Wrong Amounts)
It's likely to happen to all of us in the longer term that we forget or miss a dose or give the wrong amount of medication. Before you panic, here is our guidance which incidentally also works for humans as well.
Missed a Dose of Medication or Overdosed? - The Rules


How to Make Your Own Disinfectant (Saline Solution)
You can easily make your own mild antiseptic in order to disinfect minor scratches, bites, ripped nails etc. in a pinch or money pinch.
Please see a vet if there are signs of an infection (especially with deep bites, which may require an antibiotic).

You make saline solution by mixing 1 teaspoon of table salt into 250ml or 1 pint of boiled, cooled water. Then dab the solution onto the wound.
PS: This also works for minor human wounds if you need something for disinfecting an open wound in a hurry and can't get to a pharmacy or supermarket.


Please remember, if you still are not sure or have doubts, you are always welcome to ask and be assured of a respectful and constructive answer.

 

[Wiebke]

3 Anxiety and Easy Checks for Health Issues

Anxiety, common pet owning traps and practical support measures
Here is the link to our helpful Pet Owner's Anxiety guide with practical advice for both sufferers but also their supporters or for forum members dealing with an anxiety sufferer in an acute panic or extreme stress situation.
Pet Owners Anxiety - Practical Tips For Sufferers and For Supporters

Reference pictures folder
Especially if you have anxiety issues, it can really help if you create a picture folder of your piggies' various features to have a comparison for how they look when all is well. Do this once a year so you can eliminate age related changes.

How quickly to see a vet?
Here is the link to a vet nurse's guide for how soon to see a vet. If needed, let another person check your findings or open a support thread, especially if you cannot be seen promptly.
We know how difficult any wait is and may be able to give moral support as well as practical care tips for the interim: How Soon Should My Guinea Pig See A Vet? - A Quick Guide

Easy Health Checks at Home
Bleeding, injuries, falls, bites, open sores (incl. bumble foot) and ripped/broken nails
Please disinfect; if necessary with homemade saline solution (mix 1 teaspoon of salt into 250 ml or 1 pint of boiled and then cooled water). Acute ongoing bleeding that doesn't stop within 15-20 minutes is an emergency (please contact a vet clinic or out-of-hours clinic for their advice asap), everything else can wait for 24 hours.
This also goes for a broken nail or a quick that is shrivelling up (it will usually regrow with the new nail unless the nail bed is seriously impacted). A constantly seeping quick however needs to be seen but they are thankfully very rare.

Weight loss - how critical?
Check for the BMI around the ribcage. You should be just feeling the ribs. If you can't feel the ribs at all, your piggy is overweight. If you can feel ever single rib, your piggy is underweight and will need extra feeding support and seeing the vet ideally on the next day.
If every rib is clearly standing out and the spine doesn't have flesh on it, your piggy is very underweight and should be seen by a vet as soon as possible. Step in with feeding support asap, provided your piggy is still able to take it.

Limping test
If a piggy is not putting any weight at all on their foot (front paw toes drawn together; less visible on the back foot), gently push against the foot sole. If you can feel resistance, there is no break in the foot or leg. But be aware that the problem can sit higher in the leg. You limp with a knee or hip injury just the same, and so do guinea pigs.
Breaks and especially suspected spine injuries are an emergency; everything else can wait 24 hours or - in the case of mild limping - simply heal at home.
Please be aware that piggies can be big drama queens at first and that limping on a weight bearing front foot is always much more noticeable than hopping with a painful back leg.

Eye check
Any bleeding in the eye is an emergency. Constantly watering eyes or bluish-grey gunk on the eye surface can be signs of an eye injury and should be seen within 24 of noticing, ideally on the same day, as should any infections of the conjunctiva (darker/more reddish and protruding purple tear glands).
A protruding eye should be seen within a day; most often there is a retrobulbar abscess (abscess behind the eye). Look at a piggy from above to check the difference in eye size for comparison if you are not quite sure. A retracted/sunken eye is generally a sign of pain. If you have doubts which eye is affected, your reference pictures can help.
Any transparent and milky white, smooth crusts on the eyelids aren't a problem (they are just spilled over and dried tear or eye cleaning fluid). Crusty opaque white crusts on the skin around the eyes are most likely ringworm. Any yellowish/greenish/orangey thick crusts over the eyes are a sign of a well developed, untreated URI.
Constant watery eye fluid can make the hairs around the tear duct and under the eye stick together and can make the skin look bald without that actually being the case.

Good to always have at home: carbomer based eye gel (available online for humans, any brand will do; some pharmacies will also have it) in order to be able to step in asap. It is not a medication but it can help with rehydrating the eye, help wash out the ulceration gunk and provide an ideal healing environment deeper in the eye than antibiotic eye drops can reach. It is safe to use before a diagnosis. Use 2-3 time a day. Eye drops can be used but are not as lasting and effective.

Ears and head tilts
Head tilts should be seen as soon as possible; ear pawing, vigorous repeated head shaking etc. should be seen ideally within 24 hours.
Any crusty or thickened ear flaps or any bumps or holes on them should be seen during normal hours as should very waxy ears. Some piggies have a genetic predisposition but it is often only affecting one ear. Please never pour anything into an ear on spec.

Breathing
Use your own ear as your improvised stethoscope and hold it against the nose, the throat (bronchia) and the chest (lungs) to see where the problem comes from. If it comes from the nose, it is generally harmless and temporary unless it is regular, prolonged sneezing or a runny nose.

Any rasping, crackling from the throat from the throat and any persisting and frequent sneezing that is not a one off big sneezing fit, can be a symptom of a URI and can wait for the next day. If the symptoms happen in the wake of a coughing or freshly vaccinated dog then see a vet asap in the case of bordetella/kennel cough.

Any noises, especially clicking from the lungs are an emergency as they can indicate a pneumonia or other problem with the lungs.
Learn first how your healthy piggies sound so you can notice the difference as the sounds from the bronchia do echo into the lungs somewhat.

Breathing with heaving sides, visible mouth breathing (respiratory distress) and clicking from the chest (pneumonia) and very fast developing respiratory illness especially in combination with a low body temperature are the emergencies.
Guinea pigs have very narrow and small airways and they are not much in the way of mouth breathers, so the tiniest obstruction, like a speck of hay dust or some pollen can cause rather alarming sounds, including hooting. They usually disappear within a few hours or as soon as your piggy is no longer sitting in the hay; a good old sneeze often helps to clear the nose.

Mouth, teeth and throat
The self-sharpening front teeth edge can often tell whether there could be something wrong at the back. It's not fool-proof but helpful nevertheless.
- If it is even, then all is well.
- A slanted edge is pointing towards more one-sided eating (with luck there is nothing wrong at the back though). It can however also indicate a problem with an incisor root.
- A jagged edge can indicate uneven chewing.
- A v-shaped edge is usually a sign of restricted chewing.
- If the front teeth are inward pointing, they are overgrown and no long abrade against each other; the teeth at the back are overgrown. This should come in combination with weight loss and picky eating.
If you think you have a problem, you can feel along the upper and the lower jaw for any lumps, check the eyes whether they are the same size and also feel underneath the chin and the cheeks for one sided bumps that shouldn't be there.

Genitalia and nipples
Boar problems with the genitalia and anus you should pick up during the weekly groom/health check but it can also be worth to check the nipples for lumps directly underneath or discolouration of the nipples. Boars are in fact more prone to mammary tumours than sows.

But sows can develop crusty and sometimes swollen nipples from growing hormonal ovarian cysts. Crusty nipples are in fact the most common symptom. By far not all ovarian cysts actually cause any symptoms. If you are at it, check for any hardness just above the genitalia (urethral stone in sows) and have any unusual swelling of the genitalia checked.
Any sheer bleeing from the genitalia in sows actually comes much more often from the reproductive tract. It is not an emergency but should be seen as you can during regular hours.

Urine and poos
Bloody urine can be an infection of some sort or come from a stone. Unless your piggy is apathetic (emergency), you can have them checked during regular hours. Urinary tract infections (bacterial or sterile) can often take up to 5 days for symptoms to consolidate and not be off and on.
With soft poos to cowpads that just still have texture you can try to see at home whether taking the piggies off any fresh food for a few days can help firm them up again. If there is no visible improvement within 24 hours, please see a vet.
Also see a vet within 24 hours with stringy poos, runny diarrhea and as an emergency with dark, watery, stinky diarrhea as a life or death - the latter which is thankfully very rare in domestic settings. An emergency is also with very small, hard and mucussy poos. Shorter but normally thick poos can point towards a pain issue in the lower body.
Very occasionally a bit of mucus from the membrane that catches the gut microbiome can slip through. It is generally a one-off event.

Lumps and bumps
Lumps can come up quite quickly to quite a size, so it is now down to you missing what was quite simple not there lasat week. As a rule of thumb, anything sitting loosely in the skin is harmless and can be seen at your convenience. Anything that is firm, should be seen within a week. Anything that keeps growing fast and/or suddenly feels softer, please have checked within 24 hours, as well as any burst lumps that are not bleeding. They count as an emergency.

Further helpful guides
For the full list of potential emergencies and what to do, please see this detailed guide and if needed bookmark it: First Aid: Immediate Care Measures and Non-medication Products

Signs of Pain in Guinea Pigs

Wiebke's Guides to the Body - Normality and common illnesses

Wiebke's Home Support Care Guides - Contents list and subforum link

Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment (our one stop emergency collection, including links to dangerous and safe medication for vets not used to guinea pigs)

All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

Looking After Guinea Pigs With Limited or No Mobility

Tips For Vet Visits

I hope that this guide helps especially those who would like more clear guidance and have a way of checking themselves just how major a health problem before they hit the internet and panic.

One of the services we offer on this forum is to check whether and how serious a problem is in order to help spare you any unnecessary worry or support you morally during any crisis.

 

[Rescued One]

Thank you for sharing your expertise