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Worryingly Sick Piggy :(

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choc-chic

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Hi everyone :)

Our poor little almost 3 year old male Super is suddenly quite ill. I noticed on Sunday that he seemed a little bit lighter and had a sticky poo stuck on his belly (looked a pellet still, just a bit mucousy sort of?) but didn't think much of it as there was no other funny poos so seemed a one off, just that I would keep an eye on him. He seemed his usual self when out in his run (with our other male Fluffy). As it's been raining they haven't been put to play, but when checking on him I noticed they'd been huddling up together & the food & water wasn't going down as much.

On Thursday I took him out to play and noticed he suddenly seemed really light, and the weird poo was there again, but worse. Apologies if TMI but it was stickyish, lighter and really smelled horrible. I came online to do some quick research on guinealynx etc (but never found this site until today!) and I was worried he might be constipated/have a tummy bug etc. It seemed like the poos were kind of stuck and need helped to come out. I weighed him and he was only 891g (I didn't know his regular weight at this point but I knew he was definitely lighter than usual and lighter than normal guinea pig range). Alos one eye was a wee bit sticky, but this was the first day of this.

So I made a vet appointment and he checked him over and said that his normal weight from the year before was 1.2kg (he had a minor mouth abcess that time), so obviously he's lost a frightening amount of weight, and very quickly as he wasn't 'light' only the week before. The vet put him on Baytril once a day and said to carry on as normal and not encourage the poos out (but.......?). He's on the meds for a week and we're to take him back on Thursday.

Yesterday Super was all sad & huddled up as he has been, and still today. Both eyes seem a bit sticky and a bit sunken too. I weighed him again today and scarily he is down to 840g. I noticed from another thread (I've had a good read before this lol) that the meds can take a couple of days to work, so is this normal?

He's still not eating much (he's refusing grass etc today, but he was eating some yesterday) and I saw on a thread to feed mushed pellets, great idea! I gave him 1ml about an hour ago (when I first saw the thread!) as I didn't want to overload him, how often & how much should I give him? I saw about every 4 hours on another thread, but not how much. I also read on a thread you can give them calpol, would you suggest this for him, as I have no idea if he's in pain but of course don't want him to be!

I'm quite worried & upset over him today, on Thursday I was feeling it would be ok both before & after the vet, but today my instincts aren't so positive :,(

Any help or advice would be great, thank in advance :) x
 
Oh my goodness I am sorry :( Can you give us a rough idea of where you are? We might be able to recommend an Exotics vet who can give you more help. He needs syringe feeding every 3-4 hours, use either softened pellets (Add boiled water & leave to cool) or get Critical Care or Recovery sachets from your vet. try to get 10 ml or more in at each feeding time, even one or two during the night. Firstly he needs some pain relief; you need to get Metacam from your vet as he will not eat if in pain & also try to get some gut motility drugs too, Emeprid & Zantac to get his guts moving again. We have a vet locator at the top of the page. Have you syringe fed before?
 
Thanks for your reply Poppy'sMum! :)

I'm in Liverpool so there's bound to be one :D

Thanks for the 10ml advice, I will give him some more in a minute (I've given him 1ml twice 1 hour apart, and he genuinely seems a little bit perked up) and carry that on. The only time I've syringe fed is today, but I've given two courses of syringe meds before. I also remembered the vet said his temp was running slightly cool but "might not be anything to worry about". Might? Helpful!

I feel a bit happier as I feel more proactive looking after him I think :) xx
 
I think if you get back to your vet armed with the above info, then hopefully they can help. If he is "Cool" then he needs round the clock care, firstly getting food into him is a good start, if you can't get the Critical Care or Recovery today then use mushed up pellets. Have you got a few 1 ml syringes ? I will stick up some pics of what I use for you if that helps :)
 
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He will need a probiotic as,well as baytril strips the gut of good bacteria that the probiotic will replace.You can get it from pets at home or the vets
 
I'm trying to put my video up but can't work out how :( Ok cut the end off a 1 ml syringe, remove the black bung thing & file the end smooth as the picture. This is a syringe only to be used for feeding. You can use the complete syringes for water, but only syringe a teen bit at the end of each feed. Sit the piggy on your lap, then syringe up the food & place the tip of the syringe into the mouth behind the front teeth & point it towards the inside of the cheek. I suggest you only syringe about a quarter of the syringe at a time, slowly.
 
Thanks for the thorough advice :)

I did see on the other thread about the cut off 1ml syringe, and have just done the 10ml of mushed up pellets which he accepted well. I swaddled him as he's always a little wriggly bum! :D I was quite pleased as a bit of the brightness had come back into his eyes from the little bit of mush & water I gave him earlier. Thanks for the advice about the probiotic too. I will keep you posted! :) xx

Edited to add - OMG Poppy is so cute, unusual colouring! :) xx
 

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Aw he is sweet :) That's one of my current piggies, Daisy :) Sadly Poppy passed away in 2011 & she was the reason I joined the forum when I did & I am forever grateful for the support & advice I have received here ever since :)
 
Only thing I can add to what's already been said is to get some Fibreplex. This is a high fibre paste, see this link for more info:- http://www.vetuk.co.uk/rabbit-suppl...ibreplex-for-rabbits-and-small-rodents-p-1180

You can buy this from your vet but it will probably be more expensive but if you're buying less than £29 there will be £1.99 added for postage. Check with your vet as to how much for how long to give the Fibreplex. When Minky was ill I gave 1 notch ie 1ml each morning and that helped to keep her appetite going.
 
Hi, only just spotted this thread as been out all day with no signal. I think everything has been covered already, the only thing I would possibly add is Dioralyte if he still has iffy poos as it will help to replace lost electrolytes and is great if he has any gas too.
 
I agree with helen; dioralyte from the pharmacy is very good. Mucusy poos usually indicate dehydration, so he will need all the fluid he can get!

I hope that he can pick up soon!
 
Morning, I'm sad to say he just died :,(

There was no improvement, but no worsening until I tried to feed him last night, I could just tell. He wouldn't feed & was listless & whimpering, I held him for ages, went to bed, few hours later this morning he was still the same so I got the kids to say goodbye before school & rang the vets to get him put down but he died sometime within 20 minutes after. I'm so sad & I know you understand, so thanks for all your help everyone x I'm off to read about bereaved piggies now cos our other one will need extra tlc now too :) x
 
I am very sorry that it was not to be. :(

You are welcome to post a tribute in our Rainbow Bridge section whenever you feel up to it.

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We may help you with good rescue recommendations if we know your general location.
 
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