• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Young Poorly Guinea Pig - Not Sure What To Do Next

Status
Not open for further replies.
L

Lailasmum

New Born Pup
Joined
May 21, 2014
Messages
6
Reaction score
2
Points
0
We have a roughly 9-10 week old guinea pig that we've had for 10days. She has a lovely personality and we've all got very attached even in such a short time. Since we got her she has always been a little subdued and a delicate eater but fairly normal. On Sunday it seemed like she was having trouble with a leg. She seemed to be avoiding putting weight on it but was still active, bright eyed and eating and drinking well. On Monday she was really struggling with getting about with her back legs seeming to be almost unable to take her weight and she seemed to have a tender front paw too, she was still getting about enough to access food and water but falling over occasionally and struggling to get up. We took her to the vets first thing Tuesday morning who seemed to think she either just had bad joints or arthritis cause by an infection and prescribed her Metacam and an Antibiotic. She's only on her second day of that but today (Wednesday) has clearly gone down hill over night. She's barely able to move, just lying on her side, squeaking if touched and having a spasm every few seconds that is causing her to squeak. Her appetite was still there if small yesterday but today she's struggling, I've helped her drink by taking the water bottle to her and running it over my fingers and she's been lapping it off them. She doesn't seem to be able to stay up right.

She is also very light about 280 grams, she was smaller that our other piggy when we bought her but it's massively noticeable that there's not a lot to her. Our other piggy has obviously put on weight and grown since we got her.

I'm unsure what to do. Whether the vet is wrong? Whether the drugs will help her and I just need to be patient and continue to help her through this or whether I'm just prolonging her obvious discomfort? It almost seems to me like a neurological problem.
 
First of all, welcome to the forum. I'm very sorry for the distressing situation you are in at present. Please check the vet locator at top of page to see if you have a guinea pig recommended vet close by because it sounds like your little piggy need some urgent attention.

Things you could try straightaway are syringe feeding mashed up pellets using a 1ml syringe with the end cut off. Also to get some probiotics & Fibreplex from the vet. Also weigh her daily so you can see if she's getting a big enough intake of food.
 
Hi welcome to the forum. I am sorry she is so pooly. I agree with Stewybus that she needs urgent veterinary attention. Hopefully you have a more piggy savvy vet nearby.

Did the vet say it was possibly an ear infection? as that can really affect their balance.

Also if you let us know your location it may help.
 
What a horrible situation to be in. The first thing you need to do it to make sure she is getting enough to eat and drink. Whatever is wrong, she need to keep her strength up to fight it. I would recommend syringe feeding her with either a Oxbow critical care, or her normal mushed up pellets (cooled boiled water added to ground up pellets to a porridgy consistency and feed it into the side of her mouth using a 1 ml syringe with the end cut off so the hole is wider). I also think you need to get straight back to the vet, or see another from the vet locator.
 
Agree with all above she really needs to see a cavy savy vet ASAP as it does not sound good. An awful situation to be in. It sounds very distressing for her. You can syringe her some water also.
 
Thanks for your advice. I'm going to ring the vets, it's a big place and see if they have any vets with better knowledge of guinea pigs. There's no where very accesible on the list. I'm in Tavistock in Devon, Ivybridge is the closest so I'll give them a call and see if I can figure out how to get there (no car until saturday). I've been continuing to feed her water so I'll keep doing that and add in the feed. I have syringes.

Helen105281 no she didn't mention ear infection she seemed to be more keen on the idea that's it's either a birth defect which causes poor joints(which doesn't make sense to me as she's got worse so fast) or a joint infection which has cause arthritis.
 
It can also be worth ringing round all vets in the local areas. That is how we found our cavy savy vet. It's an awful situation to be in, we will try to help support you the best we can on here.
 
You poor thing what an awful situation. Agree that your pig needs a good vet asap, good luck hope your piggy gets better soon x
 
I've found that at our vet there is someone who has a particular interest in small mammals so I'm going to see her in an hour. Have given flake (our sick piggy) some more water and her food (oxbow young guinea pig) mushed up in a syringe. She doesn't seem to want to swallow which is rather worrying.
 
Lailasmum said:
I've found that at our vet there is someone who has a particular interest in small mammals so I'm going to see her in an hour. Have given flake (our sick piggy) some more water and her food (oxbow young guinea pig) mushed up in a syringe. She doesn't seem to want to swallow which is rather worrying.
Click to expand...


Hope it goes okay. Love to Flake.
 
Thanks for all your kinds words and support, by the time we got to the vets she was losing conciousness and having seizures. The vet checked her over and couldn't find anything like an infection. We made the decision to euthanise her as in the vet's opinion she was past the point she could recover from with no strength left. She had a few idea as to what could have caused it but I don't know for sure. I'm going to get our other little girl checked over just to make sure there's nothing lurking-she seems fine but having seen how fast Flake went down hill I want to be sure.
 
So very sorry about little "Flake". It seems that she was very much loved and you did the best you could to help her. Are you going to bury her?
 
I am so sorry to hear this. I think you made the kindest decision for little Flake. Really sorry, huge hugs x x

Sleep well little one

RIP Flake
x x
 
I'm really sorry for your sad loss. My thoughts are with you. R.I.P. Flake. xx
 
My heart goes out to you, u only had little flake for a short time, but I'm sure loving memories of her. Rest well little onexxx
 
Such sad news. So sorry you had to make that decision, but I think it was the right one. RIP Flake. x
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top