Sick Guinea pig head tilting

jiagigi · Jan 30, 2017

I'm really worried about my younger guinea pig (Maki) she's almost 2 years old. This morning I just noticed that she has this head tilt, she can walk and run a little bit just fine. I also fed her and she ate normally, but I've never seen her tilt her head like this or move weirdly.

My brother said he thought she looked weird late last night like she collapsed and her head tilted a little. She was fine yesterday morning. I have another older girl with her too. The older girl chases her or they fight more than I would like. I don't know if she might've hurt Maki or something. I had also noticed that Maki had some hairloss in her front leg a month ago. I looked it up and one of the possible reasons was because of a lack of hay and they hadn't eaten hay for a little over 5 days but I bought hay and the hair grew back. However, this morning I just noticed that she has started trimming her two legs again but she's had hay available.

I read that the head tilt usually indicates an ear infection but because I haven't been able to check her ears (I am currently at school) I can't be sure. If it were up to me I would take her to the vet asap. However, my mother is the one who decides and I'm afraid she won't take her to the vet. Is there any medication we could buy "over the counter"? And what could be making her trim her front legs?

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Soecara · Jan 30, 2017

I'm afraid there is nothing that could be purchased over the counter if she has an ear infection. I also doubt you will be able to tell for sure if she has an ear infection as an infection in the inner or outer ear is not something that can be seen without the correct tools, though you might be able to tell if her ear is causing her pain or not and if there is any discharge on the external part of the ear (on a side note don't go poking around in her ear with anything, you will do more harm than good).

If she is still tilting her head it is best to try an convince your mom to take her to the vet as soon as possible, ear infections can become fatal if left untreated for too long, or the damage to the ear can become permanent leading to an irreversible head tilt and for guinea pigs infections simply don't go away on their own. Do however make sure that any vet you take her to is an exotic vet, small animal vets are not trained in how to treat guinea pigs and there are several very common antibiotics that are safe for other animals but are deadly to guinea pigs (have a read of this page https://www.guinealynx.info/dangerous_medications.html )

As for the hair loss on the front legs, a certain amount of hairlessness on the inner part of the front legs, just above the paws, is not concerning as they use this section of their legs to groom their faces so the repeated rubbing action can cause hair loss on that section of their legs. She may be grooming her face more than usual, particularly if she is feeling unwell, but most guinea pigs do have bald patches there.

jiagigi · Jan 30, 2017

Soecara said:
I'm afraid there is nothing that could be purchased over the counter if she has an ear infection. I also doubt you will be able to tell for sure if she has an ear infection as an infection in the inner or outer ear is not something that can be seen without the correct tools, though you might be able to tell if her ear is causing her pain or not and if there is any discharge on the external part of the ear (on a side note don't go poking around in her ear with anything, you will do more harm than good).

If she is still tilting her head it is best to try an convince your mom to take her to the vet as soon as possible, ear infections can become fatal if left untreated for too long, or the damage to the ear can become permanent leading to an irreversible head tilt and for guinea pigs infections simply don't go away on their own. Do however make sure that any vet you take her to is an exotic vet, small animal vets are not trained in how to treat guinea pigs and there are several very common antibiotics that are safe for other animals but are deadly to guinea pigs (have a read of this page https://www.guinealynx.info/dangerous_medications.html )

As for the hair loss on the front legs, a certain amount of hairlessness on the inner part of the front legs, just above the paws, is not concerning as they use this section of their legs to groom their faces so the repeated rubbing action can cause hair loss on that section of their legs. She may be grooming her face more than usual, particularly if she is feeling unwell, but most guinea pigs do have bald patches there.

I won't ever go picking around in my guinea pigs ear. I know it might hurt her and also I'm too scared of hurting her. I will try to convince my mother to take her to the vet but it will be difficult considering the only vet that deals with exotic animals in my island is at least 3 hours away and my mother usually arrives home at night.

About the baldness, I mentioned it because it isn't just a small patch it's around the lower parts of her leg all the way around. Although, her back legs are fine, no hair missing. At first I thought it was mange, but if it was mange it would've already affected my other guinea pig.

Thanks for answering.

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Soecara · Jan 30, 2017

If the hair loss is more than just the small section, but the skin underneath looks healthy and she is not experiencing hair loss or hair thinning anywhere else then I would suspect it may be self-barbering. Sometimes self-barbering can be caused by pain or discomfort, so you are correct that lack of hay could have caused her previous case of bald legs as the lack of fibre they usually get from hay could have cause her digestive discomfort. However usually self-barbering is done directly at the site causing discomfort (so for example if they are experiencing digestive discomfort they usually baber their stomachs) so it is a little unusual that she has chosen her legs as the site to pluck if that is the case.

jiagigi · Jan 30, 2017

Apparently a small animals life isn't 'important enough to take to a vet ' to my mother. She's seeing this as an easy way to get rid of Maki. Even when I'm willing to pay everything (with money I've saved up from birthdays because I can't get a job yet). I love my guinea pigs so much, I can't believe this is the family I have.

I don't know what to do.

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jaycriae · Jan 30, 2017

I'm sorry to hear about your mother. If you have any sympathetic relatives or friends who can drive, consider asking them?
I've been in that situation before, and it sucks for both owner and pig. Best wishes.

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jiagigi · Jan 31, 2017

We took her to the vet today. He told us she was pretty healthy (she was better today compared to yesterday, she wasn't as unbalanced and her head tilt was less severe) and it was a ear infection. He gave us some antibiotic tablets and liquid for oral application. He said to give her 1/4 a tablet for a week and the 4 syringes orally. It was cheaper than it thought it would be, around $45 for the check up and antibiotics.

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lisa325 · Jan 31, 2017

Tablets and liquid? Is he an exotics vet? What are the meds called? I don't profess to know how to treat a piggy ear infection, but it sounds like a bit of overkill with the meds. @bpatters, does this sound right to you?

jiagigi · Jan 31, 2017

lisa325 said:
Tablets and liquid? Is he an exotics vet? What are the meds called? I don't profess to know how to treat a piggy ear infection, but it sounds like a bit of overkill with the meds. @bpatters, does this sound right to you?

He is not specialized in exotic animals, but he has treated quite a few exotic animals. He was the closest vet that has treated small animals, all other vets around me haven't treated any small animals. Where I live it is not very common to have guinea pigs as pets. I have gone to him before when my bunny (I know they are not the same as guinea pigs) had an infection he prescribed us some oral antibiotics and my bunny healed perfectly. The tablets are enrofloxacin. From what I've seen online and on guinealynx they are guinea pig safe, and most vets will prescribe it for ear infections.

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bpatters · Jan 31, 2017

Many vets do prescribe it for infection (here, we know it as Baytril), but a good vet will give a liquid preparation for a guinea pig because of the danger of choking. Guinea pigs have very narrow throats, and it doesn't take much for one to choke. It's why they should never be given hard nuts and seeds.

Just a suggestion, but I wouldn't pick a vet based on how close he is to me, but on his experience with exotic pets. If you google vets and look at the staff bios. You're looking for certification in exotic pets, or failing that, a lot of experience with guinea pigs (preferably) or chinchillas or rabbits.

jiagigi · Jan 31, 2017

bpatters said:
Many vets do prescribe it for infection (here, we know it as Baytril), but a good vet will give a liquid preparation for a guinea pig because of the danger of choking. Guinea pigs have very narrow throats, and it doesn't take much for one to choke. It's why they should never be given hard nuts and seeds.

Just a suggestion, but I wouldn't pick a vet based on how close he is to me, but on his experience with exotic pets. If you google vets and look at the staff bios. You're looking for certification in exotic pets, or failing that, a lot of experience with guinea pigs (preferably) or chinchillas or rabbits.

I completely understand that, and I appreciate the advice. To clarify, *I* didn't pick him because he was closest. We went to him because he was the only vet that had experience with small animals that my mother was willing to take me to. If it were up to me, I would drive how many hours and pay however much is necessary to ensure my guinea pig has the best life, but unfortunately I don't have that option right now.

It was either go to this vet that happened to be close enough that my mother would drive me to him.
Or
1. My mom's first choice was to go to some random pet shop and ask the owner for a 'good medicine' (I protested countless times trying to explain to her that it would kill Maki) which most likely would've been for horses or dogs, and that also would've resulting in my guinea pigs quick death.

2. Not take Maki to a vet and most likely see her suffer and die.

Also, ear infections are serious and I wanted to get her to a vet as soon as possible.

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bpatters · Jan 31, 2017

Then the next time your pig is prescribed this, you should ask the vet for it in a liquid form.

jaycriae · Feb 1, 2017

Just grind the tablets up, dissolve them in some baby food, and syringe feed it. I'm not seeing what the huge issue is with this prescription, to be honest, it's just less convenient than a liquid would be. People make slurries out of pellets to feed their sick pigs all the time. Turning a solid into a liquid to feed it to a guinea pig is a practice we're familiar with on this forum.

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lisa325 · Feb 1, 2017

@jaycriae.........That's fine but you would think that the vet could just prescribe it in liquid form to begin with, so it's less hassle for the owner to get it into the pig

.

jiagigi · Feb 1, 2017

lisa325 said:
@jaycriae.........That's fine but you would think that the vet could just prescribe it in liquid form to begin with, so it's less hassle for the owner to get it into the pig .

If there is a next time, I will be sure to ask for it in liquid instead of tablets. But I simply made my own banana mash and dissolved the tiny tablet into the mash. My guinea pig ate it right up, she's a champ, but she can be difficult when she wants to. [emoji28]

Maki is doing much better now. She's moving and running a little bit more, she can drink from the bottle just fine, and her head tilt is nowhere near as severe as it was a couple day ago.

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lisa325 · Feb 1, 2017

jiagigi said:
If there is a next time, I will be sure to ask for it in liquid instead of tablets. But I simply made my own banana mash and dissolved the tiny tablet into the mash. My guinea pig ate it right up, she's a champ, but she can be difficult when she wants to. [emoji28]

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Banana mash.....sounds yummy!! I'm glad she chowed down on it, and I hope she recovers quickly

.

jiagigi · Feb 1, 2017

lisa325 said:
Banana mash.....sounds yummy!! I'm glad she chowed down on it, and I hope she recovers quickly .

Yes, she loved it (I myself enjoy a bit of homemade banana nice cream). Thank you for your wishes! She seems so much better now. Hopefully no more complications arise, and little Maki can go back to being a perfectly healthy pig.

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Guinea Pig Papa · Feb 1, 2017

Well, I can say where I live that Baytril comes in liquid form but only in a larger bottle for some stupid reason.... The first time Poopy got Baytril it was in pill form and no matter what i crushed it up and put it in no way no how was he taking it. I had to bite the bullet and buy far more Baytril than he needed.

Guinea Pig Papa · Feb 1, 2017

I'm so glad Maki is feeling better! Sly, Scooter and Punkin send their wheeks in the hopes that Maki has a full recovery!

bpatters · Feb 1, 2017

Actually, it may be that the clinic has to have the Baytril compounded into a liquid form. My vet gets it from a compounding pharmacy here in town, and it's not the standard concentration. But it's got something in it the pigs love, so it's absolutely no trouble to give it to them that way.

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