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Injury Guinea pig ear torn in half!!!! PLEASE HELP!!!

Smileandnod

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I understand that but I asked the vet if I had taken him 2 days earlier, he STILL would have done nothing. The point is that the vet said a simple bite does not require veterinary attention. Either the vet is entirely mistaken, or you dramatized it [MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION]. We do not have emergency vets in our area, and I am not trying to be rude but the vet took one look at the ear and said he was fine. The vet said that as long as it is not oozing pus, there is no reason for veterinary care.

(broken link removed) You need to find a different vet. A cavy savy exotics vet who understands guinea pigs and knows you don't wait until they "ooze puss" since this generally leads to expensive abscesses and more invasive treatment.

Mister Smores had more than a "simple bite" to his ear. You shared the picture and this was clear to see. At the very least you should have received pain medication if not also an antibiotic, either topical or oral. It is inexcusable and irresponsible for a vet or owner to wait until infection develops before treating a wound.

You must advocate for your guinea pig or any pet since they can't do this for themselves. ...and this leads me to someone who did advocate for Mister Smores and this person is [MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION].

(broken link removed) Your attitude towards [MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION] and comments are inexcusable and highly inappropriate. I don't understand your aggressive tone towards [MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION]. You are alienating the very person on this forum that would take the time out of her day to educate you in helping to prevent injuries like this from happening in the first place.

[MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION] gives her time, shares her knowledge and provides assistance to guinea pig owners for FREE...if you are angry at anyone it should be at the vet who charged you and didn't provide adequate care or pain relief for your injured pig.

(broken link removed) You need to focus on Mister Smores rather than yourself and your need to be "right".

You shared a picture and YOU posted "He is not acting like himself. He doesn't want to move about like he usually does. I had to move to water bottle and food closer to him because he wasn't eating. He just seems so glum and depressed. He is so sad"...

How exactly is anyone on this forum supposed to respond to that in a way that would make you happy? Are people on this forum supposed to sit back and tell you everything is OK when it clearly is not?!

(broken link removed) I have seen you post about your disgust at people who put their guinea pigs in small cages and you have expressed your outrage and judgement...great.

But now you know how others feel when they look at that picture of your injured pig, your hesitation to call a vet, your lack of advocating for Mister Smores whose behavior as a prey animal who hides illness clearly indicates he is in pain, and your misdirected outrage towards a valued member of this forum.
 

TheGuineaPigGal

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ok, Im sorry. but how is it my fault my vet is an idiot
 

Smileandnod

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ok, Im sorry. but how is it my fault my vet is an idiot

How is Mister Smores doing? You haven't provided an update regarding him, and I am sure everyone who has read & replied to your post would appreciate it.

Is he back to eating/drinking normally again? Is he still hiding and acting "sad"?

What is his current weight? You should weigh him daily to determine if he has weight loss as he heals and detect illness that you can't see & he can't tell you about.

What does his injured ear look like now? Is it still raw? Any further bleeding? Swelling? Discoloration? Any thick gray or white cheesy/waxy substance present?

What have you done to increase your pigs' living space and improve their environment in an attempt to prevent this type of injury in the future?

I am assuming you are young and inexperienced with this type of responsibility, so let me offer you a few suggestions. You asked "but how is it my fault that my vet is an idiot" ... well you chose the vet. Either insist on treatment or get a new vet.

You will always need an experienced, quality cavy vet for as long as you have guinea pigs, so it's best to get this taken care of now.

If you now feel that your vet is now to blame and that your vet is an idiot, you can't just give up. You can still advocate for Mister Smores through a simple phone call. As you have been told before, this is your responsibility. You must continue to advocate for Mister Smores and get him adequate care, if you don't then it is unfortunately not anyone's fault but your own ... but I think you know that already.

If his ear is still raw, bleeding, swollen or otherwise looking like it isn't healing and if he is still not eating then you need to ask for medications (pain med, antibiotic) to help him heal. You know your pig best and know when he is off, as you indicated he was in an earlier post. Call the vet's office and insist (POLITELY, but firmly) that you require appropriate treatment for your guinea pig's injury.

If he is not eating, you also need to get some Critical Care until he is back to eating normally on his own. Again, weigh him regularly to make sure he is maintaining or gaining weight. You can also give him an extra boost of Vitamin C through green peppers or a supplement via a syringe (just don't add it to his water).

I think (and hope) you will learn a lot on this forum if you continue to stay here and participate. It is unfortunate that Mister Smores got injured ... now let's get him better!!! And try to prevent the fighting that caused this by improving their environment & living space.
 

ItsaZoo

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If the vet knew that a simple bite wouldn’t require vet care, why did they schedule an appointment? They must have asked you what the situation was when you called. They could have told you on the phone that they won’t treat unless there’s an infection, and they should have given you instructions on care at home.

My guinea pig recently pulled a nail off and I got her in the same day. While the vet didn’t have a treatment, he got a weight, took her temp, did a quick exam, checked the toe and gave me info on cleaning and applying an antibiotic ointment. He also offered tips on how to stop bleeding, which I had trouble doing. The cost was just a $40 office visit.
 

TheGuineaPigGal

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I said that it looked infected, and veterinary care in wisconsin must be more expensive then in minnesota


Yes, it looked infected to me, but the vet says its not.

I am running errands, and I will be home within an hour, and I will post updated pictures.


Thank you for your support


:)
 

TheGuineaPigGal

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Hello, I am back.

Smores was in his hidey sleeping, and I offered him a carrot, and he took it! When he finished his treat, he came out to see what I was doing, and I was sweeping the floor at the time. I walked over and picked him up and got a picture. I think being with the girls lifted his spirits, (he is fixed). I think they are happy, and oreo, the boar by himself now, also seems to enjoy being alone. I think I will give oreo a little bit less space, now that smores is living with the sows.


IMG_20201104_154104.jpg
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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Glad to hear Mr Smores is doing better! I do feel bad for Oreo being alone, but since you know him best only you will know if this arrangement is best for him.

Give them as much space as you possibly can, both Mr Smores with the girls and Oreo by himself. It's amazing how much piggies thrive with more space.
 

TheGuineaPigGal

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I honestly think oreo is a pig that prefers to be alone. He seems much happier since I took smores out, too. So I guess it works out for everyone! (Oreo doesn't like when smores steals his carrots!!) And I have one HUGE cnc cage with a cnc barrier in the middle, And we put a blanket over the middle, because I think the reason why they fought is because they could see the sows, and maybe they tried to fight for them. They can still squeak at each other from opposite sides, but I think Smores is on the road to recovery.:)
 

Smileandnod

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I honestly think oreo is a pig that prefers to be alone. He seems much happier since I took smores out, too. So I guess it works out for everyone! (Oreo doesn't like when smores steals his carrots!!) And I have one HUGE cnc cage with a cnc barrier in the middle, And we put a blanket over the middle, because I think the reason why they fought is because they could see the sows, and maybe they tried to fight for them. They can still squeak at each other from opposite sides, but I think Smores is on the road to recovery.:)

Good to see that Smores is feeling better. Thanks for the update.

Just curious how big is the cage in total? What are the measurements in grids since you have a C &C cage.

And how many pigs?

Post a picture of the cage and let's see if we can offer some suggestions to help you with a roomy environment for all.
 

TheGuineaPigGal

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oreos cage is now 7x5, and the two girls and smores are 9x9.

Also, just curious, does anybody else like watching their guinea pigs eat? lol. XD
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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oreos cage is now 7x5, and the two girls and smores are 9x9.

Also, just curious, does anybody else like watching their guinea pigs eat? lol. XD

Yeah, you could say that. I LOVE watching my boys eat, for several reasons. One is because I have had several ill pigs and watching them eat meant they were feeling better!

I'm also a prolific piggy picture-taker. You might be surprised to know that I have over 10000 (read that ten thousand) pictures of all of my pigs over the last decade. Yes, I'm probably nuts.


How is Mr Smores feeling? I DO hope he's feeling better now?
 

TheGuineaPigGal

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Oh yes, he is feeling MUCH better. He is running around like his normal self, popcorning and wheeking more than usual, but popcorning is a good thing. Must be because he is with the girls! (he is fixed) he has a special bond with Brownie, I think, considering they were alone, until oreo was born so 6 months alone.
 

ItsaZoo

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So glad things are going better for your piggies!
 

TheGuineaPigGal

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Hi. I am having another issue with Mister Smores. I will hold him for like 5 minutes, and I have enough hair on me to make a teddy bear. His fur looks normal, no bald spots ord anything. None of my other pigs shed as much as he does. Is this something to be concerned about?
 

Smileandnod

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Hi. I am having another issue with Mister Smores. I will hold him for like 5 minutes, and I have enough hair on me to make a teddy bear. His fur looks normal, no bald spots ord anything. None of my other pigs shed as much as he does. Is this something to be concerned about?

When you gently tug on his hair, does it come out with small flakes of skin attached?

What is the humidity and temperature of the room they are in? (If you don't have one already get an inexpensive temperature/humidity gage)

How often do you brush/groom him?
 

TheGuineaPigGal

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When you gently tug on his hair, does it come out with small flakes of skin attached?

What is the humidity and temperature of the room they are in? (If you don't have one already get an inexpensive temperature/humidity gage)

How often do you brush/groom him?

No. It does not


Its about 70 degrees where they are located, we keep a humidifier about 10 feet from the cage,

I brush my guinea pigs twice a wheek!
 

Smileandnod

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Well then to set your mind at ease, I have one sow who sheds more than the others but she is perfectly healthy with no skin conditions.

I would still recommend to get a temperature/humidity gage for the area they are in. It is very useful and will allow you to have accurate info to adjust their environment as needed.
 

Crazy piggies

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He will be fine I’ve had many things like this happen just keep it clean and it will heal on it’s own
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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I have a weather station that sits on top of my cage, and it measures indoor and outdoor temperature, humidity and outdoor barometric pressure. Short of putting it right IN the cage, i have the best idea of their current conditions.
 

TheGuineaPigGal

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Suspected bumblefoot



Mister smoreses back pawpads are really red, I see an open wound on one of them. Putting a pic on.
 
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