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

TheGuineaPigGal

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My boars got into a fight last night, and my mister smores got his ear ripped in half. I disinfected his ear, and it seems to be causing him pain. Can you help me with mister smores?, and what can I give him for pain



IMG_20201027_154914.jpg
 

bpatters

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You can get him to a vet for pain meds. He's your responsibility to take care of, and that means medical care as well as food and bedding.
 

TheGuineaPigGal

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I know he is my responsibility. Thats not what I asked. I asked what I should do about his ear.
 

Kelsie

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There isn't any medication that you would be able to purchase that would be safe for a guinea pig. It has to be prescribed by a veterinarian. I'm sure that his ear is quite painful. [MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION] is right, he needs to be seen by a veterinarian. Your biggest concern now is to keep that area from developing an infection. The vet cannot do anything to repair the ear but they can throughly clean it and prescribe medications for both pain and infection.

How is your piggy doing as far as his normal activities such as eating and moving about? Do you have a regular veterinarian that you go to? If so, you could always call them but I really doubt they would send out any meds without seeing your pig. If money is a concern, I don't think a visit to treat his ear would be terribly expensive. They would most likely just clean it and send you home with medications.

Please let us know how everything turns out. I will keep Mister Smores in my thoughts.
 

spy9doc

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The vet cannot do anything to repair the ear but they can throughly clean it and prescribe medications for both pain and infection.

Kelsie, are you sure that the ear couldn't be sutured? Of course, the longer she waits the less likely that a repair could be done. If there is no cavy-savvy Vet nearby, I would think that almost any small animal Vet could stitch the ear and prescribe meds.
 

TheGuineaPigGal

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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.
 

bpatters

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So this is 24 hours. Why haven't you taken him to the vet yet? Would you like to be left with a ripped ear for that long without anything being done about it?
 

stray hares

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Ouch, poor Smores. He will need to see a vet for antibiotics and pain relief like meloxicam. Ears are extremely sensitive and bleed like crazy when injured (as I'm sure you've noticed), but they generally heal pretty well with the right care. If he's not eating and drinking you need to get him to a vet ASAP to work out why. You'll also probably need to start handfeeding him.

Bpatters, I wouldn't imagine they'd want to stitch the ear, it's an extremely sensitive area and the stitching process would require more than just a local anaesthetic, I'd say?

Pigs can live okay with tattered ears, provided they do get the proper care in the recovery stage.
 

TheGuineaPigGal

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So this is 24 hours. Why haven't you taken him to the vet yet? Would you like to be left with a ripped ear for that long without anything being done about it?


I scheduled a vet appointment 20 min ago jeez. Why are you being so rude to me?
 

TheGuineaPigGal

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¨If he's not eating and drinking you need to get him to a vet ASAP to work out why.¨ Hes eating, I just had to move the food so he wouldn't have to walk so far. He is being very lazy. Just a pig that wants to chill perhaps? or does this have something to do with his ear...
 
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Kelsie

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I would imagine that he's just feeling under the weather because his ear hurts. I'm happy to hear that you are going to be able to get him in to see a veterinarian. Just make sure that he keeps on eating and be especially aware once he gets on an antibiotic. Sometimes it will cause them to go off of their feed. You might have to hand feed him and make sure you have gas drops on hand in case you need them.

Best of luck with Mister Smores. An ear injury is never a good thing but as [MENTION=22877]stray hares[/MENTION] said pigs can do just fine with tattered ears.
 

TheGuineaPigGal

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Thank you guys
 

ItsaZoo

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Guinea pigs in pain tend to hide, sit in one place, and refuse to eat or drink. That can quickly lead to gut stasis which is a life threatening condition. Guinea pigs are also very sensitive to some antibiotics, so making sure a vet sees an injury before an infection starts may save that guinea pig’s life. That’s why you received several terse replies from experienced guinea pig owners. They saw a potential medical emergency unfolding.

I also have to ask if the cage they are in is large enough for two males. They need more space than females and will fight if crowded. 8 square feet would be the minimum, more would be better. Also, you should have two hay piles and two water bottles so one can’t block the other from food or water. And any hideys should have two openings so one pig can’t corner another.

I hope Mister S’mores will heal up and feel better.
 

TheGuineaPigGal

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He is fixed, so I moved him with the girls. And I understand they are trying to help, but don´t you think [MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION] was being just a little rude?

Thank you again.
 

Smileandnod

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He is fixed, so I moved him with the girls. And I understand they are trying to help, but don´t you think @bpatters was being just a little rude?

Thank you again.


No, I think [MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION] was motivating you to do what you needed to do. We cannot, although we would like to, provide veterinarian care for your guinea pig virtually. Injuries require an immediate call to your veterinarian. You did eventually (and I am glad you did so!!), but honestly it was not your first choice to do on your own, therefore [MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION] gave you that firm reminder you needed.

At this time, your focus should be on how Smores is feeling and coping with a painful ripped ear and thanking [MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION] for the reminder to call the vet, rather than how you feel slighted by what you perceive her tone to be towards you. Basically, focus your energy on Smores rather than yourself right now, he needs that. Also, think about all the times [MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION] has probably seen an injury such as this on this forum over the years and is helpless to assist the injured guinea pig from afar while the owner puts off getting the proper care from a vet or makes excuses. It is clear she loves guinea pigs otherwise she wouldn't be doing this, so to see one injured can't be easy.

While this forum cannot provide veterinarian care for an injury such as this, it can offer you valuable information to help you create an environment for your guinea pigs where fights resulting in injuries are less likely. So I hope you continue to use the forum and learn from it.

Some things to consider:

Is your cage big enough?

Are there places where guinea pigs can get trapped such as single entry hideys, too narrow lofts, or single ramp second floors?

Do you have enough water bowls? Hay piles? Bowls of Pellets?

Are the males right next to the females which would escalate their fights for dominance due to hormonal urges?

Do you have fleece forests or similar to block lines of sight to ease tensions?

Have you considered making your cage wider? I have found that making a cage 3 grids wide makes a huge difference in keeping the peace as well as having a large second floor (more than 2x2) with 2 ramps minimum.

Good luck to you & Smores! Please let us know how he is doing after the vet appointment and keep us updated.
 

TheGuineaPigGal

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The vet didn´t even clean the ear. Let alone prescribe anything. They said calling the vet for this sort of thing is a waste. The vet said as long as he is eating, hes fine. Nice to know I wasted 75$ for noting to be done.
 

bpatters

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You waited too long to take him. An injury has to be treated immediately for it to heal properly. And in the meantime, you run the risk of infection.
 

Kelsie

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Frankly I'm a little surprised that the veterinarian didn't do more. On the positive side, maybe it means that the ear is looking better and they feel that it will heal on its own. I know it's frustrating spend the money and feel like you wasted it but at least your piggy was seen by a veterinarian and hopefully they were competent enough to know that the ear wasn't bad enough to warrant more treatment. Just keep checking the ear for any signs of infection and making sure he continues to eat as I know you are already doing.

I wish Mister Smores a speedy recovery.
 

TheGuineaPigGal

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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.
 

spy9doc

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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 @bpatters.

First of all, a torn ear is not a simple bite. You may want to consider consulting a cavy-savvy vet for the best advice. Secondly, you seem to want to find members who will side with you against @bpatters. You won't find any, and if you keep doing this, you will soon find yourself persona-non-grata on this Forum!

Perhaps you should consider that participating on this Forum is a privilege, not a right! It is entirely free and I know of no other place that one can find such knowledgeable people with regard to cavies. Those of us who are veterans here and are knowledgeable about cavy care never mind answering well thought-out questions, but in the process we quickly get weary of those who seem to think they know better and disregard the advice that they have received.

Have you considered for even one second just how much work it is to moderate this Forum??? It literally takes hours of time and it isn't even a paid position. I thoughtfully and carefully make posts and it sometimes takes a couple hours of my time. Just imagine how much time it takes when @bpatters answers multiple questions throughout the day? It becomes a full-time activity. It is a good thing that she is semi-retired and has the love of cavies to devote the time.

This Forum is the place to come when one is seeking good advice about cavy care. We veterans have all different personalities and some will be more patient than others. But, you should leave your ego at the door and consider that there are rules of conduct here. The bottom line is that we all love our piggies and only want the best for them. That's why many of us veterans stick around long after most of our questions have been answered......to pay forward what others have done for us and to share our knowledge.

If you don't like the way the Forum is conducted and moderated, the choice is simple......leave. But, I think that would be a shame because by sticking around you will learn far more than you ever imagined about cavy care.
 
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