Injury Paralyzed piggie

GuineaPigParty · May 4, 2015

This morning I found Isabelle liming on her right back leg. I was instantly concerned that something was up so I started to do some research to see what might be wrong. About a hour later I went to see how she was doing and I found her unable to move her back legs and whenever I would touch her she would scream in pain. I quickly then called the closest vet that would take her in.

He said that she had damaged her lower spine and that's why she cant move her back legs. I went home with some pain meds and critical care to force feed her. I cleaned the cage and separated her from Pepper so we can see if she used the bathroom at all. I gave her the meds and fed her the critical care along with some water.

Has anyone had this happen to them before? And if so what did you do? I am really just looking for any information I can find to see what I can to do for her.

GuineaPigParty · May 4, 2015

*Limping not liming sorry.

bpatters · May 4, 2015

Don't force feed her unless she's not eating on her own. She may voluntarily eat the critical care -- mine will eat it off a plate.

Put a hidey close to the water bottle, and put her hay, veggies and pellets where she can reach them easily. If she eats on her own, that's fine. Just keep the area underneath her clean so she's not sitting in her own wastes.

Keep her confined in a small area so her movements will be limited. Watch her carefully, especially to make sure she's pooping normally. Some pain meds can slow down the digestive tract, and you don't want to introduce bloat on top of her leg problems.

What is her diet like? What kind of hay? What brand of pellets, and how many per day? How many veggies, and how much of each one?

GuineaPigParty · May 4, 2015

bpatters said:
Don't force feed her unless she's not eating on her own. She may voluntarily eat the critical care -- mine will eat it off a plate.

Put a hidey close to the water bottle, and put her hay, veggies and pellets where she can reach them easily. If she eats on her own, that's fine. Just keep the area underneath her clean so she's not sitting in her own wastes.

Keep her confined in a small area so her movements will be limited. Watch her carefully, especially to make sure she's pooping normally. Some pain meds can slow down the digestive tract, and you don't want to introduce bloat on top of her leg problems.

What is her diet like? What kind of hay? What brand of pellets, and how many per day? How many veggies, and how much of each one?

I give unlimited orchard grass hay, 1/8 of a cup of Small pet select pellets once a day (About 5:00pm), Then I give them about a cup a veggie's each peppers,lettuces,apples,carrots and small chunks of bananas for a treat once and a while (about 8:30pm.)

She doesn't like to move so the only way I can get her to eat/drink is by force/hand feeding. Her cage size is now a 2x2 with a footstool hut, hay,water bottle and her cuddle cup.

The vet gave me Bupren 0.3mg given by mouth for each 12 hours.

bpatters · May 4, 2015

Hand feed when possible rather than force feeding. If you have to force feed her, you run the risk of re-injuring the leg.

GuineaPigParty · May 5, 2015

*Update 5/5/15*

Today when I was brushing Isabelle she was sniffing and nibbling on the brush . Isabelle has also started to move her head around and respond to certain sounds.
Is there any physical therapy I could do with her once she gets her strength back? I have also been looking into making her a wheelchair/cart later on.

bpatters · May 5, 2015

You could search for "roxy roller" over at GL -- there are instructions on making a cart.

I have no idea about physical therapy. The thing about it is, if you're not trained it do it, you can do more harm than good.

ClemmyOddieIndy · May 5, 2015

Are her legs/feet cold at all? Blood clots in legs can cause temporary paralysis. One of my pigs who experienced temporary paralysis on and off over a few months it was believed by the vet she was having blood clots.

GuineaPigParty · May 6, 2015

ClemmyOddieIndy said:
Are her legs/feet cold at all? Blood clots in legs can cause temporary paralysis. One of my pigs who experienced temporary paralysis on and off over a few months it was believed by the vet she was having blood clots.

No her feet are warm. She can still feel her legs it's just leaning how to use them again. I think...

GuineaPigParty · May 6, 2015

*Update 5/6/15*

Today Isabelle has started to eat on her own again. She has also started to move around by crawling.

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