Sick GI Stasis/Mystery Illness!

[SesshyBooBoo]

My guinea pig Boo Boo is about 6 years old. Two Wednesdays ago (the 11th) I noticed him hunched over and puffed out, rocking back and forth when I came home from work. I immediately took him to the ER, they ran X-rays and confirmed that it was GI Statis and that he was very gassy as well. His poops were watery and he wasn't eating normally (and my guy eats constantly). He was sent home with metacam (for the pain), metachlopramide (to get the GI tract moving), and simethicone (for the gas). I noticed he was not improving so Saturday morning I took him to the vet. The doctor said he seemed "normal" and that he wanted to taper him off the meds since sometimes that can lead to more GI problems (mind you, this wasn't my normal vet, mine was on vacation). Monday I took him to my vet since he was still not eating much, drinking much, or pooping normally. My vet asked for him to stay the day for observation. They gave him fluids under the skin, and fed him critical care throughout the day. He was sent home overnight. When we picked him up in the middle of the night to give him some more critical care he was dripping urine. We brought him back the following morning and my vet said his bladder was huge. He wasn't able to pass urine on his own. They were able to pass a catheter and drain his bladder. They had to do this several times throughout the day. They got some blood drawn and sent it out to a lab (we are still waiting on the results). Boo Boo spent three days at the vet so they could empty his bladder and continue to monitor his symptoms. Thursday night, Boo Boo was sent over to Tuft's to a doctor who is an exotic specialist and only sees exotics (my vet told me she is the best in the state-Massachusetts). She had him under observation (giving fluids and critical care). She released him the following day saying his symptoms were improving. She did not want to do a CT scan or MRI, saying the cons could outweigh the benefits (since a lot of pigs can die from complications or from anesthesia during the procedure). He is currently on Orbax for any infection he might have (they originally thought it was a UTI). He is now passing urine on his own but still not eating or pooping much and he hasn't even touched his water bottle. I was paying such close attention to Boo Boo that I didn't notice my other pig, Figaro, itching almost constantly, i looked at his fur and see a white dandruff like flakes on his fur (no fur loss or patchy fur or sores are present). Both pigs have been itching all day.

I'm not sure what to do at this point, I've done everything in my power to help Boo Boo and he doesn't seem to be getting any better. I'm so worried that I could loose him and the vets all seem baffled and to not know what could be causing all this. Any insights would be appreciated!

 

[bpatters]

Re: GI Statis/Mystery Illness!

The inability to pass urine and a swollen bladder is usually indicative of a stone that has passed into the urethra and is blocking the flow of urine, But that's pretty easy to diagnose with an x-ray, and if he's now passing urine, it's possible that the stone got passed at some point. That's rarer in males than in females, because the urethra is longer, narrower, and less stretchy, but it can happen.

If he's not eating, are you hand-feeding him? A guinea pig that's not eating is a dying guinea pig. The only time you don't force-feed them is if there's an intestinal blockage, but if he can poop at all, he should be fed.

 

[SesshyBooBoo]

Re: GI Statis/Mystery Illness!

He is eating veggies on his own but won't eat his hay or pellets or drink water on his own. Should I syringe feed him some water? I have been syringe feeding him critical care every 4-6 hours. I'm wondering if this could be a parasite and thats why he keeps losing weight and doesn't want to eat? I'm not sure if I should bring him back to the vet. I feel so bad, he's been to the vet or ER every day for the past week and a half. He must be so stressed...

 

[bpatters]

Re: GI Statis/Mystery Illness!

If you're syringe feeding him, give him water at the same time. I usually do 5-6 cc of Critical Care, then 3-5 cc of water.

How much Critical Care is he taking at each feeding? A guinea pig that's eating nothing else needs about 100 cc of Critical Care per day for every kilogram it weighs, broken up into 5-6 feedings around the clock. You can reduce that by whatever amount he's eating.

I doubt that a parasite would cause him not to want to eat. Usually it's the other way around.

Are you weighing him regularly? A pig that's that sick should be weighed twice a day to monitor whether the weight is dropping, and by how much? How much did he start out weighing, and how much has he lost?

 

[SesshyBooBoo]

Re: GI Statis/Mystery Illness!

He started out weighing about 3 pounds. I weighed him today and he weighs 2 pounds 8 ounces.
I have been giving him about 12 mls every 4 hours of the critical care. Thats what the vet recommended.

He has started pooping more today, still not nearly normal stools but he is passing them more frequently.

I was thinking this could potentially be giardia? Or something to that effect. I'm just trying to figure out whats causing all these symptoms and why they're not getting any better. I'm just frustrated because Ive taken him to 3 different vets and no one seems to know whats wrong...

 

[bpatters]

Giardia generally causes soft, smelly poop, not a lack of poop. But it can certainly cause weight loss.

I don't see where they've treated him for anything other than the bloat, unless there's something you forgot to mention. Bloat can cause all the symptoms that he's had, and unfortunately, when a pig has had one bloat episode, it's more likely to have others. He's at the age where his gut will start to function less effectively, so he's more likely to have a GI upset from anything at all that's different about his food.

If he's now pooping, and you're getting that much stuff in him (this is just me, but I'd aim for more, say 15-20 cc), he may be coming out of it.

The itching can wait. When he feels better, you do something about that, but I wouldn't do it right now. However, if it seems to be bothering him a lot, you might get the vet to give him a steroid to calm the itching down until he's well enough to be treated.

 

[SesshyBooBoo]

Ok, I am just concerned that his brother and himself has mites. They've been itching a lot and his brother has white flakes all over his fur. So I wasn't sure if I should treat them for mites or take them into the vet. Boo Boo is currently on Orbax in case he's had any kind of infection that needs to be wiped out.

Would you personally what to treat them for mites even with the white flakes present and the increased itching? His brother is eating and drinking normally and other than the itching, he's acting fine.

 

[bpatters]

I'd treat them with ivermectin, which you can do yourself. See https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/111160-How-to-treat-for-mites. But I'd wait until he's feeling a little better before treating him.

 

[SesshyBooBoo]

Now he's straining when trying to poop which is something new that he hasn't been doing. I took some mineral oil and a Qtip and made sure nothing was stuck up there, I did't find anything. I spoke to the ER vet that saw Boo Boo initially for the GI statis and she recommended giving him some metoclopromide to get the GI tract going. He has pooped a few times in the past 30 minutes so he is passing stool, they just don't look completely normal and are still a bit watery. He has pooped, he's just straining when going.

 

[bpatters]

Guinea pigs don't get constipated the way humans and other animals do. The anal sac can get impacted and block the passage of the poop, but it's a different mechanism than in people, as I understand it.

By straining when trying to poop, do you mean his back is hunched up and his bottom is raised? That's a classic sign of urinary tract stones, and given his earlier urinary problems, I wouldn't be at all surprised if you find that he has them.

 

[SesshyBooBoo]

Yes his bottom is hunched and he's clenching his anal sack (it almost looks like it's spreading apart). Poop has been coming out more frequently tonight though than it has in the past few days.

He doesn't seem to be in any pain. He's currently laying down with his eyes half closed (like he does when he's very comfortable). I called the ER and they said to just monitor him and call my vet in the morning to make sure everything is okay.

Would you recommend doing anything else??

 

[bpatters]

No, that sounds like a plan to me. As long as he's eating/pooping/drinking/peeing, you can keep watching.

 

[SesshyBooBoo]

He's not eating or drinking much, besides the veggies. He's picked at his hay a few times but nothing major. I have been giving him the critical care though and syringe feeding him water. He's due for another dose in a couple hours.

 

[SesshyBooBoo]

Update: Boo Boo is spending the night at Tuft's. They have a special ward of the hospital dedicated to small animals where its quiet and less stressful for them. He is being monitored and they are giving him fluids under the skin. The vet agees that he has mites so he is treating him with Revolution.

 

[bpatters]

Thanks for the update.