Conditions Little use of back legs

[spudsthepiget]

My Guinness stopped using his back legs yesterday, and today after a second opinion from my regular vet tonight, we found out that he has little use and feeling in the lower half of his body. The vet believes that it's a neurological condition, but doesn't have an exact cause for why it happened. She wants to try him on anti-inflammatory medication for the weekend to see if that helps at all since he does have some arthritis as well, but says there isn't much else she can do.

Is there anything I can do to make his quality of life better? I have him surrounded by food and water so he doesn't have to drag himself to it, but I feel like that's not enough.

 

[jaycriae]

You can move him regularly so he doesn't sit in his own waste, and there was once someone on this forum who rigged up a little "wheelchair" for their piggy. Some also try physical therapy, though I'm far from an expert on that.


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[bpatters]

Loss of use of the back legs is one of the classic signs of scurvy, which is a vitamin C deficiency.

Exactly what are you feeding him? Which brand of pellets, and how many? What kind of hay? Which veggies, and how many of each.

A neurological condition affecting the legs would be pretty rare for a guinea pig. It's not impossible, but it's sure not likely, and not the first thing I'd look for.

 

[spudsthepiget]

As quickly as it set in, it reversed and he's back to walking around the cage and begging for food. His walk is almost completely normal with no limp or dragging.

As far as his diet goes, I've pretty much fed him the same diet for the last 5 years; half a cup of Oxbow adult cavy pellets for him and Trudy to split, unlimited timothy hay, and carrots, one bell pepper slice, and I rotate every day between cilantro, parsley, and green leaf lettuce.

 

[bpatters]

How big a slice of bell pepper? My three get half of a large pepper per day, and all of a small one.

 

[spudsthepiget]

I cut it so that each slice is about the width and length of my finger.

 

[bpatters]

That's not nearly enough pepper. A single pig needs at least 1/6 of a small pepper, or more.