Injury possible neck injury? pls help

[piggiemamas]

so today after floor time i was putting my guine pig back in her cage and she kind of jumped out of my hands and landed weird in her cage. it wasnt a big fall but she ended up on her side with her neck kind of turned at an angle and she wasn't moving. she didn't squeak or show any signs she was in pain but when i helped her into a standing position her head was still turned at an angle and she didn't really move (normally she runs straight to her food or into her hut when she gets in her cage) i picked her up and gently moved her head in the opposite direction it was facing. there was a little popping sound and she started to move it around again and when i put her back down she ran off (like normal) i don't think she broke anything but i'm also not really sure what happened and was wondering if anybody else has had something similar happen. she's eating and drinking fine and running around her cage as usual, but i would just like some insight on what might have happened. if any of you have any possible answers please let me know.

 

[spy9doc]

So, as a chiropractic physician, I was all over this! Apparently, in the fall her neck was subluxed (a minor form of a dislocation) and when you moved it, it was like an adjustment/manipulation that put her neck back in alignment. I doubt that it will have lasting effects unless she sustained nerve damage. If that were the case, she would probably be exhibiting neurologic symptoms of staggering, falling, inability to walk, etc. Just keep an eye on her for a few days.

The best way to avoid this happening again is to put her in the cage backward. I've had cavies get excited and jump in the same way when you get close to the cage. I hold them backward with one hand under the butt and the other supporting their body weight.......works every time.