Glitch's medical thread

[cavy_jdas]

Re: Have I fed her too much veg?

So glad that she is starting to eat some! The stringy poops are "normal" for these circumstances, and I would expect to see them more formed soon (well, probably by now... since your update was many hours ago). Keep feeding the critical care and weigh her daily.

I don't have a good answer for what the cause is, but here's hoping she's back to full health very soon!

 

[CCrayon]

Re: Have I fed her too much veg?

she's still not quite right, refusing vegetables and wont lie down like normal, she kinda sits all puffed up still... are there any ways i can get her interested in veg?

 

[foggycreekcavy]

Re: Have I fed her too much veg?

It sounds like she still feels bad. Keep up with the handfeeding. How much are you getting into her? Is she staying warm?

I'm not sure why Baytril was prescribed. Some pigs can't tolerate Baytril very will. I would call the vet as see why it was prescribed, and consider stopping it until she begins to eat more and have better looking poops.

 

[CCrayon]

Re: Have I fed her too much veg?

She's had baytril lots in her lifetime... its the only thing we've found to keep the URI she carries at bay. Thanks to some poor petshop breeding and caring she was really ill when we got her... and she is getting plenty of probiotics to counteract the effects of the antibiotic. I think the reason it was prescribed was potentially an infection of some kind being that she had diarrhea/very smushy poops. And she had what we thought was a urinary infection about 2 months ago, so potentially this all could be related. yes she is keeping warm, oddly she is refusing to sleep on her hay like normal, choosing the carefresh (I change her bed every day and remove all wet corners). She still goes mad when I bring her the veg, licks it all and then ignores it. I've bought some new bits too just to make sure it wasn't those packets but she isn't having any of it. She wont even touch the cucumber, which is very very strange. She is eating hay though, and I'm keeping going with the critical care... I can get in about 6-7ml per sitting... im trying to do this about 3 times or more a day (I know how much it recommends on the packet but she is eating a little hay and dried food too and she gets so distressed during critical care time.) I just find it odd how disinterested she is in it all... could this just be a bit of a side effect and she'll start eating again properly soon?

 

[CCrayon]

Re: Have I fed her too much veg?

She's had baytril lots in her lifetime... its the only thing we've found to keep the URI she carries at bay. Thanks to some poor petshop breeding and caring she was really ill when we got her... and she is getting plenty of probiotics to counteract the effects of the antibiotic. I think the reason it was prescribed was potentially an infection of some kind being that she had diarrhea/very smushy poops. And she had what we thought was a urinary infection about 2 months ago, so potentially this all could be related. yes she is keeping warm, oddly she is refusing to sleep on her hay like normal, choosing the carefresh (I change her bed every day and remove all wet corners). She still goes mad when I bring her the veg, licks it all and then ignores it. I've bought some new bits too just to make sure it wasn't those packets but she isn't having any of it. She wont even touch the cucumber, which is very very strange. She is eating hay though, and I'm keeping going with the critical care... I can get in about 6-7ml per sitting... im trying to do this about 3 times or more a day (I know how much it recommends on the packet but she is eating a little hay and dried food too and she gets so distressed during critical care time.) I just find it odd how disinterested she is in it all... could this just be a bit of a side effect and she'll start eating again properly soon?

 

[foggycreekcavy]

Re: Have I fed her too much veg?

Have dental issues been considered? I would weigh her daily to see if she's getting enough to eat.

Baytril is the most often prescribed antibiotic for guinea pigs, even though often another antibiotic would do a better job. For example, urinary tract infections are best treated with trimeth sulfa, also called Bactrim. A good antibiotic for gastro-intestinal issues is Flagyl.

The fact that she's been sick often could signify a heart problem. Disinterest in food can be a sign of kidney failure.

 

[CCrayon]

Re: Have I fed her too much veg?

Thanks, yeah they are going to try and look at her teeth this week. She usually chomps on the scope thing so much they cant see anything so it might be a cause of an anesthetic. I shall mention the other antibiotics, especially if she doesn't perk up. Her weight isn't changing suggesting to me she must be eating something she weighs 1043g (down from 1300g over the last few months) ... Last night though she did surprise me and eat a whole bowl of veg, so fingers crossed she'll do it again for me! I had spoke to soon haha.

The vet has considered a heart problem, I definitely think its probably the cause, they can't hear anything wrong with it, but the same as in humans, im sure its not that simple. Poor thing. Thanks for your advice

 

[foggycreekcavy]

Most times pigs need to be anesthetized to get a really good look at the molars. It might be risky if there are heart conditions.

 

[nibbler100]

@CCrayon I think her poops would be kinda wired seeing as she was mostly drinking her meals. theres nothing there to keep them firm lol. but once she starts eating normal i would think theyed turn normal again

 

[foggycreekcavy]

How is she doing?

 

[CCrayon]

Hi everyone,

sorry I havn't posted in a while. She is doing fine finally. Running around like crazy again, she's eating lots again and she has put on the weight she lost. I have been changing her food to pellets of gurty guineapig this week, slowly building it up but she loves them and wont eat the other food now, such a relief she is usually so fussy! However she has starting sneezing a lot again, so i shall keep an eye on her, might just be the new hay is a little most dusty that usual and I'm being paranoid. No other signs of the URI like crusty eyes and her apatite is back to happily constantly munching. If it gets any worse this week I'll take her back to the vets for some antibiotics just to be safe. Don't want to ever have to go through handfeeding again!
Thanks for all your help, if you have anymore advice i'd love to hear it.