Injury Favoring front leg

[GuineaKidsMomma]

My little Tribble has been worrying me since yesterday morning. I noticed he was holding his right front paw up, and avoiding putting weight on it. He uses it a bit when walking, but he definitely has a limp. I don't know what happened and I feel awful that he was hurt without my knowledge. Could one of the others have injured his leg?

We have an appointment for him tomorrow morning, but I am clueless as to what I should do with him until then. Should I separate him from the others? I worry about throwing off their hierarchy. They all get along so well! He's the dominant one, so they haven't been picking on him beyond the usual "my nose is higher" contests (which he still wins most of the time). He still rumblestruts, though wobbly, and purrs at the others, too. Other than slowing down a bit and laying down more his behavior hasn't changed much, though he doesn't run away when I try to pet him like usual.

What should I expect from the vet? He's been twice already in the last couple months because of pneumonia that just cleared up. Poor thing can't catch a break!

 

[foggycreekcavy]

How old is he? Is he a satin?

I wouldn't separate him.

 

[GuineaKidsMomma]

He's just over a year old. I don't think he's a satin; his fur isn't shiny at all. Is it easy to tell if a pig is satin or not?

 

[pinky]

I think it's a good idea that you're taking him to the vet. I doubt that it's osteodystrophy, though. I had a guinea pig that suffered from it and it started with a limp in her back end and progressed forward. Xrays showed that the bones were fusing, causing loss of mobility. Their back legs perform more intricate actions than their front legs so it shows up there first. Her front legs were the last part of her that were affected. My guess is, he either strained it or has a fracture. Xrays will show exactly what's wrong. I agree you shouldn't separate him. Do you have a hay rack or a second level where he could have gotten a foot caught in or jumped from? Good luck at the vet and let us know how it goes.

 

[GuineaKidsMomma]

The cage is a one level, but the kitchen is separated by a wall of coroplast as high as the edges of the main coroplast. I have seen a couple of the pigs jumping the wall, rather than going through the opening I cut into it. I feel like a horrible pig-mom for not thinking of the possibility they could hurt themselves doing that. I think I should cut the wall down so it's just a lip that will help keep the wood shavings off of the fleece.

 

[pinky]

If they are jumping over the wall, I'd lower it. I have a small lip on the entire coroplast edge of my kitchen area so they can run around the cage into the kitchen.

The cage is a one level, but the kitchen is separated by a wall of coroplast as high as the edges of the main coroplast. I have seen a couple of the pigs jumping the wall, rather than going through the opening I cut into it. I feel like a horrible pig-mom for not thinking of the possibility they could hurt themselves doing that. I think I should cut the wall down so it's just a lip that will help keep the wood shavings off of the fleece.

 

[GuineaKidsMomma]

Tribble saw the vet this morning, who took an x-ray for free after we mentioned money is a bit tight at the moment. She couldn't find anything wrong there, thank goodness, and thinks he pulled a muscle. Now Tribble is happily on metacam, and acting like his normal, hyperactive self. The vet said he should only need it for a few days.

We're moving this week up to the Tri-Cities in Washington. I hope the vet we find there is half as awesome as our current one!

 

[pinky]

Great news! I'm so glad to hear he's fine. The pain meds will help get him back to his old self again. Sounds like you have a wonderful vet.