Conditions HELP Mysterious Guinea Pig Leg problems

[lulubird6]

What cute piggie brothers they are! I hope you find out about Sir Thomas' leg ailment soon!

 

[Cogni]

Hm, maybe there are some piggy rehab exercises you can do with him. Also reiki-type massage? Does it hurt him when you massage him on his back?

 

[SJP23.]

Thank you. Yes I know they are. They needed cutting just as he became ill and we didn't want to handle him too much in case he was in pain. That was almost 3 weeks ago now. I'm worried now about cutting too much off as they are quite long and the quick of the nail will also be long now, will it not? Hmmm. Don't want to hurt him, but I do want to cut his nails.

 

[SJP23.]

Hi again,
Sorry, didn't realise the thread had gone to page 2 so only replied to the end of the posts on page 1.
Thankyou - Yes they are mighty cute piggies and we love them very much... much to the amusement of our non-piggie-owner friends and relatives!!
We are encouraging him to move about now and he did enjoy swimming in the bath before he was ill, so I might try that again.
I have done a little gentle massage on him and he doesn't seem to mind it.
He certainly always seems a little better when he has been up and about.
He's back to the vets on Monday and until then I have my fingers crossed that Sir Thomas feels better soon.
The vet said there was no way he would be still doing as well as he is without our careful monitoring and round the clock care. And as these are our first piggies, I think we're doing ok. Think it is now time to become the piggie physiotherapist!!

 

[Peggysu]

Thank you. Yes I know they are. They needed cutting just as he became ill and we didn't want to handle him too much in case he was in pain. That was almost 3 weeks ago now. I'm worried now about cutting too much off as they are quite long and the quick of the nail will also be long now, will it not? Hmmm. Don't want to hurt him, but I do want to cut his nails.

Yes you can cut his nails. If you don't, it can then cause more problems. Piggies feet are very sensitive. If you do cut the quick don't worry all of us have done it at least once. If their nails aren't cut they can dig into the pad of their feet and begin to cause tremendous pain and also infections. A stiptic pencil is always good to have on hand. If you don't have that I believe you can use corn starch which is typically in everyones pantry.

When you cut them try to cut as close to the quick as you can. You'll have to do this often to get the quick to begin to recede.

 

[SJP23.]

Hi. Thanks I know about the problems with long nails and how keeping them short helps with the quick receding. He was quite distressed at the time he was first ill and there was no way we could pull him about too much. I have been in the process of cutting off a tiny bit at a time bacause I don't want too pull him about too much or cut the quick. I have never heard of corn starch but thank you for the advice.

 

[MaggieMae]

Sorry I forgot I had read/replied to this. Your piggies coat looks pretty shiny. I am not very well versed in guinea pig health but I have a guinea pig that may be part silkie. I just heard about this but apparently they are prone to having problems with their bones that usually becomes noticeable by things like leg limps.

Has this been looked into? If someone else knows what I am talking about feel free to add to this. I just thought it would be something to look into and check off the list unless you are sure you know what is wrong.

 

[Sirene]

I have never heard of corn starch but thank you for the advice.

You're in the UK, right? Cornstarch is (pretty much) the same as cornflour. Good luck with your lovely pig!

 

[foggycreekcavy]

Corn starch and corn flour are different things--corn flour is an actual flour, whereas cornstarch is a thickening agent.

MaggieMae, I think you meant to say that your pig is a satin. Satins are the ones with bone density problems, the ones with the supershiny coats. Silkies are long haired pigs, called Shelties in the UK.

 

[Cogni]

From Wikipedia:
"Cornstarch, or cornflour in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia, is the starch of the corn (maize) grain. "

We just use different words on either side of the Atlantic. This stuff is a very fine white powder used in baking. It is absorbent, hence it can be used like talcum powder or to blot grease.

 

[Sirene]

Corn starch and corn flour are different things--corn flour is an actual flour, whereas cornstarch is a thickening agent.

Cornflour (one word) is the same as cornstarch. It's just what it's called in the UK. Corn flour (two words) is the actual flour made from corn. Confusing, I know .

 

[SJP23.]

Tommy pig update

Try the Cambridge Cavy Trust

British Association of Rodentologists Cambridge Cavy Trust

Thank you so much SpacePig. Tom has just spent a few days with Vedra at the cavy trust in Cambridge and she has established that he has swollen stiffle joints (knee joints). He is now on a combination of treatments, including massage and medicines and I hope he will be feeling better soon. He seems much more comfortable at least. We also have some oxbow critical care formula becasue his eating became eratic. So pleased to have some hope that he will be better soon. Vedra seems sure that with the right treatment the problem should pass with time. Am also pretty cross that all the vets where i live were so clueless about the treatment of guinea pigs. I know it would be difficult for them to train in the treatment of all animals, but come on so many people have guinea pigs. Anyway, a BIG thank you to everyone who offered advice, help and support. I will keep you updated on his progress.

 

[GizzyandMe]

Glad to hear Sir Tom is on the mend!!!

 

[SpacePig]

Im so glad to hear you are getting to the bottom of things, I hope your pigger starts to get better soon.

 

[SJP23.]

Hello again,
Sir Thomas of Pig is still going from strength to strength, something we'd never thought we'd see and wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for you guys on this brilliant forum and Vedra from the Cambridge Cavy Trust. Now I have time, I thought I'd post his full treatment plan in the hope it would be helpful to someone else's poorly pig in the future.

Firstly, to be clear about the problem - he began limping about and we assumed it was his front legs. Then the vet told us it was a spinal problem. It turned out to be a problem with his back legs - the stiffle joints (also called knee joints) were swollen. This is a soft tissue problem, not a bone problem. When his back legs and back area were shaved, the problem was clear: both his back legs were clearly swollen, one more than the other and you could feel that the tendons on the inside of his legs were tight.


The solution:

• A 20mg tablet of carprodyl split in half. Half a tablet is given in the morning and half in the evening. We have kept them exactly 12 hours apart - half at 11am and half at 11pm. The caprrodyl is an anti-inflamatry and can be obtained from a vet. The packet says it is 'for dogs'. He will be on this for 12 days. At the moment Sir Thomas of Pig is on 'oxbow critical care' (for those who don't know this is a food stuff to assist poorly pigs). This is given via a syringe cut off at the end to allow for the food to be given through a wider end. To give the carprodil half tablet you first need to split it in half again so the pieces are small enough (in effect you now have 2 quarters of a tablet). I am adding each quarter to the end of a syringe full of oxbow food, which Sir Thomas of pig takes with no problems. I had tried to simply put it in his mouth and then syringe in water, but he still spat it out! We were told to give the half tablet and then wait 20 mins before any further treatment, such as giving food, or a massage (see below).
• Glucosamine tablets, crushed and given once a day. This is a human suppliment for joints which you can obtain from a health food store. The dosage is as follows: I have tablets which are 1000mg in strength. The tablet is split into EIGHT pieces, so you are giving 1/8th of a tablet a day. This works out at 125mg a day. I have been adding the crushed glucosamine tablet to his 'oxbow critical care food' - I hope to wean him off this food in the future and will then either add the crushed glucosamine to a syringe full of water/mashed up dry food/a piece of cucumber.
• A massage on a vibrating massage cusion/mat, such as you can buy for people with bad backs. This needs to happen three times a day for 20 mins. Sir Thomas just sits on a towel on his vibrating mat and seems to enjoy it. But if you had a pig that was not keen you can put the pig in a carry box on top of the massage mat. Although BE CAREFUL becasue the vibrations will move the travel box and if on a rasied surface, such as a table, the travel box and pig could fall off!
• Twice a day his shaved back legs are massaged with nut oil and we do some physiotherapy - gently cycling his back legs round.
• Once a day his back legs and bottom are washed in warm water and carex - to prevent urine burns from being unable to move to wee (although he is now completely able to move normally!). His eyes are also washed in warm water using cotton wool.
• Twice a day he is moved into a travel box (a large one for cats) and has 'quiet veg time'. Hay, fruit and veg are added to the box and he is left to chill out and munch for an hour: away from his brother Jerry-Pig! Jerry-Pig also enjoys this time and we will be keeping this idea even when Sir Thomas of Pig is well.
• Three times a day Sir Thomas of Pig (and his brother Jerry) are given some floor time. This is even more important now Tom needs to keep his legs moving and strong!
• Three times a day we offer some 'Oxbow Critical Care' food. This began as he lost so much weight before we began this treatment and was eating so little that his digestive system was failing. If you do not have this, you can add warm (previously boiled water) to some dryed food and turn it into a paste which will be easier for a poorly pig to eat. Please use a good dry food such as Waggs Guinea Pig Crunch and NOT Gurtie Guinea Pig which I have recently found to contain many artificial things such as colourings.
• Water is offered throughout the day to prevent him getting dehydrated.
• Each morning Sir Thomas of Pig is weighed before any food is given and the wieght recorded so we can monitor how he is doing.

I am attaching the treatment plan timetable from on our fridge (which my boyfriend made) in the hope that it might be helpful.

 

[SJP23.]

I forgot to add that to the 'Oxbow Critical Care' we add a teaspoon of apple or carrot baby food per batch.

 

[SJP23.]

I also forgot to say that we are following this treatment plan for a month: altough the Carprodyl tablets are only for 12 days of this month.

 

[Cogni]

I am so glad he is on the mend ! Maybe someday he will even be popcorning again!
Also want to say, I so admire your dedication to his care. Particularly the nut-oil massage and the physiotherapy!! A true Cavy Slave!

I had physio on a torn tendon last year and it makes me giggle to think of telling the young man physiotherapist, if I ever see him again, that he could possibly branch out by giving physio to guinea pigs!