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Emergency 7 month old guinea pig - pain and weight loss

alpacasqueak said:
I’m so glad she’s tucking in and has a few good poos, hopefully you’ll see many more today! 🤞 Hope this appt can help to give you some answers. I’ve seen funny coloured urine before but it’s been when they’ve been on meds etc, really hope this new vet has some ideas.
Hope she carries on moving and munching all day for you today :hug:x
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Thank you, shes just had the last dose of all her meds and did put up quite a fight! When I've got her out she flattens all her fur but when she goes back home she's back to porcupine fur bless her. She did do a normal poop on me when I was giving her meds just now too, a little softer than usual but normal to look at and definitely an improvement from the tiny bullets we've had this week! Fingers crossed she feel better soon.
 
Lazw said:
Thank you, shes just had the last dose of all her meds and did put up quite a fight! When I've got her out she flattens all her fur but when she goes back home she's back to porcupine fur bless her. She did do a normal poop on me when I was giving her meds just now too, a little softer than usual but normal to look at and definitely an improvement from the tiny bullets we've had this week! Fingers crossed she feel better soon.
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How long after meds does the coloured wee usually resolve? She was on cotrimox after her spay and she's on it again now...... Could there be a delayed effect?! After her spay her urine was completely normal, it was last week the orange wee started but perhaps it could be a delayed reaction to the first course of cotrimox?! And because she's on it again now its continued?! Clutching at straws at the moment.
 
Possibly, I’m no expect or vet though! Strange that she didn’t the first week but it could maybe be the combo of meds she’s been on etc? Hope you can get her feeling much better anyway, even if you don’t figure out the issue! Sounds like she’s definitely improving :)
It’s been a while but less than a week, maybe a few days(?) that I noticed things were getting back to normal x
 
alpacasqueak said:
Possibly, I’m no expect or vet though! Strange that she didn’t the first week but it could maybe be the combo of meds she’s been on etc? Hope you can get her feeling much better anyway, even if you don’t figure out the issue! Sounds like she’s definitely improving :)
It’s been a while but less than a week, maybe a few days(?) that I noticed things were getting back to normal x
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Thanks, yes I've just checked on her again, fur still stuck on end but she's tipped the hay rack onto its side and is currently in it rooting for all the best bits!
 
Lazw said:
Thanks, yes I've just checked on her again, fur still stuck on end but she's tipped the hay rack onto its side and is currently in it rooting for all the best bits!
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Hello, just an update on little Holly. She's finished all her meds and is still looking puffed up and isn't pottering around today. She seems to be choosing to stay wrapped up in her fleecy sleeping bags. She now weighs 698g and has steadily lost since last week when she weighed approx 768g, so we've started the critical care again this morning mixed with some Burges pellets and 1ml of fibreplex too. It's a struggle but we've managed 12ml this morning and I'm going to aim for about 40ml over the course of the day. Our usual vet is back from holiday tomorrow so I'm going to call first thing and ask her to call me back. I tried to book in with her but she's fully booked til the end of July, I'm hoping if I speak to her directly she may be able to fit us in. Holly's wee is still bright yellow and turns orange quickly however her tummy feels softer to me this morning even if she's clearly feeling poorly. Her poops are normal looking but are slimmer and smaller than usual, she's off all gut motility meds now for the first time in over a week so I'll keep a close eye on this.
 
Lazw said:
Hello, just an update on little Holly. She's finished all her meds and is still looking puffed up and isn't pottering around today. She seems to be choosing to stay wrapped up in her fleecy sleeping bags. She now weighs 698g and has steadily lost since last week when she weighed approx 768g, so we've started the critical care again this morning mixed with some Burges pellets and 1ml of fibreplex too. It's a struggle but we've managed 12ml this morning and I'm going to aim for about 40ml over the course of the day. Our usual vet is back from holiday tomorrow so I'm going to call first thing and ask her to call me back. I tried to book in with her but she's fully booked til the end of July, I'm hoping if I speak to her directly she may be able to fit us in. Holly's wee is still bright yellow and turns orange quickly however her tummy feels softer to me this morning even if she's clearly feeling poorly. Her poops are normal looking but are slimmer and smaller than usual, she's off all gut motility meds now for the first time in over a week so I'll keep a close eye on this.
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I did also give her a tiny slice of cucumber and a slice of red pepper whilst I was syringe feeding her and she ate both ♥️
 
@BossHogg hi there, if you're online, could you please say who would be good to tag in for help with this piggy? Pain and weight loss and a vet admission didn't help.
 
Black piggies said:
@BossHogg hi there, if you're online, could you please say who would be good to tag in for help with this piggy? Pain and weight loss and a vet admission didn't help.
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Thanks for this, I'm really at a loss and can't do anything other than syrigge feed and keep her warm until tomorrow when I'm going to ring and ask for a callback from our usual piggy vet who is back from annual leave tomorrow. I've got urine dipsticks arriving today.
 
This is the little lady yesterday. She's a lovely little girl and this is very unusual for her, she's been a very healthy bouncy little thing since I brought her home back in December xx
 

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That's good. It might also be helpful to add a brief summary comment outlining everything, the operation, the symptoms, the vet admission, to help forum staff? There might be nothing to add to what you're already doing or the comments from a little while back. She's gorgeous!
 
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Black piggies said:
That's good. It might also be helpful to add a brief summary comment outlining everything, the operation, the symptoms, the vet admission, to help forum staff? There might be nothing to add to what you're already doing. She's gorgeous!
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Sure, I'll do this now. Thank you for your help, I just want to help her feel better and to at least know what it is we're facing.
 
OK so here's an overview of everything Holly has been through.....

9 days ago now I first noticed that Holly was producing what looked like bright orange urine which has stained everything in the hutch, along with this she had and still has, a hu ched posture and issues with her gut (reduced frequency of poops and smaller, harder pellets). Took her to the vet the same day (usual vet surgery but not an exotics vet as it was an emergency consult). Vet suggested it was gut stasis, started her on cisapride, emeprid, metacam and syringe feed critical care. Did this all the next day with no real changes but she was generally well in herself other than the hunched appearance, dodgy wee and dodgy poops.

Monday came (2 days later) and again still hunched up despite 2 days in the above meds-took her straight back to the same vets who said she was dehydrated and obviously in pain. She was admitted to the veterinary hospital for immediate IV fluids, and to stabilise her. They completed blood tests then xrays. Also started her on cotrimoxazole as suspected infection. Xrays came back clear and they were reviewed by an exotics vet. Bloods came back as follows-

Complete blood count generally normal, all ratios within normal parameters for red blood cells. White blood cells slightly elevated (believe neutrophils, leukocytes) however she had an ovariectomy 4 weeks ago so they think it's linked to that as its not a significant elevation.

AST, ALT (liver) slightly elevated above normal parameters (ALT just above normal parameter limit which is 113, Holly's came back at 122 but apparently this is clinically insignificant and would only warrant further exploration if 4 or 5 times the upper limit).

Phosphorous and potassium again slightly elevated however this was marked artifact by the lab and attributed to time elapsed since bloods taken and received by the lab (approx 24 hrs).

She was monitored as an inpatient for 4 days and sent home 2 days ago as she was said to be doing really well. But I notice no difference, she's still hunched in pain, reduced movement, weight loss and this weird bright yellow and orange urine persists. Syringe feeding cc plus fibreplex and crushed soaked purgess pellets. Also offering small amounts of fresh veg which she is eating.

Plan to call usual vet who is back from hols tomorrow and get an appointment-I have an appointment already booked with a different exotics vets first thing weds am too.
 
I‘m so sorry you‘re having such a tough time with your piggy. It‘s terrible when they‘re ill and nothing we do makes them better. Did I read that you were in Leeds? There‘s an exotic vets just outside York called Battle Flatts Veterinary Clinic who are meant to be really good. I‘ve never been personally but I‘ve only heard positive things! So if your vet visit on on Weds doesn‘t get you any closer to an answer, this might be an option. Your vets should be able to send all the notes and test results to them so you shouldn‘t have to do it all again. I‘m keeping my fingers firmly crossed for you. Hopefully your little girl picks up soon! x
 
stef.trg said:
I‘m so sorry you‘re having such a tough time with your piggy. It‘s terrible when they‘re ill and nothing we do makes them better. Did I read that you were in Leeds? There‘s an exotic vets just outside York called Battle Flatts Veterinary Clinic who are meant to be really good. I‘ve never been personally but I‘ve only heard positive things! So if your vet visit on on Weds doesn‘t get you any closer to an answer, this might be an option. Your vets should be able to send all the notes and test results to them so you shouldn‘t have to do it all again. I‘m keeping my fingers firmly crossed for you. Hopefully your little girl picks up soon! x
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This is great thank you for passing this info on- yes we are in Leeds so this isn't far for us to go at all. The exotics vets at her surgery are generally fab but her usual one who knows her entire history and is a level above in terms of piggy knowledge has been off the last 2 weeks.
 
Lazw said:
That's great, thank you so much for doing this 🙏
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Hi!

I am very sorry.

Could you see an out-of-hours or 7 days a week vet clinic today? Puffing up and hunching over are pointing towards an internal source of pain somewhere in the main body/the major organ/spine area in my experience.
How to contact a vet out of hours
Emergency Information and Care

Other than that, all you can do is hang in there until tomorrow morning.

The bright orange urine is to my knowledge (but things may have changed in the meantime) caused by an overgrowth of relatively harmless bacteria that are normally found in a bladder and kept under control by a full working immune system. It is a secondary complication and not a primary cause of problems; it is more often seen in the wake of some major issues with the bladder.

PS: Sorry, I am not well today myself and won't be active on the forum.
 
Wiebke said:
Hi!

I am very sorry.

Could you see an out-of-hours or 7 days a week vet clinic today? Puffing up and hunching over are pointing towards an internal source of pain somewhere in the main body/the major organ/spine area in my experience.
How to contact a vet out of hours
Emergency Information and Care

Other than that, all you can do is hang in there until tomorrow morning.

The bright orange urine is to my knowledge (but things may have changed in the meantime) caused by an overgrowth of relatively harmless bacteria that are normally found in a bladder and kept under control by a full working immune system. It is a secondary complication and not a primary cause of problems; it is more often seen in the wake of some major issues with the bladder.

PS: Sorry, I am not well today myself and won't be active on the forum.
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Thanks for your response @Wiebke, I hope you feel better soon too.

I guess I'll just keep on with the cc feed until tomorrow when I'll call to try and speak with her usual vet who is brilliant.
 
Lazw said:
Thanks for your response @Wiebke, I hope you feel better soon too.

I guess I'll just keep on with the cc feed until tomorrow when I'll call to try and speak with her usual vet who is brilliant.
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So we're at about 35ml of critical care for the day so far and I want her to have had 45ml at least by bedtime. Thisafternoon she has become very interested in food so she's had another slice of cucumber and half a baby corn and she's screaming for dinner now so she will be getting that shortly. Poops are being produced but they are tiny and very hard, almost like she's dehydrated. I don't 'think' her fur is as spiky thisafternoon as it was but that could just be me hoping for the best. Urine still orange, her hutch mate and her are usually bickering constantly but they're the best of friends at the moment which is lovely but also a little bit disconcerting...... Perhaps bramble knows somethings not quite right with her friend? Anyway, I'll feed them now and give her another load of cc before bed too and I'll update tomorrow once I've hopefully spoken with her usual vet. Thanks so much everyone for being there at such a stressful time for poor little Holly pig. X
 
I don’t have any advice, but my fingers are crossed for you all. I hope your vet gets to the bottom of this and Holly makes a full recovery.
 
Fingers crossed your vets find out what this is. I live near Leeds and Holly House Veterinary Clinic is very good, they’ve seen my pigs before and been really good. They‘re a hospital and have a 24 hour emergency service too. Best wishes to Holly 💗
 
PipandOreo said:
Fingers crossed your vets find out what this is. I live near Leeds and Holly House Veterinary Clinic is very good, they’ve seen my pigs before and been really good. They‘re a hospital and have a 24 hour emergency service too. Best wishes to Holly 💗
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It's Holly House we're registered with, she was an inpatient there last week 😊 x
 
Hope Holly is feeling a little better today and you can get hold of your usual vet. Hugs to you both x
 
alpacasqueak said:
Hope Holly is feeling a little better today and you can get hold of your usual vet. Hugs to you both x
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I've called them and asked for our usual vet to call back and I've been added to her list of callbacks so hopefully I'll hear from her when she has a spare moment. I tried to book an appointment with her but she's fully booked until almost August so I'm hoping if I speak to her on the phone she might be able to squeeze Holly in somewhere before then 🙏
 
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