7 year old sow limping

[Burns360]

Hi a bit of a long story, my 5 year old sow cinnamon is recovering from a uri and antibiotics have messed up her gut, I’m giving her critical care and fibreplex and she has loxicom and Emeprid. She is constantly up my 7 year old, peanut, backside to get her poo which I know is because her gut is messed up. But she is relentless, peanut doesn’t have the best mobility but cinnamon has flipped her and now she is limping and dragging her back feet, which she wasn’t doing about an hour ago, I didn’t want to separate them (4 pigs in total in the cage) but peanut can’t run away from cinnamon and is just crying out whenever cinnamon is up her bum. I will be taking peanut to the vet first thing tomorrow but I’m at a loss of what to do companion wise!

There is cinnamon, 5 and two 10 week old babies in with her, the babies are zooming and popcorning and jumping on peanut which she isn’t happy about,as she is obviously distressed. Peanut only lost her 6 year old cage mate rolo 2 weeks ago and took it very badly so I’m hesitant to separate but don’t want peanut to get hurt even more

 

[Wiebke]

Hi a bit of a long story, my 5 year old sow cinnamon is recovering from a uri and antibiotics have messed up her gut, I’m giving her critical care and fibreplex and she has loxicom and Emeprid. She is constantly up my 7 year old, peanut, backside to get her poo which I know is because her gut is messed up. But she is relentless, peanut doesn’t have the best mobility but cinnamon has flipped her and now she is limping and dragging her back feet, which she wasn’t doing about an hour ago, I didn’t want to separate them (4 pigs in total in the cage) but peanut can’t run away from cinnamon and is just crying out whenever cinnamon is up her bum. I will be taking peanut to the vet first thing tomorrow but I’m at a loss of what to do companion wise!

There is cinnamon, 5 and two 10 week old babies in with her, the babies are zooming and popcorning and jumping on peanut which she isn’t happy about,as she is obviously distressed. Peanut only lost her 6 year old cage mate rolo 2 weeks ago and took it very badly so I’m hesitant to separate but don’t want peanut to get hurt even more

Please put a temporary divider in so Peanut can recover but they are still in contact and can keep their bond going. The change in group dynamics always leads to a renewal of the group hierarchy and a re-establishment, which may play into it.

Cinnamon may likely be establishing herself as top sow by dominance mounting and the screaming is highly likely submission screaming. If you have worries about the need to replenishing gut microbiome, then 'poo soup' (i.e. live cavy microbiome transfer, if done correctly, and probiotics on a little veg or a slightly moistened pellet can also help to restock the gut.
A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours (see dominance)
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links (includes how to make poo soup)

Caring for Older Piggies and Facing the End - A practical and supportive information collection
Looking After Guinea Pigs With Limited or No Mobility