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After Castration Complications

courts98xx

courts98xx

New Born Pup
Joined
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Location
Derby
Hello,
I am very worried about my Jasper.
He was castrated last month and afterwards he's never been himself, he's not eaten as much and has been very mopey. Since then he has lost loads of weight which I brought up with the post op check to which the nurse said nothing bad and to keep an eye on it even tho I also mentioned his lack of appetite.
Last Thursday I noticed a lump where his testicle were and at first I thought he had impaction but in further investigation I was concerned it was an abscess, he went to the vets that night and confirmed it is an abscess so he drained it, and slit it open so it can drain on its own, I was given hibiscrub to clean twice a day and Zithromax antibiotics for him, the abscess cleared up so so well after all that. But I went back to the vets Monday with him anyway due to his eating and pooping as it looks more like a small tear shape (long and thin) and she said that it could be GI Stasis, so I've been given another weeks worth of antibiotics to keep away any infection and also was given Ranitidine to help his guts. I was also adviced to try Poop Soup (use healthy guinea poop and mix with water and feed a mil of that a day an hour after antibiotics, I can't really afford proper probiotic until next Friday he's ran my bank account clean unless it is really going to help him).
Its been 4 days now, his eating has gotten better, loves his greens and tomatoes again but only in small portion. He isn't touching his peppers at all. He is also eating his nuggets and alot of hay. He doesn't to have seem to have put much weight on and still feels like he's poorly and he's just sulking everywhere (he's a big wimp).
His poo is just a mixture now tho, earlier it was more clumpy, now its diarrhea... I just want him to clear up and it's stressing me more than it should :(
Would like some advice on how to keep him comfortable or if he would need further treatment or if the probiotic is something that is going to really help him, if so I'll have to go to bank of grandma as she's been helping me out with him.
I'm just stuck as I just want him healthy for his girls :(
 
He needs to be constantly eating hay so is that happening more now? You say he is eating his pellets and a lot of hay now, so has his appetite normalised but he isn’t putting much weight on?
Have you tried the poop soup?
the advice is to take them off all fresh food until poops normalise if they have diarrhoea though. That would feel counter intuitive given you need him to eat but putting more veg on top of an upset tummy won’t help his tummy settle.
If he isn’t eating enough for himself, then you should step in with syringe feeding him With critical care but you can mush up pellets with water and syringe feed those to him as an alternative.
 
Piggies&buns said:
He needs to be constantly eating hay so is that happening more now? You say he is eating his pellets and a lot of hay now, so has his appetite normalised but he isn’t putting much weight on?
Have you tried the poop soup?
the advice is to take them off all fresh food until poops normalise if they have diarrhoea though. That would feel counter intuitive given you need him to eat but putting more veg on top of an upset tummy won’t help his tummy settle.
If he isn’t eating enough for himself, then you should step in with syringe feeding him With critical care but you can mush up pellets with water and syringe feed those to him as an alternative.
Click to expand...
Ahhh thank you, he is eating alot of hay. The same amount tho as before, his hay eating never decreased that much if I am honest. Same with his pellets after the op he seemed to resort to those two more. I've done to poop soup for the past 2 days at first he thinks it's gross medication but then I give it him and he's wanting more bless him, this has sort of made his poo more normal but it just keeps changing but it's definitely seeming like diahorrea currently.
If he's not eating enough without veg, how many times a day should I syringe feed him for?
 
It can take some time for piggies to recover from abscesses. Chances are his appetite will not improve until he is off antibiotics.
I agree that he needs regular syringe feeds with critical care or other hay based recovery food. This will help maintain his weight and form his poohs.
Is he on some pain relief? He might still be uncomfortable. Carry on with the ranitidine and maybe get some fibreplex to mix in with the syringe feed when funds allow.
I am sure he will make a full recovery if you can just get him through the next week or so
 
I've experienced some bad post neuter problems, even with an exotic vet who was very piggy savvy. These things do happen, even in the best hands, but you seem to have all the right advice from your vets, and doing everything possible you can do. You're obviously monitoring Jasper carefully, and I'd second Lisa's advice to weigh daily and I also agree keeping his weight up with syringe feeding is essential if he's losing weight and would support the use of Fibreplex and painkillers.I

These times are so stressful; our piggies are such a worry, but you obviously love Jasper to bits and are being a really good mum!
 
courts98xx said:
Hello,
I am very worried about my Jasper.
He was castrated last month and afterwards he's never been himself, he's not eaten as much and has been very mopey. Since then he has lost loads of weight which I brought up with the post op check to which the nurse said nothing bad and to keep an eye on it even tho I also mentioned his lack of appetite.
Last Thursday I noticed a lump where his testicle were and at first I thought he had impaction but in further investigation I was concerned it was an abscess, he went to the vets that night and confirmed it is an abscess so he drained it, and slit it open so it can drain on its own, I was given hibiscrub to clean twice a day and Zithromax antibiotics for him, the abscess cleared up so so well after all that. But I went back to the vets Monday with him anyway due to his eating and pooping as it looks more like a small tear shape (long and thin) and she said that it could be GI Stasis, so I've been given another weeks worth of antibiotics to keep away any infection and also was given Ranitidine to help his guts. I was also adviced to try Poop Soup (use healthy guinea poop and mix with water and feed a mil of that a day an hour after antibiotics, I can't really afford proper probiotic until next Friday he's ran my bank account clean unless it is really going to help him).
Its been 4 days now, his eating has gotten better, loves his greens and tomatoes again but only in small portion. He isn't touching his peppers at all. He is also eating his nuggets and alot of hay. He doesn't to have seem to have put much weight on and still feels like he's poorly and he's just sulking everywhere (he's a big wimp).
His poo is just a mixture now tho, earlier it was more clumpy, now its diarrhea... I just want him to clear up and it's stressing me more than it should :(
Would like some advice on how to keep him comfortable or if he would need further treatment or if the probiotic is something that is going to really help him, if so I'll have to go to bank of grandma as she's been helping me out with him.
I'm just stuck as I just want him healthy for his girls :(
Click to expand...

Hi!

Strong antibiotics can mess with the gut biome; when zithromax (which is usually well tolerated) causes problems with the gut, then it tends to hit hard. Please stay off any veg and support feed with recovery formula, plenty of probiotics, fibreplex and/or poo soup; I find mixing some of the probiotics into the syringe feed useful at this stage; give him as much as he will take in one go and also offer as much water as he will take.

The poos reflect the food intake and the state of the gut from 1-2 days earlier. After a zithromax gut wipe, it can take a while before the appetite returns - and accordingly the weight.

Has your vet stitched open the lanced area and shown you how you have flush and drain the abscess for as long as possible to allow all the infected material to come out and not start another abscess again?
Abscesses heal from the inside out, so the longer you can keep the exit open and the abscess pockets flushed and drained, the higher your chances of a successful recovery.

Neutering operations: Considerations, post-op care and a successful recovery example
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Especially if there have been complications, the weight lost in an operation can be some time to come back. Your first and main aim is always to stabilise it. Once your boy is feeling better in himself, then the weight will eventually return on its own a few weeks down the line. ;)
 
pig in the city said:
It can take some time for piggies to recover from abscesses. Chances are his appetite will not improve until he is off antibiotics.
I agree that he needs regular syringe feeds with critical care or other hay based recovery food. This will help maintain his weight and form his poohs.
Is he on some pain relief? He might still be uncomfortable. Carry on with the ranitidine and maybe get some fibreplex to mix in with the syringe feed when funds allow.
I am sure he will make a full recovery if you can just get him through the next week or so
Click to expand...
Thank you, I will start syringe feeding him tomorrow, he's taking the poo soup like a champ atm he keeps wanting more lol. He was on pain relief but we took him of it Monday. He isn't moping all the time, at nighttime (especially night time as he's right besides me) I hear him running around, attacking his toy and eating hay and pellets and drinking.
I will get fibreplex, there is one in my local pets at home by the brand Vetark probiotic, is that one recommended at all? Another question how much and how many times a day to syringe feed if you know by any chance?
I feel so bad that I've put him through this 😩
 
courts98xx said:
Thank you, I will start syringe feeding him tomorrow, he's taking the poo soup like a champ atm he keeps wanting more lol. He was on pain relief but we took him of it Monday. He isn't moping all the time, at nighttime (especially night time as he's right besides me) I hear him running around, attacking his toy and eating hay and pellets and drinking.
I will get fibreplex, there is one in my local pets at home by the brand Vetark probiotic, is that one recommended at all? Another question how much and how many times a day to syringe feed if you know by any chance?
I feel so bad that I've put him through this 😩
Click to expand...

Probiotics are pretty similar; fibreplex has more additives and is more effective than your normal probiotics. It has helped with my own zithromax problem piggies but to be honest, your boy sounds like he doing pretty well!
 
Wiebke said:
Hi!

Strong antibiotics can mess with the gut biome; when zithromax (which is usually well tolerated) causes problems with the gut, then it tends to hit hard. Please stay off any veg and support feed with recovery formula, plenty of probiotics, fibreplex and/or poo soup; I find mixing some of the probiotics into the syringe feed useful at this stage; give him as much as he will take in one go and also offer as much water as he will take.

The poos reflect the food intake and the state of the gut from 1-2 days earlier. After a zithromax gut wipe, it can take a while before the appetite returns - and accordingly the weight.

Has your vet stitched open the lanced area and shown you how you have flush and drain the abscess for as long as possible to allow all the infected material to come out and not start another abscess again?
Abscesses heal from the inside out, so the longer you can keep the exit open and the abscess pockets flushed and drained, the higher your chances of a successful recovery.

Neutering operations: Considerations, post-op care and a successful recovery example
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Especially if there have been complications, the weight lost in an operation can be some time to come back. Your first and main aim is always to stabilise it. Once your boy is feeling better in himself, then the weight will eventually return on its own a few weeks down the line. ;)
Click to expand...
Thank you, I've just been offering him poo soup and he keeps wanting more, he's taking it like an hungry pig lol. I won't be giving him any veg now until he's better.
They gave it a massive squeeze Monday and it was just all blood that came out they said I got all the infectious puss out and to keep cleaning it which I have been doing and it has healed nicely. The issue is he keep getting wee all over his body, he's on puppy pads and got some hay to soak it up, I'm also changing it regularly but he keeps getting it all over himself.
He was quite a chunky boy so its helped him in that respect 😂 told him to go on a diet to impress his ladies but obviously it's gone too far lol
 
Just an added question - I put in a cardboard toilet roll in for him to play with but he started eating it. I've heard mixed responses, is it okay for him to keep in if he's eating it or not? Thanks
 
courts98xx said:
Just an added question - I put in a cardboard toilet roll in for him to play with but he started eating it. I've heard mixed responses, is it okay for him to keep in if he's eating it or not? Thanks
Click to expand...

If he isn't eating all at once, then it is fine. Piggies whose guts are a bit unhinged do crave some rather rough fibre to rebalance them.

I am however keeping my fingers re your abscess very firmly crossed; I am not quite sold on your vet's decision.
 
Update: he's been off veggies for 3 days now and the poo is hardening nicely and coming back into normal shape, also after syringe feeding him and filling him up every night until he wants no more, he has put alot of weight back on (he's now 1.075kg, before his op he was 3.3kg oops) as I can no longer feel his hips as much as I could aswell:) he's also more lively and he has finished his antibiotics tonight. I will be keeping him in for another week to syringe feed and slowly wean him back onto veg and also poop soup and then hopefully i can wean him back outside and then introduce him to the girls once he's fully better :)
His abscess has also stayed back so far and there's still no lump there just a scab where the incision was.
 
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