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Beans Is Limping On Front Paw

Beans&Toast

Beans&Toast

Adult Guinea Pig
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I cannot believe the run of bad luck both Beans and Toast are having, Beans is really getting it hard just now though I could cry.

In the space of a month I've had her at the vets (usually emergency vets) 4 times. 1st because she temporarily lost the use of her back legs due to pain from arthritis. 1 week later she was back because she developed a middle ear infection overnight and when I found her in the morning she couldn't move off her side. Then 2 weeks ago she was there because she had quite a severe hay poke that needed antibiotics.


Now this morning I found her unable to put any weight on her front left paw, so off we went to the vets. He had a good look and feel and thinks it's either a sprain in which case limit her movement and rest to try heal it, but he said it could be something to do with joint infection? Or joint inflammation? Which be said would be the worst case scenario. I was told to look out for swelling and if it's no better by Monday get her back in first thing.

That was this morning and by tonight it's already looking swollen/puffy and she still won't put any weight on it. She's such a little fighter though she's still just hobbling about and eating hay whilst holding her paw up and tucked under her.


She's already on loxicom and tramadol so pain wise she's covered - is there anything else I can do? I've reduced the size of the cage from a 5x5 to a 2x4 to try limit her movement. Would a heat pad help? I have a snugglesafe and a hot water bottle. I feel so helpless for her :(
 
Thank you. I'm hoping it is, that would be the best case scenario I think? I don't know how she could have sprained it theirs cage is flat on the ground with no ramps so nothing to fall off. I'll try the heat pad and see if she likes it
 
It can take a good few days before they start putting weight on it.

My arthritic boar managed to hurt his front leg somehow. I suspect he twanged it somehow when he was standing up at the bars. It took him almost a week before je was using it normally.

And Jon Snow was holding one of his back legs up a few months ago. He started to use it again the next evening. I think he got it tangled in a piece of hay.

I tend to leave it a few days before I go to the vet as they would need an xray, and I don't want to stress them or waste the vets time if it is just a sprain.

But if it's starting to look different or they cry when I touch it then they go straight away for an xray.
 
Jaycey said:
It can take a good few days before they start putting weight on it.

My arthritic boar managed to hurt his front leg somehow. I suspect he twanged it somehow when he was standing up at the bars. It took him almost a week before je was using it normally.

And Jon Snow was holding one of his back legs up a few months ago. He started to use it again the next evening. I think he got it tangled in a piece of hay.

I tend to leave it a few days before I go to the vet as they would need an xray, and I don't want to stress them or waste the vets time if it is just a sprain.

But if it's starting to look different or they cry when I touch it then they go straight away for an xray.
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I was considering leaving her until Monday but she was squealing when I even tried to get her her paw so I panicked and just took her. Maybe shouldn't have but I felt so helpless.

When your boar hurt his front leg did it swell up?
 
@Beans&Toast Not that I could see or feel. I only touched it a little bit to feel for an obvious break.

He did go to the vet for an xray later that week. Not because of his leg but a few different things had stacked up which swayed us into getting an xray. The xray confirmed quite bad arthritis so he went on Metacam and he was walking again within a week.
 
Baby hurt her leg a few months ago,
It also swelled up like you were saying yours has,
She was hobbling around aswell

It turned out to be a sprain, but she had stiff joints also,
Vet gave vit drops to help.

Hopefully it all gets cleared up for your piggie
Sending healing vibes!
 
Thanks everyone. As usual I seem to have slightly over reacted... But Beans is an old girl with a lot of things going on so I panic.

Her paw is swollen and she's holding it up but she's still hobbling around on 3 legs munching on hay so I can relax a bit now :doh:
 
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