• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Boar Not Recovering Well Post Neutering

K

Kafferies

New Born Pup
Joined
Apr 7, 2018
Messages
11
Reaction score
4
Points
140
Hi there,
My boar Spike is not recovering well post op, he’s just sitting there and barely eating anything. I’m feeding him critical care (started today), and he’s been back to the vet, who gave him pain killer and antibiotics as well as fluids. He’s seeing and pooping a little bit now. He is on his own in a cage ( he has been since just before Easter), in the same room though with his partner Rosie and their 3 pups. I feel terrible that I put him through the op now and that he’s on his own. Please, if anyone has any advice to help his recovery, share it? I’ve not owned guinea pigs before, but I’ve always loved them.
Thanks
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gia
Poor spike. All you can do is keep up with the antibiotics and pain medication. Syringe feed if he’s not eating and keep him warm.

It will be worth it in the end after his 6 weeks wait so he can be with Rosie again.
 
Kafferies said:
Hi there,
My boar Spike is not recovering well post op, he’s just sitting there and barely eating anything. I’m feeding him critical care (started today), and he’s been back to the vet, who gave him pain killer and antibiotics as well as fluids. He’s seeing and pooping a little bit now. He is on his own in a cage ( he has been since just before Easter), in the same room though with his partner Rosie and their 3 pups. I feel terrible that I put him through the op now and that he’s on his own. Please, if anyone has any advice to help his recovery, share it? I’ve not owned guinea pigs before, but I’ve always loved them.
Thanks
Click to expand...

Please hang on in there and feed the more often the less he eats. Ask your vet for gut stimulants to help prevent gut stasis (zantac/ranitidine and emeprid). Put his cage next to Rosie's.

It is a good sign that he is pooping as that means that his guts are going.

When has he been operated? There is usually a gap after the operation in the poo output that reflects the gap in the intake during the op and post-op recovery. The first poos after that gap are usually small and funny, reflecting the chemicals from the operation meds.
Tips For Post-operative Care
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

It always feels worse when an elective operation is not going smoothly, but please remember that you have chosen it to give him the best of piggy lives.
 
Thank you for your words of encouragement- I’ve been getting down about it. I moved his cage next to Rosie, I had it there before she gave birth but he was gnawing the cage so moved her away a bit. he’s liking the syringed food but still very quiet. He was operated on Friday but it was difficult to get the syringed meds into him as he wasn’t eating and I wasn’t confident how to use the syringe. I’m pretty good now though.He’s just started eating some pulled grass for the first time this morning. Will keep it up and hope he pull through. His heart is beating very strongly it’s making his body move - what does this mean?
 
It does take time to recover from an op but @Wiebke has given good advice.
When my Titus had a wobbler after his neutering the vet advised syringe feeding some mashed banana as well as the critical care until he started eating.
I kept him warm by filling a hot water bottle, wrapping it in a towel and then wrapping Titus in a towel as well sitting on top of the bottle.
He soon began to perk up and was back to his normal self.
Hope that Spike makes a speedy recovery and will happily be restored to Rosie
 
Kafferies said:
Thank you for your words of encouragement- I’ve been getting down about it. I moved his cage next to Rosie, I had it there before she gave birth but he was gnawing the cage so moved her away a bit. he’s liking the syringed food but still very quiet. He was operated on Friday but it was difficult to get the syringed meds into him as he wasn’t eating and I wasn’t confident how to use the syringe. I’m pretty good now though.He’s just started eating some pulled grass for the first time this morning. Will keep it up and hope he pull through. His heart is beating very strongly it’s making his body move - what does this mean?
Click to expand...

I hope that the increased food intake will help perk him up; it is vital that you get as close to 60 ml (ideally even more) over the course of 24 hours, but don't give him more than he can take and don't give more than he can swallow (about half a 1 ml syringe full) . If he has heaving sides (diaphragmic) breathing and is very weak/lathargic, please see your vet.
 
Merab's Slave said:
It does take time to recover from an op but @Wiebke has given good advice.
When my Titus had a wobbler after his neutering the vet advised syringe feeding some mashed banana as well as the critical care until he started eating.
I kept him warm by filling a hot water bottle, wrapping it in a towel and then wrapping Titus in a towel as well sitting on top of the bottle.
He soon began to perk up and was back to his normal self.
Hope that Spike makes a speedy recovery and will happily be restored to Rosie
Click to expand...
Wiebke said:
I hope that the increased food intake will help perk him up; it is vital that you get as close to 60 ml (ideally even more) over the course of 24 hours, but don't give him more than he can take and don't give more than he can swallow (about half a 1 ml syringe full) . If he has heaving sides (diaphragmic) breathing and is very weak/lathargic, please see your vet.
Click to expand...
Thanks @Wiebke I've got him booked in this afternoon - he's taking the syringed food keenly every few hours still but still not doing anything. Currently in a snuggle sack in a box next to me - he's occasionally coming out for a wee/small poo. I'm sure he's had more than 60ml in the last 24 hours, as I've fed him at least 7 times. He turns away when he's had enough and sometime has a little nibble on some grass afterwards. How do you cut off the end of the syringe - they're pretty tough!
 
Kafferies said:
Thanks @Wiebke I've got him booked in this afternoon - he's taking the syringed food keenly every few hours still but still not doing anything. Currently in a snuggle sack in a box next to me - he's occasionally coming out for a wee/small poo. I'm sure he's had more than 60ml in the last 24 hours, as I've fed him at least 7 times. He turns away when he's had enough and sometime has a little nibble on some grass afterwards. How do you cut off the end of the syringe - they're pretty tough!
Click to expand...

If he is keen on feeding, then this is a very good sign; it is definitely not a sign of a piggy going into heart failure! ;) Hopefully he'll perk up in the degree nutrients are coming through over the course of the next 24 hours. It usually takes 1-2 days for everything to pass through the system, so reactions and poo output are always lagging behind a bit.
 
Kafferies said:
How do you cut off the end of the syringe - they're pretty tough!
Click to expand...

The best thing is a Stanley knife or sharp craft knife. Hold the blade right on the end of the wide part of the syringe and press firmly, so as to cut off just the narrow tip and the bit joining it to the wide part.
Hope your boy recovers form his surgery soon.
 
Qualcast&Flymo said:
The best thing is a Stanley knife or sharp craft knife. Hold the blade right on the end of the wide part of the syringe and press firmly, so as to cut off just the narrow tip and the bit joining it to the wide part.
Hope your boy recovers form his surgery soon.
Click to expand...
Thank you - I managed last night with a big kitchen knife!
 
I hope that things are looking up for Spike now - he had perked up last night, no end. He went to the vets again yesterday and they gave him another injection for pain relief. Apparently he had gut stimulant the day before. His wound is fine and his breathing has calmed down a lot - and he was eating a lot more on his own and not being so keen to take the critical care. He was eating celery and lettuce, hay and grass this morning and much brighter and more inquisitive. I'll keep offering him some critical care to top up what he's eating as he's not back to form. But fingers crossed he's moving in the right direction. Thank you again for all your support.
 
Glad to hear Spike is eating more and has hopefully turned a corner. Come on Spike and you will soon be back with Rosie. xx
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top