Broken ribs, pulmonary contusion, not using bathroom

[Crys77]

Last night, at 5 pm eastern time, my dogs got to my guinea pigs while I was gone. I took both to an exotic vet after hours animal hospital in Raleigh. They said the 6 month old Theo has 2 broken ribs, pulmonary contusions, and emphysema caused by wall trauma. I have a follow up appointment with a local exotic vet today at 4. I know he's in pain. They gave me oxbow critical care mush to give him he's but only eating a little by syringe. They gave him Buprenorphine to be given every 12 hrs (.3 mg)MG, and Meloxicam 1.5 MG every 12 hrs. They said respiratory distress is critical and to watch for it so I am. But he's not moving at all, just laying there so I'm praying he doesn't get sick from lack of movement either. Should I be doing anything else to help him heal faster at home? He's breathing fast and his butt feels really warm but he's not pooping.

 

[Bill & Ted]

So sorry for you and your little piggie, I have to say this sounds very serious to me.Fingers crossed there’s some improvement soon

 

[weepweeps]

I’m so sorry this accident has happened. Did the vet think your piggy would survive these injuries? It sounds very serious indeed. Good luck with the exotics vet. How is your other piggy? Please don’t let your piggy suffer if it’s kinder to help them over the bridge. I’m sorry. Take care.

 

[PigglePuggle]

I'm very sorry, your piggy may well be in shock and the injuries sound very serious. Piggies can sometimes die from shock alone after a nasty experience like this even without the injuried.
I think your piggy perhaps should be kept in the animal hospital for a few days until his condition is stable, so he can be monitored better and kept pain free until the vets are sure he has a good chance of survival. Often it is better to nurse piggies at home but in this case perhaps he needs professional nursing care in the hospital for now...

 

[Merab]

I am so sorry to read this.
Holding you in my thoughts

 

[Claire W]

I’m so sorry that this terrible accident has happened The injuries sound very serious. I hope your piggy can recover x

 

[Crys77]

I’m so sorry this accident has happened. Did the vet think your piggy would survive these injuries? It sounds very serious indeed. Good luck with the exotics vet. How is your other piggy? Please don’t let your piggy suffer if it’s kinder to help them over the bridge. I’m sorry. Take care.

The vet said the first 24 hrs is critical and we just crossed that. I followed up this afternoon at the vet and he finally was pooping before we left. He hasn't eaten but I syringe fed him and he's doing better. Still in pain, but the prognosis is better! If they thought he was suffering, I would have them end his suffering for sure. Last night I left for the ER vet with the expectation that he may have to be put down, but thankfully today is better!

 

[Crys77]

I’m so sorry that this terrible accident has happened The injuries sound very serious. I hope your piggy can recover x

Thank you! The vet today gave him antibiotics and said he should heal in 6 wks, but I have to keep feeding him until he eats of his own free will. He's got a decent recovery time to go, but he's not critical now, thank the Lord. He's getting pets from daddy right now.

 

[Crys77]

I'm very sorry, your piggy may well be in shock and the injuries sound very serious. Piggies can sometimes die from shock alone after a nasty experience like this even without the injuried.
I think your piggy perhaps should be kept in the animal hospital for a few days until his condition is stable, so he can be monitored better and kept pain free until the vets are sure he has a good chance of survival. Often it is better to nurse piggies at home but in this case perhaps he needs professional nursing care in the hospital for now...

We brought him home anyway because the hospital doctor said the first 24 hrs was critical to watch for respiratory distress and since we lived an hr away, and had an appointment with our local exotic vet today, she thought it would be okay so long as we saw the vet. It was 1 am in the morning. I honestly wanted to leave him with them for observation, but at $1400 for just a 24 hr hospitalization, not counting all the x-rays, exam fees, etc, I just couldn't afford that.

 

[Crys77]

UPDATE!
Theo, our guinea, is pooping good now. The vet today said he needed food and that me feeding him with the syringe is what forced things to work themselves out. We are giving him water via syringe, as well as small amounts of Gatorade. He's eating via syringe every hour or so, I'm rotating him from side to side every hour to keep blood flowing and prevent pneumonia (VET directed), he gets pain meds every 12 hours, as well as antibiotics. His abdomen is soft, and he is using the bathroom consistently...peeing alot too. Overall, given the bruised lungs and broken ribs, he's doing better. 6 week to recovery according to the vet. Thank the Lord I have an exotic vet 5 minutes from my house!

 

[Crys77]

I’m so sorry this accident has happened. Did the vet think your piggy would survive these injuries? It sounds very serious indeed. Good luck with the exotics vet. How is your other piggy? Please don’t let your piggy suffer if it’s kinder to help them over the bridge. I’m sorry. Take care.

Our other piggy is better, just musculoskeletal bruising, a few missing hair spots, and traumatized. But he's back to his normal self, minus the fear and trauma.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I'm glad to hear the prognosis is a better.

Ensure you weigh him daily so you can adjust the amount of critical care syringe feed he is having to keel his weight stable. If he loses weight then feed him more. Where he isn’t eating hay at all, you are aiming for at least 60ml of critical care in each 24 hour period.

Gatorade? As in the sports drink? If so, then please do not give him that. He needs water to drink only

Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Weight - Monitoring and Management

 

[weepweeps]

Well that is sounding more positive. Poor piggy. Is he eating anything on his own?

 

[Merab]

Glad to hear things sounding more positive

 

[Crys77]

I'm glad to hear the prognosis is a better.

Ensure you weigh him daily so you can adjust the amount of critical care syringe feed he is having to keel his weight stable. If he loses weight then feed him more. Where he isn’t eating hay at all, you are aiming for at least 60ml of critical care in each 24 hour period.

Gatorade? As in the sports drink? If so, then please do not give him that. He needs water to drink only

Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Weight - Monitoring and Management

I'm only giving him about 1/2 ml of it. The exotic vet said to give it to him, not alot though. Just a little each day. I give him water and food. Last night he ate hay in his kennel and some veggies. He seems to be doing much better today! I fed him some peppers, critical care mush, and a hay treat. He's moving around and acting like he's feeling better.

 

[Crys77]

Well that is sounding more positive. Poor piggy. Is he eating anything on his own?

When I got up to give him medicine, he had eaten a handful of hay on his own. This morning I still fed him with a syringue, but he also ate some veggies on his own. He seems to be much better today!

 

[Bill & Ted]

When I got up to give him medicine, he had eaten a handful of hay on his own. This morning I still fed him with a syringue, but he also ate some veggies on his own. He seems to be much better today!

keep giving him syringe food to top him up if you possibly can x

 

[weepweeps]

Sounds good