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Does This Require Urgent Vets Today?

Beans&Toast

Beans&Toast

Adult Guinea Pig
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I'm away for work today so my Mum is looking after the pigs but something is wrong with Toast so I'd appreciate any help.

Okay long story short (sort of) as of Friday morning Toast hasn't been herself. (She's had on/off dental problems and bloat problems for the 2 years I've had her).She was spayed 6 weeks ago which seemed to sort out the bloat problems until now but not the dental.

She's due to be seen this Monday for dental anyway. But Friday morning she wasn't herself, wasn't coming out of her hidey and was getting more and more bloated as the day went on, she wasn't pooing often and when she was it was coming out very small and mishapen.

She also wouldn't eat anything (due to pain) and needed syringe fed. I gave her Cisapride, Ranitadine and Fibreplex and rubbed her belly to help ease gas. This helped and by evening/night time she was better except her poos went soft, but she was eating again so I wasn't overly worried.


This morning I got up at 5 to find she had diarrhea and was sitting in a pile of it, she had also lost about 50g since last night but her weight was a lot higher than normal last night due to being so bloated so it's not as big a weight loss as It sounds.

I've given her a wash and the poos she is doing now seem more normal, except she's squealing in agony when she does, and her bum is lifting up. It also sounds like gas is coming out at the same time. I've given Cisapride/ Ranitadine and Fibreplex again as she's gassy.

She is going between seeming fine, walking about the cage eating and pooing without any problems, then back to sitting in her hidey not wanting to come out, then back to fine.


The issue is I'm away with work today. Normally I'd phone in sick to take her to the vets and look after after her but I couldn't this time. My mum is at home to look after her and give meds but she's disabled and struggles to walk so she'd really struggle getting her to the vets. She's also allergic to dogs so the vets is a last resort for her.

She's said she will take her obviously if she needs to, but I'm just trying to work out if it's something that can wait until I get home and I can deal with her myself, or if she urgently needs the vets today while I'm away.

I'm really panicking being away from Toast all day, I don't know what to do for the best.
 
What an awful position for you to be in :(

*Personally* I would visit the Vet today but I am a terrible worrier and never leave anything to chance.

Is there someone else who could go to the Vets instead of your Mom?

I hope you are able to sort something xx
 
Unfortunately not it's just my Mum and I.

I'm a worrier too and if I was off work I'd probably take her just to be safe. I didn't take her yesterday as I knew the bloat was something I could deal with, and I feel like if I was at home with her I'd be able to deal with her today too.


My vets is only open 9am-12pm on a Saturday, so it's not like I can leave her a few hours and see how she is then. Unless I take her to another vets who don't know her history but they're open later and could help if it was an emergency situation... i dont know
 
Have you taken her off veg for 24-48 hours to see if that stops the loose poops? It's usually recommended for a pig with a bit of a poop issue to be taken off fresh food for a few days to recover.

My Jon was like it a few months ago. He wasn't happy about it but I didn't give him veg for a few days and he was fine again. I made sure to introduce them again slowly.

Also, I would be reluctant to jump in with all of the gut stimulant meds. Adding in meds to an already delicate stomach issue can make it worse. They are used with bloat to help the system start to move again and get the poop output flowing again. So if you give it to a pig whose output is already okay/fast it's just going to make it worse. Only give it aftee speaking with a vet.
 
Jaycey said:
Have you taken her off veg for 24-48 hours to see if that stops the loose poops? It's usually recommended for a pig with a bit of a poop issue to be taken off fresh food for a few days to recover.

My Jon was like it a few months ago. He wasn't happy about it but I didn't give him veg for a few days and he was fine again. I made sure to introduce them again slowly.

Also, I would be reluctant to jump in with all of the gut stimulant meds. Adding in meds to an already delicate stomach issue can make it worse. They are used with bloat to help the system start to move again and get the poop output flowing again. So if you give it to a pig whose output is already okay/fast it's just going to make it worse. Only give it aftee speaking with a vet.
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Thank you. She's had minimum veg, only small piece of pepper which was used just to see if she would/could eat it which she did. But they don't get much veg anyway, they're 95% hay and grass. I have no idea what caused this it's came out of nowhere really.

She had been on the gut meds anyway so I was just continuing with it, although I did give a bit less. (Vet has ok'd this before)


Would you take your pig to the vets for this or see how it goes?
 
Unless I had access to a fantastic vet I'd see how it goes. There's not much they can do anyway other than to advise stopping veg and grass for a while.
 
Jaycey said:
Unless I had access to a fantastic vet I'd see how it goes. There's not much they can do anyway other than to advise stopping veg and grass for a while.
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My vet is amazing with guinea pigs but it's not him who's on shift today, the other vets at the practise are still piggy savvy but not as much as my usual vet.

My Mum's just sent me a video and Toast is walking about nibbling on hay for now. She's bloaty and doing soft poos but not as bad as she was early this morning.


Thanks guys I think I'll leave the vets for now, it's too much for my Mum to manage if it's not an emergency.
 
Yeah I'm happy she's eating but knowing her she'll go back to a bloated fluff ball in an hour.

Why do these things ALWAYS happen on weekends/out of hours? My nerves can't cope with her :blink:
 
Toast is doing a lot worse tonight.

She's squealing so loud when she's trying to poo (or pee, or both I can't tell) and there is blood stains in the towel I've got her on.

She is lifting her bum right up and arching her back, she doesn't seem to be able to lie down comfortably, she keeps lifting her bum and trying to lie on her side.


She's also not eating at all now, I'm syringe feeding but she's fighting it so much so it's hard.

I've phoned the OOH vets twice in the last couple of hours and he's said to give her the gut stimulants and keep syringing. He thinks she may have a urine infection and that is What could be causing the squealing when peeing/pooing and the blood.


Does that sound like a urine infection? I'm so scared it's something more sinister..
 
That sounds a bit like when Holly had colitis. She was shrieking and passing blood and diarrhoea and was arching (I'd never seen her arch like that before). If the vet thinks it's an infection has he prescribed any antibiotics? Or any pain relief? I'd be calling them again for some extra help and support. Hugs
 
A UTI can also make them squeak when passing wee/poo and can make them pass blood. Are you able to see where the blood is coming from?
 
Thanks @VickiA

I've never seen her squeal like this either.

I honestly can't tell if it's in her urine or from poo, if it was from pooing would her poo be red?

I phoned again at 830pm and told him about the bleeding/squealing that's when he said possible urine infection that may require antibiotics, I've got an appointment Monday morning anyway. But for now he's advised a higher dose of Loxicom.


I'm so scared its something worse than a urine infection? If it was from her pooing, what would that mean? She's had on/off soft poo/diharrea for 2 days could it be that?
 
I would hope it is an urine infection because that is well treated with the medicines and maybe it is just something like that, considering that she had troubles in her gut and bladder infections often start from the gut, even in us humans... long ago I had to cope with a young daughter and her urinary issues due to a malformation (then solved) and the nefrologist used to increase her medicines if the gut started being not regular. Lets' hope your piggie is only at the beginning of a bladder infection... and don't run today to a vet who might not be expert. You can wait until tomorrow.
And yes, such things always arrive on weekends and in my case even on Christmas day... :rant:
 
When Holly had colitis the blood was coming from her anus. It wasn't in her poo as such - more like in bloody mucus. It cleared with antibiotics and pain relief, syringe feeding with CC/emeraid.
Urine infections can produce some quite vivid pink pee/blood. And they can come on quite suddenly, too. Poor girlie.
 
rome_italy said:
I would hope it is an urine infection because that is well treated with the medicines and maybe it is just something like that, considering that she had troubles in her gut and bladder infections often start from the gut, even in us humans... long ago I had to cope with a young daughter and her urinary issues due to a malformation (then solved) and the nefrologist used to increase her medicines if the gut started being not regular. Lets' hope your piggie is only at the beginning of a bladder infection... and don't run today to a vet who might not be expert. You can wait until tomorrow.
And yes, such things always arrive on weekends and in my case even on Christmas day... :rant:
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Thanks for that. It's my own vets I've phoned, they have a 24/7 emergency practise. But it's not my usual guinea pig expert vet so I'm worried.
My vets aren't open on Sundays so it would be Monday morning for my appointment and it's making me nervous to wait that long..
 
VickiA said:
When Holly had colitis the blood was coming from her anus. It wasn't in her poo as such - more like in bloody mucus. It cleared with antibiotics and pain relief, syringe feeding with CC/emeraid.
Urine infections can produce some quite vivid pink pee/blood. And they can come on quite suddenly, too. Poor girlie.
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Yeah it looked bright red/pink on the white towel but also some brown stains too.

Obviously I know you can't diagnose from this but from your experience do you think it sounds like a urine infection? I'm so terrified incase it was more sinister.

From when your Holly was like this how soon did you get her seen to/given meds?
 
I think you have to trust your instincts. You know her best. It's a mare when these things happen after normal hours.

Personally, whether I thought it was a UTI, colitis, or a stone, if I would want her seen and started on ABs as soon as possible. I'd keep her comfy overnight and see if you can get her seen tomorrow. Is she any more comfy since you've increased her pain relief? Hugs x
 
VickiA said:
I think you have to trust your instincts. You know her best. It's a mare when these things happen after normal hours.

Personally, whether I thought it was a UTI, colitis, or a stone, if I would want her seen and started on ABs as soon as possible. I'd keep her comfy overnight and see if you can get her seen tomorrow. Is she any more comfy since you've increased her pain relief? Hugs x
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She's just lying down flat, she hasn't done any normal poos just some "sludge" for want of a better word.

She now won't accept any veg either and is fighting syringe feed. She's just so lethargic and dull looking in her eyes
 
I think I'd call the emergency vet and ask for more advice. Diarrhoea is serious for pigggies as they can dehydrate quickly and are missing out on their VIT C, too. If the vets don't think it's necessary to see her tonight i would try to give her at least a couple of mls of feed/ fluid every hour or so even if she isn't keen just to keep her guts moving. I think she may need antibiotics, poor little lady
 
I think you should say you want her seeing tonight. I don't like the fact that you say she is looking very flat, with dull eyes. She may need some subcut fluids too, if she is becoming dehydrated. It does sound like she may need antibiotics too and the sooner they start, the better.
 
So I should phone tonight? The vet I spoke to (not my piggy vet but from the same practise) didn't seem to think she'd need to come in as there's nothing else he can do than what I'm doing at home..

She is fighting the syringe feed so much but I'm still trying to get some into her. She wants to eat pepper but can't, I think due to pain
 
Also the issues with antibiotics for toast is she can't have baytril or septrim/sulfatrim. She's responded badly to these before so what else could be given?
 
I think o would call and explain how she's got worse. They can give injectible sub cut fluids, injectible long lasting pain relief and also give ABs. I think it's worth pressing for an exam and asking for this.
 
Okay. I'm just worried that he didn't seem to confident in what he could do. Would she get the sub cut fluids while I'm there then I'd take her home?
 
She keeps making this sound like she's trying to poo but doesn't, she keeps lying her back legs out flat. Something she never does or has done in the past. Her stomach is gurgling
 
They can also show you how to administer sub cut fluids and give you a bag to take home. They really do pick them up again when they are getting dehydrated.
 
I'm assuming the reason she hasn't done any poos in a few hours is simply that she's not getting enough food into her. (Although I'm desperately trying)

Any idea as to why she keeps stretching her back legs right out at random? Uncomfortable? In pain?

I'm going to phone
 
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