Dog bite

[Piggie_love_]

Last night my dog bit my guinea pig she wasnt bleeding and she was scared so i didn't inspect her, she seemed to be reluctant to eat celery her favorite food, i will try to take her to a vet if my mom will drive us. I will give her some painkillers when i get home if she is still not better. Ideas on how to help her physicaly ( pain ) and emotionly (trauma ect)? i love her with all my heart and I could have prevented it if her cage lid was on. I only have one guinea pig but i am wither her alot, Help/Ideas?

 

[Claire W]

I am very sorry that this has happened Please have her seen by a vet as she could have an internal injury or be suffering from shock

 

[Wiebke]

Last night my dog bit my guinea pig she wasnt bleeding and she was scared so i didn't inspect her, she seemed to be reluctant to eat celery her favorite food, i will try to take her to a vet if my mom will drive us. I will give her some painkillers when i get home if she is still not better. Ideas on how to help her physicaly ( pain ) and emotionly (trauma ect)? i love her with all my heart and I could have prevented it if her cage lid was on. I only have one guinea pig but i am wither her alot, Help/Ideas?

Hi

Please have your piggy vet checked asap. They can suffer serious internal damage/bleeding from a bite or any shaking, which is not necessarily visible on the outside.

Our tips on how to best care for very ill or injured piggies can be found in this guide here: Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

Please be aware that over three quarters of what a guinea pig eats in a day is hay, hay and even more hay. Veg and pellets together make up the rest. If your piggy is not interested in food, they are in pain/not well and you need to step in with feeding support promptly in order to replace the crucial hay fibre, which keeps the gut going.

Here is our very practical comprehensive feeding and medicating guide with pictures and videos which also includes a chapter on what you can do in an emergency: All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

 

[weepweeps]

I hope you can get to the vets as soon as possible to check your piggy is ok. Good luck.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Hope your little piggie is ok, you really do need to get her checked out at the vets

 

[Josie_lg]

Definitely need to get her seen. They’re organs and bones are very fragile. And like other people have said they’re scared prey species and they can suffer easily from shock. Please have her seensending well wishes x

 

[Piggie_love_]

UPDATE: I just picked her up and she was ok for a couple of seconds though struggling to right herself in my lap then started squeking and to hyperventilate. Will childrens ibprofun work as well its all i can find

 

[Swissgreys]

UPDATE: I just picked her up and she was ok for a couple of seconds though struggling to right herself in my lap then started squeking and to hyperventilate. Will childrens ibprofun work as well its all i can find

No - please do not give her ibuprofen as you do not know what is actually wrong with her and this could make it worse.
She urgently needs to see a vet as soon as possible.
Have you spoken to your parents, and tried calling a local vet?

 

[Piggie_love_]

I have school all week so my mom said that on Saturday we can take her, i tried to feed her some ibuprofen she took a small bite and then bit me witch she has never done so i cleaned it. i took the divider and cut her cage down bc i dont want her to run on a broken bone.my parents say a vet cant do anything about it and the only vet that is open after school hours is a crazy expensive animal clinic. They said to give her time bc there is not much to do about it and if it is somthing that needs to be delt with ASAP ( internal bleeding , orgin damage ect )i dont wanna wait. She is clearly traumatized and my parents have toatal control over where i go and when.

 

[Free Ranger]

Oh this is very sad. I'm sorry you can't get to the vet. Don't try and give her any ibuprofen - although I appreciate you feel desperate it can do more harm than good if you get the dose wrong and the last thing we need if for her guts to be damaged and for her to stop eating anything. If she has internal bleeding or organ damage there won't be too much a vet can do - it will be pot luck. Any anaesthetic is quite a risk for little pigs so it's not like us big people where we can just be put under so the doc can open us up and have a rummage to see what's wrong. Just try and make her comfortable for now in her own house.
Piggy will be feeling frightened all the time so it's important that she feels as safe as she can. Is the cage on the floor? Perhaps it could be raised onto a table at least until she can recover a bit. Any maybe cover it in the most part with a blanket for a while so she can burrow into a hay-filled box or a snuggle tunnel in there to doubly hide and feel a bit safer. One of the problems when you have a lone piggy is that she cannot look to her friend for comfort and guidance on how to behave so she goes a bit crazy because she does not know what to do.
My pigs are floor level and so I do not allow dogs into my house at all. It will be safer if you ban the dog from the room piggy is in (maybe she's in your bedroom?) as any time piggy senses the dog now she will stress out, and your dog will find her very tempting. Some types of dog have a very strong prey instinct and we just can't over-ride all that nature by telling them off. If the worst was to happen, and your dog hurt your piggy, you'd never get over it and it would be very hard for you to feel the same way about your dog again. We can love our dogs and cats by respecting that they are predators by nature and no matter how many videos are online with dogs licking guinea-pigs () they should be kept apart for safety. As you unfortunately found out, it only takes once. Your little girl is still with us and still has a chance. There have been a lot of sad posts in the past from people who haven't been so lucky. So make her comfy, raise her cage out of the dog's reach and let her settle in the quiet with a blanket over her sturdy cage, and give some tasty hay, a little bit of veggie and some water to drink. If you have a safe sort of heat-pad that can keep her warm but not to hot I'm sure she'd appreciate that. We'll be praying for her recovery x

 

[Piggie_love_]

Oh this is very sad. I'm sorry you can't get to the vet. Don't try and give her any ibuprofen - although I appreciate you feel desperate it can do more harm than good if you get the dose wrong and the last thing we need if for her guts to be damaged and for her to stop eating anything. If she has internal bleeding or organ damage there won't be too much a vet can do - it will be pot luck. Any anaesthetic is quite a risk for little pigs so it's not like us big people where we can just be put under so the doc can open us up and have a rummage to see what's wrong. Just try and make her comfortable for now in her own house.
Piggy will be feeling frightened all the time so it's important that she feels as safe as she can. Is the cage on the floor? Perhaps it could be raised onto a table at least until she can recover a bit. Any maybe cover it in the most part with a blanket for a while so she can burrow into a hay-filled box or a snuggle tunnel in there to doubly hide and feel a bit safer. One of the problems when you have a lone piggy is that she cannot look to her friend for comfort and guidance on how to behave so she goes a bit crazy because she does not know what to do.
My pigs are floor level and so I do not allow dogs into my house at all. It will be safer if you ban the dog from the room piggy is in (maybe she's in your bedroom?) as any time piggy senses the dog now she will stress out, and your dog will find her very tempting. Some types of dog have a very strong prey instinct and we just can't over-ride all that nature by telling them off. If the worst was to happen, and your dog hurt your piggy, you'd never get over it and it would be very hard for you to feel the same way about your dog again. We can love our dogs and cats by respecting that they are predators by nature and no matter how many videos are online with dogs licking guinea-pigs () they should be kept apart for safety. As you unfortunately found out, it only takes once. Your little girl is still with us and still has a chance. There have been a lot of sad posts in the past from people who haven't been so lucky. So make her comfy, raise her cage out of the dog's reach and let her settle in the quiet with a blanket over her sturdy cage, and give some tasty hay, a little bit of veggie and some water to drink. If you have a safe sort of heat-pad that can keep her warm but not to hot I'm sure she'd appreciate that. We'll be praying for her recovery x

Tysm i will and i have a blanket over her cage

 

[Merab]

Holding you in my thoughts

 

[Claire W]

I am very sorry It’s always difficult when we have to rely on our parents and they have the final say. Could your parents not take her while you are at school? I’m afraid she really does need to see a vet asap

 

[Piggie_love_]

I am very sorry It’s always difficult when we have to rely on our parents and they have the final say. Could your parents not take her while you are at school? I’m afraid she really does need to see a vet asap

yes they have work shes all better for all i can see but she might have a cold from the germs I'm curently working on getter her bloat down so she can poop, other than that she sould be all good :]

 

[Piggies&buns]

yes they have work shes all better for all i can see but she might have a cold from the germs I'm curently working on getter her bloat down so she can poop, other than that she sould be all good :]

I’m so sorry for your situation. It doesn’t sound like she is better though. I know you are in a difficult situation.

Guinea pigs do not get colds. They only get bacterial respiratory infections which always require antibiotics. Left untreated it can cause devastating effects.

You think she has bloat? Are her sides hard, does her tummy feel hollow when tapped?
Bloat is also a very serious illness requiring gut stimulating medication and painkillers.
You need to switch to daily weight checks and urgently step in and syringe feed if you aren’t already. Bloat always requires an urgent vet check due to the potential severity of the issue.
The fact she isn’t pooping could be because of lack of hay intake will mean not enough is going in so you won’t see poops coming out. You can only gauge hay intake by the routine weekly weight checks, switching to daily weight checks when they are unwell.

All you can do is get her to the vet as soon as you can.

Digestive Disorders: Not Eating - Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement)
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

 

[Piggie_love_]

I’m so sorry for your situation. It doesn’t sound like she is better though. I know you are in a difficult situation.

Guinea pigs do not get colds. They only get bacterial respiratory infections which always require antibiotics. Left untreated it can cause devastating effects.

You think she has bloat? Are her sides hard, does her tummy feel hollow when tapped?
Bloat is also a very serious illness requiring gut stimulating medication and painkillers.
You need to switch to daily weight checks and urgently step in and syringe feed if you aren’t already. Bloat always requires an urgent vet check due to the potential severity of the issue.
The fact she isn’t pooping could be because of lack of hay intake will mean not enough is going in so you won’t see poops coming out. You can only gauge hay intake by the routine weekly weight checks, switching to daily weight checks when they are unwell.

All you can do is get her to the vet as soon as you can.

Digestive Disorders: Not Eating - Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement)
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

She wont drink water so i am feeding her watery foods and syringe feeding her water, she wont drink but she is eating, she has a hollow stomach but is pooping a little bit more we are taking her to the vet in 2 days. She is longer scared but last night i was going to give her water at like 11 pm and my dog was staring at her in the cage, luckily her cage lid was on. we only have a baby gate separating the upstairs from main floor and i will ask my mom if we can get a fence/divider for the 40 sq f area where we keep our pets/rodents. Thats he and her cage without the lid on, from a few weeks ago

 

[Piggies&buns]

She wont drink water so i am feeding her watery foods and syringe feeding her water, she wont drink but she is eating, she has a hollow stomach but is pooping a little bit more we are taking her to the vet in 2 days. She is longer scared but last night i was going to give her water at like 11 pm and my dog was staring at her in the cage, luckily her cage lid was on. we only have a baby gate separating the upstairs from main floor and i will ask my mom if we can get a fence/divider for the 40 sq f area where we keep our pets/rodents. Thats he and her cage without the lid on, from a few weeks ago

Make sure you weigh her every day as that is the only way to know she is eating enough hay. You cannot tell a piggy is eating enough hay just by watching them - she may be eating some, but it doesn’t mean it is anywhere near enough.
If her weight drops at each day, then she is not eating enough hay. Syringe feeding her water is not enough if she is losing weight. She needs to be syringe fed mushed pellets or a proper recovery feed such as oxbow critical care. Water does not keep their guts functioning.
A hollow sounding belly is concerning for bloat and means she needs help

 

[Piggie_love_]

Make sure you weigh her every day as that is the only way to know she is eating enough hay. You cannot tell a piggy is eating enough hay just by watching them - she may be eating some, but it doesn’t mean it is anywhere near enough.
If her weight drops at each day, then she is not eating enough hay. Syringe feeding her water is not enough if she is losing weight. She needs to be syringe fed mushed pellets or a proper recovery feed such as oxbow critical care. Water does not keep their guts functioning.
A hollow sounding belly is concerning for bloat and means she needs help

Thank you, i do feed her mushed pellets and some sweetened apple sauce i will weigh her when i get home but she should be eating enough i have been monitoring her hay tray and pellet bowl. but she is willing to eat on her own and i only have tiny syringes that can only hold water but she will eat from my hand, i spend 2-4 hours a day feeding,watering and massaging her.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Weigh her when you get home but then you will also need to weigh her again tomorrow so you can compare the two weights

 

[Wheekallweek]

I'm so sorry you and your pig are going through this.
In the UK I believe your parents would be breaking the law by not seeking immediate veterinary treatment. They really need to put your piggy first and get her to the vet ASAP. All sorts of untold damage could have been done. Guinea pigs are prey animals and as such are masters at hiding pain.
Please do not give human medicines unless on the advice of a vet, you could make things a lot worse.
I hope your pig is now secure away from your dog. Ideally she needs to be shut in a room with the door closed where you dog cannot access her. It must be terrifying for her

 

[Piggie_love_]

Weigh her when you get home but then you will also need to weigh her again tomorrow so you can compare the two weights

ok

 

[Piggie_love_]

I'm so sorry you and your pig are going through this.
In the UK I believe your parents would be breaking the law by not seeking immediate veterinary treatment. They really need to put your piggy first and get her to the vet ASAP. All sorts of untold damage could have been done. Guinea pigs are prey animals and as such are masters at hiding pain.
Please do not give human medicines unless on the advice of a vet, you could make things a lot worse.
I hope your pig is now secure away from your dog. Ideally she needs to be shut in a room with the door closed where you dog cannot access her. It must be terrifying for her

I will put her in my room so i can keep an eye on her whenever i can,

 

[Free Ranger]

You are doing great - it's a really tricky thing to manage for our younger members I know. Maybe you could put more hiding spaces in her home - even a cardboard box turned upside down with a hole cut in it? They quite like to chew on these too. Piggies don't really like to be out in the open - they hide most of the time. Mine never sleep out in the open but always in little tunnels or under shelves. They come out for food and a wander round but that's about it!
She's a beautiful girl - what a lovely little face x