Dropped Guinea pig

[Roary and Neville]

This afternoon at about 6 my brother dropped his guinea pig on the concrete from about 3 foot up, he landed on all fours and didn't squeak. There is a little bit of blood on his mouth but he is still eating and playing happily. We're not sure if we should take him to the vets even though he seems ok?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear that.

Please take your piggy to the vet this evening. Any fall requires a vet to check for injuries including possible internal injuries. Piggies can hide their pain so while he may seem ok, it is essential to ensure there isnt anything concerning going on.

Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

 

[Roary and Neville]

Thank you for your opinion and I am going to be taking him in the morning, due to every vet near me being closed at the moment.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you for your opinion and I am going to be taking him in the morning, due to every vet near me being closed at the moment.

All Uk vets have out of hours cover so you can see a vet at any time of day, although it does cost more for a consultation. Call your normal surgery number and their voicemail will leave details of who covers their service during out of hours/emergencies.

Switch from the routine weekly weight checks and instead weigh him daily while there are health concerns. This will enable you to ensure he is still eating enough hay, hay intake cannot be judged by eye, and enables you to step inwill with syringe feeding in the event of weight loss. A piggy in pain will reduce the amount of hay they eat and syringe feeding is a vital step in that situation.

 

[Roary and Neville]

Roary has eaten quite a bit of hay, his normal amount, and has also eaten his normal amount of vegetables for the evening .

 

[Piggies&buns]

Roary has eaten quite a bit of hay, his normal amount, and has also eaten his normal amount of vegetables for the evening .

Thats really good, but as I say you can’t judge hay intake by eye and given it is 80% of the daily food intake, those weight checks are essential care. It’s standard emergency and bridging care advice to switch from the lifelong weekly checks and instead weigh daily.

 

[Wiebke]

Roary has eaten quite a bit of hay, his normal amount, and has also eaten his normal amount of vegetables for the evening .

Please have him vet checked immediately if you notice any deterioration. The landing on a hard surface could have caused internal injuries which often make themselves known only in the following days. I am keeping my fingers crossed that your piggy has had a lucky escape.

Please ensure that your little brother is not carrying the piggy around on his arms. Freak jumps and sometimes fatal injuries are not at uncommon, unfortunately. Guinea pigs are not ideal children's pets; they are prey animals that can take fright very easily.
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely (videos)
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering and Cuddling Tips
Children And Guinea Pigs - Age Appropriate Interaction And Responsibilities.

 

[Roary and Neville]

Thank you both for all your help it has been really useful, but as he has had no major deterioration I am going to be taking him tomorrow. As you can see in the photo, he has been put in his play pen with his house and water bottle(out of frame) with broccoli, pepper and a bit of cucumber scattered around to get him moving a bit.

 

[VickiA]

In hope that he stays ok and good luck tomorrow at the vets.

 

[Eriathwen]

I really hope your little man ends up being OK, make sure you monitor his urine very closely for blood. I dropped one of my girls last year, not even 30cm but she tore the ureter going from one kidney to her bladder, she was fine overnight, it took until the next day for the issues to become evident. The kidney failed and the ureter ended up sticking to the artery in her leg and she essentially bled to death via her bladder over the course of the 2 weeks she lived while myself and 2 vets tried to figure out what was going on with her. Keep an eye on his mucous membranes as well, conjunctiva, inside the mouth etc, any sign of going pale means internal bleeding and will need a vet ASAP.
All the best at the vet tomorrow!

 

[Roary and Neville]

Update

I have checked different puddles of his urine and there are no traces of blood whatsoever, I do not think he has damaged anything but I am still going to get his checked just in case. Thank you all for your help.

 

[Claire W]

I am very sorry that this has happened and I hope you manage to get him an appointment today and that he’s ok x

 

[Bill & Ted]

Good luck for the vets tomorrow, hope your little man is ok

 

[Roary and Neville]

UPDATE!

As you know, Roary was dropped two weeks ago and hurt his mouth. We was advised to keep an eye on him, but he was ok and hadn't damaged anything. After a week, both his top teeth fell out and he couldn't eat. We didn't take him to the vets after this as we was scared he would have to have surgery or be put down. His teeth have now grown 3-4cm and he is happy, healthy and eating well. Thank you all for your help!

 

[Seven7]

I use tunnels to transport my boys, and I put a photo below.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Aw that’s great news, glad the little fella is ok, thanks for the update