Guinea Pig After Bladder Stone Surgery

[astrum1989]

My guinea has been having the usual uti symptoms for about week (blood in urine/ squeaking whilst going the toilet etc). We were hoping it was just an infection but he got a scan today and they found a bladder stone. He had the operation straight away around 7 hours ago. The vet said it was a success but to obviously watch him. We got him home around 2 and half hours ago and he's acting like he's still heavily anaesthetised. He's awake but he's really struggling to walk, dragging his feet and just lying there. He's ate a tiny piece of apply and tomato but it's a real struggle to fight the tiredness.

I'm really worried because it's going to be really difficult getting food into him when he can barely lift his head. Is this normal, shouldn't the anaesthetic have worn off by now?

 

[MerryPip]

It takes them a long time to recover. My piggy had similar surgery three weeks ago, the vet kept him overnight the first day and we had to nurse him intensively in the first two or three days after he came home til he perked up. It's a big deal and takes them time to get over it. You will need to syringe feed him, there's an excellent guide in the health and illness section. Nutrition is really important for healing and recovery. Keep him warm and safe, sleeping on something soft and comfy.

It took Struan at least a week before he was really up and about and back to himself but he had a tumour removed as well so his op was bigger.

If you are at all concerned then call the vet as soon as possible. I've been back to the vet regularly since his op for post op checks at 3 days, 7 days and since then as we had wound healing problems.

It's important that he is eating and drinking so he can get well. Paws crossed for your little man. I know how horrible it is to see them so poorly and feel helpless. It can get better so just keep hanging on in there for him.

 

[astrum1989]

It takes them a long time to recover. My piggy had similar surgery three weeks ago, the vet kept him overnight the first day and we had to nurse him intensively in the first two or three days after he came home til he perked up. It's a big deal and takes them time to get over it. You will need to syringe feed him, there's an excellent guide in the health and illness section. Nutrition is really important for healing and recovery. Keep him warm and safe, sleeping on something soft and comfy.

It took Struan at least a week before he was really up and about and back to himself but he had a tumour removed as well so his op was bigger.

If you are at all concerned then call the vet as soon as possible. I've been back to the vet regularly since his op for post op checks at 3 days, 7 days and since then as we had wound healing problems.

It's important that he is eating and drinking so he can get well. Paws crossed for your little man. I know how horrible it is to see them so poorly and feel helpless. It can get better so just keep hanging on in there for him.

Thanks for the reply, it makes me feel better that this is relatively normal behaviour. I think he forgets that he's unwell and you can tell he's trying to run about but his legs just wont support him. Since posting he has ate some vegetables and a tiny bit of hay which is promising. I'm going to syringe feed him some of his pellets mashed up with vitamin c and a pro-biotic. Seeing him trying to clean himself and forgetting he can't stand on one leg nearly killed me.

 

[Pebble]

I'm concerned that your description of his behaviour is NOT that of a piggie undergoing a "normal" recovery from anaesthetic.
Dragging feet, unable to lift head.etc..all suggest this is a piggie having serious trouble recovering from GA
Tonight you need to keep flushing through the anaesthetic with water via syringe feeding...and also give him either mushed pellets or critical care as he is not taking in anything. You will have to lift his head and very slowly drip 0.1-0.2ml of both food and water into his mouth and encourage him to swallow. Aim, to get 20-30ml into him every 4hours....yes it will be a slow process

If by tomorrow he has not improved then please go back to the vet as a matter of urgency.

 

[helen105281]

How is he today?

 

[astrum1989]

I want to thank everyone who offered help, unfortunately my guinea was put to sleep earlier today. After a couple of hours home he began perking up and eating little bits of food and walking better. Things then took a turn for the worse and he started sitting in one place and not moving. I stayed up with him all night syringing him mashed up pellets with probiotic and vitamin c as well as water. At first he was accepting these but then stopped swallowing. I would put water in and he would let it spill out or I would give him some mashed pellet and it was sit in his mouth and he wouldn't swallow it. I continued to try until 8am and he just seemed to deteriate. He had lost a lot of weight and was lifeless. As soon as the vets opened we rushed him there, I expected the worse but the vet wanted to try and get him eating. He was cold so they warmed him up and hydrated him and a nurse attempted to feed him every half hour. By 1 PM I was worried so I called and there had been no change and his temperate had dropped again. I couldn't see him go through anything else so I and the vet come to the conclusion that we should put him to sleep.

He was a very special piggy and I honestly don't think my life will be the same again. I hope I get to a point when I can remember the good times without sadness.

 

[Pebble]

I am so sorry you have had to go through this horrible traumatic situation.

Whilst we all know that GA's are risky for piggies..there are increasingly so many good reports of recovery from various ops and procedures as vets get better experienced and qualified.... that it really IS worth the risk to agree to an op......especially in your circumstances.

You made the best informed decisions for your piggie at each and every turn. and trusted your vets in good faith....so please don't go blaming yourself. He needed that op!

Sadly your little boy didn't make it through the recovery phase of the GA.

Was it your fault?...... NO it wasn't.

Are the vets at fault? Not in terms of the op..they too acted in good faith...there's always a risk with how an individual piggie reacts to the GA.

However I am concerned that they discharged your piggie back into your care when he clearly hadn't cleared the GA properly.
You then did everything you could to help him...but you are not a vet and do not have access to the types of other treatment he may have needed...as eviudenced by the treatment he received this morning

Regrettably, this is not an unusual event - I myself (with all the exotics vets and my own experience in terms of guinea pig health) have had two piggies come back into my care this last year suffering from GA issues...Sadly Bailey piggie went into his forever sleep on my lap <24hrs after a stone removal....Luckily Sammy pig recovered from a dental after the self-same intensive fluid/syringe feeding over 24hours that Bailey piggie also received..

So if you wish to take anything up with your vets then focus on why they discharged him into your care given his struggling to recover from the GA

Hugs! You are not alone in your grief...and you are not at fault. I'm so sorry you didn;t get a happy ending you all deserved

Popcorrn free little man....your mummy did everything she could and has clearly shown how "much loved" you are. .

x

 

[Wiebke]

I am so sorry that things have gone haywire for you! Unfortunately, you were very much literally between a stone and a hard place; you have made the right decision; I would have done it myself, even knowing the risks.

I agree with @Pebble that your boy was not fit to be discharged home as he'd obviously not coped with the GA; he should have stayed under expert care at the clinic.

Having lost a number of piggies in or just after ops over the years, I know what a gutting experience it is. You can only do your best and opt for giving your piggy the chance of a full recovery and a happy life - the rest is in the hands of the vet and luck. In that way, you have not failed your boy; you have done what every loving owner would do.

 

[PAMELAKT]

I am really sorry to read this, I also just lost a special boy due to bladder stones & feel exactly as you do.

However, when I took him home after his surgery he was very well and active and not showing any of the symptoms yours did - I don't think he should have been discharged. I lost my boy a few weeks after his surgery, but he was fully healed. I think the medications just took toll on his kidneys.

If you need to chat please pm me - as I have cried endless tears since losing my little man on Monday so we are in the same boat xx