Guinea pig dragging his back legs.

[Nemo]

Hi - I've only just joined this forum today and it looks excellent so far. O0

Nemo my guinea pig who I have had since he was born and is now 4 1/2 years old, suddenly started dragging his back legs on Saturday afternoon - well that's when I noticed him doing this - he was fine the day before. He's an inside piggy and has a cage in the kitchen so I would have noitced if he was like this the day before. He's healthy and alert and eating well so I doubt very much that its a stroke or anything. I have read on the Peter Guerney site that a lack of calcium can do this and that Osteocare was the cure but unfortunately haven't been able to find the liquid anywhere in the shops - they only have the tablets. I've booked him in at the vets tonight and hopefully they will be able to do something for him.

Just wondering if anybody else had a guinea pig with this problem and if so how easily it was cured. O0

Thanks.

 

[mackpossum]

Great that you are able to take Nemo to the vets.....Keep us posted with the results.

By the way the tablet version of Osteocare can be ground to powder and then with a bit of water added into a syringe for the piggy.... Might be an option if you can't get the liquid version.

 

[Nemo]

Thanks for the quick reply.

Yes we managed to get the tablets and I did crush one up and mix to a paste and gave him a bit but then I thought I had better leave it for the vet because I was scared of overdosing him cos I wasn't sure how much water to mix with it to be honest so that he would only get the equivalent of 1ml like Peter Guerney suggested on his site. I can't get to the vets tonight because my daugher has got her friend coming for tea so my o/h will have to take him - just hope it isn't bad news. :'(

 

[MemberX]

Could he have falled aawkward in his cage without you seeing? It does sound a Calcium deficincy though. Let us know how you get on and welcome to the forum.

 

[mackpossum]

Think positive Nemo until the vets have confirmed or cleared the situation.
Crossing fingers here for you...!

 

[Nemo]

Could he have falled aawkward in his cage without you seeing? It does sound a Calcium deficincy though. Let us know how you get on and welcome to the forum.

No I don't think he has fallen in his cage although I wouldn't be entirely sure. He's in one of those pets at home Nero guinea pig cages but I have took the raised bit where the food bowl goes out whilst he's like this so he can reach his food. He doesn't seem at all concerned but I feel so sorry for him. :'(

This is him.

 

[MemberX]

Oh he's gorgeous! Probably something simple. Keeping paws crossed for him. :smitten:

 

[Black Jack]

O0 Good Luck Nemo - You're a real beauty :smitten:

 

[Nemo]

Thanks for the support. O0

He's at the vets now and we've had to take one of the piggies out of the shed too because her breathing is a bit noisy - I hope she's okay too. :'( I have four piggies altogether - three that have hutches in the shed and I keep Nemo inside because he's the oldest.

 

[choloe]

welcome to the forums from me and the girls from oz :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: sending hugs and healing vibes to you, nemo and your other piggy :smitten: :smitten:
:smitten: nemo is one handsome fella :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: and piggy lips made for :-* :-* :-* he looks like he has a cheeky face though. you could try feeding him parsley as i have heard this has lots of calcium in it. hoping all goes well at the vets O0 please keep us posted O0 hugs again :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

 

[rw3399]

My guinea had the same problem. She has arthritis in the spine and back legs but she was 8 at the time. She had a couple of steroid injectons before she died which made her more comfortable. From experience I would suspect a spinal problem. You can buy Potters Tabritis tablets which helped my guinea with her back legs as they went stiff from not being used. Good luck and please let us know xx

 

[Nemo]

Yes that's exactly what the vet thinks - that it's more spinal than lack of calcium or anything. He doesn't think there is a lot they can do for him. :'( He's had two injections - one of Baytril and one of Dexadreson and has to go back tomorrow for the vet to see if he thinks there is any improvement at alll. The other piggy has been prescribed some Baytril and had a baytril injection and he thinks she will be okay. It just seems so weird with it coming on so suddenly but now I think about it I did think one of his back legs looked a bit unusual when he was feeding a night or two before but thought it might have been just the way he was sat. :-\

Thanks again for your messages of support and help.

 

[choloe]

hoping both piggies improve O0 hoping nemo will be back to his normal cheeky self again in no time. hugs and healing vibes :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

 

[MemberX]

I'm so sorry to hear this. Perhaps google it and see what comes up. I've no experience as my pigs are all below a year. I do hope he can be made comfortable. x

 

[Nemo]

hoping both piggies improve O0 hoping nemo will be back to his normal cheeky self again in no time. hugs and healing vibes :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

Thanks Choloe.

Yes its sad because I've had him from day one and to see him like this now is very upsetting although he looks bright eyed enough and eating like a horse.

This was him when he was just born

 

[Nemo]

I'm so sorry to hear this. Perhaps google it and see what comes up. I've no experience as my pigs are all below a year. I do hope he can be made comfortable. x

Thanks SunshineandTwinkle


No I won't let him suffer - if he is I will do the right thing by him and have him put to sleep. :'(

He has been having parsley quite regular up to the last few weeks but I haven't bought any for a few weeks now - will get some on Wednesday because he loves it.

 

[Nemo]

Sorry just realised I shouldn't have posted photos here - could somebody please remove them for me because I can't edit the posts anymore? :embarassed:
Thanks.

 

[MemberX]

Theres no need to remove them. It is in context for the post. How is he doing this morning?

 

[Nemo]

Oh right thanks.

Well he's not any better really and I am wondering whether it would be kinder to have him put to sleep tonight because I know that if he's not going to get the use of his legs back then he won't have much of a life will he and that will be very sad and also the problems of his urine burning him underneath when he wees. :'(

 

[MemberX]

It's only been a while yet I wouldn't put to sleep just yet. Can you get a second opinion? Is your vet good with pigs (not all are) (((hugs))) x

 

[rw3399]

No don't give up yet. If he is not in any pain keep him and nurse him. He may need to be washed/bathed daily to rid him of any urine where he may have urinated on himself. You can buy a vetbed which helped the joints of my guinea. You can buy them at Pets @ Home but they are a £1 or £2 more expensive there. Lay food on the floor for him rather than in a bowl as he may not be very comfortable or not able to climb and balance on his dish anymore. Massage the back legs and try swimming therapy mentioned on www.petergurney.com as the warm water helped with mobility too. Half a vitamin c tablet daily (chewable ones you can buy from the chemist) can ensure he is getting enough of his vital vitamin. Like I said before if he isn't in any pain please don't put him to sleep. The vet wanted me to put Ginger to sleep and after speaking with everyone on here I kept her and nursed her until she left me which was another 6 months. She only became uncomfortable two days before she died. Your guinea still has a fighting chance as he is only middle-aged.

 

[Nemo]

I'm not sure - he's one of the older vets and has had a surgery for quite a number of years. :-\ He did give him a thorough check up and said there was muscle wastage or something. :-\

 

[jnenbnb]

I had a paralysed pig, he stopped moving his back legs completely, vet told me to put him down but he wasnt in pain and was acting normally so i didnt do it. after a month he slowly regained the use of his legs and now you wouldnt know it ever happened. Please don't put to sleep unless the pig seems very depressed or is in pain, i know the quality of life isnt excellent at the moment but he has every chance of recovering completely. If you do a search on 'Ralfie's at the emergency vets' or something like that the thread about my piggy will come up. Nemo is lovely by the way x

 

[rw3399]

Yeah that was the same as what the vet said to me about my guinea but as long as you give him a helping hand it's amazing how quickly they adjust.

 

[Nemo]

Yeah that was the same as what the vet said to me about my guinea but as long as you give him a helping hand it's amazing how quickly they adjust.

Did your guinea pig get better?

I've told my o.h to get him some parsley today because he loves this and it just might help him a little.

I had resigned myself to having him put to sleep but your posts have given me hope - thankyou. I thought I was being cruel keeping him like this though. :'(

 

[Nemo]

I had a paralysed pig, he stopped moving his back legs completely, vet told me to put him down but he wasnt in pain and was acting normally so i didnt do it. after a month he slowly regained the use of his legs and now you wouldnt know it ever happened. Please don't put to sleep unless the pig seems very depressed or is in pain, i know the quality of life isnt excellent at the moment but he has every chance of recovering completely. If you do a search on 'Ralfie's at the emergency vets' or something like that the thread about my piggy will come up. Nemo is lovely by the way x

Thanks - I've just read your post and it's fantastic that Ralfie is okay now - I think the vet said that Nemo hadn't got any feeling in his feet though which isn't a good sign is it? :-\

 

[jnenbnb]

Well Ralfie had a fall from about a foot and a half, so there was a big chance he'd broken his spine but him having feeling in his feet meant he hadn't. But i think with your piggy it's not likely to have been a fall, it's most likely he's just got some damage there like the vet said but as with everything it takes time to heal. If you think he is ok at the moment and not in pain then i think you should give it some time just to see if he improves, because there's a big chance he will even if there's some lasting damage. Try the swim therapy and as mean as you feel doing it try to make him walk on towels etc to try to get them moving again. Massage the back legs too, Ralfie developed amazing upper body strength and after a few weeks he was flying around the room acting as if his legs weren't dragging at all, just give nemo a chance and if at any time you feel he's in pain or he's sad then you can consider putting him to sleep, that's what i thought with Ralfie anyway. I used bepanthen on Ralfies back legs and tummy to act as a barrier cream too with him sitting in wee all the time, he ended up with 3 abscesses which weren't nice but they cleared up quickly. It's hard but if you can give him time and love, i'd just say wait and see how he goes, don't rush into anything yet i've seen so many pigs have this problem and the piggies amaze everyone by either coming through and recovering or learning to get on with life without their back legs. Hope this helps somehow!
Love Emma
x

 

[Goldie]

Hello and welcome ... Nemo is an absolute stunner!

Hope he is doing ok.
I have a 5 year old piggie called Joey and I am having lots of problems with him ... and dragging his back legs is now one of them!
I put him in the run today and kept moving the little house in the run as he likes going in there. That forced him to try and walk - I know that sounds mean but I needed to know what his mobility is like.
He is eating, although very selectively, drinking but won't move around.
I also had read up on calcium deficiency but don't think it is that.
How is Nemo today?

 

[Nemo]

Well Ralfie had a fall from about a foot and a half, so there was a big chance he'd broken his spine but him having feeling in his feet meant he hadn't. But i think with your piggy it's not likely to have been a fall, it's most likely he's just got some damage there like the vet said but as with everything it takes time to heal. If you think he is ok at the moment and not in pain then i think you should give it some time just to see if he improves, because there's a big chance he will even if there's some lasting damage. Try the swim therapy and as mean as you feel doing it try to make him walk on towels etc to try to get them moving again. Massage the back legs too, Ralfie developed amazing upper body strength and after a few weeks he was flying around the room acting as if his legs weren't dragging at all, just give nemo a chance and if at any time you feel he's in pain or he's sad then you can consider putting him to sleep, that's what i thought with Ralfie anyway. I used bepanthen on Ralfies back legs and tummy to act as a barrier cream too with him sitting in wee all the time, he ended up with 3 abscesses which weren't nice but they cleared up quickly. It's hard but if you can give him time and love, i'd just say wait and see how he goes, don't rush into anything yet i've seen so many pigs have this problem and the piggies amaze everyone by either coming through and recovering or learning to get on with life without their back legs. Hope this helps somehow!
Love Emma
x

Thanks Emma - yes it does help very much.

He's back from the vets and had another two injections and has to go back on Saturday.

He might only have two legs but he can't half move on them - it took me a while to get him out of his cage and put him in a box to go to the vets. :

 

[Nemo]

Hello and welcome ... Nemo is an absolute stunner!

Hope he is doing ok.
I have a 5 year old piggie called Joey and I am having lots of problems with him ... and dragging his back legs is now one of them!
I put him in the run today and kept moving the little house in the run as he likes going in there. That forced him to try and walk - I know that sounds mean but I needed to know what his mobility is like.
He is eating, although very selectively, drinking but won't move around.
I also had read up on calcium deficiency but don't think it is that.
How is Nemo today?

Hiya Goldie and thankyou.

Sorry to hear that you are having the same problems with Joey. :'( If the weather is okay tomorrow I will put Nemo out on the grass and see how he does. I've had one of my other guinea pigs in the play house (its one of those plastic playhouses that I was going to throw out but thought it might be good for the piggies as it has a roof on and little windows and a door) today to get some exercise and grass but I will try Nemo in it tomorrow I think.