• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Guinea pig dragging his back legs.

Status
Not open for further replies.
am so glad you are going to give nemo a fighting change O0 sweet little angel giving you the run around on two legs :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: live said massage the legs, try swim therapy. when kelly our late dog did a disc in her back we had to massage her legs and empty her bladder for her, we use to put a towel just under her back legs and lift the hind legs with the towel so she could walk on her front legs, we did the same with our late bambi the bunny, kelly got better but sadly bambi gave up and we had to let him sleep for ever. sedning you and nemo hugs and healing vibes and keep us posted :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: O0
 
How's darling Nemo today? Keep up the great work, as you can see Emma had an awful time with Ralfie but he's a new man now :smitten:
Everyone here has got paws crossed for the little guy, he seems a real fighter too O0 :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
Give him all the treats he likes and if you think he's not getting enough food or water, supplement with some syringed water and even mushed up pellets mixed with pre boiled water, cooled down and add some baby pureed apple to make it taste yummy. Good luck, GO NEMO :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
He's not looking so good today - he seems to have lost his sparkle and has been sat in the same place since I went to bed last night - I think he's giving up. :'( I gave him a carrot which he usually grabs but he just had a little nibble and then left it - he doesn't seem to want to be bothered.

Thanks again for all your support. :)
 
Have you some pain relief you could give him and then perhaps a syringe feed to perk him up again :-\ :-\
Paws crossed love we really hope he picks up again :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
No the vet didn't give us any pain relief for him - just the two injections which were steroids and antibiotics I think. :-\ I don't think he is in pain but he looks really fed up. :'( Someone told me that they can be a bit off colour with antibiotics so it may just be that - he's got to go back to the vets on Saturday so will see how he is by then. O0
 
Ask for metacam at the vets, it's an anti-inflamatory and helps pain too, if it was a fall and he has bad bruising he will be in pain which may be why he's not wanting to move, just best to have all bases covered incase that's what it is, it won't do him any harm if it isnt x
 
really hoping nemo picks up the poor sweetheart :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: sending hugs and healing vibes your way :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: when bambi our rabbit went in his hind legs he too gave up and refused to eat, it broke out hearts so we know how you are feeling O0 perhaps see if you can get into the vets earlier, or maybe try syringe feeding him, has his teeth been checked? as these could be giving him problems too. really hope nemo picks up O0 please keep us posted hugs to you and to nemo :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
No my guinea didn't get better in the sense that her legs worked but she did in the sense of coping with her disability and having extra help from me she lived another 6 months and I feel that it was the right decision to do. I also believe that if she didn't want to continue as she was feeling too depressed she would have gone before the 6 months. I thought of her as one of my elder members of my family that needed that extra time and support as she got older like maybe a nan or grandad would. Sounds silly I know but I really think she understood my help and she always chattered with me and licked me when I was cleaning her and when I bought her food to her and would squeak to me as if saying 'thanks' I bet you all think I have lost the plot now don't you ;D
 
Well he did seem a bit happier this afternoon so I put him on the grass for a bit in the playhouse to see how he was moving and he does seem to be using his left leg a little bit although still dragging his right one. :) Took some photos of him but the camera is out of battery so charging it up at the moment. ::)

Thanks again for all your help and good wishes for Nemo. :) O0
 
Nemo, my baby girl lost the use of her back legs too for a few days :'(.
The vet did a thorough check on her, said she had muscle wastage and that Honey couldn't feel her back legs or feet. They gave her a very slim chance of survival :'( I had to decide if I should have her put down or seeing how she responded to some calcium injections. With my persistence and several trips to the vet for injections she was on the road to recovery :)
She is now absolutely fine, still a little pig as she was the runt of the litter. You wouldn't know anything was ever wrong with her :D

I'll try and locate my thread if you think it might be useful.

:smitten: :smitten:
 
That's interesting burstingbug because that means that it still could be lack of calcium and our vet isn't giving calcium injections at all just antibiotic and steroid I think. >:( I'm a bit annoyed that he couldn't just try and give him the calcium injections just in case it is this. I wish that I had ordered the osteocare liquid on line now - we can only get it in tablet form in my area and I'm scared of overdosing. :(

Yes I would very much appreciate it if you could find that thread please. :) O0
 
Just tried to order the osteocare on line but didn't have much luck - some error or something and it didn't tell me what the error was so gave up with that. >:( I then phoned a local chemist and they have ordered me some Osteocare liquid and it might be in for tonight. :) so I am going to try Nemo on some of that as suggested on the Peter Guerney site because the injections at the vets don't seem to be doing a thing. I'm also going to cancel Saturdays appointment because the vet doesn't seem to be doing much for him and it's costing a fortune so I will try the calcium for a few days now instead - it can't do any harm can it? ::)
 
perhaps you could find another vet, if you tell us where you live maybe someone will know of a good vet. or perhaps maryh's vet would email your vet, as her vet emails vets all over the world and helps vets take care of piggies :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: she was trained by the king of piggies the late peter gurney 0:) 0:) 0:) i am in oz and she emailed my vet and together planned zoe's surgery and treatment O0 good luck and hoping nemo gets better soon, sending hugs and healing vibes :smitten: :smitten:
:smitten: perhaps a gentle massage of the legs or swim therapy would help, but then you don't know whether their is spine damage. hugs to you, you are doing a wonderful job :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: perhaps a scan or xrays would be the way to go O0 please keep us posted.
 
Thanks for that - just had a good read. :)
Well Nemo is still off his legs but eating well and seems happy enough at the moment. I haven't manged to get the Osteocare yet - the chemist just keeps saying it hasn't come in yet. >:( I'm going to phone again in a bit cos they said they might have it today. We managed to get him a fresh parsley plant that we are going to plant in the garden after and grow it because all my piggies love parsley and he has had some last night and some this morning - he loves it. :) Also got some watercress but he hated that. ;D He loves celery so getting some of that today with the shopping.
 
Glad to hear that Nemo is eating ok.
I have been doing some reading up on this because of my pig Joey and Nemo and I have a book called Diseases of Domestic Guinea Pigs published by Blackwell Science. It is a vet-type of book so some of the contents goes completely over my head.

Anyway I have been reading a section on Atrophy - wasting disease.
It says:
Cliinical signs - this condition is characterized by weight loss especially of the hindlegs and flanks, which may progress to paralysis, a scurfy coat and salivation. The affected guinea pig continues to eat well despite the progression of the disease.
Has Nemo lost any weight?
Comment - The aetiology of this condition is unclear. It is often considered to be due to a vitamin deficiency, particularly of vitamin C. Overgrown teeth have also been implicated as the cause. However, some affected guinea pigs have no teeth problems and are fed a balanced diet. Recently diabetes mellitus has been suggested as a possible cause.
It goes on to say about giving daily warm baths and hindleg massage and vitamin C can be given at 100 mg per day until condition resolves.

I am going to get Joey some vitamin C drops today from the chemist and give him a try.
I am sure that these symptoms aren't what Nemo has but I thought it was worth posting for information.
 
Aw thanks for that. :)

No he doesn't seem to have lost any weight at all and he's not salivating at all. His coat seems fine too - not scurfy at all.

This was him in the playhouse outside the other day.


P6111097.jpg


P6111096.jpg


P6111099.jpg
 
Nemo is an absolute stunner ... he is lovely. ;)
Poor thing though with his back legs. Good photos so that members can see his problem.

Do you find he gets a messy bottom because he can't move so well? Joey does but he doesn't have firm pellets anymore which doesn't help. I keep bathing him as I am worried about flies and maggots! :(
 
No surprisingly he isn't getting messed up at all. I keep checking him underneath and he looks fine cos I know he wouldn't take kindly to keep being bathed but if he does I will just wipe him with a baby wipe I think. :)
 
He's gorgeous :smitten:

His legs look like Ralfie's did, just keeping working with him and hopefully soon you will see an improvement.

In the second pic it looks like he's pushing or at least putting his foot in a position rather than just dragging them behind him? If that's so its good O0 x
 
Yes his left leg seems a little better than his right one and he is using it to push so I am hoping it will get better. :)
 
Awww Ralfie is beautiful - what a cutie. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

He's moving a lot better than Nemo is at the moment - how long was it from when Ralfie started dragging his legs to when he got completely better if you don't mind me asking. :)
 
I had this problem with one of my Sows and used Osteocare liquid results were brilliant I got mine from health food shop :) I did have a lot of trouble finding it in the liquid form but it may be worth trawling the shops tomorrow you might find some. Good luck thinking of you :)
 
Nemo said:
Awww Ralfie is beautiful - what a cutie. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

He's moving a lot better than Nemo is at the moment - how long was it from when Ralfie started dragging his legs to when he got completely better if you don't mind me asking. :)
Click to expand...

well in that video its about 3 weeks after he first started dragging them, then its was about 2months before he was completely back to normal but it did get a lot better towards the end quickly. Really hope Nemo gets better soon, did he start completely dragging them then start using his leg more or was he using his left leg to start with? x
 
Pumpkinpiggie said:
I had this problem with one of my Sows and used Osteocare liquid results were brilliant I got mine from health food shop :) I did have a lot of trouble finding it in the liquid form but it may be worth trawling the shops tomorrow you might find some. Good luck thinking of you :)
Click to expand...

Well it did say that Holland and Barrett stock it on the Osteocare site but I've looked on the Holland and Barrett website and can't find it at all. I was meant to phone the chemist up at 12 today and only remembered at 4 minutes past one and they shut at one - so don't know whether they managed to get any or not. ::) If I can't get it from the chemists I will start phoning round the health shops on Monday. O0
 
jnenbnb said:
Nemo said:
Awww Ralfie is beautiful - what a cutie. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

He's moving a lot better than Nemo is at the moment - how long was it from when Ralfie started dragging his legs to when he got completely better if you don't mind me asking. :)
Click to expand...

well in that video its about 3 weeks after he first started dragging them, then its was about 2months before he was completely back to normal but it did get a lot better towards the end quickly. Really hope Nemo gets better soon, did he start completely dragging them then start using his leg more or was he using his left leg to start with? x
Click to expand...

Sorry I nearly missed this. ::)

No on the Friday he seemed fine and was jumping on his little platform to eat the food but I did think that week that his right leg didn't seem quite right - it seemed to be stuck out a little more but thought it was just the way he was sat but when I looked at him on Saturday morning I noticed he was dragging his legs. It was only a few days later that I thought there had been some improvement with the left leg. It might just be a time thing - really hope so. O0 Thanks for all the info. :)
 
YAYYYYYYYY Nemo keep improving little one :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

Nemo must talk to Ralfie then he can be reassured that he can get over it too O0 O0 O0 O0

allllll paws crossed :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Thats great, it shows he does have feeling in them or at least one of them and this means he hasnt broken his back, if he's already started to move one more its a great sign :) keep going Nemo! x
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top