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help needed please

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choloe

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for some unknown reason maybe too many changes in her diet too fast zoe has developed soft do do's. she has also started to wet herself. i have changed her bedding, added protexin into her water. but it just seems to be getting worse. the only vet open is the emergency vet 40-50 kms away and what they know about guinea pigs you could write on your hand. she seems bright and alert but i am freaking out! please if anyone can help me please reply or PM me. thank you for reading this. :smitten: :smitten: it is a pity these icons don't have a scared one.
 
well all i can suggest is make sure she's warm enough but not too hot, make sure she's drinking and eating and get her to a vet
i understand that they're not very piggie savvy, but surely even an un-piggie savvy vet is better than none? sorry i can't be of much help, i'm sure someone else will come along and give you some good advice :-\ try not to get too stressed, i know it's hard, but it doesn't help getting in a massive flap (i know it's easy to say, but not to do, i was nearly sick i was so worried about pansy when she was ill!) ::) Calming hugs for you :smitten:
MASSIVE HUGS :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: hoping your baby will be better soon :smitten:
 
hello cavy love
zoe is still eating and drinking and though a bit quiet seems happy in herself. god couldn't be that cruel as to let her survive the surgery and for us now to lose her. our normal vet NOT the one that did the surgery said once piggies goes soft there is no hope of saving them. i have emailed maryh and our vet and also rang our vet just waiting for the vet to get back to me. thanks for your response. have a great night, no wait it's morning where you are. have a great day.
 
OK love, no more veggies, lots of hay and her dry food, more water if possible and extra vitamins if you can O0
WE'll have our paws crossed for her love :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
As Glynis says, no more veggies, top up dried and plenty of hay. I would syringe fluids if she isn't drinking as well.

Hope she is ok, keep us posted hun!

Louise
x
 
As above, Protexin should be syringed not put in water as you don't know how much and when she's getting it. Give Probiotics at a different time to antibiotics.

I found Yarrow (the plant) very beneficial when I had a sow like this but you need to get to the cause of whats making like it as well as stopping the soft poos.

Is she longhaired?
Is she lifting herself when she wees? Maybe she's too sore to do so? That would be why she's wet.
 
Once she's dried up again and back on her normal veg diet, you might want to consider reducing how much veg you give her to see if it stops her getting runny again. I hope she gets better soon! :smitten:
 
no she is short haired, no she doesn't lift herself to urinate but neither does jessie. she is drinking and eatting her lucerne pellets, her hay and straw. as for the protexin syringe fed the vet told me to add 1 gram to 1 litre of water and keep in fridge for 3 days. she won't be getting any veggies or fruit tonight. as to the cause of this we all thought it was first diabetics, then the mass and now i don't know unless like i said to glynis maybe i added too many new veggies to her diet to quickly. but it hasn't affected jessie or faline the bunny. at present she is not on antibiotics and she was on them before her surgery. she is happily munching on straw at present now have 9 hours till vet opens as they never rang back being a sunday. thanks again for all your replies. as soon as the clock hits 8.30am i will be on the phone. i will also keep you posted. hugs and cuddles to you all. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Just a thought and I'm sure your vet has already told you this :) but the water needs to be body temp before you give it or that could cause problems with the gut like this :) :)
 
hello no the vet didn't tell me that. i had mixed a fresh lot up today so the water was straight from the rainwater tap- it was 33C(97F) here today. after zoe's op she was put on nothing not even pain killers as the vet thought she had had too many antibiotics before the surgery. which to me seemed cruel. when i had surgery i was glad for the pain killers. but poor little zoe got nothing.
zoe has her oaten hay, straw, lucerne pellets, freshly picked grass, and her water and as soon as the vet opens in 8 hours and 40 minutes i am on that phone. it's alright to put her on protexin to add good bugs to zoes gut but it is not finding out the cause. before the surgery we all thought it was the anitbiotics but surely now they should be out of zoe's system.
zoe has just finished some hay and had a drink and is now laying down. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
when she is on the protexin poop returns to normal. soon as she goes of the protexin poops slowly go soft.thanks for trying to help karen. it has me beat and all my piggy books too. enjoy the rest of your sunday 15 more minutes and it will be monday here. hugs and cuddles to you and your babies. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
A little harsh re painkillers, I've had 2 casaerians and lived on painkillers! Protexin is fine to give with anything and painkillers (I'm talking Rimadyl that I give) are OK with Baytril. I have no idea how long it takes to re establish gut flora. My friend took in a rabbit that was on the Protexin pellets for wheeks because of the same thing.

I think you'll just have to treat her symptomatically :) and I would continue with the Protexin.

I assume this is the veterinary Protexin not the human product? Maybe the human product has sugar or lactose in that can make a guinea respond like this? I am now wary of giving products with sugar in to guineas with gut problems. Just a thought :)
 
thank you for your replies, the protexin is for animals and birds. i am more concerned that her poops are green and smelly. she had these before the surgery and before i introduced all these green veggies, we all put it down to the antibiotics. as for the green veggies if i cut them down there wouldn't be much else to feed them.
there would be carrot, sweetcorn, apple, water or rockmelon rind,grass,lucerne pellets and that would be it. i think the veggies may have affected zoe as she is the only one who has been eating them. jessie and faline(bunny) just say you have to be kidding.
everytime i mention zoe's poops to the vet she mentions getting some from jessie mash it in boiling water and syringe feed it to zoe. this and the protexin to me are just masking the syptoms not finding the cause to the problem.
have 3 hours now to the vet opens, managed to get 2-3 hours sleep, i think i will cut out the mint, capsicium(pepper) trombone(pumpkin) corriander, dill,rocket (which went off very quickily)and basil, as zoe is the only one eating them. might try something like cauilflower, as for the peach and plum, tried it for a few days and none of them touched it so never tried it again. the vet(our normal vet) said apple, sweetcorn, water and rock melon rind etc have too much sugar in them and thats not good for the piggies. zoe's poops are becoming less and less,as her Y is less and less dirty and she only wet herself once. will keep you updated on her. thanks again. hugs and cuddles to you and your babies. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Hi Choloe! I hope all is going well with your baby. I've been so wrapped up with mine and I just saw your post and saw Zoe was still under the weather. I wish I could help, but I'm clueless. I'll send wishes your way that little Zoe is better real soon.....
Hugs to Zoe!! :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
have just got back from the vet who did nothing! she wants me to get some of zoe's poop and put it in a container for them to send to the lab so they can test it. she took a swab and put that under the microscope and it showed like a circle with a hard crust and little spikes. the vet thinks it is some sort of parasite. to add to my worries she has lost 60 grams since the last time she was weighed which was 11 days ago. she is now 0.875grams. in the mean time all i was told to do is feed her dry stuff until they get the results back. both vets at the surgery are going to be doing research on guinea pig poop, but in the mean time what about zoe? i can't afford another vet as consult today was over $50.00 (15 pounds) and the lab will cost over $80.00 (25 pounds) and then there is the treatment. i am scared we are going to lose zoe! and we have tried so hard not to let that happen. then i am pissed off with OH! i told him to wake me at 10.30am as zoe had to be at the vet by 11.00am. i wake up at 10.35am OH'S not home and me and zoe had to walk to the vet and back. both off us are stuffed as it is jolly warm outside! i'm going to kill him i swear i'm going to kill him! it's like the vet said if you give her this or that you may be doing more harm. but i HATE feeling helpless! will keep you posted, zoe is having a nap and i am pooped(tired) :tickedoff:
 
You should have a lie down for a bit too love, you're worn out from all this emotional stress :'( :'( :'(
Let's wait for the poop test O0
You're doing a fab job love :smitten:
 
since we put zoe through the indignity of poop fishing have checked on her twice and both times she has been clean. she is eating hay, freshly picked grass, and carrot. she won't touch her pellets nor water bottle. have syringed water into her twice so far and will continue to do so. just hoping the result come in by wednesday and that she doesn't lose anymore weight. but for now we are just happy she is clean. will keep you updated. :)
 
hello all,
checked zoe this morning and she was a little dirty, first in 16 hours. maryh's vet suggested vitamin c and fibre so am now giving zoe grass, hay, straw, pellets, carrot, sweetcorn and leaf, and capsicium oh and a teeny bit of parsley. we are continuing the protexin and are now just waiting for the poop test which should be back tomorrow or thursday. will keep updated.
 
good luck with zoe...sending hopeful vibes
 
Just checking in before bed to see how Zoe is doing. I'm so sad for you. I really hope Zoe gets better. These darn vets take so long for results. Guinea pigs get sick and go downhill so quickly. I hope they find the problem soon. I hope you relax and take it easy yourself. I know how stressful a sick guinea can be. Yesterday, after Ricky's surgery, I was so stressed and my husband is actually yelling at me that he can't believe (as he put it) that I spent more money on a _______ guinea pig. You can fill in the blank. It was pretty mean. And on top of it, he tells me I should worry if I leave the house, as if he's going to hurt Ricky. I know he wouldn't, but he made a bad day even worse. I decided not to let anyone get to me. So I hope you do the same. It's hard enough with little Zoe being sick, and then you had to walk to the vet! You poor thing! You are doing a wonderful job with Zoe. I don't know much about guinea pig sickness so I put my faith in my vet. Small animals are her specialty. Are there any vets nearby you that only specialize in small exotic animals? I know how costly it is. I had to use every dime of my babysitting money for Ricky's second operation. I don't dare touch my husbands paycheck for this or we will be at war. The specialists do cost a little more, but I don't have a choice. Most vets here won't treat guinea pigs. I feel so bad for you that your vets don't seem to know to much about guinea pigs. I sincerely hope that Zoe gets better real soon. I am keeping my fingers crossed for you. I wish I could help. I will check in again soon for an update! Good luck to you and little Zoe....................... :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
thank you annie, i think husbands are all bark but no bite, well mine is anyway. here in south australia most vets know nothing about guinea pigs and rabbits except that they are lab animals. most owners when they have a sick piggy or bunny just let it die as it is cheaper to replace than fix. test results will hopefully be in tomorrow our time.
we are feeding her grass, oaten hay, straw, brocoli, lucerne pellets,carrot and pellets mush with apple puree every 3-6 hours and giving her water with vitamin C in it. she hasn't had a soft poop since we gave her capsicium (you call peppers) this morning, at present she is killing her oaten hay. will know more tomorrow so will update then. with what we have spent on zoe she is now worth more than our car but to us zoe is priceless and we would spend more if we could the right vet. here in south australia you are lucky if you can get a piggy/bunny vet in say 100 vets. but thanks to maryh in the UK her vet is helping our vet. just hoping when maryh clones her vet she sends a clone to us. will update tomorrow. sweet dreams annie. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Hi Choloe! Boy, that was sad about most owners not be abling to save their rabbits and guineas in Austalia. I guess I complain about how expensive the vets that treat guineas are here, but at least they are here. I don't what I would have done without my vet. If you go in her office she not only has pictures up of guineas that she has treated, but she also has tons of pics of rabbits, ferrets, chincillas, birds, and all sorts of small animals that she treats. She's truly a wiz. I wish you had someone like her there to treat Zoe. I'm crossing my fingers that Zoe's results come in with good news. Have you heard anything yet? Please let us know. How is little Zoe looking? The poor baby has been through so much. I'll check in tomorrow (actually it will be later today, since it is 1:30 in the AM here). Hugs to Zoe!
 
hello,
no zoe's results haven't come in yet. i popped into the vet to see if the results were in as i was away this arvo as i had councelling, but the vet was in surgery. tried zoe on mushed pellets and puree apple in pre boiled water but this made her soft again. infact the mush pellets looked like her soft poop. the results still may have come in as the vet hasn't had a chance to check her computer yet. yes annie it is sad about lack of guinea pig and bunny vets here in south australia but what is even more sadder is when a piggy or bunny gets sick people just don't bother taking it to the vet. they think well a new one will only cost $15.00(about 7 pounds) so why waste money on vet bills. or the animal is just the kids pet let it die and we'll replace it! in fact when petal passed on with bloat i was in contact with a lady from the NSW cavy association a maria amos and she told me that if a piggy gets sick you treat it yourself, if what your piggy has got you can't treat then the piggy would rather die, so you let it die.
this is the igorance we face here in australia especially south australia. when petal took ill a vet at woodside asked me has she thrown up? i think if maria amos saw this site and all this talk about vets and guinea pigs she would say you were all mad! she is a breeder and has over 200 piggies. well i can tell you i snet her an earful email and thankfully never heard from her again. as soon as i hear from vet concerning zoe i will post. zoe is still quiet but eating haven't seen her drink for a while but we are feeding her every 3-6 hours and given her pre boiled water via syringe. hugs and cuddles to you and yours. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Hi love
perhaps try giving Zoe the mushed pellets with out the apples for a feed and see how that goes :-\
I wish there was more i could do but i'm at a loss for suggestions now :-\ :-\
More hugs and healing wheeks for the little precious girl :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
yeah i should just try the pellets, and lots of water. is she eating hay? well massive hugs for her and you! :smitten: :smitten:
thats so sad that people would rather let their piggies die than pay a vets bill :tickedoff: it must be hard without good vets, it's such a releif that i know that if something went really wrong, i could just burst in and they'd see the piggie and they are good. i wonder why there aren't any piggie savvy vets in Australia? :-\
 
hav har from th vt an hav nclos hr mail an my rply. it hasn't answr any qustions just a mor. i hav torn through my guina pig books but i am totally stump. hoping somon has som ias. as to th lack of piggy vts whn thy ar train thy larn of piggis, bunnis tc as lab animals. an if popl arn't prpar to tak thir piggis an bunnis to th vt whn sick thn how ar th vts to larn about thm? it is a catch 22 hr.
[colorblu]Hi Mary, Hav rciv th facal rport an thr ar no parasits in Zos' facs an so i think rpopulation is inicat an I am kn to know what has happn ovr th last fw ays is th facs firmr or not an if so thn I o hav som concrns r th vry vari it.
I hav som information on iffrnt plants an som of th hrbs may b an issu
Will await your rply bfor making cisions r rpopulation
Kirsty
[colorr]hllo r hailston,
zo's poops hav bn up an own. th protxin finish toay. tri zo on som capsicium an hr poops n up soft. thn gav hr som pllts in pr boil watr with appl pur an hr poops wr soft.
i am also concrn about zo continually losing wight, surly thr has to b an unrlaying rason bhin it. sinc you first saw hr to th last tim you saw hr which is roughly a month zo has lost ovr 100 grams.
as for rpopulating zo with jssi's poop, jssi is a junk foo piggy so on't know how halthy hr poops woul b.
w hav tri to gt jssi's poops from hr bfor an ha no luck! w ha hr out for ags an sh nvr i on, soon as w put hr back in hr box sh i som an at thm bfor w coul thr.
so what was th circl with a crust an spiks?in zo's poop? hav you bn in touch with ann? hav bn trying to gt timothy grass hay as ann suggst this for zo but vryon looks at m as if i hav gon crazy.
as for rpopulation how much woul it cost m if i was to bring zo an jssi in an for somon to go fishing for jssi's poop to f zo. vn if it mant thy wr gon ovr night.
th soft poop's arn't following a pattrn, f hr carrot tops ystray an poops wr goo. f hr carrot tops toay an poops wr soft. f hr brocoli ystray poops wr soft. toay with brocoli poops wr mor normal.
i will wait till i har from you but lik i sai i woul prfr to bring both of thm in an i am still vry concrn about zo losing wight.
w ar at prsnt fing zo vry 3-6 hours sh has oatn hay, straw, grass, swtcorn an laf, brocoli an carrot. sh also has lucrn pllts which sh only has 3-10 a ay-sh no lik.
thanking you so much, sorry for bing a pain
will wait till i har from you
ian, mary an zo.
p.s. sorry for popping in toay at th surgry but wasn't sur if you ha bn trying to ring m as i was at th halths halth cntr gtting counclling with su parkinson, so thought as w wr nar by w woul pop in. plus w wr worri sick too.

hoping somon has som ias. thanks for all your rplis an prayrs. :smittn: :smittn: :smittn:
 
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