Hind legs paralyze

[Andy33335]

Hello, i have a 4,5 yo male with semi paralysis on hind legs that came from nowhere. He was not dropped, he is not injured, he is very happy, vocal and eating all he can find.
I have read lots of stuff on what can actually cause this, starting with arthritis, scurvy, calcium and other stuff.
My boy had a bladder stone that was removed and since then he is on a low calcium diet. We go regularly to check his bladder and vet said he still has sludge (which i can also see on his blanket) and some sand in his liver, so it started building up again but this time in his liver.
What he gets to eat is the same with my rest of the piggies which are fine.
Most people with paralyzed piggies increased the vit C intake or started with osteocare which makes stronger bones.
What should i do? I cannot give him osteocare because of the calcium...and it breaks my heart seeing him paralysed.
I have an appointment in 7h with a vet and maybe take some xrays to rule out the injuries. My vet is on vacation until 10 Jan so i have to see someone else ... how can they tell if he lacks vit C or calcium? Through blood tests?
I love him so much i would do anything for him.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello, i have a 4,5 yo male with semi paralysis on hind legs that came from nowhere. He was not dropped, he is not injured, he is very happy, vocal and eating all he can find.
I have read lots of stuff on what can actually cause this, starting with arthritis, scurvy, calcium and other stuff.
My boy had a bladder stone that was removed and since then he is on a low calcium diet. We go regularly to check his bladder and vet said he still has sludge (which i can also see on his blanket) and some sand in his liver, so it started building up again but this time in his liver.
What he gets to eat is the same with my rest of the piggies which are fine.
Most people with paralyzed piggies increased the vit C intake or started with osteocare which makes stronger bones.
What should i do? I cannot give him osteocare because of the calcium...and it breaks my heart seeing him paralysed.
I have an appointment in 7h with a vet and maybe take some xrays to rule out the injuries. My vet is on vacation until 10 Jan so i have to see someone else ... how can they tell if he lacks vit C or calcium? Through blood tests?
I love him so much i would do anything for him.

Hi!

Osteocare only helps if your guinea pig is actually suffering from a sudden drop in calcium and should not be given on spec. Please review whether your diet could be too low in calcium. There is a kind of soft spot between a diet too high in calcium and one too low in it. Unfortunately, conditions vary across the world so you have to try and work it out yourself. Unfortunately, diet is pretty much our only access to to dealing with a much more complex problem.

I am very sorry but I doubt that your piggy is suffering from either scurvy (vitamin C deficiency since he is getting vitamin C with his pellets, his veg and in grass and even a bit with his hay and is extremely rare in a good diet). I also doubt that he suffers from a calcium drop - this is a sudden total paralysis that slowly corrects itself over the following weeks mostly or to a good degree.

If you are really concerned over vitamin C, then please give him a 3 weeks booster course (via syringe and not via the water bottle). Please do not give it for longer as the body can get used to high concentrations and then react with deficiency symptoms if that level suddenly drops; even though the actual vitamin C level is still well above normal.
Please discuss with the vet whether they think this would help or not.

I would however check whether continued intense pain from a traumatised bladder (very small, tight and hard feeling) could be the most likely cause for the symptoms; especially as you are saying that the paralysis is not persistent.
Is your guinea pig getting glucosamine to support the lining of the bladder? You could could also ask whether your vet would consider potassium citrate (helps with the acidity of the urine). What kind and how much painkiller is your piggy on?

Here is our comprehensive Care advice for guinea pigs with mobility issues: Looking after guinea pigs with limited or no mobility

 

[Andy33335]

Thank you for the reply. I said he is semi paralysed becqyse if he wants to move, he can move a veeeery tiny little bit his hind legs, but he is still dragging on his tummy.
At the moment i started giving him metacam (0,2 ml/day). No other medication or supplement he is on.
What is the daily dose of vit C a pig should have? So i can double it for the next couple of days.
These came of a sudden but there signs before when he would hop instead of walk, when he wanted to scratch on his nose but he stopped mid air with his leg and giving up like something that stopped him doing it. One time he was walking really funny, dragging on his tummy with his hind legs brought inwards, i got worried that time but the next day he was back to his normal self. And now this, all of his sudden

 

[Andy33335]

Thank you for the reply. I said he is semi paralysed becqyse if he wants to move, he can move a veeeery tiny little bit his hind legs, but he is still dragging on his tummy.
At the moment i started giving him metacam (0,2 ml/day). No other medication or supplement he is on.
What is the daily dose of vit C a pig should have? So i can double it for the next couple of days.
These came of a sudden but there signs before when he would hop instead of walk, when he wanted to scratch on his nose but he stopped mid air with his leg and giving up like something that stopped him doing it. One time he was walking really funny, dragging on his tummy with his hind legs brought inwards, i got worried that time but the next day he was back to his normal self. And now this, all of his sudden

And sorry, i meant he has sand in one of his kidneys, not liver ... ups.

 

[Wiebke]

Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links (includes alternative options if you cannot get hold of guinea pig specific products)

It sounds potentially neurological to me, now that you have mentioned more details.

 

[Idris]

Good luck with your vet. Is the metacam once or twice a day? Sounds like twice would be better but discuss with your vet.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

This sounds exactly like what we had with Earl. He has neurological issues and sometimes loses the use of his legs. Since being on Gabapentin, he’s very much better. We started off with twice daily Gabapentin and then reduced to once daily. Earl will be on this for the rest of his life.

 

[Andy33335]

I don't think it could be neurological issue... bo idea what could have caused it. How can neurological issues be diagnosed?

 

[Andy33335]

Vet said his spine looks ok, his bladder looks ok. We are going back for a CT scan. He gave us tramadol, metacam and one more stuff to give him. Also i've been told to do stretches with legs so we can train the muscles. These exercises can harm him?