Housing my ill piggie Carmina

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Sarah from Chucklebunnies

Sarah from Chucklebunnies

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Hello.

This is hopfully informative - showing what I do when housing an ill piggie. In this case it is Carmina, who has developed a massive lump behind her left ear which is being treated with antibiotics, probiotics, calpol for pain relief and very mushy food as she's having a lot of trouble chewing. I took these pictures this evening.

They are free range, but the principles still apply in any cage hutch. Carmina has been separated from the others using wide wire, they can all still see and communicate. Carmina has the hay even though she isn't eating any herself, so that the others have to come up to the hay bar and therefore contact still remains in the herd. Carmina's mushy/grated food is of great interest to the others, but they cannot reach it to snaffle it and she can eat it at her own pace. She can also rest quietly, on a soft and comfy vet fleece bed, all by herself!

Here she is in the wire pen...you can see her lopsided little face... poor girl.
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Here are the others, coming over for hay and trying to get her food...
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Here she is tucking into her softened pellets...(watching her still with an appetite is wonderful to see!)
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Here is her good ear, and then the lump (not sure if this is clear or not but I thought I'd show you anyway)8...
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So I am basically advocating keeping poorly piggies in touch with the others, through the judicious use of hay, and giving them space to relax in at the same time away from the more boisterous members of the herd.

I hope this was helpful,

Send Carmina get well wishes for me please!
 
Awwwww what a beautiful girly, your doing a fabulous job I'm so glad to see she is still in contact with the herd. :) get well soon beautiful Carmina xxxxxxxx
 
I have a poorly piggy at present on antibiotics and he is really off his food today so have started critical care. The pain relief the vet gave me is having no effect whatsoever and it is breaking my heart to hear my little fella whimpering in pain 8...
Vet said it is cystitis as he had blood in his urine Tuesday and that has subsided - he is just having trouble pooing despite probiotics. Have tried him with grass, dandelion leaves today as a last resort. He has nibbled a bit of cucumber and red pepper and a mouthful or two of Alfalfa hay.
The vet said the next step would be an X-ray under GA to rule out bladder stones which I've agreed to if necessary.
It looks as though he is trying to poop and has a spasmodic burst like he's pushing but with no result. I know the antibiotics can cause havoc with their digestion but never expected this awful experience :...
It is really destroying both myself and my OH to hear him, only time he doesn't seem in pain is when I'm cuddling him :( He settles in his pen with heat pad and is on vet bed but is this normal for piggies on Septrin ?
I will be ringing the vet in the morning but am dreading having to take him in again - third time in a week :(
Any advice ?
Hope little Carmina gets well soon, she's gorgeous x
 
I don't have much good advice. I use calpol because I wasn't given any pain killer by the vet but I think the pain of her ear is making Carmina reluctant to chew. I should imagine that the painkiller you've been given would be stronger than calpol anyhow. So I can't help there.

Anything you can do to keep food going through him is good. Chop up or grate food, tempt with parlsey, grass, dandelions absolutely anything that he will eat. A piggie's digestion is fairly rapid, they can empty themselves in just a few hours so keep on with the tempting treats. And the critical care.

If you have any other piggies then offer their fresh poos as these will have good bacteria in and easily accessible nutrients. You can always mush up the poos and add them to the critical care. I know this sounds disgusting to us but guinea pigs are coprophagists for a very good reason! The poos from other piggies are good probiotics.

Fingers crossed for your little one, wishing him a speedy and easy recovery from me and the girls.
 
Aww little Carmina, hope you get better soon! You're doing such a good job and yes this was very helpful! Always better to learn about these situations before they happen, so that if they do happen you know what to do! Thank you Chucklebunnies :)
 
This is a lovely post. Really helpful to see how you are managing your poorly girl.

Get well soon Carmina. xx>>>
 
Actually great advice! :) hopefully i'll never have to use it though!

Is calpol okay for guinea-pigs? I didn't think it would be....?
Hope your lovely piggie gets well asap :)
 
Hannahspanner said:
Actually great advice! :) hopefully i'll never have to use it though!

Is calpol okay for guinea-pigs? I didn't think it would be....?
Hope your lovely piggie gets well asap :)
Click to expand...

People use it for piggies - I have an emergency bottle but have Metocam at the moment. Think if it was necessary, yes, I'd use it rather than see an animal in pain.
I've heard people say they've used Nurofen suspension malletheadmallethead
 
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