My 6 year old piggy is walking weird and his balance is off?

[lauryn1289]

my guinea pig Kip is around 6, i just got home from being abroad for just 5 days and straight away noticed his balance is off. hes bumping into things a bit, moving weirdly and fell sideways climbing up a small slope and struggled a small bit getting into one of his beds. my mother’s been caring for him while i was away and hadn’t noticed anything except he had a gunky eye which he gets pretty often since he’s aged, it was quite bad and his eye was closed when i got back so i cleaned it straight away and that’s when i noticed his walking.

he’s gotten really fussy with hay but he did eat a couple of strands, he ate a few nuggets (versele laga cavia complete and a crappy brand of nuggets he’ll only get as a treat), a small lump of critical care and lots of bites of pepper and banana. hes just lying in bed now, hes gotten more lethargic obviously as hes gotten older anyway so i don’t know exactly if it’s out of the blue per se but he doesn’t seem to want to walk around AS much right now. he’s been in his pigloo a lot. if i offer him some cucumber, he wakes up for it straight away. he seems very alert.
he also has a big lump on his neck for a long time, according to the vet it’s a hematoma that would need to be surgically removed, it was drained once but came straight back, but i do wonder if it’s a lipoma. it doesn’t usuaully seem to bother him whatsoever, but i feel like it’s gotten a bit bigger one side, not sure if that could affect balance? when he was taking a drink he wasnt lifting his head up much, i had to move his water down a tad. whatever’s happening definitely seems neurological to me, if not related to the lump on his neck. but i don’t know how likely the latter is.

i’m worried he had a stroke or a TIA, i’m not really sure what to do? any advice or ideas what could have happened? unfortunately i don’t live near an exotic vets and have to rely on a lot of my own knowledge and advice i’ve gotten on here for guiding treatment with the vet i go to. i love him with all my heart and i just want to do my best for him, i absolutely adore him hopefully the photo below shows his neck lump somewhat well, it’s an older photo but i don’t want to keep going over and bothering him right now but from what i can see it’s expanded outwards since that photo

 

[lauryn1289]

Would like to add a good description for how he’s walking is clumsy

 

[lauryn1289]

Further information, he just got up to walk around and take a drink and go to his bowl for a snack. his balance and walking is still so weird and clumsy but i’m hoping it’s a good sign at the very least rhat he’s interested in food

 

[Wiebke]

my guinea pig Kip is around 6, i just got home from being abroad for just 5 days and straight away noticed his balance is off. hes bumping into things a bit, moving weirdly and fell sideways climbing up a small slope and struggled a small bit getting into one of his beds. my mother’s been caring for him while i was away and hadn’t noticed anything except he had a gunky eye which he gets pretty often since he’s aged, it was quite bad and his eye was closed when i got back so i cleaned it straight away and that’s when i noticed his walking.

he’s gotten really fussy with hay but he did eat a couple of strands, he ate a few nuggets (versele laga cavia complete and a crappy brand of nuggets he’ll only get as a treat), a small lump of critical care and lots of bites of pepper and banana. hes just lying in bed now, hes gotten more lethargic obviously as hes gotten older anyway so i don’t know exactly if it’s out of the blue per se but he doesn’t seem to want to walk around AS much right now. he’s been in his pigloo a lot. if i offer him some cucumber, he wakes up for it straight away. he seems very alert.
he also has a big lump on his neck for a long time, according to the vet it’s a hematoma that would need to be surgically removed, it was drained once but came straight back, but i do wonder if it’s a lipoma. it doesn’t usuaully seem to bother him whatsoever, but i feel like it’s gotten a bit bigger one side, not sure if that could affect balance? when he was taking a drink he wasnt lifting his head up much, i had to move his water down a tad. whatever’s happening definitely seems neurological to me, if not related to the lump on his neck. but i don’t know how likely the latter is.

i’m worried he had a stroke or a TIA, i’m not really sure what to do? any advice or ideas what could have happened? unfortunately i don’t live near an exotic vets and have to rely on a lot of my own knowledge and advice i’ve gotten on here for guiding treatment with the vet i go to. i love him with all my heart and i just want to do my best for him, i absolutely adore him hopefully the photo below shows his neck lump somewhat well, it’s an older photo but i don’t want to keep going over and bothering him right now but from what i can see it’s expanded outwards since that photo

Hi

What a shock for you!

Unfortunately, we cannot tell you what has happened; it could be a stroke but it could also be something else - likely neurological. Please accept that none of us is a vet or has access to your piggy. Symptoms can look very similar.

Please step in with weighing daily at the same time on your kitchen scales and needing support; just nibbling on a little hay can be deceptive. It is likely that whatever has happened is a few days back and your boy may not have eaten properly or be able to chew evenly after a stroke or whatever. Just relying on your eyes is not enough. Your home care is very important, so please take the time to read the very practical information in the links below.
Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment (our one stop emergency care guide and information resource)

All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
Looking After Guinea Pigs With Limited or No Mobility

Please brace yourself that neurological issues and strokes often happen as a cluster.
Please see a vet if needed. The second part of the guide below reflects the currently available research into neurological issues in guinea pigs; especially if you need to see a vet.
CBS (Calcified Bulla Syndrome) and Neurological Problems - Symptoms and Care

I am keeping my fingers crossed for your poorly boy!

 

[lauryn1289]

Hi

What a shock for you!

Unfortunately, we cannot tell you what has happened; it could be a stroke but it could also be something else - likely neurological. Please accept that none of us is a vet or has access to your piggy. Symptoms can look very similar.

Please step in with weighing daily at the same time on your kitchen scales and needing support; just nibbling on a little hay can be deceptive. It is likely that whatever has happened is a few days back and your boy may not have eaten properly or be able to chew evenly after a stroke or whatever. Just relying on your eyes is not enough. Your home care is very important, so please take the time to read the very practical information in the links below.
Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment (our one stop emergency care guide and information resource)

All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
Looking After Guinea Pigs With Limited or No Mobility

Please brace yourself that neurological issues and strokes often happen as a cluster.
Please see a vet if needed. The second part of the guide below reflects the currently available research into neurological issues in guinea pigs; especially if you need to see a vet.
CBS (Calcified Bulla Syndrome) and Neurological Problems - Symptoms and Care

I am keeping my fingers crossed for your poorly boy!

he hovers around 680-750g as he’s aged, he’s very very skinny but eats like a horse. he’s not the most enthusiastic pig about hay in general so it’s very difficult to tell what he’s eating even on a good day but he’s enthusiastically accepting pellets and anything else he’s offered right now, despite his balance issues he’s very alert and aware of his surroundings and wants treats.

i mix critical care into his night time pellets every day for a long time now trying to make sure he’s getting adequate nutrition especially because he is so skinny, but i’ll pick up a fresh syringe tomorrow and offer him some hand feedings! i worry about how much hay he eats on a regular day and now i’m worrying extra. it’s difficult to tell if his ability to eat is affected, he seems to be chewing vegetables and pellets just fine but i know that can be deceiving.

i’m going to try my best to get my vets to see him tomorrow on such short notice, thanks so much for your response!

 

[weepweeps]

I’m sorry Kip is unwell. Good luck at the vets. I hope it’s something easily treatable.

 

[Wiebke]

he hovers around 680-750g as he’s aged, he’s very very skinny but eats like a horse. he’s not the most enthusiastic pig about hay in general so it’s very difficult to tell what he’s eating even on a good day but he’s enthusiastically accepting pellets and anything else he’s offered right now, despite his balance issues he’s very alert and aware of his surroundings and wants treats.

i mix critical care into his night time pellets every day for a long time now trying to make sure he’s getting adequate nutrition especially because he is so skinny, but i’ll pick up a fresh syringe tomorrow and offer him some hand feedings! i worry about how much hay he eats on a regular day and now i’m worrying extra. it’s difficult to tell if his ability to eat is affected, he seems to be chewing vegetables and pellets just fine but i know that can be deceiving.

i’m going to try my best to get my vets to see him tomorrow on such short notice, thanks so much for your response!

All the best. It is always hard with older piggies when they come towards the end of their lives.

 

[lauryn1289]

I’m sorry Kip is unwell. Good luck at the vets. I hope it’s something easily treatable.

he was prescribed enrofloxacin and some eye cream, hopefully that does the job the vet didn’t seem confident it was a stroke but did say some vertigo/dizziness seems plausible or possibly even a arthritis, and that him having an appetite is always a good sign so hopefully it gets better!

 

[lauryn1289]

All the best. It is always hard with older piggies when they come towards the end of their lives.

thank you! his friend rico died last year around this time of november and they’re my first piggies, i’ve had kip nearly his whole life so the thoughts of anything happening is horrible never gets easier to imagine him not being here anymore! i’m still hopeful that the antibiotics he was prescribed will help

 

[Wiebke]

he was prescribed enrofloxacin and some eye cream, hopefully that does the job the vet didn’t seem confident it was a stroke but did say some vertigo/dizziness seems plausible or possibly even a arthritis, and that him having an appetite is always a good sign so hopefully it gets better!

It is always difficult to pin down those symptoms.

Enrofloxacin is the active ingredient in baytril; it the most commonly prescribed antibiotic. Most guinea pigs tolerate it well but it can occasion cause soft poos, diarrhea or total loss of appetite. I would recommend that you add probiotics to any syringe feed and give it either 1 hour before or 2 hours after the antibiotic.

Fingers crossed for your boy.

 

[Wiebke]

thank you! his friend rico died last year around this time of november and they’re my first piggies, i’ve had kip nearly his whole life so the thoughts of anything happening is horrible never gets easier to imagine him not being here anymore! i’m still hopeful that the antibiotics he was prescribed will help

It doesn't get any easier with older piggies as I know only too well myself.
All you can do is hanging in there and treasure every day with Kip. The one thing I have learned is that you can never choose when and in which way your piggies die - and that it is always too soon, no matter the age.

But I really hope that you can have a little while longer.

Caring for Older Piggies and Facing the End - A practical and supportive information collection

 

[lauryn1289]

It is always difficult to pin down those symptoms.

Enrofloxacin is the active ingredient in baytril; it the most commonly prescribed antibiotic. Most guinea pigs tolerate it well but it can occasion cause soft poos, diarrhea or total loss of appetite. I would recommend that you add probiotics to any syringe feed and give it either 1 hour before or 2 hours after the antibiotic.

Fingers crossed for your boy.

he’s been given enrofloxacin a couple times over the years, he always seemed to tolerate it well. i don’t have any probiotics unfortunately i only have critical care, but i remember reading somewhere that feeding a piggy on antibiotics a healthy piggy’s poop works the same way as a probiotic? do you know if that’s actually true or is it just cruel to try feed him poop? i have two other piggies that are about 2-3 years old

 

[lauryn1289]

It doesn't get any easier with older piggies as I know only too well myself.
All you can do is hanging in there and treasure every day with Kip. The one thing I have learned is that you can never choose when and in which way your piggies die - and that it is always too soon, no matter the age.

But I really hope that you can have a little while longer.

Caring for Older Piggies and Facing the End - A practical and supportive information collection

how lucky we are to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard thank you so much

 

[Lorcan]

he’s been given enrofloxacin a couple times over the years, he always seemed to tolerate it well. i don’t have any probiotics unfortunately i only have critical care, but i remember reading somewhere that feeding a piggy on antibiotics a healthy piggy’s poop works the same way as a probiotic? do you know if that’s actually true or is it just cruel to try feed him poop? i have two other piggies that are about 2-3 years old

Poop soup is definitely a thing: Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

 

[lauryn1289]

Poop soup is definitely a thing: Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

thank you so much! when one of my other piggies bobby got his cheek bitten by his ex cagemate/now neighbour i was feeding him poop in a syringe along with his antibiotics and now i was questioning if that was legitimate advice

 

[Lorcan]

It's something that sounds weird to us, but they'd do it themselves anyway.

 

[Wheekallweek]

how lucky we are to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard thank you so much

This is so true

Best of luck to you and Kip. You're doing everything you can for him. Syringe feeding is always good to keep his guts moving. My piggies have always loved herbs, especially Basil, Coriander and Parsley, sometimes Dill too. They are very fragrant so may encourage him to eat!

 

[lauryn1289]

This is so true

Best of luck to you and Kip. You're doing everything you can for him. Syringe feeding is always good to keep his guts moving. My piggies have always loved herbs, especially Basil, Coriander and Parsley, sometimes Dill too. They are very fragrant so may encourage him to eat!

thank you so much i’ll pick up some parsley and basil for him tomorrow, he loves them! he’s coming out to eat some of his versele laga pellets (which are timothy hay based so hoping it’s the best choice) and have a drink of his water quite often and i’m giving him little nibbles of tomato, cucumber and green pepper a lot to make sure he’s munching on something

 

[Wiebke]

thank you so much i’ll pick up some parsley and basil for him tomorrow, he loves them! he’s coming out to eat some of his versele laga pellets (which are timothy hay based so hoping it’s the best choice) and have a drink of his water quite often and i’m giving him little nibbles of tomato, cucumber and green pepper a lot to make sure he’s munching on something

Please weigh him daily and top him up with feeding support if needed - pellets contain a lot less fibre than hay - look it up on the pack. Don't go by eye.

He is NOT eating hay,and pellets are not a full replacement.

 

[lauryn1289]

Please weigh him daily and top him up with feeding support if needed - pellets contain a lot less fibre than hay - look it up on the pack. Don't go by eye.

He is NOT eating hay,and pellets are not a full replacement.

i understand! i’m giving him critical care syringes and critical care mixed into his pellets but i know he is at least picking at hay because his poops don’t look any different, i also put a pile hay into all his pigloos which would usually be just fleece to entice him

 

[Seven7]

Keep us posted on his condition.
My Finn is also 6 years old, but other than not climbing to go upstairs, Finn hasn't slowed down so I am hoping for a few more years with him.

 

[lauryn1289]

Keep us posted on his condition.
My Finn is also 6 years old, but other than not climbing to go upstairs, Finn hasn't slowed down so I am hoping for a few more years with him.

so happy to hear that your boy’s doing so well i hope you and finn have a long time together

 

[Wiebke]

i understand! i’m giving him critical care syringes and critical care mixed into his pellets but i know he is at least picking at hay because his poops don’t look any different, i also put a pile hay into all his pigloos which would usually be just fleece to entice him

That is great; but in those situations the kitchen scales are still my best friend when it comes to monitoring my ill and frail piggies.

 

[lauryn1289]

Just a quick update if anyone’s interested, he’s on his third antibiotic dose now, I’ve fed him around 7mls of “poop soup” a few hours after both doses I’ve given him (about as much as he was willing to accept), he’s gotten a lot of critical care, been eating critical care soaked pellets and he’s been wanting syringes of very diluted critical care in water Also always excited to see a banana or pepper coming his way. His eyes are clearing up with the Isathal cream also. He’s still not as spritely and he’s a lot more sleepy and still off balance but maybe that’s just his age playing a role too. Hoping for the best

He’s been with me through a lot of tough years, especially the past year between losing his cagemate, a lot of hospital visits, bad days and getting a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis and he’s always been a reason for me to smile and get up in the morning and get on with things. I hope I’m doing as much for him as he’s done for me Bit of a tangent at the end sorry! But thank you to everyone for your responses and well wishes

 

[Wiebke]

All you can ever do is your best. He was lucky to find you.