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Emergency Please Help My Piggy! - Abscess, No Vet Access (panama)

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Kim Riches

Kim Riches

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Two years ago my husband bought me a guinea pig. His name is Ralph.

He was a big eater until last week. He suddenly stopped eating. For two days I noticed he became sleepy. I gave him a bath and checked him over. I found a very large abscess in his anal sack. It had burst and a lot of pus was coming out.

I soaked the area and managed to removed as much as I could. I have a skin cream I bought from the UK and I applied to the area. It's especially for piggies and it's an antiseptic and healing cream.

You see the problem is that I live in Central America. I've called all the vets locally and in Panama City. No vet will see my guinea pig. They won't recommend anything either. They say he is exotic and they want nothing to do with him.

My piggy is sick and I don't want him to suffer. So I spent hours reading up about what medicines etc. I remembered that some human antibiotics can be used on animals.

I don't know if this is right or not but I googled a list of guinea pig friendly antibiotics. I managed to get hold of an antibiotic and it's on the friendly list. It's called Trimetoprim Sulfametoxazol 40-200mg/5ml. I understand that this drug is used in both humans and guinea pigs. I checked and double checked the measurements and it's the same.

My understanding is that this drug can be used on Ralph. He has swollen testicles and that whole area is red raw. His penis is also swollen. This drug is for bacterial infections, urine infections and testicular problems.

Of course, I am no vet. I hate to self diagnose but if I do nothing then he will die.

I have researched and calculated using his weight that he needs 0.5 ml every 12 hours. His weight is 0.8kg. To be given for 2 weeks twice a day.

If there is a vet out there then please advise me. Please help me.... it's an awful decision I have to make.

Do I give him the drug or not?

Kim :(
 
This drug is also known as Bactrim. It is the only antibiotic I could get hold off. Ideally I wanted Baytril but I could not get it. Without a doctor's prescription I was limited.
 
@Dan Angelis had something like this happen(but because of a neuter) if you read that thread I believe the vet drained it and put the piggy on metacam and antibiotics. Must be a very scary time- I don't know if there's anyone on here who lives in the same area as you and knows a vet? Are there any shelters near you that have piggies- they'd have to know a cavy savy vet

Screenshot_2017-05-23-08-19-23.webp
 
Unfortunately none of the forum members are vets, so we cannot advise you to go ahead with the medicine. We can only request that you go to a vet.

If there are no vets in the area that will treat him then I can only suggest that you ask one of the current ones to research the dosage of the medicine for you, or for you to call an exotics vet in a different area for advice.

In the meantime you need to keep the area clean and dry.
 
Having had several piggies on that antibiotic for accesses and other things that sounds like a sensible dose for your pig if he weighed 1 kilo - as he is lighter and if no vet will help you then I would suggest 0.4 ml twice a day - as it looks like your only option to help him - can you get any vet to give you metacam for pain relief or any vet to confirm the dose of the antibiotic - as if he is in pain (which he must be ) this will stop him eating - also take a look at our syringe feeding guide and start syringe feeding him to help get the weight up - am sure more experienced members will be on here to help soon.
 
I just looked online for you and many people have used baytril (Enrofloxacin) after an absess and metacam and then syringe fed to bring weight back up! Hopefully someone on the forum will help you and let you know of anything you can do to make sure he's comfortable and not in pain. If he's on sawdust maybe it's best to put him on something like fleece so that you can make sure it's kept clean and notice if it's leaking etc? X
 
I don't know anything about antibiotics but you MUST start syring feeding if he's not eating & drinking, otherwise, poor Ralph's system will shut down & then it's to late.
I would be annoyed with your vet, they could at least give him metacam. You sound a excellent piggy slave. Keep the wound open so any yuck will drain out, also if it scabs over take the scab off so all the pus strains out, let it heal when you haven't seen any pus for over a week. I would have thought you need to clean that wound at least 4 times a day, because of where it is. Clean it with a saline solution half a teaspoon of salt to a glass of boiling water. Make sure you let it get cold before use, make it daily or a couple times a day. Keep it covered at all times. Is there a vet further away & if you can't get there ask for meds to be sent fast post. i agree get him off sawdust & onto towels or fleece. You don't want sand to complicate the problem. Or at least advice. Come on Ralph you can do this. Good luck Hun
 
Last edited:
Kim Riches said:
Two years ago my husband bought me a guinea pig. His name is Ralph.

He was a big eater until last week. He suddenly stopped eating. For two days I noticed he became sleepy. I gave him a bath and checked him over. I found a very large abscess in his anal sack. It had burst and a lot of pus was coming out.

I soaked the area and managed to removed as much as I could. I have a skin cream I bought from the UK and I applied to the area. It's especially for piggies and it's an antiseptic and healing cream.

You see the problem is that I live in Central America. I've called all the vets locally and in Panama City. No vet will see my guinea pig. They won't recommend anything either. They say he is exotic and they want nothing to do with him.

My piggy is sick and I don't want him to suffer. So I spent hours reading up about what medicines etc. I remembered that some human antibiotics can be used on animals.

I don't know if this is right or not but I googled a list of guinea pig friendly antibiotics. I managed to get hold of an antibiotic and it's on the friendly list. It's called Trimetoprim Sulfametoxazol 40-200mg/5ml. I understand that this drug is used in both humans and guinea pigs. I checked and double checked the measurements and it's the same.

My understanding is that this drug can be used on Ralph. He has swollen testicles and that whole area is red raw. His penis is also swollen. This drug is for bacterial infections, urine infections and testicular problems.

Of course, I am no vet. I hate to self diagnose but if I do nothing then he will die.

I have researched and calculated using his weight that he needs 0.5 ml every 12 hours. His weight is 0.8kg. To be given for 2 weeks twice a day.

If there is a vet out there then please advise me. Please help me.... it's an awful decision I have to make.

Do I give him the drug or not?

Kim :(
Click to expand...

Trimethoprim sulfa is safe to give. It is usually better known as bactrim or septrin. Your boy definitely needs an antibiotic! Baytril is often too weak to cut through an abscess.

Can you get hold of metacam from an online site that sells dog medications? You can safely give up to 0.25 ml of dog metacam twice daily. it is not just a painkiller, but also an anti-inflammatory.

Poor boy, and poor you! I am so sorry that no vet will see him. :(

Please flush his abscess twice daily with a mild disinfective like saline solution, which you can make yourself by mixing 1 teaspoon of salt into 1/2 pint (250 ml) of boiled, cooled water. Use a syringe to create some pressure.

You also need to start syringe feeding asap to keep the weight up. In an emergency you can mush up pellets and syringe that as well as water if you adapt the tip of a syringe. How to do it and all the other tips are in our step-by-step syringe feeding guide. This is absolutely vital to keep your boy alive and to retain his fighting strength!
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
 
Wiebke said:
Trimethoprim sulfa is safe to give. It is usually better known as bactrim or septrin. Your boy definitely needs an antibiotic! Baytril is often too weak to cut through an abscess.

Can you get hold of metacam from an online site that sells dog medications? You can safely give up to 0.25 ml of dog metacam twice daily. it is not just a painkiller, but also an anti-inflammatory.

Poor boy, and poor you! I am so sorry that no vet will see him. :(

Please flush his abscess twice daily with a mild disinfective like saline solution, which you can make yourself by mixing 1 teaspoon of salt into 1/2 pint (250 ml) of boiled, cooled water. Use a syringe to create some pressure.

You also need to start syringe feeding asap to keep the weight up. In an emergency you can mush up pellets and syringe that as well as water if you adapt the tip of a syringe. How to do it and all the other tips are in our step-by-step syringe feeding guide. This is absolutely vital to keep your boy alive and to retain his fighting strength!
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Click to expand...


Thank you so much! I feel a lot better now! Unfortunately l can't buy online because it will take too long to get here. They only have po box addresses here and ours goes via Miami.

After reading the information from your site I started syringe feeding this morning. He's not happy about it but he needs to eat.

Thank you again, you're very kind to help us!
 
I have an idea.. but I am not sure if it will work.
One of the best vets in Rome for guinea pigs and rabbits is dr. Gianluca Marchetti and he helps also some shelters and volunteers. I share with you his contact; you could send him the same email you have written here. If he has a big heart as a lot of people here say, maybe he can help you, at least with a good word...
Gianluca Marchetti
there is also his email online...
Veterinari
you find him in the list "Lazio"
 
rome_italy said:
I have an idea.. but I am not sure if it will work.
One of the best vets in Rome for guinea pigs and rabbits is dr. Gianluca Marchetti and he helps also some shelters and volunteers. I share with you his contact; you could send him the same email you have written here. If he has a big heart as a lot of people here say, maybe he can help you, at least with a good word...
Gianluca Marchetti
there is also his email online...
Veterinari
you find him in the list "Lazio"
Click to expand...

Thank you for your help :) I really appreciate it.

My piggy seems to be a little better today but the syringe feeding is upsetting him. I shall keep trying until he's better.
 
I hope he makes it. I must say a huge well done for going so far to save Ralph. Many people even with an accessible vet would give up too easily but you are really fighting for him when he needs you most. Good luck and you really are getting superb advice here that you can trust.
 
I know that trimethroprim sulfa can be used (Hadley has taken it), though I'm not medically savvy enough to help with dosing. It is important to keep an abscess clean (saline can be used- even boiled water with salt added and then cooled to room temperature.) And as others have said, if he is not eating or drinking, syringe feeding is a must to keep his guts moving normally. There is a guide to syringe-feeding in the sticky section above. I'm so sorry you are having to do this alone without a vet willing to take him on. Wishing him all the best.
 
Kim Riches said:
Thank you for your help :) I really appreciate it.

My piggy seems to be a little better today but the syringe feeding is upsetting him. I shall keep trying until he's better.
Click to expand...

You have already had a lot of great advice from some of our most piggie savy members, but I wanted to ad that if syringe feeding in upsetting him maybe try offering him mushed up pellets in a bowl. Mixing them with a small amount of applesauce (no added sugar) might also make him more interested.
Good luck - you sound like an amazing owner.
 
Swissgreys said:
You have already had a lot of great advice from some of our most piggie savy members, but I wanted to ad that if syringe feeding in upsetting him maybe try offering him mushed up pellets in a bowl. Mixing them with a small amount of applesauce (no added sugar) might also make him more interested.
Good luck - you sound like an amazing owner.
Click to expand...
 
Thank you very much for your help and support. He's a little fighter and he's just started to eat some cucumber and carrots. He's looking a lot better than yesterday so I think the antibiotics are really helping him. :)

The mushy pellets in a bowl is an excellent idea. I shall try that now!
 
Tiamolly123 said:
I don't know anything about antibiotics but you MUST start syring feeding if he's not eating & drinking, otherwise, poor Ralph's system will shut down & then it's to late.
I would be annoyed with your vet, they could at least give him metacam. You sound a excellent piggy slave. Keep the wound open so any yuck will drain out, also if it scabs over take the scab off so all the pus strains out, let it heal when you haven't seen any pus for over a week. I would have thought you need to clean that wound at least 4 times a day, because of where it is. Clean it with a saline solution half a teaspoon of salt to a glass of boiling water. Make sure you let it get cold before use, make it daily or a couple times a day. Keep it covered at all times. Is there a vet further away & if you can't get there ask for meds to be sent fast post. i agree get him off sawdust & onto towels or fleece. You don't want sand to complicate the problem. Or at least advice. Come on Ralph you can do this. Good luck Hun
Click to expand...


Thank you so much for your advise!

Ralph's doing a lot better but he still has a long way to go. He has a little bath and I've been soaking the area every morning and evening. In cooled down boiled water. His skin is red raw so I didn't want to add salt. I have a guinea pig skin cream thou that has antiseptic in it and anti inflamatories.

He was actually born with some deformities so he can't see and his front claws are twisted. So he lives in a big parrot cage. He has a carpet and three beds. It gets changed everyday so he doesn't get messy. I wash it in a guinea pig safe solution and he seems to love it! He's got a whole box full of accessories so I think he's comfortable.

He's my little dude and I just want him to be healthy and happy :)
 
Kim Riches said:
Thank you very much for your help and support. He's a little fighter and he's just started to eat some cucumber and carrots. He's looking a lot better than yesterday so I think the antibiotics are really helping him. :)

The mushy pellets in a bowl is an excellent idea. I shall try that now!
Click to expand...

I usually feed mushed pellets or a mix of recovery formula and syringe feed. Please weigh your boy daily at the same time to monitor the food intake. Up to 80% should be hay, which you canniot control and only about 10% is veg. But it is a very good sign that he has started eating by himself again. It is means that he is still willing to live and to fight.

I would still recommend to order metacam; having access to a painkiller if you cannot access a vet is important. Pain is often at the root of any weight loss.

If you would like to contact a vet in another country, Simon Maddock in the UK is one of the most experienced guinea pig vets in this country with lots of experience in abscess treatment. He may also be able to help you with dosages. He sees guinea pigs from all over the country for dental problems, and they often come with persistent abscesses.
The Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic
 
He had two weeks of antibiotics and the infection cleared up. He's eating and drinking but he is very very thin. He doesn't have a great appetite but he is fighting on. I'm proud of my piggy, he hadn't given up. Thanks for asking that means a lot!

sridevirb said:
Hi @Kim Riches How is your piggie? Looking forward to hear from you.
Click to expand...
 
happy news! go on syringing him and double the amount of vit C which the body needs especially during period of hard stress; you can use a syringe and the vit C for humans. Consider that the amount of a piggie is 30-40 mg/kg daily. You can buy L-ascorbic acid (=vit C) online or at the chemist without any prescription. It helps the body to absorb iron and other minerals.
There are some probiotic specific for guinea pigs (who cannot eat probiotics grown in milk, as we do), I don't know their names... I wonder if the ones specific for vegan people might work... As the piggies depend on their special gut which absorb all they need, considering that the gut is in a mess now after the treatment with antibiotics, and considering that in fact the piggie has lost weight, maybe focussing on the gut might be the right thing to do now.
I am so happy that your piggie seems to be safe!
 
Kim Riches said:
He had two weeks of antibiotics and the infection cleared up. He's eating and drinking but he is very very thin. He doesn't have a great appetite but he is fighting on. I'm proud of my piggy, he hadn't given up. Thanks for asking that means a lot!
Click to expand...

Please continue to top him up with syringe feed if you can. Glad that the infection has cleared up.
 
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