Poorly Clive

[Cliveshousenow]

Hi all!
Well, where start! 4 weeks and 3 days ago my big boy Clive, typical greedy chonky boar 2.5 years old, wasn’t eating. Picking food up, playing but not eating. Next morning I got him an emergency appointment at the vets. Didn’t see the cavy specialist but they kept him for few hours and syringe feed. I was prescribed gut meds and baytril and asked to return 2 days later. Still not eating but on return visit they still weren’t too worried. Next day he was showing no interest in food, didn’t even come out of hidey when salad bag rustled. Next day I called again and saw cavy vet. Checked his teeth but not too concerned. Gave pain killers. 10 days later (still not eating much and syringe feeding) his eye started popping out. Emergency appointment and was booked in for surgery 2 days later (sent home with 2 lots of eye drops).
Did well through surgery and recovery. Still not eating much and more pain relief, calpo and baytril. 8-9 days later, still not eating other than slight nibble of parsley. I was ready to ask vet PTS then on eve of follow up visit I returned from work to the biggest guinea pig poo you will ever see and lots of messy poo!
All of a sudden he started eating grass and soft veggies. Went for follow up visit to vet and his teeth have now overgrown due to not eating hay for almost 4 weeks. Dental surgery took place yesterday. He’s definitely brighter and eating more than he has done for 4 weeks but he seems so forlorn. He’s lost over 300g and just want to cry all the time. He cage mate goes crazy every time I take him to the vet and I absolutely hate syringe feeding him several times a day and all the meds as he hates it so much.
He still comes running out when I come home from work and is straight to the food bowl when it’s refilled or when the pile of grass goes in but no interest in hay or pellets.
My question is, has anyone had a piggie that has been ill for this long and come out the other side. Am I being selfish for trying to get him through this when there is no hope.

 

[rp1993]

I’m sorry to hear you are in this situation, it really takes an emotional toll so be kind to yourself.

My pepper was poorly in July, had a dental and took about a month to full recover, we ended up on emerprid and tramadol and we were syringe feeding him ever 2 hours for about 2 weeks. He also got a UTI so needed baytril. After a month he seemed to turn a corner, started eating nuggets again and was able to maintain his weight (150g smaller). During September he was drinking a lot, but it was very hot and he has always enjoyed a drink, deep down I knew something was likely wrong but I knew he was too small to undergo an tests. We went away the middle of September and he seemed happy as Larry at the borders, when we picked him up on the Saturday he looked uncomfortable, Sunday he was peeing blood and Monday morning he refused to eat so we make the heartbreaking decision to let him go. I felt like he told me he was ready, we had done very thing we could for him and we didn’t feel like force feeding him would be beneficial as he clearly wasn’t a well pig.

For me I kept him going when he was acting happy and himself but as soon as he looked uncomfortable I just knew. Pepper was a year older than your piggy, dentals can be hard in them but I was so proud that we were able to bring him out the other side and fight for him and he did have another happy month/6 weeks.

 

[Cliveshousenow]

Thank you so much for replying. I realised I didn’t add that his eye was removed when it’s started popping out so he has been under GA twice in a month. There has been several times I didn’t expect him to be alive when we woke up or when the kids got home from school. But he always seems to have rallied. He’s been so strong. I’m just afraid I’m being cruel

 

[weepweeps]

I’m so sorry Clive is unwell. My Pepper had a tooth root abscess last year. He lost 400g, didn’t eat at all for over 6 weeks, was syringe fed five times a day. He’s now absolutely fine.

You know Clive best. If he seems to want to live then definitely carry on. It’s exhausting looking after a sick piggy but you are doing great

I’ve never given Calpol to a piggy. How much is he on a day? You need to make sure his pain is under control so he will feel better and start eating.

Did he have an abscess behind his eye? If so then Zithromax is a great antibiotic for abscesses. Good luck.

 

[stef.trg]

I am so sorry you're going through so much at the minute. I know all too well how hard it is! On 20th July this year my 3 year old sow Buttons was spayed. We were expecting two small cysts but my vet was greeted with a 7cm whopper my little girl had hidden inside her. The cyst was so big she just about managed to get it out. It was almost a wonder Buttons pulled through and didn't pass away from hypovolemic shock. 2 days after her major surgery she had to be put under again because her incision had fully opened. Nearly lost her again that day. Miraculously she recovered from her second bout of anesthesia but developed a horrible case of bloat. She would barely fit through the door of her house anymore because she was so wide. Nearly lost her a 3rd time there. Managed to get her through the bloat episode and thought we were finally over the worst of it. Had a vet appointment a week later to remove the stitches which caused another episode of bloat. Somehow also managed to get her through that and finally put her back with her husboar. Unfortunately, from all the laying around she also developed bumblefoot on 2 paws and then also a UTI a couple weeks after that. So back to the vet we went for antibiotics and painkillers. She had a baytril injection at the vets and that was what finally made her fully turn the corner.

So after 1,5 months of fighting for her life, daily syringe feeds and whatnot, I have a happy and healthy little girl at home who popcorns and eats like there's no tomorrow. Clive sounds like he's on the way to recovery as well. Now it's just about being patient and believe me, I know how hard that is. Hang in there, in the end it'll be worth it! And don't forget to look after yourself as well. All the best for you & Clive xx

 

[Cliveshousenow]

Thanks all. Very heartening to hear your stories. Clive seems very tired today but super wriggly and desperate to run around when we get him out.
We have a follow up appointment tomorrow. I might ask about Zithromax for his eye as it’s not looking great.
He has been such a fighter in all of this

 

[Cliveshousenow]

I’m so sorry Clive is unwell. My Pepper had a tooth root abscess last year. He lost 400g, didn’t eat at all for over 6 weeks, was syringe fed five times a day. He’s now absolutely fine.

You know Clive best. If he seems to want to live then definitely carry on. It’s exhausting looking after a sick piggy but you are doing great

I’ve never given Calpol to a piggy. How much is he on a day? You need to make sure his pain is under control so he will feel better and start eating.

Did he have an abscess behind his eye? If so then Zithromax is a great antibiotic for abscesses. Good luck.

Calpol dose is 0.4ml 3 times a day. Vet said not to use sugar free version so it’s like having a sugar drop! Funnily enough he doesn’t seem to mind this medication

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks all. Very heartening to hear your stories. Clive seems very tired today but super wriggly and desperate to run around when we get him out.
We have a follow up appointment tomorrow. I might ask about Zithromax for his eye as it’s not looking great.
He has been such a fighter in all of this

All the best for tomorrow.

Yes, recovery can sometimes take a very long time and you have to push through with feeding support. It is very draining and you inevitably start to question yourself.

 

[weepweeps]

Thanks all. Very heartening to hear your stories. Clive seems very tired today but super wriggly and desperate to run around when we get him out.
We have a follow up appointment tomorrow. I might ask about Zithromax for his eye as it’s not looking great.
He has been such a fighter in all of this

I’d definitely ask about Zithromax. Good luck.

 

[Merab]

Caring for a sick piggy can be very exhausting.
We just want to make them better immediately.
You sound as if you are doing a wonderful job with Clive. He’s a lucky boy to have you.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Hang in there, I did with dental problems and it’s really worth it xx