Hi there, I have been reading a lot of threads about guinea pigs limping. One of my boys was acting odd and I quickly noticed him limping and lying down very unusually. I called the out of hours vet immediately and her advice was to keep an eye on him and get an emergency appointment tomorrow unless he stops eating, going to the toilet or eating water. I plan to keep an eye overnight on him and so far he’s been okay and acting fairly normal (eating drinking seeming okay in himself). He is putting some pressure on and his condition hasn’t changed much over the last couple of hours since it happened. I’m just wondering whether there can be a difference between symptoms of a sprain and broken leg just to try and see what it could be. I worry about him having to go under anaesthetic if an X-ray is needed.
-
Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement
Possible Sprain?
- Thread starter piggiewb
- Start date
Hi!
A broken leg is very painful and the piggy is unable to put any pressure on it or would scream if it had to, so I think you can breathe easier on that score.
All the best! Sprains are pretty common in piggies.
Thank you Wiebke that’s some comforting news, he still moves quite quickly around the cage so I am hoping it’s just a sprain, but still not nice seeing him limp and his poor foot look all droopy bless him. He actually stretched both legs out in front of him which he loves doing a few minutes ago so I think the cause of pain is lower down the leg maybe his ankle or foot itself
If he is active and moving quite happily around, then it is likely just a minor sprain. Keep in mind that the front legs are two weight bearing ones so any impairment will look much more noticeable and dramatic than with the back legs, where a piggy can always resort to hopping to get around.
Yeah I woke up throughout and checked and still now he is acting the same as he normally would but with a hobble so fingers crossed. I’m hoping I can get an appointment this morning now
I hope he is ok
My Dexter had a leg sprain, limping around the cage one morning. I took him to the vet for a check up, was during the first lockdown so I had to wait outside. The vet came back out and said he had been walking around the surgery floor perfectly normally! Luckily my vet is very knowledgeable and knew it was most probably his prey instinct kicking in, he definitely believed me that he was previously limping and gave me a weeks worth of metacam. When I got home, they were both put back in the cage at which point Dexter immediately started limping again! Anyway, after a couple of days of metacam the limping eased and within the week he was back to normal
My Dexter had a leg sprain, limping around the cage one morning. I took him to the vet for a check up, was during the first lockdown so I had to wait outside. The vet came back out and said he had been walking around the surgery floor perfectly normally! Luckily my vet is very knowledgeable and knew it was most probably his prey instinct kicking in, he definitely believed me that he was previously limping and gave me a weeks worth of metacam. When I got home, they were both put back in the cage at which point Dexter immediately started limping again! Anyway, after a couple of days of metacam the limping eased and within the week he was back to normal
Sounds to me like a mild sprain; I've had a number of them over the years.
I really hope so thank you for your help
Thank you!
Ahh sorry you went through that with your piggie, thank you for the story I’m not sure whether my vet lets people in yet but will wait and see, can’t imagine what it’s like not being able to go in but great that your vet was so good with him!
Update, came back from the vet and they said it is likely a sprain and said I could have mega am but they didn’t seem overly fussed of him having it. I have got it anyway and need to give it to him for the next 5 days and see how he is. It was my first trip to the vet and I think he coped really well bless him
Merab
Forum Buddy
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2017
- Messages
- 51,486
- Reaction score
- 72,072
- Points
- 3,425
- Location
- East Riding of Yorksire
Hope the Metacam helps and his sprain heals up quickly
Thank you!