Post - Neutering Abscess - was your GP lethargic?

[Edam]

Hiya all, hes been very lethargic today, by this I mean he hasn’t moved out of his little house on his own accord at all. He has eaten some hay thats been in there but not a lot.

I’ve tried to give him as much syringe food as possible, but he really isn’t happy taking the syringe - he’s had maybe 25ml ish he is also being a lot more picky today being off his food even more - the only thing he will very willingly eat is grass, but I only have a small tray full that I grow in my garden, and its starting to look very bare so I’m not sure how much I’ve got left to be able to give him - does anyone have any ideas where I can get some grass?

He wont take the syringe feed in a bowl, he literally won’t come out of his house at all and isn't really touching food I put in his house (apart from a little bit of hay) - yesterday he did come out for some veggies but today not at all. When I’ve been getting him out I do manage to get him to eat some hay and veggies, but grass he will happily eat straight away a whole cup full (pic of him tucking in!)! I guess this is somewhat reassuring.

I'm thinking maybe the lethargy is from the gabapentin? He came off gaba for a few days at one point and seemed a bit perkier, so maybe this is knocking him out a bit?

The actual wound seems a bit better, I was able to get a bit of pus out but he squeals so much it makes me so sad

I am starting to fear the worst today, I really don’t know whether this is just part of the recovery or he is deteriorating as I haven’t had a guinea pig since I was very very young. I don’t think it helps that he is on his own, I am trying to comfort him as much as possible but I don’t think he is my biggest fan at the moment with the number of syringes that I have to force in his mouth a day for all the meds… I guess I just don’t know how much lethargy is too much lethargy?

Thanks so so so much for the support, you all have helped me cope so much thank you x

 

[Wheekallweek]

My RB piggy Larry and house bun Miley have both had gabapentin in the past. Larry didn't seem TOO bad with it, a bit quiet I would say, but Miley was completely zonked.
Do you have a neighbour with no cats or dogs who may let you pick some grass for him?
Sorry to hear he's not feeling so well today
Or perhaps try some herbs? Parsley, coriander and basil are all popular in our house!

 

[Posyrose]

I might think about phoning the vet for advice. Maybe ask if you could try him off gabapentin if that might be what's making him so lethargic. I second the grass/herbs. They always go down well.

 

[Merab]

I might think about phoning the vet for advice. Maybe ask if you could try him off gabapentin if that might be what's making him so lethargic. I second the grass/herbs. They always go down well.

I agree

 

[Edam]

My RB piggy Larry and house bun Miley have both had gabapentin in the past. Larry didn't seem TOO bad with it, a bit quiet I would say, but Miley was completely zonked.
Do you have a neighbour with no cats or dogs who may let you pick some grass for him?
Sorry to hear he's not feeling so well today
Or perhaps try some herbs? Parsley, coriander and basil are all popular in our house!

Ah okay, by zonked do you mean just not moving much at all? He is just so sleepy…. Ahh such a good idea about asking my neighbour, I unfortunately dont know any of my neighbours but my parents don’t live too far and they have a lovely healthy lawn, maybe I can ask them Hes being weird with herbs, one day mint was all I could get him to eat, then now he doesn’t want it, same with parsley. I’ll try basil next! Weirdly, he’s been okay with rose petals so I’ve been giving him them.

I might think about phoning the vet for advice. Maybe ask if you could try him off gabapentin if that might be what's making him so lethargic. I second the grass/herbs. They always go down well.

He is going back to the vet tomorrow so will bring it up then thank you

 

[Edam]

Weirdly, now he is chewing at the vet bed and puppy pads that he’s lying on?!… the saga never ends!

 

[Wheekallweek]

Yeah, she literally lay in her house, not really asleep but not really awake either

 

[piggieminder]

I've had 4 guinea pigs on gabapentin at different times over the years and they have all been lethargic on it, some worse than others.
I hope your boy picks up soon, I would definitely ask the vet if he can come off the gabapentin. They may offer you an alternative.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Sending poor little Freddie lots of healing vibes, will he eat some plain porridge oats? Weigh him everyday so you know if he he losing weight to step in with a bit more critical care. Good luck, you are so dedicated, I’m sure you’ll get there

try Emeraid, mine all prefer it to the other brands

 

[Edam]

He went to the vet again today, I was very worried this morning that he might have bloat, as he is passing very little poops and not many of them, as well as feeling quite balloon like in his stomach. I massaged him a little bit, he squeaked whilst this happened then pooped quite a lot, it then felt a lot better in his stomach area. He went to the vet and the vet said he wasn't bloated now and tummy wasn't firm or anything, but did up our dose of Emeprid to 1ml 4 times a day. He hasn't pooped properly again since coming home from the vet about 2 hours ago, I've been trying to massage him (which the vet said to continue) and feed recovery plus as much as I can. The vet said his abscess itself looked a lot better, and I am still flushing it with Saline which is removing some pus, admittedly not a lot comes out though?

Yeah, she literally lay in her house, not really asleep but not really awake either

Yeah this is what he is doing, he will eat a little bit then just back to sleeping...

I've had 4 guinea pigs on gabapentin at different times over the years and they have all been lethargic on it, some worse than others.
I hope your boy picks up soon, I would definitely ask the vet if he can come off the gabapentin. They may offer you an alternative.

Okay this is really reassuring thank you, I'll ask the vet whether we can come off the Gaba/decrease the dose maybe, my partner took him to the vet today and annoyingly forgot to ask about the Gaba!

Sending poor little Freddie lots of healing vibes, will he eat some plain porridge oats? Weigh him everyday so you know if he he losing weight to step in with a bit more critical care. Good luck, you are so dedicated, I’m sure you’ll get there

try Emeraid, mine all prefer it to the other brands

Thanks so so much, it means a lot, I've literally been sleeping on the sofa to be near him and getting up at 4am to give him a top up of the syringe food - he's been sat with me in all my work meetings too in a little box next to me so I can encourage him to eat...! I am a bit worried he will use his new found knowledge of my job to take it from me I think I've managed to get his weight stable ish now which is good.

Plain porridge oats is a good idea, do I just give them raw/uncooked? will also take a look into Emeraid, thanks so much!

 

[Wheekallweek]

Plain porridge oats are great for helping piggies to gain weight - jsut feed them dry, as they are

 

[Edam]

I will try that thank you.

He is now eating the fibres from the fleece in his cage, and he is trying to eat anything non-food - such as cardboard. I’ve heard that it could be because his gut is needing fibre? It’s a new thing everyday!

 

[Piggies&buns]

I will try that thank you.

He is now eating the fibres from the fleece in his cage, and he is trying to eat anything non-food - such as cardboard. I’ve heard that it could be because his gut is needing fibre? It’s a new thing everyday!

a few dry porridge oats are fine but Plenty of syringe feed is your priority and the essential part at this point

 

[piggieminder]

I will try that thank you.

He is now eating the fibres from the fleece in his cage, and he is trying to eat anything non-food - such as cardboard. I’ve heard that it could be because his gut is needing fibre? It’s a new thing everyday!

They do like to chew cardboard etc when their gut bacteria is off. Fibreplex is good in this case. I find it's better than pro c. if they have had strong ABs or been ill for sometime.
You are doing so well with him, hang on in there. Wishing your boy a speedy recovery from now on.

 

[Merab]

Holding you in my thoughts.
You are doing a great job.
Freddy is lucky to be in such good hands

 

[Edam]

Hello!

Freddy update: I have been diligently giving his meds and syringe feeding and I have seen improvement! Today he wheeked at me for food (grass of course haha) which is the first wheek I’ve heard since he had the op - it bought tears to my eyes to hear him feeling a bit better and acting a bit more normal

He has had a bit more appetite which I think is the emeprid and fibreplex working He has still been only been wanting cardboard and grass but I found a reddit post of someone mentioning that their GP would eat oat hay when she was off all her food and only wanted cardboard, so I’ve tried that today and its been a success! He has been eating it! We popped into my Mums on the way home from the vet and he was spoilt with LOTS of grass from her which he was very happy with! His poos aren’t 100% normal, but getting there - there are some practically normal ones in amongst some small/slightly off ones so it’s good.

He is still v sleepy, albeit a bit less, so have agreed with the vet to lower the dose of gaba to see if it helps.

The actual abscess looks p good and no pus comes out when flushing which I’m doing twice a day, the vet got a little bit out today with some tiny forceps that was rlly deep in, but apart from that it looks pretty good. My only worry is whether some pus is trapped because it was too deep for me to be able to get out before it healed over on the inside - the abscess was so deep I couldn’t see the back wall of it at first. I now can see the back wall as it has healed so can see theres none going forward, but I am worried there is some behind that back wall. But I guess I won’t know now so just focusing on getting him through this.

Thanks so so so much to all of you who have listened to my rambles and got him (and me!) through it - we are so lucky we found you all to give the advice/support. We are by no means at the end of this, but I am finally feeling a bit more hopeful!

(Pic of him in his carry case at the vet!)

 

[Posyrose]

I'm so pleased to see your update on Freddy. It's lovely when you start to see some improvement.

 

[weepweeps]

That’s great news. It’s a long road with abscesses. You are doing great.