Putting weight on before surgery.

[Pantalaimon]

I was on here in March asking for help with a very sick guinea pig, she unfortunately died that night. (Thank you to anyone who helped)

I was left with her companion, at first I was going to rehome him but have now changed my mind. He has been alone since March, until today. Today I picked up a lovely 4.5 year old sow from Maria’s Animal Shelter (it is amazing there!). She has big ovarian cysts and the plan is either to continue with long term palliative care or, after talking to my vet, get her spayed to give her a better quality of life.

The problem is, at the moment she is quite thin and I don’t think she will be able to be operated on in this state. She was clearly a big girl at one point but now weighs just 892g.

She is on half a cystease tablet, 0.18ml paracetamol (6+ calpol) and 0.37ml metacam all twice a day.

I am about to order some more syringes and was wondering if it might work to get some critical care? Should I go for normal or fine grind?

I want to give her the best chance of being in good enough health to have surgery and also for it to be successful. What more can I do to improve her chances of this?

Thanks for any help!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Definitely give her critical care. You might find she eats it from a bowl and doesn’t actually need to be syringe fed.
A few porridge oats can also help boost their weight.

I hope she is ok

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome back.

I am very sorry about yout loss.

But I agree with @Piggies&buns . See how she does in good care. If it turns out that a major op is too risky, she will at least have a very happy time pigging out.

I would also recommend to speak with your vet about potential ongoing pain support in case the cysts are pushing on other organs and are causing secondary problems.

 

[Pantalaimon]

Definitely give her critical care. You might find she eats it from a bowl and doesn’t actually need to be syringe fed.
A few porridge oats can also help boost their weight.

I hope she is ok

Thank you. I will buy some when I order a whole batch of 1ml syringes then! Apparently she’s not the easiest with the medication in a syringe so I am going to have to train her carefully with little bits of fruit juice to make the syringe a positive experience.

 

[Pantalaimon]

Hi and welcome back.

I am very sorry about yout loss.

But I agree with @Piggies&buns . See how she does in good care. If it turns out that a major op is too risky, she will at least have a very happy time pigging out.

I would also recommend to speak with your vet about potential ongoing pain support in case the cysts are pushing on other organs and are causing secondary problems.

This is definitely a possibility. What would more long term pain support look like? Would it just be a higher dose of metacam or something else? I’ve heard of them becoming almost addicted to it after a long time one it, I don’t know if this is true though!

 

[Wiebke]

This is definitely a possibility. What would more long term pain support look like? Would it just be a higher dose of metacam or something else? I’ve heard of them becoming almost addicted to it after a long time one it, I don’t know if this is true though!

Hi

Longer term metacam for guinea pigs is given in the face of potentially life-shortening chronic pain. It can literally buy life time. Unlike other pet species, guinea pigs deal with it much better. Your vet won't be opting for maxed out dosages but it may help to trigger her appetite because pain and discomfort are appetite killers in their own right and can contribute to the heavy weight loss.

You may find this new guide here helpful in working out how significant the weight loss is for her BMI.

Thread 'Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support'

Jun 20, 2024

1 Weight and Weight Loss
- Why regular weight monitoring matters
- How weight changes over a lifetime
- How to weigh on your kitchen scales (with video)
- The weight loss rules
- How critical is the weight loss for my piggy?
- Possible causes for weight loss
2 Body Mass Index (BMI) or 'Heft'
- Why is understanding your piggy's weight so important?
- 'Average' weight vs. individual weight - the big trip up
- How to check for the BMI
3 The...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 5
• Forum: Health & Illness Support Corner

• 

 

[Pantalaimon]

Hi

Longer term metacam for guinea pigs is given in the face of potentially life-shortening chronic pain. It can literally buy life time. Unlike other pet species, guinea pigs deal with it much better. Your vet won't be opting for maxed out dosages but it may help to trigger her appetite because pain and discomfort are appetite killers in their own right and can contribute to the heavy weight loss.

You may find this new guide here helpful in working out how significant the weight loss is for her BMI.

Thread 'Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support'

Jun 20, 2024

1 Weight and Weight Loss
- Why regular weight monitoring matters
- How weight changes over a lifetime
- How to weigh on your kitchen scales (with video)
- The weight loss rules
- How critical is the weight loss for my piggy?
- Possible causes for weight loss
2 Body Mass Index (BMI) or 'Heft'
- Why is understanding your piggy's weight so important?
- 'Average' weight vs. individual weight - the big trip up
- How to check for the BMI
3 The...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 5
• Forum: Health & Illness Support Corner

• 

Thank you, this is really helpful.
I can’t pick her up right now but later when I have to give her her medications I will have a feel. I think she probably comes between underweight and severely underweight. I think the rescue are doing an amazing job but they are currently overrun and I don’t think they have the capacity to provide really specific individual care like regular hand feeding.

I had a horrible experience with a very very unwell guinea pig and a vet who had no idea what she was doing but wouldn’t admit it. I didn’t know better at the time either. The little pig only weighed 500g at 18 months old, I believe she had either E.cuniculi or the condition saskia at LAGPR thinks they get where the bullae become calcified. The vet treated her with metacam, antibiotics, steroid ear drops and probiotics continually for over six months. She also had obvious dental issues that the vet wouldn’t recognise. In the end she died.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you, this is really helpful.
I can’t pick her up right now but later when I have to give her her medications I will have a feel. I think she probably comes between underweight and severely underweight. I think the rescue are doing an amazing job but they are currently overrun and I don’t think they have the capacity to provide really specific individual care like regular hand feeding.

I had a horrible experience with a very very unwell guinea pig and a vet who had no idea what she was doing but wouldn’t admit it. I didn’t know better at the time either. The little pig only weighed 500g at 18 months old, I believe she had either E.cuniculi or the condition saskia at LAGPR thinks they get where the bullae become calcified. The vet treated her with metacam, antibiotics, steroid ear drops and probiotics continually for over six months. She also had obvious dental issues that the vet wouldn’t recognise. In the end she died.

Our full weight management guide contains a chapter on underweight which you may find helpful. It is just working out first where she roughly stands so you can then step with a more tailored care plan.

Thread 'Weight - Monitoring and Management (Underweight & Overweight)'

Mar 11, 2019

1 Health monitoring: BMI, weighing, poo out and body changes
- The importance of the weekly health and grooming body check
- Different feedback from BMI, weight, poos and body changes
2 Regular weight monitoring
- How often should I weigh?
- Weighing tips
3 Guidelines for changes in weight
- Weight loss guidelines
- Sudden weight gain and fluctuations...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 4
• Forum: Grooming Care & Health Monitoring

• 
• 

If you need more tips:

Thread 'All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures'

Mar 9, 2022

Introduction
1 Choosing the right place to medicate/feed your piggy
2 Guinea pig whispering and asserting your authority
3 Recovery products and emergency improvisation
4 Syringe recommendations
5 Weight monitoring: your biggest ally
6 Weight loss guidelines and when to step in with feeding
7 Syringe feeding amounts/frequency advice
8 Practical medication and syringing tips
9 Medicating and feeding cooperative guinea pigs (videos)
10 Medicating and feeding uncooperative guinea pigs (hold pictures and tips)
11 The line between life and...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 0
• Forum: Health & Illness Support Corner

• 
• 

Unfortunately, guinea pigs hardly feature on a general vet's curriculum and they also fall into the gap of being too pedestrian for the real exotics buffs. Any neurological issues are still very much unchartered territory when it comes to guinea pigs. Accordingly, treatment options are extremely limited and there is hardly any information.

Our guide contains the very recent stand of research and it is truly pitiful.

Thread 'CBS (Calcified Bulla Syndrome) and Neurological Problems - Symptoms and Care'

Feb 12, 2022

Introduction
1 General information and practical advice on CBS
- What is the difference between a syndrome and a symptom?
- What is CBS (calcified bulla syndrome)?
- How can CBS be diagnosed?
- What is causing CBS and how can I minimise the risk?
- Vet care and customer rights with newly bought guinea pigs
- Support and care information resources
- Leaflet with list of CBS symptoms and comparison x-ray pictures
2 Other common neurological...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 3
• Forum: Wiebke's Home Care Guides

• 

 

[Pantalaimon]

Our full weight management guide contains a chapter on underweight which you may find helpful. It is just working out first where she roughly stands so you can then step with a more tailored care plan.

Thread 'Weight - Monitoring and Management (Underweight & Overweight)'

Mar 11, 2019

1 Health monitoring: BMI, weighing, poo out and body changes
- The importance of the weekly health and grooming body check
- Different feedback from BMI, weight, poos and body changes
2 Regular weight monitoring
- How often should I weigh?
- Weighing tips
3 Guidelines for changes in weight
- Weight loss guidelines
- Sudden weight gain and fluctuations...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 4
• Forum: Grooming Care & Health Monitoring

• 
• 

If you need more tips:

Thread 'All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures'

Mar 9, 2022

Introduction
1 Choosing the right place to medicate/feed your piggy
2 Guinea pig whispering and asserting your authority
3 Recovery products and emergency improvisation
4 Syringe recommendations
5 Weight monitoring: your biggest ally
6 Weight loss guidelines and when to step in with feeding
7 Syringe feeding amounts/frequency advice
8 Practical medication and syringing tips
9 Medicating and feeding cooperative guinea pigs (videos)
10 Medicating and feeding uncooperative guinea pigs (hold pictures and tips)
11 The line between life and...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 0
• Forum: Health & Illness Support Corner

• 
• 

Unfortunately, guinea pigs hardly feature on a general vet's curriculum and they also fall into the gap of being too pedestrian for the real exotics buffs. Any neurological issues are still very much unchartered territory when it comes to guinea pigs. Accordingly, treatment options are extremely limited and there is hardly any information.

Our guide contains the very recent stand of research and it is truly pitiful.

Thread 'CBS (Calcified Bulla Syndrome) and Neurological Problems - Symptoms and Care'

Feb 12, 2022

Introduction
1 General information and practical advice on CBS
- What is the difference between a syndrome and a symptom?
- What is CBS (calcified bulla syndrome)?
- How can CBS be diagnosed?
- What is causing CBS and how can I minimise the risk?
- Vet care and customer rights with newly bought guinea pigs
- Support and care information resources
- Leaflet with list of CBS symptoms and comparison x-ray pictures
2 Other common neurological...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 3
• Forum: Wiebke's Home Care Guides

• 

It is really shocking how little information there is for one of the most popular small animals.

Luckily I now have an absolutely amazing exotics vet who treats a huge range of species, including lots of guinea pigs. He’s so well known he had actually been recommended to the owner of the rescue!

 

[Pantalaimon]

She’s a very scared little pig, but still came out when she heard the sound of pellets. Neither pig has realised that the other is in the room yet!

I’ve felt her a bit more while giving her meds, she is just skin and bone with a massive belly. Her skin is dry and her coat is dull and fluffy, I think she also has a cataract in one eye. She is a bit dirty and smelly so I was wondering whether it would be too much to give her a gentle sit in some warm water? I'm just a bit worried about her getting skin irritation and UTIs, she also smells quite bad.
She already has an appointment booked at the vets on Friday.

 

[Pantalaimon]

I’m going to weigh her at every medication time, the scales aren’t the most accurate but I always use the same ones in the same place so they will hopefully still give an idea of weight changes.

 

[piggieminder]

Aww bless her. I hope she will soon flourish in your excellent care.

 

[Pantalaimon]

Aww bless her. I hope she will soon flourish in your excellent care.

Fingers crossed she does! Pat (my existing pig) has finally sniffed her out across the room. There’s a lot of excited popcorning on his part.

 

[Wiebke]

She’s a very scared little pig, but still came out when she heard the sound of pellets. Neither pig has realised that the other is in the room yet!

I’ve felt her a bit more while giving her meds, she is just skin and bone with a massive belly. Her skin is dry and her coat is dull and fluffy, I think she also has a cataract in one eye. She is a bit dirty and smelly so I was wondering whether it would be too much to give her a gentle sit in some warm water? I'm just a bit worried about her getting skin irritation and UTIs, she also smells quite bad.
She already has an appointment booked at the vets on Friday.

Please give her a gentle bath.