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Ralfie is staying at the emergency vets.

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OMG Emma! Ive only just found this thread. How is he today?

Poor Ralfie and poor you (and your mum) :( .... really hope he'll be ok. Pleeeease dont feel guilty - these sorts of things can happen to anyone. Bless him - at least he's still got his appetite which is good O0

I hate that 'waiting' feeling - bet you dont know what to do with yourself now he's at the vets. :-\ but he's in good hands and Katie said O0

Helen, Ruby and Dilys x - they send Ralfie piggy licks :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Thanks for all the messages everyone, and paw crossing! Mary u were right, its just bruising, no fractures, they did sedate him though, not with anaesthetic I'm so relieved even though i know he's still not completely better. He will be on pain killers for a few days but he is ok, just a bit sore. We're going to pick him up now, sorry i haven't updated i had to go to uni. Thanks again everyone, i will let you all know how he is doing once he's home x
 
Oh no I just discovered this thread - poor Ralfie. :(

I'm glad he's doing better, Emma! O0
 
Just managed to get to the PC - so sorry to hear about little Ralfie but glad it is only bruising and nothing more serious. Give the little guy a gentle hug from me and the gang send piggy kisses!
 
Hi everyone, thanks. Just got him home and he seems very sleepy, and he's still not moving his back legs much at all. I'm really worried, he doesn't seem himself at all :'( he's munching some grass now and he's still pooing ok. is it normal for him to be like this?x
 
I am sure he will be alright. its probbly just a bit of shock, and once the pain has eased he will be popcorning about with the best of them. Love and piggy hugs to little ralfie atleast u have him home, he will be ok with his mummy now.x.

Amy.x.
 
Hi again, sorry for all the questions but I'm sure you all know how worrying these things can be, i am supposed to give him metacam at 8, iv been told to put one drop on his food, my problem is that he doesn't eat much dry food at all even when he's well, so i don't want to take the risk of him not getting it. Would i be able to put it on his grass? that's the only thing that he's guaranteed to eat. he is eating hay and veg but he's picky with these and would probably just leave the bits with it on. is the grass ok? x
 
if its in the syringe like they have it for dogs you could try dropping it straight into his mouth he may not like the taste but u could give him a treat after
 
i thought this but he is so sore i wouldnt want to wrap him in a towel and it would be really awkward to do without wrapping him :( plus it's such a small dose, literally one drop i think i may give him too much :( thanks for the reply though x
 
The way I give Metacam is to put one drop on a spoon,then add approx half a ml of water,.Draw this up into a syringe and give it to him that way.It is no good trying to put meds on food because gps are so cunning that they will smell it and refuse to eat.I have tried Metacam on cucumber which is top favourite,but it is spat out or knocked out of my hand.

The syringe method is far easier and safer,because if you accidently put more than one drop on the spoon ,you can get rid of it and start again.
 
Hi mary thanks for that but i read it a bit late, we put it on grass and he appeared to eat it, but obviously he may not have got it, what should i do? I dont want to give him an overdose but i don't want him to be in pain :( x
 
Also, he hasnt moved much at all and seems really quiet :( is this normal, he's moving his front half but only moving his back legs a little bit. i'm not sure wether he's eating, he ate some grass we put in but doesn't seem interested in his veg yet, I'm not sure about hay. should i syringe feed him or is this too much because he seems really sore so wrapping him up may hurt him? I'm really worried.
 
Awww sorry, I know how worrying it must be. How often did the vet say to give the metacam? If you have to give it again during the night, try Marys method and you can see if he has eaten, it will put your mind at rest. Is he on his own at the moment?
(((((hugs)))))
 
I only have to give it once a day, so if he hasn't had that one he will be in pain until tomorrow night :'( he is on his own because he is still technically in quarantine. He has eaten some hay and has had his head in the veg bowl, not sure if he's actually eaten anything from it though. he hasn't touched his pellets but he seemed to only eat them during the night anyway. He isn't moving much as i've said but he's not tired i don't think, he just doesn't want to move. The vets have said to syringe feed some veg if i'm concerned about him not eating but i don't know wether its unnecessary stress for him because he is eating hay and grass and maybe a little veg? Do you think he's just not wanting to move because it hurts? he is happy to sit and watch everyone he isn't hiding in his pigloo but he's never liked it anyway x
 
What time tomorrow do you need to give him his next dose? Maybe see how he is early tomorrow morning.. did you see how much of the grass he ate?

Its a good sign that he is eating, i don't think he would if he was in a lot of pain, but I am not an expert..
 
Erm i'd say about a handful of grass, quite a fair amount, we didn't give him loads though and he's munched quite a bit of hay. Maybe he just isn't in the mood for veg yet? iv been to tescos, bought him 3 baby foods just incase which is best? cauliflower and butternut squash. carrot, corgett, peas and potato. or lentil, and some other veg can't quite remember which? He is actually eating, just not much but i don't think i expected him to eat a lot, he does take his time with veg, he's a lot slower than the girls who fight until its all gone! I'm still worried but i think it would be too stressful to syringe food tonight if it can be helped, unless you think its really neccessary? thanks
love Emma x
 
I would give him some supplementary syringe food to stop him losing condition.Feed him 2 to 3 times a day.,approx. 5 or 6 mls at each feed,more if he will take it.All the baby foods you mention are fine,I would alternate them to give him variety.

As for Metacam,it would be safe to give another dose after 8 hours in this circumstance.(Normally you have to wait 24 hrs).Give a slightly smaller drop if you can and make sure he has eaten before you give it.

Are you nursing him on vet bed?.Do not let him lie in one place too long,he must be encouraged to move.The limbs could be gently massaged once or twice a day

Peters swimming therapy would be worth a try as well.

WWW.Petergurney.com
 
Ok thanks mary, he has eaten quite a bit now, just slightly less veg than usual but pretty much enough i'd say. I will get him out in a bit to encourage him to walk, he seems more perky today, just not very willing to move much especially not his back legs on saying that he was never a lively piggie he did spend most of his time in his corner. i will give the metacam with baby food tonight that way he gets the full dose and some veg. he is eating hay more than anything though and he has had a go of his dried food through the night and when i gave him fresh stuff this morning. Ralfie isn't on vet bed, he is on plain sheets but he likes to sit in his hay, is this ok? i have vetbed if this would be better for him? thanks for all the advice, how would you recommend syringe feeding him, i don't want to hurt his hip area by towel wrapping him? thanks x
 
Vetbed is better because it is soft and will keep him dry.If he is not moving the hay will get damp and the last thing he neeeds is to lie in a damp bed.

Ralfie may be eating enough anyway,and it is good that he is eating hay.You really need to weigh him,that is the only way you will know whether he is eating enough.I understand that you will be nervous about hurting him,but remember this is bruising,not fracture.I do not know how big the bowl on your scales is,but pad it somehow ,then check the weight,then gently lower Ralphie in.You need to check the weight morning and evening at the moment .,but if you feel this would be too stressful for him,do it once a day,in the eveining.

There is no need to towel wrap unless the pig is very strong and stroppy.I guess Ralphie will not be able to wriggle about too much.
There are several different ways to hold a piggy to syringe feed,you need to find the method that suits you and Ralphie.Every pig is different,so a method that works with one pig may not be any good with another.

One way I use is to stand the piggy on a firm surface at waist level,put my left hand under the pigs arms and pull him up so he is standing straight,and I hold him against me.For obvious reasons you cannot do this with Ralphie.

Another way is to put the piggy in a safe box or basket(open topped) on a table and offer the syringe,some pigs will just grab the syringe with no problem.

Another option is to sit with the pig on your lap(on a thick towel or vetbed in case he pees,and he probabvly will if he is being fed) then just offer the syringe.

Do not worry too much about any of this because it sounds to me as if Ralphie is doing well.

Bruising takes a while to come out. Arnica cream(from a healthshop) massaged into the limbs might help,it is a very old fashioned,but good,product draw out bruising.It is homeopathic so there are no chemicals in the cream.

Whoever said that guinea pigs are easy pets to keep,has obviously never kept them.!!,they are very difficult little whatsits.
 
I never thought of him being wet thanks for that,i'll put him on the vetbed. i will get him out when my mum gets in so she can help me and ill weigh him then, he is usually a very strong and stroppy piggie! he butts everyone and everything in his path lol! but i suppose he won't be as bad if he isn't feeling too good. he has very sleepy eyes, as in abit gungy could this be the anaesthetic or something? i will offer him the syringe first and if he doesn;t take it i will try some of the methods, the vet held him lying down on his back on her arm and he seemed happy like that, could i try that or should he not eat lying on is back? thanks for all your help, i completely agree about guinea pigs being difficult pets! iv had my cat 7 years and had no problems, the piggies come along and everything goes wrong! i'll let you know how it all goes x
 
I've just moved Ralfie to the other end of his cage so i could change the hay and clean it up a bit. He was very wobbly but he did walk, not drag his legs, slowly back to his corner and stopped to have some hay and pellets on the way. its hard to explain how his legs are, when i pick him up and hold him against me he usually kicks his legs out to the side if you know what i mean with his feet pointing upwards, but now they just stay behind him sort of limp with his feet downwards. and when he walks his back legs are sort of behind him rather than at the sides? would bruising cause this? i haven't given him his metacam yet, its not due until 8 so i will get him out in a playpen in the meantime and get him to move a bit, i'll weigh him too x
 
Clean the eyes with a cotton pad soaked in warm,pre boiled water.This is nothing to worry about.

Never hold a pig on his back to feed,and piggies should not be kept on their backs for long anyway.

Always feed with the pig standing normally,or pulled up on to ites back legs.

Yes the bruising could cause what you describe.

Are the back pads warm,and does he react if you press them>,

It is probably just discomfort that is causing this,.It is possible that as he fell awkwardly,he may have pulled a tendon as well as knocking his legs.These type injuries do take a while to heal.As long as he is making some attempt to move and is eating,do not worry too much.

Are the pellets and wee normal?.

Make sure he drinks plenty,it would not hurt to give some water by syringe.
 
He has eaten a lot of grass, lots of hay, a small amount of dried food and i've just mananged to syringe 3mls of baby food and 2mls of water, and i did as you said with the metacam. he is making attempts to move around he's just very wobbly, his feet were a little cold before but the room was cold so i felt the girls' and theirs were the same so ive put the heating on. i haven't tried pressing them, he squeeked when the vet felt them though? i will press them and see what he does. he seems to be moving his legs but not using them the way he should, his feet are all over the place.
 
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