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Ralfie is staying at the emergency vets.

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Please no-one kill me, but I keep getting in my mind an image of a little cart or something to support and pull himself along? It will mean that his front legs get stronger, and you could maybe just use it at run time :-\ :-\ :-\

Sorry if thats really inapppropriate, but I am really racking my brains for things you could do.... :-\

Stay positive, you will come up with something O0
 
OK don't panic, i have seen this many a time in lots of different animals, from Dogs and cats in RTA downs to guinea pigs and hamsters. I have seen full function of limbs come back even when we have thought it wouldn't, so i personally would give it some time. If it doesn't then i would have the leg removed. I no this doesn't sound nice but if it isn't working and is causing problems it the next best thing. I have seen this done in both guinea pigs and hamsters with good success. It does take them some time after to get used to only having 3 legs, but they do learn to walk and function as they normally would.

Hope that helps, just don't give up yet on him. ;)
 
PP yes there's a girl on guinealynx who has used them, there's a thread on there O0 O0 O0
I believe they're really good and can also give the piggie the mobility and the independance :)
Sending healing wheeks and loves to you all :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Thanks everyone,
Karen- i really wish i had a nuresy piggie to give him! my 2 girls are unbelievably active and very fiesty, one is just nuts and never atops running round, i dont think ralfie would appreciate bee at the moment, bumble seems a bit concerned about ralfie at the moment, spends a lot of time at the divider but when we gave ralfie a sniff of her last week he butted her really hard and bumble is not entle piggie, she's quite dominant and irritable really, it's a kind of love triangle, bumble loves ralfie, ralfie likes bee and bee doesn't care about either! i think to be honest he may be better on his own atm.

PP- i wish there was something like that invented! not sure how to go about that though!

Becky- it is both of his back legs that aren't functioning properly, the left is better than the right in terms of movement but he doesn't use either to actually walk with, just uses the eft to sort of push him along with his knee. i think the best to hope for is he gets some functioning back in them or at least one of them. don't worry we're not giving up on him, we're giving it time to see if he improves or how we can deal with it. how long do you think we should give it to improve?
Thanks again everyone, this forum has been a god send, don't know what i'd have done without you all! x
 
Could you not give it a bash at making one? Might make you feel a bit more like you are doing something rather than waiting for the little guy? :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Sorry for some reason i thought it was just one. I know acupuncture can help, to be honest i haven't seen it done on guinea pigs but i don't know why it cant be done on them, that could be an idea. :-\
 
I really dont know to be honest, model it on the dogs ones I guess, but on a smaller scale - maybe you can get a cusomised one somehow?

http://jscms.jrn.columbia.edu/cns/2006-04-18/corcoran-wheelchairsfordogs/

' Special wheelchairs have also been made for ferrets, rabbits, sheep, even alpacas whose rear legs were paralyzed by a meningeal worm infection. '

I know its in the US, but theres gotta be places like that here too - or just pay postage ;D

If they can do rabbits - why not guineas?
 
thanks for putting that idea up PP look at this:

http://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15475

i really want to give this a go if he doesn't improve, it's giving me hope anyway, that i have more than two options and i need to look into them all, thanks everyone, i hope my mum feels better for reading all your messages, Ralfie is her baby she loves him so much and she's really upset at the moment. Thanks x
 
on a lighter note my friends tortoise has wheels...lego ones.I 'm sure someone can make some for ralfie :)
 
thanks for putting that idea up PP look at this:

http://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15475

i really want to give this a go if he doesn't improve, it's giving me hope anyway, that i have more than two options and i need to look into them all, thanks everyone, i hope my mum feels better for reading all your messages, Ralfie is her baby she loves him so much andshe's really upset at the moment. Thanks x
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Awww bless her! As long as hes still living a happy life, hes not in pain, and he doesnt realise that there is anything wrong, there are going to be options open! :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

on a lighter note my friends tortoise has wheels...lego ones.I 'm sure someone can make some for ralfie
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My cat muffin (RIP 0:) ) Had a little cart we made in the garden he used to walk around with :smitten: :smitten:

I think if you posted his story on lots of forums, there will be people will creative minds, and OH's with good DIY skills, that will be falling over themselves to help you out, with making it, or even donating money towards buying one custom made from somewhere....

I'm thinking something to do with a flip flop...like the cheap ones....bendy (hope you know what I mean) as that would support him and be comfy too :smitten:
 
mick my OH was trying to come up with some ideas last night(he's a whizz at that sort of thing) was going to post about it last night but it didn't seem the right time :)
 
Just be patient with Ralfie,these type of injuries are very slow to heal,they can take weeks.I am sure full mobility will gradually come back
 
I agree with Mary, you need to give those muscles etc a chance to get back as best they can, naturally.
 
Ok thanks everyone, the weels really would be if he doesn't improve at all. We've just noticed a small red mark about the size of a spot but not raised just by his bum area, it is slighly swollen around that area too what could this be? we put some cream on him yesterday to sooth the skin and it wasn't there then. could this be a sore from sitting in wee? Ralfie's walking hasn't improved since friday really. i will try to post a video later. i don't want to take him back to the vets wth his little sore because i think she'll just advice pts :( anyone got any advice? x
 
It may not be related (abscess) or it could be a sore from sitting, the only thing you can do if it is is use a barrier cream on any areas which may be rubbing and you need to do this every 1-2hours for the next couple of weeks and then 3-4 times a day when the skin has got tougher.
 
Ok thanks becky, what kind of barrier cream? not the one the vet gave us? because that can only be given up to 4 times a day because it's for sores x
 
Vaseline, it should help lessness the friction. What cream have you been given?
 
I use Bepanthen nappy cream on the rare occasion I've needed it, but as this is long term possibly, I would contact Chrissie @ i[email protected] for advice. Maybe one of her creams under a barrier cream would work?
 
I'm really new to the GG products so i can't help on that front, but let me no if there is something like vaseline for pigs
 
Vasaline is not really recommended as it contains petroleum jelly.

As Karen said,Bebanthen is good,or Waitrose Baby Butter Cream is a very good barrier cream as well.

It is certainly worth emailing Chrissie.
 
Ok i have e-mailed chrissie, i will see what she says and if she can't help i will try some of the creams recommended, thanks. Ralfie is not reacting to the swimming therapy at all, is there anything else we can try to get him moving properly? x
 
Oh bless his little heart, please give him a little piggie kiss and cuddle from me and my boys :-*
 
Are you massaging Ralfies legs?.This may help. nother thing you could try is put him on his back on a pillow,and gently bicycle his legs.If he seems to be in pain of course you would have to stop straight away.All these things are worth a try.

You do need to be patient with him though,the injuries will not heal in a few days,it could take a month,or more.,but he will get mobility back eventually.

Someone I know nursed a pig with back leg paralysis for 9 months,then he suddenly started walking again ,and he was fine.Just give Ralfie a chance.
 
we'll try them, our problem is that there is only me and my mum here and i just started uni this year and she works 9-5, we can ive him everything he needs in the night but we can't be here to put cream on every 1-2 hours, and move him so he isn't sitting in the wee, does he definately need the cream every 1-2 hours? What do we need to look out for as sort of side effects of him not using his legs? i know the sores and impaction, what else could occur just so we cn prevent it as best we can? that's amazing about your friend pig x
 
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