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Scurvy

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Goldie

Goldie

Adult Guinea Pig
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Just wondering has anyone else had a piggy with Scurvy?

I am currently doing some research on this condition in guinea pigs as I think it is possible that Joey, my five year old Sheltie, has symptoms of this.

He is fed really well and housed really well but has been poorly over a long period of time (I have taken him to the vet three times recently and he only weighs 0.8 kg!). He won't eat hay or many greens, just soft fruit but he does eat his dried food and I wonder if this has caused scurvy to set in.
He hops like a bunny, if he moves at all :( and one of his front teeth has broken off. His poo is always soft and he sits in it, so I have to wash his bottom and help him in that department every day and his eyes weep so I clean them with warm water every day also. His quality of life is crap but the vet just says that they are happy that he is maintaining his weight.

I will post more on this little chap (and a photo) as he has had a real raw deal medically since the age of six months .... and I love him to bits xx
 
Hiya,

If he is refusing hay and most veg and fruit could it be his teeth which in turn would cause Scurvy because of the lack of vit c not getting into his system. His movements certainly indicate Scurvy. I am sure my 5 month old Sheltie had Scurvy before he passed over too as his moments were really limited, he lost condition and was loosing fur, by the time I realised it was too late.

With his poop being soft and you helping he sounds like he is impacted. He sounds like he is just old as heartbreaking as it is. Can't wait to see pics of him. Love Shelties they are my favs! :smitten:

Louise
x
 
you could try bananna's for his poops they helped zoe's O0 as louise said i would ask for his teeth to be checked, perhaps go to another vet? i would conside gentle massage to help him move around, perhaps syringe him some boiled water allowed to cool with vitamin C in it to help him. sending hugs and healing vibes to joey :smitten:
:smitten: :smitten: could try syringing mashed pellets or C&C into him till you get to the vet O0 please keep us posted. O0
 
I`m not an expert but sounds like classic `old age syndrome`.

Five years is more than middle age for a piggy. They live to 4 years and anything after this is regarded as old. Life just slows down. A friend had one one piggy live to nine - a possible record.

Good luck with the fella.

Anders :)
 
I wouldn't say your guinea was old. If you are worried about scurvy and your guinea does not get enough veg then give a chewable vitamin c tablet daily for a couple of weeks. I would calm down on the fruit as this is probably giving him soft poops. He is probably not moving around much because he is not getting enough vitamins from the veg and is probably lethargic. My guinea was quite poorly before she passed away (8 years old) as she had arthritis is her spine and back legs. She would not use her back legs at all but I washed her daily and massaged her legs. Maybe he may have a bit of arthritis? Is there any muscle wastage on the back legs? Are there any sores or is there any skin coming away from the pads on his feet - this indicates bumblefoot which can make guineas act this way as the feet become uncomfortable to put pressure on and they tend to hop a bit so they do not use their feet so much.
 
i'm not an expert i've heard that if a guinea pig hops like a bunny it has a lack of calcium in his diet!

my friend took her piggie to a vet because it started hopping like a bunny and the vet put it to sleep because he said that it had a stroke she then found out after that all he needed was some calcium drop!!
 
sorry when i said calcium it wasn't it was vit c that he was lacking! O0
 
There are other things that can cause bunny hopping besides vitimin c deficiency.
Arthritis,spinal injury,bumblefoot amongst others.

If gps are given a good variety of veggies at least once a day,vitimin C deficiency should not occur.

Andersons. 9 years is a good age,but not a record.I had a boar that lived to 9.6 years and I know of at least 2 gps that lived to 10 years.
 
Thanks for your advice and comments.
I just don't know what to do for the best with Joey. He is a legend in our household ... a real fighter!

I ordered Osteocare from my local Boots chemist earlier in the week. Went to pick it up and no-one could find it. Ordered it again. In the meantime, I did some reading up and research and wondered if he had scurvy. I have taken him to the vet three times but they just say it is old age.
I am bathing him everyday and cleaning his eyes. His poos are wet and he sits in it and because it is summer, I am really worried about flies getting near him.
I feed him everything to tempt him but he is selective what he eats ... just soft food which is mainly fruit, no hay, he eats dried food, drinks from the bottle but doesn't touch greens or grass anymore. Hence, perhaps, the Vit C deficiency has set in. I drove around trip of over 20 miles to get him some Vit C liquid from Holland and Barrett which I am giving him by syringe twice a day.

I have had him since he was 6/8 weeks old. At six months he had a bladder stone that had to be removed surgically ... that was a big operation which basically cut him right down his tummy. This scar has now turned into a hernia but the size of a 10p piece, which sticks out. His eyes weep all the time but he has no infection. He just sits all day, in his wet poo. I change his bedding twice a day. The vet just says as he is maintaining his body weight, then he must be ok.

It breaks my heart because in my heart I know that his quality of life as gone :( I love him so much but hate to see him like this and it is a struggle keeping him clean!

Anyway this is Joey ....

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guineapigs013-1.jpg
 
awww bless him his gorgeous :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

i sounds like your doing everything you can his very lucky to have such a caring piggy mummy to look after him! O0

the things we do for our babies :o ::)
 
Try some vitamin C tablets, the best ones are Oxbow GTM especially for GPs. I got mine from SPS SUPPLIES online. Half a tablet morning and night, just pop on back teeth :)
 
he is a beautiful boy :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: perhaps try another vet for a second opinion O0 give him love and cuddles from us :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: perhaps try some bananna to firm up his poops they worked for zoe O0 has his teeth been checked? sending big hugs :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: try a second opinion and if no luck there look into joey's face and search your heart and you'll know what to do. thinking of you and wished we lived closer so i could give you a big hug :smitten: :smitten:
 
After syringe feeding Joey Vitamin C twice a day for weeks and keeping my fingers crossed that I could help him ... this is him today out in the run :)

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July2008003.jpg


His head is held high and he was out eating grass and tomatoes etc. He can use both hind legs independently, although slowly. His coat condition has improved as you can see and he has a brighter look in his eyes, although through the wire it is hard to see. But if you look back at the photos I started this thread with, I am sure you will see a difference. Love him!

I am delighted that I did some research and thought perhaps it was scurvy because he was under the weather and not eating properly. On this occasion, the vet didn't help at all even though I took Joey three times.
I also supplement his diet with Pro-C Probiotic and help him daily with his impacted bottom! His eyes are still weepy, but I bathe them for him every day.

It took me a while to find a liquid Vitamin C but I tracked down one in Holland and Barrett - Vitamin C Liquid with Rose Hips food supplement. I can thoroughly recommend it! :) :)
I feel really great for him today! 8)
 
he is a handsome boy :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: am so glad you DIDN'T give up on him and all your research has paid off O0 and look piggy lips made for :-* :-* :-* i is coming to piggy nap joey as i can see why you love him so much he looks a real character :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: good for you O0 you're an excellent piggy mum
:smitten: :smitten: :smitten: and joey looks so happy and healthy O0
 
oh, well I'm glad that he is doing much better. You seem to reallyl ove him and want him to do good. He is gorgeous and he seems like such a fighter! Good luck with him! :smitten:
 
Aww he's lovely!

I hope he carries on being a good piggy with the vit C!
 
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