• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Severe IC

P

Piggies2023

Teenage Guinea Pig
Joined
Jun 8, 2021
Messages
886
Reaction score
908
Points
525
Location
UK
Nancy has severe IC. She is having a huge flare up.

Nearly had her put down this morning. She was repeatedly arching her back and overnight she was squeaking every 5-10 minutes.

I rang the vet & said I needed to put her to sleep.. she then perked up, the arching stopped. Took her in and vet said maybe she's also been a bit gassy. Which does make sense to me.

She has buprenorphine to see if it helps with pain. I think she gets stuck in a cycle of pain from being stressed from pain. I was told to only use it when absolutely needed. She just started arching again so I've given her a dose now thinking it will give me an idea of if it actually works before the vets close for the weekend.

Nancy is still eating, still looks bright, runs to me for veg, stuffs her face... but then she has these episodes of severe pain.

With the weekend approaching I'm worried. I trust my vet massively and the idea of putting her to sleep with a different non piggy vet would be extremely hard. But when I went this morning I also wasn't 100% sure like I have been with other pets. The fact she's improved before & doesn't need surgery, isn't terminal etc is very hard.

If she doesn't improve in an hour I assume maybe that is sign to go back. Not sure how quickly it works. I rang the vets and seemed the lady who I spoke to was unsure.


We have already tried gabapentin, 1ml metacam twice a day, cystease, catrophen & cerenia. So this is the end of the road if she can't get out of this flare.
 
Piggies2023 said:
Nancy has severe IC. She is having a huge flare up.

Nearly had her put down this morning. She was repeatedly arching her back and overnight she was squeaking every 5-10 minutes.

I rang the vet & said I needed to put her to sleep.. she then perked up, the arching stopped. Took her in and vet said maybe she's also been a bit gassy. Which does make sense to me.

She has buprenorphine to see if it helps with pain. I think she gets stuck in a cycle of pain from being stressed from pain. I was told to only use it when absolutely needed. She just started arching again so I've given her a dose now thinking it will give me an idea of if it actually works before the vets close for the weekend.

Nancy is still eating, still looks bright, runs to me for veg, stuffs her face... but then she has these episodes of severe pain.

With the weekend approaching I'm worried. I trust my vet massively and the idea of putting her to sleep with a different non piggy vet would be extremely hard. But when I went this morning I also wasn't 100% sure like I have been with other pets. The fact she's improved before & doesn't need surgery, isn't terminal etc is very hard.

If she doesn't improve in an hour I assume maybe that is sign to go back. Not sure how quickly it works. I rang the vets and seemed the lady who I spoke to was unsure.


We have already tried gabapentin, 1ml metacam twice a day, cystease, catrophen & cerenia. So this is the end of the road if she can't get out of this flare.
Click to expand...

HUGE HUGS

I am keeping all my fingers very, very firmly crossed. My thoughts are with you and Nancy. :hug: :hug: :hug:
 
She looks so bright which is so confusing. The vet commented on how well she looks.. yet she is in a lot of pain weeing and pooing. In-between she will run to me for veg and be all happy.

When I put Pumpkin down I put her down in less pain than this.. but her situation was different. She had cancer removed, then a hernia op, then a wound infection from hernia op, her breathing looked heart related after 3 anaesthetics in short time. Then bladder stones. Pretty sure bladder stone then came back judging symptoms plus she needed her ovaries out. All in under 7 months.. so I couldn't put her through more surgery as I didn't think it was fixable.

But looking at Nancy I feel cruel. But I don't know if she will improve. But if this pain killer doesn't work she has to go back to vets. I just hope I know if it works or not before they close.
 
Piggies2023 said:
Thank you. I hope I can judge this before the vets close. The thing I find most stressful about owning guinea pigs is the availability of piggy vets when its out of hours.
Click to expand...

I feel exactly the same if that is any consolation to you. Nothing like an emergency over the holidays or out of hours to sky rocket your stress levels. Because we care so deeply... :yikes:
 
Wiebke said:
I feel exactly the same if that is any consolation to you. Nothing like an emergency over the holidays or out of hours to sky rocket your stress levels. Because we care so deeply... :yikes:
Click to expand...
I'm sitting in the same room with her waiting to see if the drugs work or not. If they don't I need to put to sleep tonight if I can, I think. That's my judgement anyway.
 
Piggies2023 said:
Thank you. I hope it's also obvious if it doesn't work so I don't find she just has a nice nap and wakes up after the vets close and is in more pain.
Click to expand...
I hope so too. I feel so helpless, wish I could help, can't obviously. Thinking back to similar with my own piggies. Tho at least our local vet was open Sat morning. Keeping all fingers and toes crossed for you and Nancy.
 
Mrs Tiggy Winkle said:
I hope so too. I feel so helpless, wish I could help, can't obviously. Thinking back to similar with my own piggies. Tho at least our local vet was open Sat morning. Keeping all fingers and toes crossed for you and Nancy.
Click to expand...
Thank you. Nancy is my last piggie because of availability of piggie vets. My vet is the only one in the area. And I find having guinea pigs poorly very stressful due to this.
Nancy has a friend but he is on loan from the rescue with the understanding he goes back when she dies.
 
Piggies2023 said:
Taken her to the vets.
Click to expand...

I am so very sorry; you are the most caring of piggy parents. It is always such a desperate time but you are not failing those you love so deeply - and that is what counts.

Make sure that you are as kind with yourself as you are with your piggies when the inevitable soulsearching happens. You have not failed your piggies; try not to fail yourself. There is nothing wrong with your heart.
 
Hasn't gone as I expected.. vet said I could triple her dose... and vet said shouldn't guarantee it wouldn't work but she presented as fine at the vet and she think it's gassy.. so couldn't say for sure about putting to sleep either.

Can I do anything else for gassy?

Now I'm home I think I made wrong decision. She presents as fine at the vets and not fine at home.
 
Honestly I am not convinced I made right decision to bring her home. It was ultimately my decision but vet thought more drugs may work to get her through but also couldn't guarantee it. She is definitely gassy though.... she was farting in my arms.
 
Piggies2023 said:
Hasn't gone as I expected.. vet said I could triple her dose... and vet said shouldn't guarantee it wouldn't work but she presented as fine at the vet and she think it's gassy.. so couldn't say for sure about putting to sleep either.

Can I do anything else for gassy?

Now I'm home I think I made wrong decision. She presents as fine at the vets and not fine at home.
Click to expand...

Here is our guide which talks you through everything you can do. Have you been given gut stimulants or just painkillers? I am so very sorry. Piggies can suppress symptoms to an amazing degree when their prey animal instincts take over at the vets. :(

Wiebke

Thread 'Digestive Disorders: Not Eating - Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement)'

1 Not eating (anorexia) and the importance of syringe feeding fibre
2 Soft poos and runny diarrhea
3 Acute bloat (severe dysbiosis) - blockage - twisted gut - persistent milder bloating
4 GI stasis (no gut movement)


Severe runny diarrhea, bloat, blockage or a twisted gut, GI stasis and excessive salivating in guinea pigs that are not eating are absolute life and death emergencies that need to be seen ASAP by an out-of-hours vet at any time of the day or night or that should be seen by a vet as soon as you can get an appointment outside the UK...
  • Like
 
Piggies2023 said:
Honestly I am not convinced I made right decision to bring her home. It was ultimately my decision but vet thought more drugs may work to get her through but also couldn't guarantee it. She is definitely gassy though.... she was farting in my arms.
Click to expand...

HUGS
 
Wiebke said:
Here is our guide which talks you through everything you can do. Have you been given gut stimulants or just painkillers? I am so very sorry. Piggies can suppress symptoms to an amazing degree when their prey animal instincts take over at the vets. :(

Wiebke

Thread 'Digestive Disorders: Not Eating - Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement)'

1 Not eating (anorexia) and the importance of syringe feeding fibre
2 Soft poos and runny diarrhea
3 Acute bloat (severe dysbiosis) - blockage - twisted gut - persistent milder bloating
4 GI stasis (no gut movement)


Severe runny diarrhea, bloat, blockage or a twisted gut, GI stasis and excessive salivating in guinea pigs that are not eating are absolute life and death emergencies that need to be seen ASAP by an out-of-hours vet at any time of the day or night or that should be seen by a vet as soon as you can get an appointment outside the UK...
  • Like
Click to expand...
Thank you. Just painkillers. I asked about what you do for gas and she said painkillers. She doesn't feel bloated.
 
With metacam can you give half now, half in a few hours or is this unsafe? I've never asked my vet this question. I've always gone for not good idea. I'm trying to plan her dosing for tonight as she's had morphine.

I'm going out for my mental health.. might sound cruel but me lurking isn't going to help. She would normally have her metacam now and gabapentin but she's had the piggy morphine.

Gabapentin is fine when I get back I know that, I will be back before bed. Just don't want to leave her without enough pain meds but also want to save some for later if she isn't okay. She can't have any piggy morphine now until morning.
 
Piggies2023 said:
With metacam can you give half now, half in a few hours or is this unsafe? I've never asked my vet this question. I've always gone for not good idea. I'm trying to plan her dosing for tonight as she's had morphine.

I'm going out for my mental health.. might sound cruel but me lurking isn't going to help. She would normally have her metacam now and gabapentin but she's had the piggy morphine.

Gabapentin is fine when I get back I know that, I will be back before bed. Just don't want to leave her without enough pain meds but also want to save some for later if she isn't okay. She can't have any piggy morphine now until morning.
Click to expand...

For biggest impact and long term maintenance in chronic illnesses you give the full dosage once every 24 hours as it will build up in the system over time.

For longest cover in a significant pain event, it may be better to split up the dosage and give half every 12 hours; metacam starts to wear off about 10 hours. The individual impact is not quite as high but the periods when there is no painkiller to be felt are shorter.
 
Wiebke said:
For biggest impact and long term maintenance in chronic illnesses you give the full dosage once every 24 hours as it will build up in the system over time.

For longest cover in a significant pain event, it may be better to split up the dosage and give half every 12 hours; metacam starts to wear off about 10 hours. The individual impact is not quite as high but the periods when there is no painkiller to be felt are shorter.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I may give her 12 hourly dose later. So they are working at different times to help cover her.

Nancy had too much piggy morphine once years ago so dose she was originally given was tiny to check she wouldn't react.. she wasn't drugged at all which is why vet had said she could put it up.
 
Piggies2023 said:
Thank you. I may give her 12 hourly dose later. So they are working at different times to help cover her.

Nancy had too much piggy morphine once years ago so dose she was originally given was tiny to check she wouldn't react.. she wasn't drugged at all which is why vet had said she could put it up.
Click to expand...

Yes, basically. All the best. Poor girl and poor you.
 
Thank you. I'm exhausted with it. But she is my responsibility and I want to make the right decisions for her. Because the right decisions for her even though I'm finding it very difficult is right for me too. As I love her a lot. The worst part is not knowing the right decision.
 
Piggies2023 said:
Thank you. I'm exhausted with it. But she is my responsibility and I want to make the right decisions for her. Because the right decisions for her even though I'm finding it very difficult is right for me too. As I love her a lot. The worst part is not knowing the right decision.
Click to expand...

When the time is there you will know in your heart of hearts.
 
Nancy is bleeding in her wee again.
But she was much more comfortable last night after the medication.
I've not given cystease or veg this morning. She wasn't impressed. But both are not ideal if gassy so thought I would give her body a day off those.
 
Piggies2023 said:
Nancy is bleeding in her wee again.
But she was much more comfortable last night after the medication.
I've not given cystease or veg this morning. She wasn't impressed. But both are not ideal if gassy so thought I would give her body a day off those.
Click to expand...

The bleeding will get stronger without the cystease. Please supplement with recovery formula if needed.

But I am glad that she is perkier with the increased pain meds.
 
Wiebke said:
The bleeding will get stronger without the cystease. Please supplement with recovery formula if needed.

But I am glad that she is perkier with the increased pain meds.
Click to expand...
I'm going to give cystease again tomorrow as she definitely needs it. But small amount and then normal dose again on Monday.

I have her usual pellets I can soak to syringe feed if necessary but she doesnt currently need it. But I will be regularly weighing to check. I debated on buying some of the dual care. But Nancy can't have any change in diet or she flares badly so decided her normal pellets if required will work.
 
I am so sorry you are going through this with Nancy 😞

My Ellen had IC and we had to have her pts during Covid. It was heartbreaking handing her over in the vet’s car park 😞 But she was really poorly, stopped eating and lost a lot of weight. That was the worst flare she ever had that we just couldn’t get on top of 😞

I’m hoping that the stronger painkillers will work for Nancy but she will tell you when she’s ready to be helped to cross the rainbow bridge (((hugs))) x
 
Piggies2023 said:
I'm going to give cystease again tomorrow as she definitely needs it. But small amount and then normal dose again on Monday.

I have her usual pellets I can soak to syringe feed if necessary but she doesnt currently need it. But I will be regularly weighing to check. I debated on buying some of the dual care. But Nancy can't have any change in diet or she flares badly so decided her normal pellets if required will work.
Click to expand...

You know your piggy best and know what works for her. It sounds like a bit of a flare, just with the extra bloating thrown in.

All the best for getting through it!
 
Claire W said:
I am so sorry you are going through this with Nancy 😞

My Ellen had IC and we had to have her pts during Covid. It was heartbreaking handing her over in the vet’s car park 😞 But she was really poorly, stopped eating and lost a lot of weight. That was the worst flare she ever had that we just couldn’t get on top of 😞

I’m hoping that the stronger painkillers will work for Nancy but she will tell you when she’s ready to be helped to cross the rainbow bridge (((hugs))) x
Click to expand...
Thank you Claire.

It's really hard trying to manage IC.
Did Ellen arch her back trying to wee and poo too?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top