I'm hoping someone might be able to give me some advice to help settle Ethel and tide her over until I can get her to her exotic vet tomorrow. Ethel started being wobbly when standing two days ago. We saw an exotic vet yesterday who couldn't find any obvious cause. She has an abdominal tumour, which she takes pain medication for, but the vet didn't feel it was causing her issues and when he examined her said other than the tumour her stomach felt and sounded totally normal, droppings also totally normal. He also said the tumour hasn't grown and is feeling very soft and mobile, which he was pleased about. They started her on gabapentin in addition to her normal metacam to see if this helped resolve whatever is going on with her. Today Ethel has an upset stomach and is passing very soft clumps of dropping. She is very lethargic and is now not really eating at all. She is having obvious stomach spasms where she hunches up and struggles to pass more droppings and is doing all of the classic 'I am a sick pig' things - hunched, fluffed, glazed eyes and shaking.' I am syringe feeding critical care and water regularly with added pro biotic, and offering lots of hay. She is now also snuggled on a hot water bottle in the hope it eases her pain a little. The exotic vet is calling me this evening to discuss a plan but I am wondering if anyone has any ideas in the meantime that might help me make her more comfortable and if this could be a reaction to the gabapentin?
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Stomach spasms and upset tummy
- Thread starter Sasco
- Start date
Hi
I am very sorry. Please have your piggy seen asap if that is possible; she may not make it until tomorrow.
You are doing everything you can under the circumstances. It is unfortunately the progressing underlying cause and not the gabapentin that is the problem. I am very sorry; I wish I had better news.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Keeping my fingers very firmly crossed for your little one!
Just back from seeing the vet - very luckily when I phoned to speak to someone it was the lead exotic vet who was free, so he agreed for me to take her straight in so he could assess her. She's had some meds injected and is back home snuggled in the hay. She's trying to eat small amounts but is still very poorly. Iain is happy that she is comfortable now and thinks its reasonable to give her some time over night tonight to either let the meds kick in or let her choose to let go. He thinks there is a chance that this is an infection rather than her tumour and will review her tomorrow if she's still with us. Sadly, much as its a difficult decision to make, if she's here tomorrow but not significantly better, the right decision for her will be euthanasia I think.Hi
I am very sorry. Please have your piggy seen asap if that is possible; she may not make it until tomorrow.
You are doing everything you can under the circumstances. It is unfortunately the progressing underlying cause and not the gabapentin that is the problem. I am very sorry; I wish I had better news.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Keeping my fingers very firmly crossed for your little one!
Merab
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Holding you in my heart 
HUGS
I don't know whether it is any consolation of yours but you are making the same decision that I would make in your shoes.
Thinking of you and your poorly girl!
Thank you, that means a lot - the vet left the decision totally to me but he came out and presented the idea of medication and monitoring her response first and then talked about putting her to sleep. I felt like that meant he also was erring towards giving her the chance and he is such an experienced vet I trust him that he would only suggest it if he really thought it was worth trying and appropriate. I asked him several times if he was certain it was ethically right and that I wasn't being cruel to try this and he was certain in his reply. She's just munched her way through 3 pieces of lettuce and taken 10 mls of critical care plus some water, and then had a wash as soon as I put her back in so I reckon she's trying to tell me she is still fighting.
Thank you xHolding you in my heart
Just wanted to send you support.
Thank you x
Ethel is hanging on - she's eating again, but not as much as I would like her to, so she is still being topped up with critical care. She's also interacting with the rest of the herd now and has stopped isolating herself, but her mobility is not good at all. I suspect the tumour is pressing on something and if she's not any more mobile tomorrow I will speak to the vet, but do also wonder if there is a chance the lack of mobility is nutrient related.
Betsy
Anniversary Herd
Sending healing vibes for Ethel and hugs for you.
Made the decision last night that if Ethel survived the night it was time to let her go, all of her behaviour told me she was ready. So I planned to ring the vet as soon as they opened this morning. Came downstairs to find her back sleeping with her friends and that her digestive system has kicked back into action - no dodgy droppings in the hutch at all. She is taking full 15 ml feeds of critical care, she's nibbling on hay, has washed herself and is chatting away again.... nothing like making a difficult decision even harder... not sure I can justify letting her go given the improvement but equally I am conscious that she does have a tumour and that this means her life span is limited. How on earth do I decide now?
Somehow we've made it to Wednesday and Ethel is still with me and her herd. She had a big dip on Monday and I was fully intending to take her to the vet this morning but taking her off the cisapride has completely settled her digestive system and she's now eating and drinking almost normally, droppings are normal, she's back to her normal level of mobility and she's chatting and interacting with her friends. So, for the moment it looks like this was all caused by an infection rather than her tumour, although I am remaining vigilant and am well aware that at some point the tumour will start impacting on her and things will change. My vet is being amazing, monitoring her closely and giving me advice any time I need her. I can't recommend using a specialised exotic vet who routinely treats guinea pigs strongly enough.