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Ted Had Bladder Surgery On Friday - Still Not Eating Or Moving Much

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JoannaMarie

JoannaMarie

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I really hope you can advise me. My baby boy Ted had a bladder operation on Friday - they thought it was bladder stones but it was actually a blood clot. He ate a little of his straw yesterday but I was syringe feeding him all day. Today there is no improvement. He didn't move all night. There were plenty of poos this morning although they were smaller than normal, which I presume is a good sign. I have been hand feeding him today though and no poos have come out yet. He is just sleeping, not moving at all, no interest in food, and it is a struggle to get food down him. He is taking it with resistance and I must have given him about 15-20 mls of mushed pellets so far today as well as making him up a drink of mashed tomatoes (his favourite) mixed with a little water, which he has had about 6 mls of today. I also have been putting pro biotics in his food.

Please can you tell me how long will it take for him to start improving? I am so worried he is not going to make it. He just wants to sleep the whole time and shows no interest in anything.

Help! I love him and can't bear to see him so poorly. Is there anything else I could do for him?
 
JoannaMarie said:
I really hope you can advise me. My baby boy Ted had a bladder operation on Friday - they thought it was bladder stones but it was actually a blood clot. He ate a little of his straw yesterday but I was syringe feeding him all day. Today there is no improvement. He didn't move all night. There were plenty of poos this morning although they were smaller than normal, which I presume is a good sign. I have been hand feeding him today though and no poos have come out yet. He is just sleeping, not moving at all, no interest in food, and it is a struggle to get food down him. He is taking it with resistance and I must have given him about 15-20 mls of mushed pellets so far today as well as making him up a drink of mashed tomatoes (his favourite) mixed with a little water, which he has had about 6 mls of today. I also have been putting pro biotics in his food.

Please can you tell me how long will it take for him to start improving? I am so worried he is not going to make it. He just wants to sleep the whole time and shows no interest in anything.

Help! I love him and can't bear to see him so poorly. Is there anything else I could do for him?
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You are doing all you can. Please make sure that he is seen by a vet latest by tomorrow! He should be picking up by now; if he is becoming more apatheitc instead of picking up, then you need to have him seen as an emergency.

The poos are usually reflecting what has gone in a day or two before, depending on how sluggish they are. That can mean that there no poos for a goodly while.

Please continue to syringe feed him little, but often.The less in one go, the more often round the clock.

Fingers firmly crossed!

You may find these two guides here helpful:
Tips For Post-operative Care
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
 
Ok thanks for your advice. My main problem is that I start a new job tomorrow.... So can not possibly stay at home to look after him. I have an appointment at the vets tomorrow after work, and plan to come home in my lunch break to feed and water him and check up on him. I am giving him a 1ml syringe of food approximately every 15 to 30 minutes as well as the odd syringe of the squashed tomato juice. Ted is a very sensitive pig anyway, and I think the cause of his apathy is that he's suffering with pain. There is a little blood in his urine but nothing too much, and his wound looks clear. I can't afford to take him to the emergency vets today - I could barely afford the operation :-(
 
JoannaMarie said:
Ok thanks for your advice. My main problem is that I start a new job tomorrow.... So can not possibly stay at home to look after him. I have an appointment at the vets tomorrow after work, and plan to come home in my lunch break to feed and water him and check up on him. I am giving him a 1ml syringe of food approximately every 15 to 30 minutes as well as the odd syringe of the squashed tomato juice. Ted is a very sensitive pig anyway, and I think the cause of his apathy is that he's suffering with pain. There is a little blood in his urine but nothing too much, and his wound looks clear. I can't afford to take him to the emergency vets today - I could barely afford the operation :-(
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Please cut down on the tomato juice; that is not good for him. Just stick to the syringe feed or mushed up pellets.

I am very sorry for you awkward situation, but if he is that apathetic, he needs help as soon as you can get it.
 
OK I won't give him the tomato juice anymore, I just wanted to give him something he likes and thought he might need the vitamin C, thank you for the advice. I might see if I can get him to the vets first thing tomorrow. They may be able to look after him for me for the day? This is a really horrible situation.
 
I think that's a good plan. If an animal is in pain or suffering the vets have a duty to see them, so I have no doubt that your vets will see him in the morning. many vets will take a piggy in and look after him for the day for you to get him more comfortable and feeding again.
 
I took him to my vets and they looked after him today. I am going to the vets now to see what they say. I am so frightened there is something seriously wrong. I have been on the verge of tears all day.
 
Try not to panic. It's horrid, I know. I had 3-4 days of horrendous time looking after my Struan post surgery but if the vets have been looking after him today, he's in the best place.

Think of it like he was a person, you'd not be expecting to be up and about, eating 3 course meals, the day after a hysterectomy or bowel surgery so he won't be either. Surgery can be pretty hard on them and it takes them time ot pick up.

As long as he's getting enough food, fluid and pain relief then he just needs time to let his body heal.
 
The vet said he didn't think he's in pain, and his scar is healing well so he was stumped as to why he's so I'll. I've bought him home and *fingers crossed* after looking at deaths door for the last three days I offered him morsels of cucumber and carrot tonight and he is eating them. This is the first thing he's eaten on his own (I.e. not force fed) . I hope he's turning a corner. I can not say enough about my vets in Nottingham. They didn't even charge for looking after him all day xx
 
Amazing news, perhaps he's feeling a bit better. I know my P went downhill before he went up hill. How is the little man today?
 
After eating last night he went downhill worse than ever. I didn't expect to see him today. He is pretty bad today however he is at least trying to eat hay, which is more than he has done so far. He just looks exhausted, like just breathing is tiring. So sad to see him this way. I am taking him to the vets again on the way to work and they are going to hand feed him again.
 
Thank you. He's had quite a day. He's improved a lot compared to this morning and has even nibbled at some cucumber, pear and apple. Yes got quite bad diarrhoea now though but vet says she thinks it's a good sign that his guts have started moving after four days of no poo. I am giving him recovery with probiotics and also hand watering him. Is there anything else I could do to help Ted?
 
JoannaMarie said:
Thank you. He's had quite a day. He's improved a lot compared to this morning and has even nibbled at some cucumber, pear and apple. Yes got quite bad diarrhoea now though but vet says she thinks it's a good sign that his guts have started moving after four days of no poo. I am giving him recovery with probiotics and also hand watering him. Is there anything else I could do to help Ted?
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Heat pad (or a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel) x
 
Is he taking syringe feed at all? I know the vets were feeding him? If not I would add that in too.
 
T
JoannaMarie said:
Don't have heat pad but will try hot water bottle in a towel tonight thank you xx
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Heat tends to help get things moving and ease pain especially in this cold weather! Just make sure there's no way he can burn himself or over heat. Make sure he can easily get away from the heat if needs be! Hope he has a good night tonight x
 
Yes I am syringe feeding him recovery food and water. Yes currently laid on my knee with a towel wrapped round him so is very warm :-) I just hope he has a good night xx
 
JoannaMarie said:
Yes I am syringe feeding him recovery food and water. Yes currently laid on my knee with a towel wrapped round him so is very warm :-) I just hope he has a good night xx
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How is ted today? It's horrible isn't it! My bob had surgery last Friday to remove his eye and he's still not 100%! It's such a worry.

I really hope he is ok
 
I can not believe how much better he is. After 5 days of not eating or pooing, he lost 150grams I thought he hadn't got a chance. He didn't even have the energy to lift his head. Now he has started eating (not a lot, so I am still hand feeding) and he is wanting to know what I'm doing, looking interested again. It is like a miracle! Thank you to everyone on here. It really helps to know there are people who care and listen. Xx
 
@JoannaMarie I've been there before with many a pig thinking how can they possibly recover?

I remember reading about someone's experience with ill pig's. They said 'be prepared to be at breaking point unable to function, and keep going don't give up'. They are right I've been in that place quite a few times.

Really hope he is now on the mend.
 
This was the statement I was thinking of it was wrote by Talishan on Guinealynx under post operative care - I definetly think it's an accurate statement.

DON'T GIVE UP!
Many, many pigs go straight downhill after they get home from the vet, and after 24, 48, 60 or more hours of intensive care, sleep lost to hand feeding, worry and stress, you will be at the end of your rope. That’s exactly when you DON’T want to give up. Guinea pigs can take you to your very last nerve postoperatively, and just when you think there isn’t one ... more ... thing you can do, THEN they turn the corner and get better, sometimes very quickly and often very dramatically. DON’T give up. Keep going and doing what you need to do to help them through the recovery period. It will be well, well worth it, for your cavy and for you.
 
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