Thin guinea pig, possibly renal failure

[Cavy chaos]

Hi everyone. My poor old boy, Tangle, lost weight and interest in food. I took him to the vet and they gave him some injections for pain and gut problem, but he suspects it might be renal. I have to see if he picks up in the next two days or else he is back for blood tests. I am trying to feed him every hour with a little critical care. Has anyone had a piggie with renal problems?

 

[weepweeps]

I’m sorry Tangle is poorly. I don’t have any experience of renal problems. I hope someone can offer you advice.

 

[Gem789]

Hi everyone. My poor old boy, Tangle, lost weight and interest in food. I took him to the vet and they gave him some injections for pain and gut problem, but he suspects it might be renal. I have to see if he picks up in the next two days or else he is back for blood tests. I am trying to feed him every hour with a little critical care. Has anyone had a piggie with renal problems?

Hi, I also have no experience with renal problems.Do you know how much syringe feed you should be getting into tangle if he's not eating?

 

[Merab]

All I can offer is support

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone. My poor old boy, Tangle, lost weight and interest in food. I took him to the vet and they gave him some injections for pain and gut problem, but he suspects it might be renal. I have to see if he picks up in the next two days or else he is back for blood tests. I am trying to feed him every hour with a little critical care. Has anyone had a piggie with renal problems?

Hi and welcome

I am very sorry. Kidney failure is not an unusual end to a guinea pig life. I have lost quite a few of my older piggies to it.

Please also make sure that you make sure that you offer Tangle enough water in addition to the syringe feed, as much as he is willing to take. Increased drinking and weight loss can indicate kidney failure (amongst one or two other things). The urine is typically very diluted.

Sadly there is nothing you can do medically apart from keeping your piggy as comfortable for as long as that is possible and the pain is not taking over.

HUGS

This is not a guide I link in lightly or with any joy but you may find it helpful: A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs

 

[eileen]

I've had a few pigs with renal failure.like weibke states,usually start drinking more water and loose weight.mine went about 18 months after diagnosis.They seem to cope well.
One day they just seem to slip away,mine did not seem in pain.i got them reviewed every six months at the vets,to ensure they were pain-free.
You can give critical care,but its difficult to keep the weight on.i gave 15mls of syringe feed aday...but only when the weight got very low.i. sorry you are dealing with this.

 

[Claire W]

I am very sorry My late Eleanor had renal failure. We didn’t realise there was anything wrong until the day she passed away. She steadily lost weight and when she suddenly went off her food, I took her to the vets who did a blood test. Her blood was very dilute and we later discovered that she was drinking a lot more than her 3 friends as the water bottle was no longer being emptied after she had passed. As she lived with 3 others in a shed, we didn’t realise it was her who was drinking all the water x

 

[Cavy chaos]

Oh No. I thought they could have some treatment for the chronic condition. My dog has renal failure and take medication for a few years now and it is monitored. Tangle is ‘the man’ of the herd and I will be heart broken, the girls havent been getting on since he has been ill. :-(

 

[Cavy chaos]

I will take him back to the vets as he said he was going to give tangle some blood tests. Tangle hasn’t been drinking a lot though, but he hasn’t been moving and has urine scald on his feet, even though I change his pee pads a lot. I have a little grass on the lawn I have been clipping for him and it is wet and well washed from the rain so I think he is more hydrated. He was very dehydrated when I took him to the vets.

Thank you for your support. X

 

[Wiebke]

I will take him back to the vets as he said he was going to give tangle some blood tests. Tangle hasn’t been drinking a lot though, but he hasn’t been moving and has urine scald on his feet, even though I change his pee pads a lot. I have a little grass on the lawn I have been clipping for him and it is wet and well washed from the rain so I think he is more hydrated. He was very dehydrated when I took him to the vets.

Thank you for your support. X

Hi

Please offer him water via syringe and start syringe feeding support. Water runs off any veg rather quickly although fresh grass in itself is a moist food unless during an extended dry/hot period of course. It is not as nutritious during this time of year.


Here are our very practical care tips for guinea pigs with limited mobility which you may find helpful:
Looking After Guinea Pigs With Limited or No Mobility
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

There is kidney medication for other species; but using it for guinea pigs basically means a lot of expense with very little return in extended life span and comfort. I wish I had better news but guinea pigs seem to absorb and process things differently, hence the generally much higher medical dosages.