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Urgent! barely responsible piggy, some bloating, absolute refusal to eat or drink

Olivitree

Olivitree

Junior Guinea Pig
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Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Hey folks.
Swirl, about 2 years old, has come down with something very rapidly. I rushed her to the vet, vet mostly stumped, said she was bloaty, gave her some meds for that, some pain killers and fluid under the skin. Checked her teeth and temperature, mostly fine, said her breath smelled kind of fermented.
She's home with me I have probiotic, loxicom, critical care and emeprid.
But she's barely swallowing, very flopped out and doesn't want to move seems to barely have the strength to lift her head.

She was eating fine last night, my husband said she came out for hay this morning, then she shrieked in pain around 3pm, making me jump up and pick her up as she was coming out of her hide very wobbly, seemed to not be using her rear legs properly, she does bring them back under herself and the vet checked them out and said she's still feeling them and moving them.
I rushed her to the vet, got her in with in about 30 minutes of noticing something was wrong, but she's gone down hill so fast what can I do?

I've got a bit more water and tried to get critical care into her, but as I said she's barely swallowing. She's got a heat pad, her favourite foods in there with her but she's just, a flop.

Absolutely heart broken and confused I don't understand whats happened and she's so young.
Everyone else is absolutely fine, her cage mate is screaming at me for more food, her neighbours seem totally fine, business as usual, nothing changed in her diet, had her veggies of one lettuce leaf, quarter of a carrot, inch or so of cucumber and a quarter of a pepper.
Hay this morning, hard food was topped up again last night, refreshed their water last night.

She's always been incredibly hyperactive and pretty skinny, eats as much as everyone else, her sister i'd say is a bit obeces but she's just never put on weight, but she doesn't feel like she's lost more.

I'm at a loss!
 
I don’t have any experience of this sorry but she does sound very unwell. Hopefully someone will be along soon with some advice. If she can no longer swallow it may be that her body is shutting down. I’m very sorry.

What pain killer did they give her at the vets? Sometimes they are so strong it knocks them out so much they can’t swallow.

I hope she’s ok. If you are worried I’d call the vets for their advice.
 
I'm so sorry to hear of the position you are in.

How is she now? How does her stomach feel? I would step in with 2 hourly bloat massages as soon as possible, to try and alleviate the gas/buildup.

Please have a look at the bloat guide I linked, it may have some helpful tips. Fingers crossed your girl can make a full recovery x

Emergency Resources and Critical Illness Care - Contents list and subforum link
Digestive Disorders: Not Eating - Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement)
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
 
Thank you for the support folks, she's about as bad now as she was at the vets, I'm not sure they'd have any more advice for me at this point, the way the vet said we're "giving her a chance" I think they're already suspecting its over so I have a feeling their next advice is the end of the line, but that seems so abrupt considering she was doing seemingly fine this morning, I've done about all I can think to do as well, I'm letting her rest a bit after I tried to get some water and food in, no idea how much she actually swallowed she did do a bit of chewing so I assume she swallowed something.
I hope she's just really reactive to pain and once the pain meds kick in fully she'll start to perk up, but I would have thought they would have already (think she had them around 5pm or there abouts.) but she's still flopped out, she is moving a little now as I write this, so, maybe?.

@piggl she doesn't seem much improved, I have given her a massage I'm getting my massage pillow charged up so I can get her on that.
I'd give her a warm bath as well but I'm a bit worried that I wont be able to warm her up again and I'm not sure she's producing much of her own heat or not right now, that did help with one of my piggies when she was all stopped up once. Thank you for the resources I'll have a read through and see if there's anything more I can do.
 
Hi

HUGS

Please have a read through our helpful resource links, which @piggl has linked into her post. I have made them as practical, how-to detailed and as comprehensive as possible. It is crucial that you syringe feed for as long as possible (there is a chapter on improvising in an emergency) but we have also included a chapter on how to spot when you are losing your battle.

Unfortunately, these things can blow up out of nowhere and develop very quickly, whether it is a severe bloat or whether the bloating is a side effect of the body closing down. All you can ever do is to try your best in any life or death battle. It is very scary and a night spent sitting up with a very ill piggy is a lonely place. Hang on in there as much as possible but keep telling yourself that it is not from something you have done wrong.

Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
 
Olivitree said:
Thank you for the support folks, she's about as bad now as she was at the vets, I'm not sure they'd have any more advice for me at this point, the way the vet said we're "giving her a chance" I think they're already suspecting its over so I have a feeling their next advice is the end of the line, but that seems so abrupt considering she was doing seemingly fine this morning, I've done about all I can think to do as well, I'm letting her rest a bit after I tried to get some water and food in, no idea how much she actually swallowed she did do a bit of chewing so I assume she swallowed something.
I hope she's just really reactive to pain and once the pain meds kick in fully she'll start to perk up, but I would have thought they would have already (think she had them around 5pm or there abouts.) but she's still flopped out, she is moving a little now as I write this, so, maybe?.

@piggl she doesn't seem much improved, I have given her a massage I'm getting my massage pillow charged up so I can get her on that.
I'd give her a warm bath as well but I'm a bit worried that I wont be able to warm her up again and I'm not sure she's producing much of her own heat or not right now, that did help with one of my piggies when she was all stopped up once. Thank you for the resources I'll have a read through and see if there's anything more I can do.
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I am not sure about the bath, if you can keep her warm afterwards then it may help.

Continue with the massages as much as you can. In my worst case of bloat my boy was getting 20 minute massages every 2 hours. Being careful but also “rough” enough to try and help reduce/ease the gas.

My fingers are crossed your girl will be feeling better soon x
 
I've had a little success getting food in, bit of food then give her some water until it seems she's swallowed it all seems to be working relatively well. Very slow but better than nothing.
No poops since I got back from the vet, she did do one as soon as I put her in her cosy box when we got back, wasn't fully formed but not super wet, I guess that may have just been the last one in the line.

Massages on track, had her first zizz on the massage pillow, tolerated it pretty well, giving her hand massages as well. Not much change with her, going to take an hour or two break and let her(and me) rest.
Fortunately I don't yet have an employed job, still self employed, so I've got plenty of time but she just seems so unresponsive. Her friend Cinnamon (or Cinnabum as we call him) was very cute, I was seeing if she'd walk at all to help get things moving, she did a little to get into a hide, but he was there by her side giving her licks, normally he's a complete randy nob head but he was so gentle. He's going to miss her so much if she doesn't pull through he always calls for her every time she's gone, he's not chuffed with her being away in her isolation cosy box right now. :(
 
piggl said:
What painkiller is she on and at what dosage?
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Loxicom cat 0.5mg/ml oral 5ml, 0.34 daily, she's 875g

During a massage session, I think I felt two solid ish masses, one felt about 1cm the other a couple. Might call the emergency vet see what they think. Don't think they were in ovary locations but I'm not an expert in guinea pig organs.
 
Hey folks thanks for all your help, but she died last night after I rushed her back in when she started showing signs of high temperature, turns out she actually had pneumonia.
I'm so sad and confused how the vet missed it 12 hours before and what I did to cause it or could have done better to catch it before it got to this stage.
So upset poor baby was only just 3 we discovered looking back on when we got her.
 
Definitely nothing you did on your part. You fought for her and helped her feel more comfortable and loved in her last moments.

My thoughts are with you at this time x
 
So sorry for your loss 💔 sending hugs, she was very lucky to have such a caring owner 💝
 
I’m so sorry. You did everything you could. Popcorn high over the bridge Swirl. Take care ❤️
 
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