Vet or rest? Injury after attempted bonding.

[OM91]

Our little man has been on his own recently. We took him to a boarding lodge for an attempted bonding but were told the day before yesterday that he'd had a fight. He was apparently unscathed.

He's come home today, enjoyed some lap time and munched plenty of grass in his run outside. He did seem unusually smelly but noticed he was dragging his gland on the ground (I assume to reestablish his territory after 19 days away).

But when I went to pick him up, he was squeaking unusually loudly. My girlfriend and I checked his fur for any insects but found two scabbed wounds that had been hidden by his long, thick fur.

He's in his pen now, laying flat in his hidey.

My concern is whether he's unwell or if he's just worn out after upheaval, the 45 minute drive home and his time outside. He often has a rest at this time of day anyway.

I'm considering taking him to the vet but don't want to cause undue distress for him if it's not necessary.

Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Wiebke]

Our little man has been on his own recently. We took him to a boarding lodge for an attempted bonding but were told the day before yesterday that he'd had a fight. He was apparently unscathed.

He's come home today, enjoyed some lap time and munched plenty of grass in his run outside. He did seem unusually smelly but noticed he was dragging his gland on the ground (I assume to reestablish his territory after 19 days away).

But when I went to pick him up, he was squeaking unusually loudly. My girlfriend and I checked his fur for any insects but found two scabbed wounds that had been hidden by his long, thick fur.

He's in his pen now, laying flat in his hidey.

My concern is whether he's unwell or if he's just worn out after upheaval, the 45 minute drive home and his time outside. He often has a rest at this time of day anyway.

I'm considering taking him to the vet but don't want to cause undue distress for him if it's not necessary.

Any thoughts or advice would be much appreciated.

Hi

Are those wounds about a mouth opening apart? In this case you are dealing with a deep defence bite wound from a boar on edge that cannot get away. Please see a vet as your boy may need an antibiotic and painkiller. I am very sorry that the bonding has failed.

Bonds In Trouble
" Biting" And What You Can Do (Biting, Tweaking, Nibbling and Nipping)

 

[OM91]

Thanks for this. This is really helpful. We'll get him checked out.

The wound itself is about 0.5cm long. Very raised but not wide in diameter or actively bleeding. The other wound was smaller and more of a scratch.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for this. This is really helpful. We'll get him checked out.

The wound itself is about 0.5cm long. Very raised but not wide in diameter or actively bleeding. The other wound was smaller and more of a scratch.

Just have it vet checked. We cannot tell you whether you are dealing with a glancing blow or with a full-on bite sight unseen.

 

[OM91]

Just have it vet checked. We cannot tell you whether you are dealing with a glancing blow or with a full-on bite sight unseen.

Thank you! Much appreciated.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you. All the best!

 

[OM91]

Update: The vet has said the wounds were small but has prescribed antibiotics just to be on the safe side. His appetite had reduced significantly in the last hour but is now on pain relief.

Thank you so much again for your advice.

 

[Wiebke]

Update: The vet has said the wounds were small but has prescribed antibiotics just to be on the safe side. His appetite had reduced significantly in the last hour but is now on pain relief.

Thank you so much again for your advice.

All the best. Please accept that antibiotics take several days to build up to full efficiency (which they reach towards the end of the course) before they gradually fade out again.
The antibiotics are there to minimising the risk of a potential abscess. Please contact your vet if the wounds become hot to the touch and swell visibly once the course of antibiotics has ended. It takes about 10 days or longer for an abscess to come up.

Step in with feeding top up support if there is any major loss of appetite/loss of weight. Weighing daily first thing in the morning on your kitchen scales will help you best with the day to day comparison and with computing the level of support for the next 24 hours. he is obviously feeling rather shocked, poor guy! Most piggies involved in a fight actually are and it often takes them a couple of days to get over it. I am very sorry that it has gone all pear-shaped for him and his new mate. Bonding dynamics can unfortunately take a wrong turn very suddenly and quickly and seemingly blow up of nowhere if there is a signal wrongly picked up or a new companion pushed just that little too far during the group establishment.
Give a pinch of probiotics either an hour before or two hours after the antibiotic if they impact on the gut microbiome/appetite.
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures (includes information on probiotics and medicating tips as well)

 

[OM91]

Again, thank you so much for such in-depth advice. We've given him some Fibreplex as his stools had slowed right down and some DualCare that seems to be stimulating his appetite for hay a little more. We'll see how he is in the morning.

If he's not eating or passing at all (which hopefully will be as things are gradually improving) we'll get him to the vet ASAP.

Thank you again for your support and kindness.

 

[OM91]

Pleased to say that our little man is on the mend. He's more lively, passing stools and eating more. He's not back to normal yet but he's getting there.

However, we haven't seen him drinking any water and hasn't been urinating much.

He's eaten a few watery veggies but not enough to meet his recommended intake so we're now syringe feeding water, little but often.

Is this normal after an injury? He seems to be getting back to his normal self more each day. Should we be worried or continue syringe feeding until he uses his bottle again?

 

[OM91]

Hi all,

So our Guinea Pig, Angus is doing well since being on the antibiotics and pain relief. He seems much more himself than he has been and eating a little more on his own.

However, he’s still very lethargic and not eating nearly as much as he should be, but only when he has a hidey. he hasn’t had one drink from his water bottle and has been needing syringes of water regularly. He’ll eat only when there’s nowhere for him to hide away, even using a pile of hay as a hidey in desperate search of one! When there is nowhere for him to hide he is non-stop munching on hay and veggies until he gets his hidey back then he stops again

I’m just wondering if this is something we should be concerned about, whether to continue with CC until his antibiotics are finished in a week or try and get him to be a little more independent? Are we doing anything wrong here?

 

[Piggies&buns]

You need to continue syringe feeding critical care for as long as it takes for him to fully get his appetite back and to maintain his weight independently.
Are you weighing him each morning?

 

[OM91]

We are, his weight has been stable since he got sick so we’re on an okay recovery. Are we doing the right thing by syringe feeding him water as well? We usually give him about 3ml every 2 hours or so to try and get him to drink independently but he still only has water with us

 

[OM91]

You need to continue syringe feeding critical care for as long as it takes for him to fully get his appetite back and to maintain his weight independently.
Are you weighing him each morning?

We are, his weight has been stable since he got sick so we’re on an okay recovery. Are we doing the right thing by syringe feeding him water as well? We usually give him about 3ml every 2 hours or so to try and get him to drink independently but he still only has water with us

 

[Piggies&buns]

You can offer water from the syringe when giving critical care. Also bear in mind there is water in the critical care and any veggies he is eating so he may just be getting the amount he needs without needing to drink from the bottle

 

[OM91]

This is really useful to know. Thank you! It's reassuring to know that we're on the right track.

 

[Wiebke]

This is really useful to know. Thank you! It's reassuring to know that we're on the right track.

The need to eat comes before the need to drink; a healthy guinea pig that is eating fully will usually only dehydrate if it cannot drink (empty/blocked/green water bottle or too hot or frozen water during weather extremes).

Have you considered placing/pegging a sheet over his cage to give him an added feeling of safety and to gradually lure him out by placing his food just out of comfortable reach - a little further each day? Please keep in mind that over three quarters of what a guinea pig eats in a day is hay; in order to keep his weight he must venture out when nobody is in the room, so will do the same with a water bottle if he has the need.

Please make sure that spot clean his denning area at least once daily so he is not sitting in his own excretement all the time.

 

[OM91]

Thank you for this. I've been spot cleaning once or twice a day (sometimes more) and he's been venturing out more for food and a few sips of water. I've been providing his greens in a dish of water just in case.

He's certainly more himself. His stools are more regular (Fibreplex is helping), he's eating more and has more energy.

Unfortunately, he's scratched one off his scabs off. Poor little man. Thankfully he still has another 4 days of antibiotics and the wound is closed. Just ensuring it stays clean and keeping an eye on it.