Help-any guinea-pig people-advice needed-urgent

[LordOfTheFlies]

This morning when I took the GPs out to the shed (1 yo brothers) they were excited as usual.
When I bent down to put them on top of the wooden hay box, GP 1 jumped and landed on the floor.I was stooped, so about waist height.He didn't hit anything but landed really awkwardly.

I've checked him over.There's no 'crunching' in any limbs, none of them seem weaker or looser. He's not squeaking (he's the noisy one when the fridge opens) but his breathing is a bit raspy. I checked his front teeth, they are fine and no blood anywhere.

He's in the indoor cage now (his brother in the adjoining cage, I thought it would be more stressful to seperate them).

He's in the soft petbed, he's had some parsley.

He seems really quiet and shellshocked.

I'm going to take him out for a cuddle after I've taken DD to school, and see how he is.

Advice? Help? Virtual hand-holding?
Any my-guinea-pig-fell-off-the-bed-and-was-fine- stories?

My dd2's friend dropped (on purpose) our old boy guinea pig last year. She dropped him in to the run so he was dropped from probably about waist height on to grass. He was fine - ate as soon as back in hutch. I'd keep a close eye, but I'm sure you are.

keep an eye on him. Maybe you could take him to the vet. Perhaps he is shell shocked.

They do jump sometimes. We used to call it suicide mission as they went all silly when they got near their hutches and used to leap.

Hope he is okay

Hope he's ok now. If he is still quiet and shellshocked, I'd take him to the vet for a look-over. But if he has perked up I'd probably leave it.

Don't feel bad about the accident, though. These things happen. I was at an event at Edinburgh zoo once that let punters handle animals that they felt a bit phobic about, and the official zookeeper running the show dropped a rat from about shoulder height. It was fine, luckily.

I grew up with tons of g-ps (mum totally bonkers about them), rather than a vet, but in my experience, they are hardy little things and ours were always jumping out of our arms at that sort of height. The only thing I remember having to be careful of is them getting a shock (cat suddenly appearing or similar) as they have are prone to heart attacks. There may be someone who knows better along to refute all of this, but I think, like others, I'd just keep an eye on him but having worked out there are no broken bones etc. I'm sure he'll be fine.

Sorry to go against the grain here, but if he's quiet and has raspy breathing I would take him to the vet for a quick checkover. It sounds like he's in shock, which can, as the previous poster said, cause heart attacks. I'd also be mindful that gps are prey animals, and part of their temperament is to hide illness or injury for as long as possible so as not to be preyed upon.

Hope he's ok. I had a bundle of pigs that I rescued whilst I lived in London and had various kamikaze attempts from one in particular.

Thanks MNetters.

GP1 (he's our biggest boar) has climbed off his bed and is eating hay. I gave them hay to quieten his noisy brother. He's one of those pigs that loves food. If he refused parsley I'd worry.
He's breathing normally now (same breath rate as GP2) without the raspy noises.

He's had a scratch (so using his hind legs) and managed to bend himself to eat some pooh (TMI but he's still bendy)

I'm assuming he's had a hell of a fright (I know I did).
I'll keep them in today and tonight. DD can cuddle him in a washing basket if he's up to it.

My poor DD had to go off to school worried sick

GP1 was fine today (maybe a bit fragile). He was standing up on his back legs last night when the supper arrived.
Took him out to the pighouse today-we let them walk down the carpeted ramp. He stopped halfway, then at the bottom.Normally he scuttles down into the haybox and pees at the enterance. Today he peed on the ramp and at the base.

I was worried in case he needed the vet (not because I didn't want to take him) but it would have been very stressful.I would have had to take GP2 as well.

When I put GP2 inside yesterday, he was sitting furlornly in the haybox, missing his brother.

They bicker and squabble (little toads) but they do need each other.Harumph, grrrr, in a gruff, boar sort of way.

Glad he seems to be doing fine. I like the sound of your GPs' carpeted ramp. I am picturing it as a guinea-pig version of the red carpet at the Oscars, with GP1 pausing (and weeing) for the paparazzi to take pictures.

One of the cavies I mind is a real jumper, he can easily leap up 12"+ inches & has several times jumped down from waist height onto grass: no harm done that we can see. I thought it was supposed to be deadly to jump so far down, he obviously hasn't read up on it.

It sounds like he's in shock, which can, as the previous poster said, cause heart attacks.

Chocolatey: what could the vet do for shock in a GP? Genuine question.

Don't know about small animals but in vet programmes (like Animal Hospital and Vets In Practice) they give fluid and painkillers (and possibly adrenaline) if an animal is in shock ,maybe after an road accident.Then keep it quiet and still, with minmal disturbance.
Then let nature take it's course.

Whether they'd recommend this for a guinea-pig, I don't know.Is it a good outcome?

I was just told that GPigs just aren't fighters, I had the impression that not much works for them, you just have to put then in a quiet place & wait to see if they'll recover.

Do we really not have a single Vet on MN? :)

Sorry I missed this while I was away. Oh poor all of you! It must have been a terrible shock.

I hope things are okay by today. I think piggies can be pretty easily traumatised by scary experiences, but it sounds as though your boar was mostly okay after his shock. I think I'd have probably run him to the vets just for a check over (but my boys love road trips, so it doesn't stress them out to travel in the car,) but it sounds like he was probably fine.

I remember someone advising that when putting pigs back in their enclosure, do so "bum first." They are less likely to wiggle as they won't be able to see how closer (or far) they are from terre firma, and if they do drop, they'd be less likely to break a tooth, get something in the eye or damage the more delicate front paws on landing.

I've had two near misses - I was kneeling beside the bath, washing a pig when he suddenly leaped onto my shoulder. Gave us both a fright! Another time, another pig, I was washing him in the sink and he tried to propel himself like a soapy torpedo out of my hands and I just managed to keep hold of him. I shudder to think what would have happened either time if I hadn't manage to catch the little blighters.

Hope you swine is fine!

(It is I, Lord Of The Flies under a new name)

GP1 is pretty much back to his old self.I've just had to make sure that DD (who is 9 yo) is very careful with him (he's a big boar and she's got little hands) so I don't let her lift him at the moment in case he's a bit tender.
He's always been the type to make a Big Old Drama Queen fuss when he's lifted.
He's eating
He's poohing (lots)
He's peeing
He's romping round the pighouse .(including the ramp)I'm still giving them 3 hotwater bottles to give him (and little brother) some heat therapy.

And most importnt: they go down to the pighouse in a washing basket,then lifted out from floor level.

(Poor little thing would tell the vet- I'm sleeping on a pink Tatty Teddy fleece, I'm on cat-litter and now she thinks I'm dirty washing) {grin]

Ha ha, one of mine has the SSPCA hotline number on speed dial, just waiting for the right moment to "squeal" on me. :)

Glad to hear your boar is in fine fettle again, if feeling rather embarrassed.