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Small pets

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Original poster

Floppy guinea pig - is he dying?

36 replies

libbyssister · 06/11/2012 16:02

Just got home to find thst one of our GPs is very floppy. He was quiet and still yesterday and spent the night in the kitchen in a box last night. This morning he had eaten a bit and I put him back in the hutch but when We came back from school the children said he was "rolling" and he was lying in his back in the hutch sad

He's on my lap in a blanket and 5 mins ago he flipped out a bit, and got all jumpy but he's back to being quiet now.

He's lying perfectly still when this is normally an GP that you just can't catch...

OP posts:
Original poster
libbyssister · 06/11/2012 16:03

I mean lying on his back Sad

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CajaDeLaMemoria · 06/11/2012 16:05

Could you get him to a vet?

Sounds like it could be cardiac related, although I have limited veterinary training so I could be wrong.

If it is cardiac related, he is unlikely to recover without veterinary intervention. You may be able to warm him up and stimulate him enough to survive, but he'd need treatment long term to solve the initial problem.

Have you got any gatorade?

Irishmammybread · 06/11/2012 16:07

I would phone your Vet and book an appointment to check him out. Middle ear problems can affect balance and cause "rolling" and incoordination, but many other things can cause dullness and depression and guinea pigs can go downhill quite quickly, especially if they're not eating

Original poster
libbyssister · 06/11/2012 16:09

When you say gaterade do you mean something fizzy or like blackcurrant squash?

I could try a vet. Might ring round a couple locally...

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guineapiglet · 06/11/2012 16:15

Hi - wonder how things are? it sounds to me like he maybe has had a stroke, how old is he? it is not good for guineas to be floppy - if it is an infection of any kind he will need antibiotics, so you may want to take him to a vet to check it out. I really hope it is not bad news, but my advice would be to keep him warm and make sure he is drinking and tempt him with any food which will get him interested - do you know how old he is? Has he been out in the cold. Keep him warm and stable for the moment, hope he rallies

Original poster
libbyssister · 06/11/2012 18:59

Have taken him to the vets and she didn't say too much (I had my 3 young DSs with me and she was choosing her words carefully) but she's giving him two injections, one antibiotics and the other to rehydrate him. And she gave me some liquid food and he's taken some of that down and a drink. She said that if he's not improved in 24 h then it might be kinder to put him down Sad

I wondered about a stroke guineapiglet as his head was on one side yesterday. He's wrapped up in a blanket in a box downstairs so we'll see how he goes...

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Original poster
libbyssister · 06/11/2012 19:00

He's about 3, so not old old but not young either Smile

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 06/11/2012 19:07

Hi libbyssister - Sad to say the symptoms you describe sound like the 'end' of alot of my pigs I had as a child/teen.
They either went in their sleep without warning or had the floppy backbone like you describe- when you cuddle them they should usually burrow right into your shoulder and grip on.When they were 'floppy' they would fall backwards, like their spines were rubber.
And their mouths were sort of 'yawning' and open.
Check behind their ears- mine had little lumps (where the bald spot is) in the last 24 hours.
I never knew what it was- I supose a respiratory infection that finished them.But it was any time of year (I kept guineas for 13 years) not just a winter thing.

If he's poorley, keep him cosy and quiet, and see how he is.You said he was eating-is he poohing and peeing?

Have you phoned a vet?

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 06/11/2012 19:10

X post- just read that he's been to the vet.

Cross fingers for the next 24 hours, piggie.

JustFabulous · 06/11/2012 19:15

I hope your Pig improves very soon. I have 2 and know how adorable they are.

Original poster
libbyssister · 06/11/2012 19:24

Hopefully the injections will help, might go and put a warm wheat bag next to him. Poor thing. He's such a lovely GP too, our other one is more aggressive and wriggly.

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guineapiglet · 06/11/2012 19:51

Sounds like you have done everything you can, I think 70 is right,this floppyness can be a sign that the end is nigh, so you will have to keep an eye on him, bless him. If he has had his injections and is still hydrated, the next few hours will be important to see how he is going to be - fingers crossed and I do hope all will be well.

I hope you will accept my next comments in the spirit they are intended - but do think about taking him to the vets if all is not well - I thoroughly regret having two of mine put to sleep, it was so horribly stressful for them and I still feel so sad about it - I do not want any animal to suffer unnecessarily, but I think it is much more stressful to take them out of a familiar environment - of the many girls I have had, the ones who died naturally in their cages, surrounded by hay and familiar smells, I think were happier and less stressed, its like they know they are dying, they try and get comfortable, and nature takes its course, as it would in the wild. These little darlings do go downhill so very quickly, and I found taking them away from their environment was proabably more stressy in the end.

Sorry - dont mean to be depressing, and sending you and your guinea lots of positive vibes.

DontSweatTheSmallStuff · 06/11/2012 19:59

His head on one side could indicate a middle/inner ear infection. We came home one day to find one of our gps with a head tilt of 90 degrees!. Freaked us out. I had to hand feed her food and water for a couple of days as there was no way she could eat on her own but she was more than happy to take food with help so I knew she wasn't seriously ill.
If he's happy to take food that's a good sign. Fingers crossed for you and piggie

Original poster
libbyssister · 06/11/2012 20:55

He's taken a small amount of this liquid feed and some sips of water and he's done a couple of small poos but he's just had a seizure I think Sad

I take on what you're saying guineapiglet. If he's not distressed or obviously in pain, I would prefer to keep him with us and let him slip away.

I take on board what

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 06/11/2012 21:00

Sad if you can just cuddle him in a towel.
It sounds like he's not in any pain but he may well slip away soon.

ArtfulAardvark · 06/11/2012 21:05

I agree this sounds similar to how my guinea pig went towards the end, he had a virus and we had to have him put down.

I hope not for you though, 3 is not particularly old so I hope your pig recovers, they are lovely animals.

BANGBonkeyMollocksBANG · 07/11/2012 00:48

Sending positive vibes from the Bonkey household :(

guineapiglet · 07/11/2012 09:25

Hi Libby - wondered how your little chap was doing this morning and if he has rallied a bit - do hope so. Lots of cuddles needed and reassurance, hope all is well X

Original poster
libbyssister · 07/11/2012 09:49

Sadly he died in the night guineapiglet

I cuddled him for hours last night and he was having regular seizures. But he kept clinging on. Wrapped him up for the night but found him on the kitchen floor surrounded by droppings so don't think he went gently Sad. Although I'm glad I didn't leave the box on the counter...

The children were quite practical this morning although my 4yo told me to come home and "check that Treacle is ok" when I dropped him off at school...

Time to get digging a hole.

Thank you for all your comments and advice.

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guineapiglet · 07/11/2012 10:30

I am sorry to hear he didnt make it, they do go downhill so very quickly and it is not nice to watch. It sounds like he had lots of love and lived well - what more can a little animal want? They seem to know when it is their time and at least he went in familiar surroundings so wasnt too stressed, bless him.

Your children may like to write him a little poem or do a drawing etc to help, it will be a sad time for them all particularly when he is not there when they get home. - It is the way the learn about love and dying really through their small pets - sending you kind thoughts.

Original poster
libbyssister · 07/11/2012 11:00

Thanks guineapiglet that's kind if you.

We'll bury him later. We do still have our other guinea (a sibling) although typically the one that died was the children's 'favourite'. There has already been talk of babies but I think we'll wait for spring. Aw I love guinea pigs!

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JustFabulous · 07/11/2012 11:41

I was thinking of you this morning when moving mine into their indoor cage, I think two days of free-range in the kitchen was enough.

I am so sorry it isn't better news but you gave love til the end.

Original poster
libbyssister · 07/11/2012 11:55

Thanks Just

Mine only ever hide under the furniture when they're given 'free range' Smile They like roaming in the garden tho'. Just a shame, they were a lovely twosome

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 07/11/2012 12:03

Sad to hear libbysister.
I don't think the droppings is anything to gauge his last minutes though. They can often void bladder and bowels when they lose muscle tone (my very first guinea had massive great clumped together droppings on his last day.I don't think he had the strength to push them out, so they backed up.He was a bit prone to impaction is his last weeks though)

I've never had a GP put to sleep, they've either gone as you describe or we've 'found' them curled up dead (or in the case of Evil Edna- stretched out on the dining room floor. "This is as good a place as any, so they can't ignore the fact" )

Keep giving your other pig extra cuddles and keep a check on him (they can go a bit introverted and depressed).
Sad for your DC too.

Original poster
libbyssister · 07/11/2012 13:38

Well I did think that 70. I went and got our other piggie and put him alongside the dead one in my lap (this was how we often had double cuddles). He did nudge his brother and was sniffing him and then just sat quietly afterwards. Who knows, maybe I'm making too much of it but I do worry that he'll get lonely on his own.

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