My little black Abby boar (nearly 3yo)
Last night at evening cuddles his eyes were a bit dry crusty (he's got a fatty eye) this was both eyes.
He had a cuddle, supper, bit quiet.
This morning, about 6.30am I took them breakfast. He was sitting there. Usually he has his nose in the air, with his funny little hedgehog nose twitching.
He's exhibiting all the guinea-pig "I'm going downhill" signs.
He's out in the run now with GP1 to give them fresh air and grass if he wants. He's got the run shelters, shade, a bowl of Ribena diluted (I've never tried this but I thought "Try anything"
He's sitting straight (not stretched out or anything), sort of puffed out, but not starey fur.
I've bathed his eyes with boiled salt water and he had enough savvy to fight with me.
He's doing a sort of 'nodding' back and forth, but his breathing isn't raspy.
When i lifted him , he felt 'limp' not floppy but a CBA feeling.
So. This has all happened in the last 12 hours.
I phoned the vet. They have no GP vet until Sunday. I've booked him in .
I will get him inside later and give him Critical Care. He's eaten a bit of breakfast and had hay.
Then I need to look at is eyes again and decide if I can keep him SAFE until his appointment or find another vet.
I know GPs eyes are vunerable.
I know I have to get food (Critical Care) in him.
I know if I find A.N.Other vet they might not have GP experience.
But I know when a guinea pig goes, it goes. If he's going to 'go' I want it to be peaceful at home with his brother.Not taken miles to be examined and medicated.
Dilemma. Horns.
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Small pets
Guinea-pig related hand-holding in urgent need here....
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 05/07/2013 14:05
Thanks dietcoke it does sound like a very similar scenario, (except my pig hasn't had surgery, so there was no 'trigger' I could point)
The hay is really rubbish at the moment too, I've taken it out of the house and given them the Hay Cookies. No seeds or dust to irritate him.
I'm going to change brands too, the prepacked stuff seems really bad at the moment.
Usually my little boy would fight like a demon (he's a bu**er to cut his nails) and likes to have a little runaround when we catch him.
But he was just 
being examined. I'll know he's turned the corner when he bites me.
Good luck Ginger tomorrow.
Thank you 70....if any consolation (from your OP of being worried about giving them anti and probiotics due to gut flora disturbances etc) I do think the medication really helped ginger pig. It took about 48 hours for his 'sticky cheeks' (sounds weird I know but best way I can describe how his little face looked) to return to normal and I'm sure the anti and probiotics helped with that. He is also definitely more like his old self than he was even a few days ago...trying to nick lettuce from tricolour (they are separated, but share the run with a divider down the middle so they can still see/sniff/chat to each other) which is reassuring (if irritating for tricolour pig 
). Hopefully the stuff your boy has been given will really help him too.
Oh, and I took my GP2 Super-Pooh in to show the vet (most people think I'm over-estimating a teeny bit) so I took one IRL.
And it wasn't even one of the Super-Sized ones either.
He said he'd "never seen one like that" as he reached for the Alarm Button under the desk. Not the "Help, a large dog has me trapped" more a "Help there's a mad owner here with a GP turd in a bag".
oooh he was impressed guineapiglet no doubt.
And probably felt a bit less guilty about putting the thermometer up GP2 bottom
We find winter alot easier to handle TBH. But our garden forms a river on the path at the end (slight slope and clay soil).
I'm going to buy an Emergency pack of naice hay tomorrow then on my next Non Work Day, I'll take a trip out to a farm in Brentwood to buy a bale. (I'll smell it all first ,make sure it is naice).
DD and I are syringing C.Care and Vit C water down his little throat, he's getting more tolerant if a bit ungrateful and judgey.
Glad to hear he's doing better 70. The hay is a bit garbage at the mo' - mine are on expensive special hay
My black Scruffypig loves the heat but white Smoothpig is not keen although they are now both running round madly outside (it's 9:15pm and cooler). Better get them in before they think they've been forgotten.
Hope your pig is still progressing nicely tomorrow.
He's gone
Tripping over that Rainbow Bridge now making his little Billy-Goat Gruff noises no doubt.
We gave him his Critical Care and water when he came home. Then they went out to the run. He was quiet and stayed in the wicker house.
When we brought him in this evening to give him his antibiotics , C.Care and a drink, I knew he would go within the next few hours.
GP1 was being (so it seemed) like a petulant toddler when mum has a new baby, climbing up on my lap and putting his head on GP2 back.
We put them on a towel and sat with them. GP2 stretched out. GP1 circled him, lay down beside him, circled again. If we stroked GP2, he got between us and GP2.
I realise he was protecting him. (Not sure what against though)
Then I cuddled GP2 for literally five minutes. He did a few coughs, twitched and that was it.
Bit morbid but I let GP1 cuddle his brother then we all said goodbye and we put GP1 to bed in the Pighouse with GP2 in the fleecebox. He can have one last night to say bye.
.
Bye Bye Ninja.
aka NinjaBread
When they go, they go fast.
Thank You.
I'm relieved that he didn't linger on . I did broach with DD about "What would we do about GP1" ? when we were driving to the vets.
I've left it as her choice because GP1 is her hog.
Neuter (risk) then wait (lonely) then get two adult girls who won't take any nonsense
or
Get him a baby boar (and double double check that it is a boar) but run the risk of an arsey little toad come Winter when they are in their smaller cage (Oh the joy of teens) but not the risk with operating.
He's going to sleep indoors at night for a while so we can spoil him a while.
Then we'll decide what step to take.
DD is going down the boar route. I don't think she wants her precious boy under the knife.
oh i am so sorry to hear this really i am. he is in good company my Lola left us only last Saturday, hopefully they are together having a ball in guinea heaven .
Poor little furbaby I can hardly believe he's gone and so soon 
. 70 you must have great instincts to know he was that ill.
You did the right thing letting GP1 spend time with him. You can expect him to be miserable like the humans too I've had a cry too
Sweet dreams Ninja go and meet Todd and compare monster poops at the Bridge
-
he did take a serious downturn (I was wondering if the vet would suggest having him PTS but I said I wanted him to go at home. ) I knew we were looking at hours not days.
GP1 is being cuddled and will spend some time inside with DD (in DD room).
He's still eating'n'poohing and is pretty lively so we need to keep him motivated.
I've sourced some pigs so we'll take him along to select a new companion this weekend.
I DELIBERATELY avoided P@H on the way home from work in case they had a lone boar in the Sale section. Heart might rule head y'know.
DD is remarkably clued up, she decided against the neutering in favour of a boar-ette.
Her boy will choose the pig.
I will choose the name.
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GP1 is up in my DD room (having done a huge pee on the newspaper 
he's now munching supper)
We buried the little chap - had to improvise , not something I have "one I made earlier".
He was put in an M&S clear zip up toiletries bag lined with willow leaves. He used to giraffe neck to get them off the tree so that was fitting.
Then his grave has a huge heavy flower pot on top to stop him being dug up by foxes.
DS did a gravestone.
And in death, as in life, he was a stinky little fella.
Bless you GP2. Your croissant shape cuddles, your Super-Turds and your gas..........xx
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