Guinea pig dragging legs , question

[Bimbop5]

Hi, my guinea pig 3 days ago started dragging her right foot behind her. I took her to the vets and she had xrays showing narrowing of her spine. She is now taking an anti inflammatory, Metacam, and an antibiotic to rule out anything else.

Her diet is excellent, she gets dark leafy veggies twice a day and commercial pellets with vit c added. So it is not scurvy.

Anyhow, he suggested separating her from her friend, which I did, but they both seemed scared so after a day I let them be together again.

Today she is dragging both legs. Did I make a mistake letting them be together? Could the younger one hurt her? The one with the back issue is 3 years (although Vet thinks she could be older. She's a rescue). The other one is 7 months.

Thanks in advance.

Poor love

Narrowing of the spine suggests neurological problems which sound progressive. The anti-inflammatories will reduce inflammation which will improve things short term, but the underlying problem is still there.

Most likely your younger sow is jumping on her older friend (both sexes will Dominance Mount) her back might've been injured - there's no way of telling if its a one off or if she's been doing it long term.

To keep together or apart? If she was mine, I'd err on the side of caution and keep them apart (but in chattering distance) to see how she progresses.
When you have the follow up at the vets they can see how her legs are, if there's any long term damage.
Would steroid injections help her?

They might suggest another XRay - it depends on how far along the line you want to take treatment but I think the most important thing at the moment for your guinea is that she's free (as far as humanely possible ) from pain and free from the risk or the fear or injury.
Good Luck !

Thank you. I have separated them again but they are side by side with a divider in between. Hopefully, this way they won't be lonely. Poor piglet.

Keep a close check on her bum half she might not be able to groom hereslf or even lift her bottom up to pooh as she would normally.
If she sits in one place you know how mashed up their litter area can get and she is at risk from flystrike at this time of year.

Hopefully its a muscle/ligament injury that she'll rally back to normal from. The spine problem you'd probably be none the wiser about without the Xray. They will have ruled out fracture I'm assuming.

They are a worry when they're ill

Yes I've been checking her bottom, it does have some urine staining. I have her on fleece bedding and have been changing it daily. I came across some information on Peter Gurney's website about sudden paralysis and to supplement them with liquid calcium. Have you heard about this?

Yes they have ruled out fracture. He did 2 xrays.

Thanks again. I'm glad she is still eating and alert. That at least is a relief.