Jessie and the vet.
- daisymay
- Supporter 2016-2021
Late Septemebr of this year Jessie decided to go off her food, starting with the grass first and then onto other foods.
When my vet heard Jessie was off her food she (she has done a rodents course on line via Sydney University)wanted to desex Jessie saying all female guinea pigs NOT used for breeding should be desexed and more and more are getting desexed here in Oz. As when a piggy goes off food it is reproduction problems according to my vet.
Well I managed to talk her out off that but it was close, my heart goes out to all those poor piggies who go through surgery for nothing.
Anyway, I noticed that Jessie's 2 top front teeth were at an angle-worned down unevenly, so Jessie had her teeth trimmed. But Jessie was still losing weight, she went from 1005grams to 825grams in 5 weeks, so I wanted her to have xrays of her teeth but my vet wanted ultrasound. Vet was convinced it was uterus related, but against my vets advice I went for the xrays which showed Jessie had an abscess on her left top jaw.
Even before the x-rays you could tell it was swollen, so a week later Jessie had it lanced and like Zoe after surgery got NO pain killers.
So we were syringe feeding her,and taking her to vet to have wound flushed, after a week Jessie went to 880grams and wound healing nicely and after 10 days it sealed up and would not be flushed.
Since then Jessie has NOT lost or gained weight she is still 880grams after 3 weeks though she is getting fed more times. Also around wound vet said she felt forgein tissue and she wants us to massage it and keep an eye on it incase Jessie has an infection there.
I am feeding all chopped finely celery, carrot, cucumber, parsley, brocoli, spinach or silverbeet, cos lettuce(not a lot) the odd sweetcorn,grass, Capsicum, cauliflower. bok choy.
Dry food, Oxbow timothy hay, finely chopped, rolled oats, chaff, cavy cuisine pellets and oaten hay. I have bought both Jessie and Faline the bunny some Oxbow timothy haycakes.
She also gets some vitamin C tablet (which lost the fight with the food processor and is now powder) in rain water via syringe and a bottle of rainwater fresh daily.
Any suggestions much appreciated on food for Jessie, am hoping she does NOT have infection in wound area. When Massage it you can fill the tissue move sort of like the way a knee cap would move.
Jessie was on Baytril for 3 days but she stopped pooping and widdling so vet is a little wary of antibiotics for her.
Jessie went for a weighing on December 24th and though eating like a horse she went from 880grams to 805grams. She is now OFF chaff, vitamin C supplement. She has hardly pooped in last 24 hours and is only eating spinach, carrott tops, grass and timothy hay. She is being syringe C&C with baby food every 4 hours. You can feel she has lost weight.
Hoping someone can help. Many thanks. Someone suggested asking my vet to do a poop float, can some one explain this as I have never heard it and I am sure my vet wouldn't have heard of it either. Thanks for reading this.
When my vet heard Jessie was off her food she (she has done a rodents course on line via Sydney University)wanted to desex Jessie saying all female guinea pigs NOT used for breeding should be desexed and more and more are getting desexed here in Oz. As when a piggy goes off food it is reproduction problems according to my vet.
Well I managed to talk her out off that but it was close, my heart goes out to all those poor piggies who go through surgery for nothing.
Anyway, I noticed that Jessie's 2 top front teeth were at an angle-worned down unevenly, so Jessie had her teeth trimmed. But Jessie was still losing weight, she went from 1005grams to 825grams in 5 weeks, so I wanted her to have xrays of her teeth but my vet wanted ultrasound. Vet was convinced it was uterus related, but against my vets advice I went for the xrays which showed Jessie had an abscess on her left top jaw.
Even before the x-rays you could tell it was swollen, so a week later Jessie had it lanced and like Zoe after surgery got NO pain killers.
So we were syringe feeding her,and taking her to vet to have wound flushed, after a week Jessie went to 880grams and wound healing nicely and after 10 days it sealed up and would not be flushed.
Since then Jessie has NOT lost or gained weight she is still 880grams after 3 weeks though she is getting fed more times. Also around wound vet said she felt forgein tissue and she wants us to massage it and keep an eye on it incase Jessie has an infection there.
I am feeding all chopped finely celery, carrot, cucumber, parsley, brocoli, spinach or silverbeet, cos lettuce(not a lot) the odd sweetcorn,grass, Capsicum, cauliflower. bok choy.
Dry food, Oxbow timothy hay, finely chopped, rolled oats, chaff, cavy cuisine pellets and oaten hay. I have bought both Jessie and Faline the bunny some Oxbow timothy haycakes.
She also gets some vitamin C tablet (which lost the fight with the food processor and is now powder) in rain water via syringe and a bottle of rainwater fresh daily.
Any suggestions much appreciated on food for Jessie, am hoping she does NOT have infection in wound area. When Massage it you can fill the tissue move sort of like the way a knee cap would move.
Jessie was on Baytril for 3 days but she stopped pooping and widdling so vet is a little wary of antibiotics for her.
Jessie went for a weighing on December 24th and though eating like a horse she went from 880grams to 805grams. She is now OFF chaff, vitamin C supplement. She has hardly pooped in last 24 hours and is only eating spinach, carrott tops, grass and timothy hay. She is being syringe C&C with baby food every 4 hours. You can feel she has lost weight.
Hoping someone can help. Many thanks. Someone suggested asking my vet to do a poop float, can some one explain this as I have never heard it and I am sure my vet wouldn't have heard of it either. Thanks for reading this.
- Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
"when a piggy goes off food it is reproduction problems according to my vet"
Your vet is seriously wrong and I am so glad you realized this and pursued other avenues.
I can only suggest continued hand feeding her www.guinealynx.info/.html Oxbow's Critical Care may help if you have it or a similar product designed specifically for guinea pigs. The foods your offering should help.
Were the molars trimmed or just the incisors? I take it you've read www.guinealynx.info/.html ? You mentioned baytril - check out some of the other antibiotics on this page: www.guinealynx.info/.html Even though there was no pain medication right after surgery, it could still help (meloxicam seems to work well). www.guinealynx.info/.html
I'm so sorry your guinea pig is having such serious issues.
Your vet is seriously wrong and I am so glad you realized this and pursued other avenues.
I can only suggest continued hand feeding her www.guinealynx.info/.html Oxbow's Critical Care may help if you have it or a similar product designed specifically for guinea pigs. The foods your offering should help.
Were the molars trimmed or just the incisors? I take it you've read www.guinealynx.info/.html ? You mentioned baytril - check out some of the other antibiotics on this page: www.guinealynx.info/.html Even though there was no pain medication right after surgery, it could still help (meloxicam seems to work well). www.guinealynx.info/.html
I'm so sorry your guinea pig is having such serious issues.
- daisymay
- Supporter 2016-2021
The front four teeth were trimmed and she tried to file down the back teeth. So back teeth NO.
Then Jessie had xrays which showed the abscess, so she had surgery and had that lanced.
I wish to see the vet on Tuesday so maybe I will suggest so Metacam and see if Jessie improves on that.
Our late piggy Zoe had a uterus removed by same vet in January 2007 and again no pain killers.
As to foods specially for guinea pigs, here in South Oz, only Oxbow exsist, BUT I do have a veggie juicer so will juice up some veggies today(Sunday) and syringe feed her this and see how she goes.
Do you know what a poop float is? I need to find out to suggest it to my vet who more than likely will not have a clue.
Many thanks.
Then Jessie had xrays which showed the abscess, so she had surgery and had that lanced.
I wish to see the vet on Tuesday so maybe I will suggest so Metacam and see if Jessie improves on that.
Our late piggy Zoe had a uterus removed by same vet in January 2007 and again no pain killers.
As to foods specially for guinea pigs, here in South Oz, only Oxbow exsist, BUT I do have a veggie juicer so will juice up some veggies today(Sunday) and syringe feed her this and see how she goes.
Do you know what a poop float is? I need to find out to suggest it to my vet who more than likely will not have a clue.
Many thanks.
- daisymay
- Supporter 2016-2021
Thank you for the links, I am now off to go and read them. I am ringing the vet ASAP tomorrow morning even if she is NOT piggy savvy. Jessie has not got diarrhea, her poops have shape though soft in texture. To my knowledge she has not got broken teeth, her teeth were trimmed early October 2009. May have to have more xrays at $588.00. But I did find links very interesting. Many thanks.
- daisymay
- Supporter 2016-2021
I thought I would write to you and let you know how Jessie got on at the vet. Sadly the poor little mite has lost more weight. And it sprung up over night but she has another abscess, she is booked in to have it lanced for tommorow afternoon.
The veggie juice or C&C has given her soft poops or it may be even the infection of the abscess. Jessie did so many soft poops at the vet(thick like custard)both Ian and I had poop on us, it was all over Jessie and her blankie.
Funny thing is though when she got home, NO poops soft or otherwise. We are really worried for Jessie as she is NOT a well little girl.
We have asked the vet for metacam for the pain this time and we sent her these links 1. for antibiotics https://www.guinealynx.info/antibiotics.html 2. for doseage https://www.guinealynx.info/dose_calculator.html and 3 for weight https://www.guinealynx.info/weight_conversion.html
so we are hoping Jessie will fight and beat it this time. We have also asked for some protexin (probiotic) incase the antibiotic upsets her like the baytril did.
Will keep you posted on how she does. We are really worried about her, she was 1005grams in September and now she is 800grams and she feels so thin.
It is going to be 39C(106F) tomorrow. YUCK! If it is that hot does Jessie need a heat pad to help with her temp or would a fan be better?
The veggie juice or C&C has given her soft poops or it may be even the infection of the abscess. Jessie did so many soft poops at the vet(thick like custard)both Ian and I had poop on us, it was all over Jessie and her blankie.
Funny thing is though when she got home, NO poops soft or otherwise. We are really worried for Jessie as she is NOT a well little girl.
We have asked the vet for metacam for the pain this time and we sent her these links 1. for antibiotics https://www.guinealynx.info/antibiotics.html 2. for doseage https://www.guinealynx.info/dose_calculator.html and 3 for weight https://www.guinealynx.info/weight_conversion.html
so we are hoping Jessie will fight and beat it this time. We have also asked for some protexin (probiotic) incase the antibiotic upsets her like the baytril did.
Will keep you posted on how she does. We are really worried about her, she was 1005grams in September and now she is 800grams and she feels so thin.
It is going to be 39C(106F) tomorrow. YUCK! If it is that hot does Jessie need a heat pad to help with her temp or would a fan be better?
I am sorry your Jessie is not well, and hope she gets better soon. Frequent weighing and continous hand feeding is imortant to make sure she doesn't loose any more weight.
Piggies can easily get heat strokes, so when it gets hot (and 39 degrees Celsius is hot!) Jessie will not neet a heat pad, but rather a "cool pad", like at a bottle of cold water covered with a sock, in her cage. Then she can lay against it an cool off. Change the cold water frequently. I guess a fan would also be fine, but not as efficient as a bottle.
Piggies can easily get heat strokes, so when it gets hot (and 39 degrees Celsius is hot!) Jessie will not neet a heat pad, but rather a "cool pad", like at a bottle of cold water covered with a sock, in her cage. Then she can lay against it an cool off. Change the cold water frequently. I guess a fan would also be fine, but not as efficient as a bottle.
- daisymay
- Supporter 2016-2021
I am sorry I did not make myself clear, Jessie is having her abscess lance tomorrow, after surgery guinea pigs and any animal find it hard to regulate their body temp after surgery. Should Jessie have a heat pad after the surgery even though the temp will be 39C? Or would a fan be better because of the temp of the day? Thank you PP for your reply, also Jessie is an indoor piggy. Enjoy your day.
Oh, sorry I didn't read your post properly. I would personally think that at fan would be better than a heating pad at such high temperatures, but other with more experience with hot climates will hopefully chime in later.
Anyway I think the best you can do is to monitor Jessie closely; preferably with a thermometer to make sure her temperature stays stable. And then add a cold or a warm bottle if needed.
Anyway I think the best you can do is to monitor Jessie closely; preferably with a thermometer to make sure her temperature stays stable. And then add a cold or a warm bottle if needed.