Noddy's sick. Aerococcus. Please help
Lynx, Diazepam sedates in people. Do you have any information about this effect in Cavies? Also, what dose would you recommend, in a guinea pig that weight 1200g?
Hilary, I'm sorry to hear this :( But he's glad to have a mom like you to not give up :) I was reading through and was wondering what a vena capa stab is? I feel dumb I don't know it lol. My piggie's blood has been taken before through a vein in the foot. Normally vets don't have needles that small, but the one near me does (go figure!). Otherwise I've heard of cutting a nail a little too short to get blood :-/ Not my fav, but I'm assuming it'd be better than using anesthetic? Hope his appetite keeps increasing! :)
Edit: my pigs have had valium during/after surgery so I'm sure it's safe. Just not sure on dosage
Edit: my pigs have had valium during/after surgery so I'm sure it's safe. Just not sure on dosage
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- You can quote me
Vena cava (not sure if it's different or a misspelling) is a heart stick. The animal is sedated and a needle is inserted directly into one of the major major blood vessels right above the heart. Done generally (in the States, anyway) by veterinary teaching hospitals and/or vets with a *ton* of experience and skills. You do not want your ordinary vet doing a heart stick on your guinea pig.
Vitamin B12 can work very well as an appetite and energy stimulant. It has at our house anyway, in both cavies and husband. ;-)
Vitamin B12 can work very well as an appetite and energy stimulant. It has at our house anyway, in both cavies and husband. ;-)
Thanks for your kind words gvstate. Also for the info about diazepam.
I did wonder about the toenails. If you cut them too short, they can bleed for ages. I don't know whether it would be ethical, for the vet, because it would hurt Noddy, but that's obviously venous blood, so is that a good way of collecting it, or would there be insufficient? It wouldn't be for culture, only electrolytes, so any bacteria wouldn't be a major problem.
Talishan, it is vena cava. And I'm definitely not happy about having this done. There's no-one locally with much cavy experience, my vet practice is a general one, dealing mainly with dogs and cats. The vet with an interest in "exotics" has just left, and I'd rather have a sick pig than a dead pig!
I did wonder about the toenails. If you cut them too short, they can bleed for ages. I don't know whether it would be ethical, for the vet, because it would hurt Noddy, but that's obviously venous blood, so is that a good way of collecting it, or would there be insufficient? It wouldn't be for culture, only electrolytes, so any bacteria wouldn't be a major problem.
Talishan, it is vena cava. And I'm definitely not happy about having this done. There's no-one locally with much cavy experience, my vet practice is a general one, dealing mainly with dogs and cats. The vet with an interest in "exotics" has just left, and I'd rather have a sick pig than a dead pig!
I'm sorry to report Noddy seems to have taken another dip, his weight is falling, even though I'm syringe feeding with Critical Care and tempting him with is favourite treats. There seems little point taking him to the vet, given what was said last time, and I fear the vet will just say the time has come, which I don't believe it has.
Noddy is eating the newspaper which lines his cage, is there a reason for this, and is it harmful?
Noddy is eating the newspaper which lines his cage, is there a reason for this, and is it harmful?
- DMac
- Supporter in '10, '11, & '12
I had a pig eat cage liner once while he was having a soft poop episode. I thought at the time that it was probably because he was unable to eat his caecal pellets because of the soft poop situation, so he was eating it off the the cage liner where it ended up. Can you give your pig poop soup?
DMac, thanks for that. I'll try anything! Sorry to seem dense, but what is poop soup? He's passing solid poops, some of which I'm hand feeding him. I've not seen any other poops. In the past he has had some problems with impaction, which I've had to help him with, but that doesn't seem to be an issue just now.