Nala is a She but yes a real cutey. I felt we had really bonded after me having to syringe feed her everyday for 6 weeks.
This is the page that I tried to use as I had used it for the Ivermectin and Antibiotics in the past but when I didn't find Meloxicam there I looked through teh dosing info we had received from the vet the last time and adjusted it for her current weight.
https://www.guinealynx.info/dose_calculator.html
I shoudl have looked harder and did a search on teh forums and found a post where a dosage of .3cc twice per day was mentioned so since that kind of matched with what the vets dosage scaled to I thought it was fine.
I wonder if she did have heart issues if the Meloxicam was too much for her.
Worst Guinea Pig carer in the world or the unluckiest?
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Sef
- I dissent.
I'm so, so sorry, rjespicer. I feel your pain, I really do. I will say again, though: I don't believe there was any connection between her death and the Metacam. That's a higher dose than normal, yes, and I wouldn't suggest dosing it at that rate long-term, but I absolutely do not believe that a single dose at that amount contributed to what happened to her. I was thinking about this today, and it occurred to me that in 15+ years of being involved with guinea pigs, I have not seen a single case of guinea pig dying from a Metacam overdose. Cats and dogs, yes; guinea pigs, no.
In those 15 years, I have lost my fair share of sweet little pigs. And yes, I have beat myself up and second-guessed so many of the things that I did or didn't do and decisions that I had to make. The fact remains, though, that we're not God. We are human beings who love these little guys and do the best we can with the information that we have at the time and the resources available to us. That's all any of us can really do.
You are a good, caring cavy slave who loved Nala very much. She had a good life with you and, at the end of the day, that is everything. Please try to focus on that in the days to come, and let yourself be at peace.
In those 15 years, I have lost my fair share of sweet little pigs. And yes, I have beat myself up and second-guessed so many of the things that I did or didn't do and decisions that I had to make. The fact remains, though, that we're not God. We are human beings who love these little guys and do the best we can with the information that we have at the time and the resources available to us. That's all any of us can really do.
You are a good, caring cavy slave who loved Nala very much. She had a good life with you and, at the end of the day, that is everything. Please try to focus on that in the days to come, and let yourself be at peace.
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ItsaZoo
- Supporter in 2023
I'm so sorry you lost Nala. It sounds like she had a stroke since she was on her side when you arrived home. Please don't blame yourself for trying the Metacam. I agree with others that it probably helped with any pain she was having, and it's unlikely to have caused her condition to worsen.
There are studies posted online about tests done to evaluate safe use of Metacam in guinea pigs. One study administered 0.6 mg/kg of Metacam each day for 3 days, and then 0.3 mg/kg daily for 3 more continuous days with no side effects.
You take such good care of your piggies - now you need to take care of yourself. My condolences.
There are studies posted online about tests done to evaluate safe use of Metacam in guinea pigs. One study administered 0.6 mg/kg of Metacam each day for 3 days, and then 0.3 mg/kg daily for 3 more continuous days with no side effects.
You take such good care of your piggies - now you need to take care of yourself. My condolences.
Thanks for all the comments. I get way too attached to pets thats why I had avoided having any since I was a kid.
Although she was laying on her side when I got home (which they all do from time to time when they are chilling) she was still mobile and could get up and move around but just chose not to and I could see her chest going up and down with every breath but she wasn't all hunched up like the last time she had problems and there were no worrying clicks pops or harsh breathing sounds.
I gave her the meds around 9:30 but then around 11 She was still laying on her side in the hidey and munching on bits of cucumber that I put in front of her. She wasn't interested in Pea Flakes or other treats though which was odd as she was climbing up on me on Monday to get them.
I decided to mix up some critical Care and try and syringe feed her but where she is usually pretty calm when she sits on my lap and will just nip me when she has had enough she was actively trying to get off of my lap and struggling so much that I picked her up and as I put her back on the floor, that's when she tried to run but just fell over instead and the just laid there, so I tried to make her comfortable.
Thats around the time I made the first post about her on Tuesday.
Last night when I got home the other 3 were out for floor time so I just lay down with them for about an hour and they would come up and prod me with their noses. I dont think they were consoling me or anything like that just looking for snacks. Anyway whatever their motives that helped me get my head together a bit.
I just need to focus on keeping a better eye on the other 3 for any changes in behaviour and double, triple and quadruple checking dosages on any meds no matter what the vet says the dose should be.
I just hope that the missus doesn't react in the same way she has done in the past by bringing home more furry critters. I am not sure my heart could stand it.
Although she was laying on her side when I got home (which they all do from time to time when they are chilling) she was still mobile and could get up and move around but just chose not to and I could see her chest going up and down with every breath but she wasn't all hunched up like the last time she had problems and there were no worrying clicks pops or harsh breathing sounds.
I gave her the meds around 9:30 but then around 11 She was still laying on her side in the hidey and munching on bits of cucumber that I put in front of her. She wasn't interested in Pea Flakes or other treats though which was odd as she was climbing up on me on Monday to get them.
I decided to mix up some critical Care and try and syringe feed her but where she is usually pretty calm when she sits on my lap and will just nip me when she has had enough she was actively trying to get off of my lap and struggling so much that I picked her up and as I put her back on the floor, that's when she tried to run but just fell over instead and the just laid there, so I tried to make her comfortable.
Thats around the time I made the first post about her on Tuesday.
Last night when I got home the other 3 were out for floor time so I just lay down with them for about an hour and they would come up and prod me with their noses. I dont think they were consoling me or anything like that just looking for snacks. Anyway whatever their motives that helped me get my head together a bit.
I just need to focus on keeping a better eye on the other 3 for any changes in behaviour and double, triple and quadruple checking dosages on any meds no matter what the vet says the dose should be.
I just hope that the missus doesn't react in the same way she has done in the past by bringing home more furry critters. I am not sure my heart could stand it.
I am probably over thinking this but given the timing (She was in with our boar before he was neutered on Nov 15 and 72 days from then would have been Jan 26) is it possible that despite there not being any noticeable weight change Nala may have been pregnant and that was the issue.
Given her age and the fact that her hip bones would have fused (as I understand it) could she have had a pup that she couldn't deliver normally and that was causing her pain or should we have seen more obvious signs of that ?
Just worried about the other two if that might be a possibility.
Given her age and the fact that her hip bones would have fused (as I understand it) could she have had a pup that she couldn't deliver normally and that was causing her pain or should we have seen more obvious signs of that ?
Just worried about the other two if that might be a possibility.
Currently at the end of my tether
Chunky lost about 100g in 1 week at the end of Nov 2020 and didn’t seem to be able to eat properly
Took her in to see the vet who said there was some stuck food at the back of her mouth, an area of skin that sloughed off when she rubbed it and also commented that the angle of her teeth was more than it should be. She gave us metacam ( 0.25 ml twice a day) and suggested critical care. She also put her on Sulfatrim for 6 weeks
I am still syringe feeding her 3.5 months later and she is still on the metacam but she still doesn’t seem to be eating well by herself. If at all.
Since then she has been in for two molar planings (one for a developing lingual entrapment) and also an incisor drilling. She had started to improve on a couple of occasions enough for me to reduce the syringe feeding but would them start losing weight again so I would have to increase it again.
Her weight is bouncing around 1Kg. She was up at 1140g before her issues. She puts on between 15-50g each feed but loses about 20g between each feed and about40-70 overnight.
I have tried benebac but that doesn’t seem to help.
How long should it take for her to recover and start eating in her own. Is 3.5 months excessive? Her last molar planing was on Friday last week. She was eating a bit right after and ate a bit of lettuce yesterday but had also been given a slow release buprenorphine dose during last weeks visit.
Could it be the metacam?
Has she simply forgotten how to eat or become dependent on syringe feeding?
If it wasn’t for her weight dropping and not seeing her eating I would not have guessed there was an issue as she still seems as active as she was. She doesn’t appear to be fluffed up as if in pain.
It is taking me 3 sessions of 2 hours each to get 4 teaspoons of critical care in to her each time mixed with 50-60 ml of water) and after 3.5 months I am mentally and physically exhausted.
Any advice or suggestions?
Chunky lost about 100g in 1 week at the end of Nov 2020 and didn’t seem to be able to eat properly
Took her in to see the vet who said there was some stuck food at the back of her mouth, an area of skin that sloughed off when she rubbed it and also commented that the angle of her teeth was more than it should be. She gave us metacam ( 0.25 ml twice a day) and suggested critical care. She also put her on Sulfatrim for 6 weeks
I am still syringe feeding her 3.5 months later and she is still on the metacam but she still doesn’t seem to be eating well by herself. If at all.
Since then she has been in for two molar planings (one for a developing lingual entrapment) and also an incisor drilling. She had started to improve on a couple of occasions enough for me to reduce the syringe feeding but would them start losing weight again so I would have to increase it again.
Her weight is bouncing around 1Kg. She was up at 1140g before her issues. She puts on between 15-50g each feed but loses about 20g between each feed and about40-70 overnight.
I have tried benebac but that doesn’t seem to help.
How long should it take for her to recover and start eating in her own. Is 3.5 months excessive? Her last molar planing was on Friday last week. She was eating a bit right after and ate a bit of lettuce yesterday but had also been given a slow release buprenorphine dose during last weeks visit.
Could it be the metacam?
Has she simply forgotten how to eat or become dependent on syringe feeding?
If it wasn’t for her weight dropping and not seeing her eating I would not have guessed there was an issue as she still seems as active as she was. She doesn’t appear to be fluffed up as if in pain.
It is taking me 3 sessions of 2 hours each to get 4 teaspoons of critical care in to her each time mixed with 50-60 ml of water) and after 3.5 months I am mentally and physically exhausted.
Any advice or suggestions?
SHOP AMAZON