Hind end/back injury
- AliceMcmallis
- Supporter in '08
Here is the report from the histopathology of his tissues, hopefully someone can explain it more fully. My doctor went over it of course, but maybe I can get a bit more insight here.
"The serosal surface of the stomach is edematous and infiltrated by neutrophils, many of which are necrotic. Fibrin covers the serosal surface in one area. The neutrophils extend into the submucosa in one section.
The depression in the liver overlies an area of fibrosis and accumulation of lipofuscin-laden macrophages. Low numbers of neutrophils infiltrate the capsular surface at this site. However, more diffuse lesions of peritonitis are not present in the hepatic capsule. A moderate degree of lipid accumulation is present in the hepatocytes. In the heart, there is a localized area of infiltration of lymphocytes and neutrophils within the subendocardial connective tissue. Lymphocytes form cuffs around blood vessels in the lung (normal in guinea pigs). The lung is deeply congested. Histologic lesions are not present in the sections of spleen, kidney, or cecum.
DIAGNOSIS:
1. Supportive Peritonitis
2. Moderate Hepatic Lipidosis
3. Focal Lymphocytic and Suppurative Mural Endocarditis
Comment:
Although gastric rupture occurs relatively commonly after death in guinea pigs, the presence of an inlammatory infiltrate on the serosal surface of the stomach implies that it was an antemortem event in this case. A specific cause is not evident. The bloating may be the consequence of gastric distention prior to rupture, or gas accumulation in the peritoneal cavity secondary to the peritoneal infection."
"The serosal surface of the stomach is edematous and infiltrated by neutrophils, many of which are necrotic. Fibrin covers the serosal surface in one area. The neutrophils extend into the submucosa in one section.
The depression in the liver overlies an area of fibrosis and accumulation of lipofuscin-laden macrophages. Low numbers of neutrophils infiltrate the capsular surface at this site. However, more diffuse lesions of peritonitis are not present in the hepatic capsule. A moderate degree of lipid accumulation is present in the hepatocytes. In the heart, there is a localized area of infiltration of lymphocytes and neutrophils within the subendocardial connective tissue. Lymphocytes form cuffs around blood vessels in the lung (normal in guinea pigs). The lung is deeply congested. Histologic lesions are not present in the sections of spleen, kidney, or cecum.
DIAGNOSIS:
1. Supportive Peritonitis
2. Moderate Hepatic Lipidosis
3. Focal Lymphocytic and Suppurative Mural Endocarditis
Comment:
Although gastric rupture occurs relatively commonly after death in guinea pigs, the presence of an inlammatory infiltrate on the serosal surface of the stomach implies that it was an antemortem event in this case. A specific cause is not evident. The bloating may be the consequence of gastric distention prior to rupture, or gas accumulation in the peritoneal cavity secondary to the peritoneal infection."
- Amy0204
- We miss our sweet Oreo
I am truly sorry for your loss and I hope you won't beat yourself up too much. My Toffee suffered a similar fate. I didn't have the best Exotics Vet at the time, although her body was sent out for a necropsy. All we knew is that she had ringworm, had been treated with an antibioitic that is known to create tummy problems, and went very suddenly. I had taken her to the vet where they were going to administer fluids and observe her, but she had several "seizures" within a few hours and never came out of the final one. There was evidence of peritonitus and liver damage. She was only 3 months old, but had been with us long enough to be missed...we loved her. I cannot begin to imagine the pain you're going through now...please, please don't blame yourself.
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- Little Jo Wheek
It does look like there was peritonitis prior to death, so that does mean the stomach possibly ruptured and he went septic. We see this in GDV in dogs sometimes, either pre- or post- surgery. Even when this is caught early, the prognosis is very serious to grave in other animals. It does cause intense pain. The pathology suggestion that it was caused by torsion, intestinal obstruction, or GI stasis is reasonable. Those are the rule-outs for that problem.
The hepatic lipidosis is a side effect of not eating or getting enough nutrition in when not eating. Pretty bad prognosis by itself.
The heart infection is most likely due from some systemic infection. It does take a bit of time, but I'm not sure how much time to establish itself. I don't know if we're talking hours or weeks. Any infection left to its own devices can and usually will spread to the heart. I think that's a reason pigs with dental abscesses or other abscesses will also have heart problems. Usually ultrasound is needed to distinguish the heart problem from something congenital, infectious, or acquired. We see heart infections/murmurs caused by serious dental disease in dogs and cats also.
The hepatic lipidosis is a side effect of not eating or getting enough nutrition in when not eating. Pretty bad prognosis by itself.
The heart infection is most likely due from some systemic infection. It does take a bit of time, but I'm not sure how much time to establish itself. I don't know if we're talking hours or weeks. Any infection left to its own devices can and usually will spread to the heart. I think that's a reason pigs with dental abscesses or other abscesses will also have heart problems. Usually ultrasound is needed to distinguish the heart problem from something congenital, infectious, or acquired. We see heart infections/murmurs caused by serious dental disease in dogs and cats also.
- AliceMcmallis
- Supporter in '08
The hepatic lipidosis is a side effect of not eating or getting enough nutrition in when not eating. Pretty bad prognosis by itself.
Could this have been something that was caused by his previous malnourishment before I got him?
He was gaining weight over the weekend. I saw him eating Monday night and Tuesday morning. I fed him Critical Care Tuesday night. I just don't understand how this could have happened so quickly. Unless he stopped eating right after I left for work Tuesday morning and between 6:30 am and 8 pm he didn't eat anything at all? Would that make sense?
Or maybe although I saw him eating he wasn't eating enough to get proper nutrition? However, I weighed him Monday evening and he had gained weight from a few days before, he was perky and moving about the cage like normal.
Where could the systemic infection that affected his heart have come from? Just anything? Could it possibly have been from his bladder stone surgery months earlier?
So here's what I'm getting from this: he had an infection, it made him feel bad so he stopped eating, which caused the gas, which caused the stasis, which caused the stomach rupture, which caused his death... Does that sound right?
Or with the infection having travelled to his heart is it unlikely he would have made it anyway? Do you think what salana suggested about the infection possibly weakening the stomach wall is possible?
This is so sad, it's like a desperate attempt to find some way that it wasn't my fault. I will have to take all of this to my vet and discuss it with her as well at length. Thanks for all your support and suggestions everyone. It's greatly appreciated.
Could this have been something that was caused by his previous malnourishment before I got him?
He was gaining weight over the weekend. I saw him eating Monday night and Tuesday morning. I fed him Critical Care Tuesday night. I just don't understand how this could have happened so quickly. Unless he stopped eating right after I left for work Tuesday morning and between 6:30 am and 8 pm he didn't eat anything at all? Would that make sense?
Or maybe although I saw him eating he wasn't eating enough to get proper nutrition? However, I weighed him Monday evening and he had gained weight from a few days before, he was perky and moving about the cage like normal.
Where could the systemic infection that affected his heart have come from? Just anything? Could it possibly have been from his bladder stone surgery months earlier?
So here's what I'm getting from this: he had an infection, it made him feel bad so he stopped eating, which caused the gas, which caused the stasis, which caused the stomach rupture, which caused his death... Does that sound right?
Or with the infection having travelled to his heart is it unlikely he would have made it anyway? Do you think what salana suggested about the infection possibly weakening the stomach wall is possible?
This is so sad, it's like a desperate attempt to find some way that it wasn't my fault. I will have to take all of this to my vet and discuss it with her as well at length. Thanks for all your support and suggestions everyone. It's greatly appreciated.
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- Little Jo Wheek
I've never heard anything like Salana suggests.
I think your assessment of the progression is likely. Usually hepatic lipidosis animals don't survive very long. It's not a chronic-type problem. Even though he was being force-fed, it may not have reversed a hepatic lipidosis that had already set in. We put feeding tubes in cats with this problem. Not very feasible for cavies. They stress out way too much.
The heart disease would have complicated things, certainly. I have no idea where the initial infection came from. It doesn't sound like the pathologist made too many guesses on that either. It could have been something that had been going on for some time and been subclinical.
The peritonitis and stomach rupture was not chronic, though.
I think your assessment of the progression is likely. Usually hepatic lipidosis animals don't survive very long. It's not a chronic-type problem. Even though he was being force-fed, it may not have reversed a hepatic lipidosis that had already set in. We put feeding tubes in cats with this problem. Not very feasible for cavies. They stress out way too much.
The heart disease would have complicated things, certainly. I have no idea where the initial infection came from. It doesn't sound like the pathologist made too many guesses on that either. It could have been something that had been going on for some time and been subclinical.
The peritonitis and stomach rupture was not chronic, though.