Fasting for 12 hours before surgery?
-
Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
If you had another major surgery for stones, hopefully you read all the post op advice here. Talishan's advice on pain management is especially helpful. It is worth reading again if you have not read it recently:
http://www.guinealynx.info/postop.html
http://www.guinealynx.info/postop.html
He is on Meloxicam, Trimeth/Sulf, and Gabapentin. No probiotics were given to us. I checked on him throughout the night and he seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Upon waking him up this morning, I saw that he had been pooping! Still smaller ones, not totally back to normal but happy that they were there. And as soon as I took his head away he ran over to his food like he was starving. Conditionally, although he still has a bit of that crunchy breathing he sounds a lot better! When I tiptoed into the den where he is this morning with all the lights off I didn't hear anything in fact. So I think he is on the mend, and may very well have just been side effects of anesthesia. His regular vet where he had the surgery opens tomorrow so I will give them a call then. All the emergency that's around us are ones I don't necessarily trust with guinea pigs as I've done pretty in-depth research about the vets around me. And thank you so much for the advice exclamation I had looked over the aftercare article that you posted and appreciate it.
Ok update. I took him to the vet's yesterday and they did x-rays just to make sure he didn't have pneumonia. Nothing in his lungs but even today still crackly breathing and no poops overnight although he has been eating his veggies, a tiny bit of hay, and I've been feeding him critical Care although to be honest I'm not sure how much to give him in a day. He weighs 13 g. Yesterday at the vet they also had me put him on azithromycin for 2 weeks. This morning when I found no poops in his cage from overnight I fed him six ml of critical care, gave him all his meds which are 4 right now, and then finished with about 4 ml critical Care. I will say that when I looked at him this morning he had a bit of a poopy butt, tiny tiny little poops, only about two of them but it looks like a bit of gelatin as well. Yesterday when I asked the vet if he should be on probiotic she said she thought he would be fine not on them. When I put him back in his cage after hand feeding and giving him the meds this morning I doused some lettuce with water and he ate nearly all of that. I'm sure he'll take a good nap right now but not sure what anyone thinks about this.
At noon I fed him 14ml critical Care, he went over to his water and pellets and then his hay but hardly ate any. I did afterwards give him a piece of Apple straight out of the fridge so it's nice and cold and he was happy to eat that. I would say he's not acting like he's in pain, if it weren't for the fact that there is not one poop in his cage and he was breathing normally I would not be concerned.
I was getting nervous that perhaps he had a blockage but even after the critical care like I said he went to eat for himself and had the Apple willingly so I think everything is okay in that regard.
I called the vets this morning and they said to just continue giving him 15 to 20 ml of critical care three times a day. I will admit I didn't know how much to give him so I certainly was not giving him that much, maybe 6 ml at a time. They said if he's not eating very much then he wouldn't be pooping. It's just absolutely unlike him. Hoping something happens soon though.
Thank you for your input on the probiotic! I mean if as a human I take probiotics myself and I'm on antibiotics what's the harm and giving it to him? I'm just worried that I can't get it until tomorrow, it's not available anywhere here today.
I was getting nervous that perhaps he had a blockage but even after the critical care like I said he went to eat for himself and had the Apple willingly so I think everything is okay in that regard.
I called the vets this morning and they said to just continue giving him 15 to 20 ml of critical care three times a day. I will admit I didn't know how much to give him so I certainly was not giving him that much, maybe 6 ml at a time. They said if he's not eating very much then he wouldn't be pooping. It's just absolutely unlike him. Hoping something happens soon though.
Thank you for your input on the probiotic! I mean if as a human I take probiotics myself and I'm on antibiotics what's the harm and giving it to him? I'm just worried that I can't get it until tomorrow, it's not available anywhere here today.
-
Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
Ditto. What's the harm? They may or may not help but should not cause any problems.
http://www.guinealynx.info/probiotics.html
http://www.guinealynx.info/probiotics.html
Do you think I should be very worried though? Maybe he's eating his own poops, I think that's something I heard about? I've just never had a guinea pig not have visible poops in his cage for this long. If I'm doing everything right, feeding him critical care and he's acting normal and eating a little bit on his own although his appetites not great, should I just wait it out then?
The vet basically told me that I should do that, or I could bring him in to be hospitalized so that they could administer his meds and give him critical care. Basically the same thing that I'm already doing. So I suppose there's nothing else to do but wait, and wait?
The vet basically told me that I should do that, or I could bring him in to be hospitalized so that they could administer his meds and give him critical care. Basically the same thing that I'm already doing. So I suppose there's nothing else to do but wait, and wait?
-
Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
Yes, sometimes people report that guinea pigs are eating ALL their poop, not just the cecal feces. I think this may be an attempt to get as many nutrients from the poop as possible. It does seem unusual but happens.
You are weighing him? He is eating? I bet you will see poops later today or tomorrow. Perhaps if not, a motility drug could help.
Acting normal is a good sign. I suspect bringing him in would not help particularly overnight anyway (fewer staff and sometimes no staff). You will give him all your attention. I think if you see a change in his behavior that is concerning, then you would contact your vet to determine if he should be seen.
It's times like these you want a camera on your guinea pig to see what's going on!
You are weighing him? He is eating? I bet you will see poops later today or tomorrow. Perhaps if not, a motility drug could help.
Acting normal is a good sign. I suspect bringing him in would not help particularly overnight anyway (fewer staff and sometimes no staff). You will give him all your attention. I think if you see a change in his behavior that is concerning, then you would contact your vet to determine if he should be seen.
It's times like these you want a camera on your guinea pig to see what's going on!
Thank you all so much for your advice and input, it makes a big difference! And you're right, he is pooping a bit as a just a few hours ago. They're tiny still and mucousy but a poop is a poop and I'm happy he's passing anything! Again still acting just like himself, throughout the day today we totaled about 33ml of critical care. I definitely had not been feeding him enough of that. He's just been snacking on a cucumber and seems to be feeling a little bit better in general. We'll see what tomorrow brings.