Roxie's behaviour changes

Catie Cavy · Post » Sat Oct 12, 2019 5:00 pm

You could weigh her on Sunday and Monday morning to see if the trend continues, but I'd say a 100 gram loss is worth a vet visit. That's 10% of her body weight.

Sef · Post » Sat Oct 12, 2019 5:07 pm

That does seem like a lot. There may be something else going on. I'd have it checked out.

Gpigsrock · Post » Thu Jul 09, 2020 3:03 pm

Roxie has been doing alright for a while (she had 1 UTI in early April and that's all), but two nights ago after I cleaned the cage I noticed some dark orange urine spots in their cage. Last night I saw what looked like blood in her urine, and it wasn't absorbing into the litter and sat there almost like a gel (I poked it with a piece of hay), which I've never seen before with any of my guinea pigs urine. She's still eating and drinking normally, but since last night she's been sitting very puffed up in her cage. I just called her exotics vet and the soonest I can bring her in is the 14th, Tuesday morning. I have some leftover Azithromycin from the last time she was at the vet and had a UTI, but I have no leftover metacam or pain meds, which she almost certainly needs. In the meantime should I give her the azithromycin, or should I try taking her somewhere else before Tuesday? I was told to call the vet again if she worsens, but there's another vet closer to my house that will treat exotics and doesn't specialise in them - it's the sort of place I take my girls to for hay poke.

Her weight has been stable at around 950-960g, depending on when I weigh her. The only other thing I have noticed with her is a single sneeze a few minutes ago, just one. It could be nothing, but there's certainly something wrong in her bladder or her cyst is flaring up again. To clarify, I did take the appointment for Tuesday, and if she worsens they'll try to fit her in sooner. Waiting for her to go more downhill doesn't sit right with me, considering how old she is and how guinea pigs are.

ItsaZoo · Post » Thu Jul 09, 2020 4:49 pm

If you called the clinic, do you think the vet would give you a prescription for pain meds over the phone just to hold you over until the appointment on Tuesday? And also, did they do labs and culture a sample last time she had a UTI? If so, giving an antibiotic now will interfere with any labs they want to test. So I would check with them on what to do.

Gpigsrock · Post » Thu Jul 09, 2020 5:21 pm

I didn't think to ask for a prescription over the phone, I'll see if they're able to do that. Last time she had a UTI I think they did a culture, so I'll wait before the antibiotic then. Tomorrow I'll call again and ask for the metacam and what to do in the meantime. Thanks for the advice!

Sef · Post » Thu Jul 09, 2020 5:37 pm

That sounds good. I'd be reluctant to start her on Azithromycin without knowing for sure what's going on. Bactrim (SMZ) would likely be a better choice for possible UTI, if you'd want to ask for that.

Post » Thu Jul 09, 2020 10:11 pm

Since you're doing the Epsom salt soaks, you're taking great care to avoid getting any of the liquid in her eyes? It is quite damaging if she rubs a wet paw on her eye. Just want to make absolutely sure she is not injured. I am very glad you are having success with the soaks.

Gpigsrock · Post » Sat Jul 11, 2020 2:36 pm

Quick update, yesterday I called the vet and asked for metacam to keep her comfortable until Tuesday, which was approved. She seems to be in higher spirits with some pain meds, though of course she's still showing signs of illness. At least she's not sitting around like a puffy loaf anymore.

Gpigsrock · Post » Thu Jul 16, 2020 11:29 pm

On Tuesday the vet confirmed there was no blood in her urine, nor was there an abnormal white blood cell count. She does have a higher amount of sediment in her urine than normal, but her bladder is fine. It seems that her ovarian cyst flared up (one ovary is twice the size of the other), so we opted to go for the hormone injection again and see how that goes. Last time her cyst flared up it helped for several months, and aside from the occasional UTI she's been alright. We got the go-ahead for keeping her on metacam and administering it as needed until her cyst shrinks down. One other thing was Roxie seemed to have caught one of her front toenails on something recently and she wouldn't let me trim that particular nail. I didn't want to risk hurting her further, so the vet trimmed it a bit for her (her hurt toe is the other reason why she's on metacam). They provided plenty of extra meds, so I don't foresee running out any time soon.

Sef · Post » Fri Jul 17, 2020 12:14 am

Very good. Thanks for the update!

Gpigsrock · Post » Fri Feb 03, 2023 3:50 pm

Just giving a little update on Roxie. She had a fall a few days ago (she wasn't dropped, she stumbled and fell on her side) and her legs are no longer working. She's nearing 9 years old and she's been having great difficulty cleaning herself and becoming increasingly confused - i.e. not noticing things that are happening around her, facing the wall to beg for food, etc. I know she can see because she reacts to movement even from across the room, this seems more like signs of confusion. Her quality of life has really dropped in the past week and I've made the decision to have her put to sleep. She just seems miserable, and I want her to have a bit of dignity when she passes.

With that being said I do still have Cosette, a 4.5 year old pig. I know with people and some other animals it's helpful for them to see that their companion has moved on for them to accept/understand the death, and I don't know if that's necessary to do this for guinea pigs. Should I bring Roxie back after the procedure to show her, or does it really matter one way or another? I think Cosette is aware Roxie is increasingly ailing, since she's been more delicate with her and not asserting as much dominance as she did even just last week, so maybe I'm overthinking things. I've never had a pet put to sleep before, so previously when there was a passing the others would see that it occurred. The procedure is tomorrow morning, and I don't want to make things any harder for anyone than they have to be.

Post » Fri Feb 03, 2023 7:23 pm

I am sorry she seems to be failing. What a wonderful life she has had with you.

I do not know if there would be a benefit to letting Cosette have some time with Roxie after her death. Perhaps others will offer their opinion. I do not recall letting my other guinea pigs spend time with their euthanized companions - but it is a long time ago.

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