Any guinea pig experts out there please?

[Annagain]

My sister has gone on holiday and left me in charge of her guinea pigs. She went Monday, on Sunday night one of them wasn't using his back end properly.I took him to the vet on Monday and long story short he's broken his hip. Options were amputation or pts. Sister has opted for amputation. However he went back on Tues for the op and vet is concerned his other back leg isn't looking great either. She's not sure if he's just not using it properly as the whole area is too painful or if he has nerve damage from whatever caused the break. He's had a couple of days of high doses of metacam and a morphine based pain killer and seems (to my uneducated eye) to be moving better - he's certainly moving more anyway - and using the other back leg a bit more. If all is well, he'll have the op tomorrow.

He's obese and she said he needs to lose 5g a day to make it easier for the other leg. She said to cut his feed to half what he should have but I (and obviously my sister as he and his brother are both fat) don't know what he should have! The food packets just say 80% hay, 10% nuggets and 10% greens but not actual amounts. Can anyone help please? Should I just stick to greens and hay and cut out the nuggets for now? He has timothy hay which I'm guessing from my horsey hay knowledge would be the best for him? He doesn't seem to eat much hay at all. He's separated from his brother for now - but he could do with losing weight too.

I never liked guinea pigs before but this little chap has born his ordeal with such stoicism and chirpiness that I've fallen for him properly - even when driving to my sisters (luckily only a 2 minute drive) at midnight and again at 6am to give him morphine (he needs it every 6 hours - thank god for working from home!). We decided to leave him where he knows rather than bringing him to my house where the dog would be interested and could frighten him - our house is open plan so difficult to separate them. He's still eating like a horse, shuffles over for a cwtch when I get there and whickers whenever he has a little fuss. I, on the other hand, am like a zombie.

 

[Tarragon]

Poor little mite. I love guinea pigs and have mad many over the years.
I would ask the vet. I have always had mine been with ad lib feed and think that being left with nothing to eat at any point would not be good.

 

[Mynstrel]

Mine get an egg cup of pellets daily for their vitamin c, a handful of just grass each day, a bit of veg but always have hay. With veg, cucumber is a good filler without calories, carrots are full of sugar so don't overdo

 

[Annagain]

Thanks - he's always got hay and doesn't seem to eat much of it - I've only topped it up once since Monday. I put it in a few small piles around him so he doesn't have to move too far for it but he doesn't seem to have eaten much of it - his brother on the other hand has eaten loads and has had a new large handful every day. He is however eating lots of broccoli and herbs - as soon as I put it in he drags him self over to it and attacks it with great vigour! I can't believe how bright he is when you consider how much pain he must be in. I've cut his nuggets down to about 1/4 of what he had but he doesn't seem to eat much of them either. Again they're close to him so he doesn't have to move but he doesn't seem to bother with them - which begs the question, why is he so fat!

 

[ester]

Guinea guts can be sensitive little things.what nuggets does he get? As like horses they aren’t all equal.
I would not cut nuggets as that’s their usual vitamin c source. But would limit veg to low calories, high water options.

 

[ester]

Guinea guts can be sensitive little things.what nuggets does he get? As like horses they aren’t all equal.
I would not cut nuggets as that’s their usual vitamin c source. But would limit veg to low calories, high water options
ETA I would switch out uneaten hay daily, if it’s not gone in a day it’s not usually eaten (and acquiring by the bale I’m not fussed about chuck outs especially when I have a less than optimal pig like currently.

 

[Annagain]

He loves herbs - mint in particular. Would it be ok to let him eat that? I don't think it's very high in calories?

I remember my sister saying they were only allowed carrots one in a while - he mostly has broccoli, spinach, kale, greens and herbs but vet said to avoid the spinach, kale and greens as it's high in calcium and he seems to have calcium in his wee.

I'll try him with some cucumber - maybe some celery?

 

[Kit06]

He needs hay, hay and more hay. A bit of greens (I feed herbs, bit of kale, peppers, celery, cucumber, beans, beetroot etc) and you can really cut back on pellets. The food bags always say more than you actually need so egg cup full or less is fine. BUT, anesthetic and meds can play havoc with guinea pigs digestive system so after surgery I always encourage eating with whatever they fancy, they must start eating again soon after and if they don't you may need to syringe feed to get things going again (hopefully you won't have this problem). Guinea pigs drop weight quite quickly, especially if they are ill so I wouldn't worry too much until all recovered.

 

[Annagain]

I'm not sure what brand it is. It's in quite retro looking brown paper looking (but plastic) packet - it looks quite high quality from the packaging! I'll try to find a picture online now.

 

[Annagain]

It's this brand but the guinea pig food not the rabbit (I can't find a link to the guinea pig food)

https://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/woodlands-grain-free-cold-pressed-junior-rabbit-nuggets-2kg?weight=2kg?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&cm_mmc=Google-_-CPC-_-%20google_shopping-_-google_shopping&ita=1976&ito=google_shopping&istCompanyId=7255ccad-a1fc-4729-af31-478f79e5071c&istFeedId=385e6b9a-8b03-4076-a8bb-e4737df8549c&istItemId=itiwlaqxl&istBid=tzwt&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwee-6uDx5wIVQbTtCh2PFg_hEAQYAiABEgIg2PD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

I think I've seen a bag of this there too but it's not open. https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/smal...MIhpyutuHx5wIVi7HtCh3ewgs0EAAYASAAEgId0_D_BwE

 

[Annagain]

He needs hay, hay and more hay. A bit of greens (I feed herbs, bit of kale, peppers, celery, cucumber, beans, beetroot etc) and you can really cut back on pellets. The food bags always say more than you actually need so egg cup full or less is fine. BUT, anesthetic and meds can play havoc with guinea pigs digestive system so after surgery I always encourage eating with whatever they fancy, they must start eating again soon after and if they don't you may need to syringe feed to get things going again (hopefully you won't have this problem). Guinea pigs drop weight quite quickly, especially if they are ill so I wouldn't worry too much until all recovered.

I don't think anything will stop this little man from eating! He even drinks down his metacam like it's a glass of nectar!

 

[Patterdale]

I’d just cut it right down until they’re slim again.

BUT that aside I have to say - I really question the ethics of putting an animal through this op, especially one that is obese and has problems with the other back leg. Seems like he’s in for a heck of a lot of pain and confusion.

 

[Annagain]

I’d just cut it right down until they’re slim again.

BUT that aside I have to say - I really question the ethics of putting an animal through this op, especially one that is obese and has problems with the other back leg. Seems like he’s in for a heck of a lot of pain and confusion.

I'm with you but it's my sister and brother in law's decision (his, I'm pretty sure, as she tends to go along with what he says and he'll be more concerned with upsetting the kids) not mine. The vet said she wouldn't offer it if he wasn't as bright as he is despite what must be a lot of pain. He does seem to be using the other leg a bit better now we're getting on top of the pain and he's certainly moving more. He was very stained as he was sitting in his own wee and poo so we were bathing him gently every day with cotton wool and warm water but this morning he was pretty clean so he's obviously not been lying in it all night.

 

[Mynstrel]

Has he been xrayed to confirm the broken hip? If not ask the vet to consider calcium deficiency, that takes them off their back legs as you're describing.

 

[Chappie]

Hi, I'm at work so can only post very quickly, but yes, is the hip defo broken? (How did it happen?) just wondering as they can have strokes or spine injuries and their back legs go. Guess the vet must know for sure, though? Also what age is he? That is a big factor.

It's an extreme op, especially for such a little pet, and they don't take anaesthetic very well. May need syringe feeding liquid feed/mashed up nuggets and gut supplements/probiotics afterwards. But I guess the vet would not suggest this course of action if it was not viable?

Will need to be kept in ultra clean environment to protect wound from pee/poo.

As for the losing weight, do they have a large enclosure to move around in/are let out daily? (not they he can move much just now). They're like mini horses in that they need masses of forage in hay, about 90% diet is good quality hay. They won't need much nuggets, just a very small handful a day. A lot of good advice above, watch not too much wet veg though as can cause runny poo. Just give what he's used to, but less?

Good luck, fingers crossed for the poor wee fella, and let us know how you get on.

(Experience: I've kept guineas since 2008, had over 20, mostly 'rescues'/rehomed)

 

[ester]

I’m on wet veg for the opposite problem of wet poo??

 

[Annagain]

Hi, I'm at work so can only post very quickly, but yes, is the hip defo broken? (How did it happen?) just wondering as they can have strokes or spine injuries and their back legs go. Guess the vet must know for sure, though? Also what age is he? That is a big factor.

It's an extreme op, especially for such a little pet, and they don't take anaesthetic very well. May need syringe feeding liquid feed/mashed up nuggets and gut supplements/probiotics afterwards. But I guess the vet would not suggest this course of action if it was not viable?

Will need to be kept in ultra clean environment to protect wound from pee/poo.

As for the losing weight, do they have a large enclosure to move around in/are let out daily? (not they he can move much just now). They're like mini horses in that they need masses of forage in hay, about 90% diet is good quality hay. They won't need much nuggets, just a very small handful a day. A lot of good advice above, watch not too much wet veg though as can cause runny poo. Just give what he's used to, but less?

Good luck, fingers crossed for the poor wee fella, and let us know how you get on.

(Experience: I've kept guineas since 2008, had over 20, mostly 'rescues'/rehomed)

It's definitely broken - he's been xrayed. The vet was surprised - she thought he had bladder stones and was x-raying for them but it also showed his hip and luckily the vet spotted it. The bones are overlapping so no hope of it healing. We have no idea how it happened. He was fine at 5pm and by 7pm it had broken - nobody had been in with them in that time and no sign of external injury. The vet thinks he might have got his leg stuck and did it trying to free himself.

He's 2 1/2.

They have about 1/3 of a converted garage normally but he's in a cage at the moment as we didn't want his brother climbing over him and hurting him and we want all his food etc close to him so he doesn't have to move too far. His brother's still out in the room but has a hutch he can use too where all his food etc is.

What everyone is describing is what they are getting (as far as I know) and what they've always got - I don't understand how they're so fat!

 

[abb123]

Poor little thing! I love guinea pigs and they are absolutely like little horses!

Definitely change the hay daily. I used to save the old hay up and then give it to the horses. I would not give the pellets ad lib but hand feed them to him as a treat so he still gets his vit c but can't pig out on them.

Just be ultra careful of his eating as piggies can go into gut stasis very easily if they stop eating after operations and die very quickly. You may want to give him some critical care food in a syringe just to make sure his guts do get some movement through.

 

[Annagain]

Thanks for all your advice. Can't wait until my sister's home!

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

They are going to have one hell of a game putting them back together after all of this unfortunately.
I used to breed and show Guineas, I will tell you now that an amputation won't end well. If the piggy survives the surgery he will struggle and the other leg with suffer due to the extra pressure I realise it's not your decision but I really don't think it's ethical when there are already issues with the other back leg.

 

[Araby]

I love these little guys, but they don't live that long even if they haven't problems ... it may be worth weighing up pros and cons and expense before deciding on options ... but personally I'd probably do all I could, but need to bear in mind they may only have six months to a year left ... longer if lucky xx

 

[Araby]

SantasLittleHelper I see your point, they are long with tiny legs, having to lift the back end off the ground with such spaced apart short legs from the front might be difficult.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Guinea pigs can actually live quite a bit longer than most people think. 6-7 years is not unusual. My oldest Pair of girls were 8 and a half when they died.

 

[Cob Life]

He needs hay, hay and more hay. A bit of greens (I feed herbs, bit of kale, peppers, celery, cucumber, beans, beetroot etc) and you can really cut back on pellets. The food bags always say more than you actually need so egg cup full or less is fine. BUT, anesthetic and meds can play havoc with guinea pigs digestive system so after surgery I always encourage eating with whatever they fancy, they must start eating again soon after and if they don't you may need to syringe feed to get things going again (hopefully you won't have this problem). Guinea pigs drop weight quite quickly, especially if they are ill so I wouldn't worry too much until all recovered.

I Echo this! Lots and lots of hay, you can cut the pellets right back to an egg cup full, they really don't need many of them, people are often surprised to find tomatoes are high in vitamin c so these are really good to feed but only in small amounts as they can be acidic.

After surgery keep him nice and warm, unlike dogs and humans he shouldn't be starved over night before surgery, he should be fed his normal diet, my vets always request some of their normal food and favourite foods to be sent in with them so they can give them after surgery.

If you're giving metacam I'd recommend giving it when he's likely to be eating, I normally go for giving it when I feed fresh veg.

 

[Cob Life]

He loves herbs - mint in particular. Would it be ok to let him eat that? I don't think it's very high in calories?

I remember my sister saying they were only allowed carrots one in a while - he mostly has broccoli, spinach, kale, greens and herbs but vet said to avoid the spinach, kale and greens as it's high in calcium and he seems to have calcium in his wee.

I'll try him with some cucumber - maybe some celery?

Mint is really good, it's good for their digestive health so if he loves it it s really good one to have on hand to feed after surgery