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Post by annancoco on Apr 21, 2012 19:24:13 GMT
hi everyone sorry i have not been on alot lately been megga busy and have just not had the time HOWEVER i have made time to pop on and ask for advice tonight as the psot states coco has been at the vets again today now this is what has happened 2 nights ago coco wheeked and squeeked and screamed her way through the entire night, checked her out couldnt see anything wrong put more food and hay in (even though she had plents) checked the cage for spiders or fly's etc that might have startled her NOTHING! got her out and held her she wouldnt let me she wriggled, scratched and even bit me so i put her back needless to say i put her back in her cage and she continued to squeek, squeel and scream through the night in the morning as i was getting ready for work i checked her out again couldnt see anything and she seemed ok, was a little quiet but to be honest that seemed a blessing! now last night she didnt scream as the previous night but she did squeek and make grunting noises, again checked her and nothing in her cage etc now today i took her out of her cage and placed her in the pen on the floor for abit of exercise whilst i cleaned her out, she didnt move much (but thats coco for you) as i picked her up to put her back into her cage the following happened from her lady parts there was a discharge of a thick white creamish substance it smelt abit like sick, it went over my pants and my bedding etc so i immediatly rushed her to the vets, he has told me he thinks she has a vaginal infection well thats certinatly what he hopes it it he checked her abdoman and said she is distended and may have a growth, and that it would require surgery to do a full hystarectomy he has given her bytril she is on that 3 times aday for 2 weeks and he hopes that will clear the infection has anyone had this?  / what the outcome going to be?? since she has been so ill in the past i keep her on a strict diet, and on calcium + vits is there anything else i can do or that i have been doing wrong? |
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wendypc
Bronze Member
I'm back..... :)
Posts: 229
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Post by wendypc on Apr 22, 2012 2:16:58 GMT
I just read your post. I'm so sorry that Coco is not feeling well, and I'm sorry that I don't have any real advice for you; I just wanted to pass along my wishes for Coco's speedy recovery. I'm sure that some of the Wheekers members with more piggy experience than I have will give you some great advice & info. Good luck to you & Coco.
'
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Post by 3piggles on Apr 22, 2012 16:57:06 GMT
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Post by guinea2010 on Apr 22, 2012 17:01:08 GMT
Ive never had this with my piggys as they are male.
But i did have a similar problem with my Syrian Hamster.
She was put on baytrill for 2weeks twice a day. And all cleared up, and she was fine.
Fingers crossed for your little muffin pop that alls ok xxxxx
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Post by annancoco on Apr 22, 2012 17:10:03 GMT
thanks for the links 3piggles i had already found them when i seached the internet before thinking of posting on here. she is on the same guinea2010 0.3mg twice aday for 14 days she has refused her food today dried or other wise so i have given her some recovery diet, she is just lay down quiet her eyes are bright so it dosent make sense to me  |
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Post by guinea2010 on Apr 22, 2012 17:30:24 GMT
Keep her hydrated, even if you have to syringe it into her mouth.
She will be ok, the antibiotics may have made her feel a little sick. My boys tend to go off their food after starting a new course of antibiotics.
As long as she has food avaliable and shes kept hydrated she will be fine. If she still isnt eating after a few days give your vet a ring and see what they advise xxxxxx
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Post by 3piggles on Apr 22, 2012 21:18:49 GMT
Baytril is a very powerful wide-spectrum antibiotic, meaning it really kicks all the bacteria it encounters, good or bad. All animals have some good bacteria in their digestive tracts that breakdown the foods we eat into the chemicals and nutrients our bodies can use. She needs a probiotic to counter the effects of the Baytril. Adding a probiotic when she eats gives her something to use to digest her food. She will eat more, heal more quickly and generally feel better. PetCo sells one called Bene-bac. It's granular and just gets sprinkled on her food. It doesn't dissolve well in liquid, though, so don't try mixing it with a liquid to syringe feed her. Good luck!!!
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Post by annancoco on Apr 23, 2012 17:12:12 GMT
she does drink alot always has realy goes through a full water bottle aday, so she deffinatly is drinking its the food she has gone off
yeah thats probibly the same as the recovery diet she has been having lord knows i have to use that umpteen times with her
i was kind of hoping someone could shed some light on how she has picked up the infection "down there" she never been with any males dosent share a cage with our other piggy dosent mix with the dogd
i clean her cage out twice a week every week and use a disinfectane spary, thats for cleaning guinea pigs cages
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Post by yodelpig on Apr 23, 2012 17:45:47 GMT
I can't help you with your medical problem, but please take any piggy that is clearly in pain asap to a vet. Infections of the vagina or especially womb needed treating as soon as possible. They happen very occasionally, but are much more frequent in neglected piggies, especially those that have given birth recently.
Is Coco on pain killers?
Please weigh any piggy that is not eating right daily to control the food intake (which by watching can be deceiving). If necessary hand feed - 120ml of recovery food over 24 hours for a piggy that has stopped eating. The more you can keep her body weight up, the better her chances of a good recovery.
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Post by 3piggles on Apr 23, 2012 17:49:50 GMT
Vaginal infections are rare in guinea pigs, so I have no idea. One vet explained that UTIs are spread when one pigs gets it, and other pigs sit on the urine spots of the infected pig. It enters their bodies, and spreads the infection. Maybe that's what happened. She had a discharge from something else that she then recontracted as a vaginal infection. I have no idea.
Recovery is a fortified food for sick pigs. I don't know if it has a probiotic in it. If not, you need to add one to her food. It is a bacterial culture that needs to be added to her food to get into her digestive tract and help digest her food. It will also help settle her digestive system, which may be upset from the Baytril.
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Post by Teebers on Apr 24, 2012 0:17:56 GMT
Without doing further diagnostics it is difficult to know for sure whether the infection is localised to the vagina or is involving the uterus as well, however if the vet thinks she is abdominally distended that can certainly be an indication that the uterus is involved.
This is known as a metritis or pyometra and can be associated with a recent heat, but are just as often considered spontaneous.
Certainly monitor her closely and if she continues to go downhill or the discharge from the vagina doesn't seem to be improving over the next couple of days I would recommend you be in contact with your vet again.
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Post by annancoco on Apr 26, 2012 14:03:29 GMT
Infections of the vagina or especially womb needed treating as soon as possible. They happen very occasionally, but are much more frequent in neglected piggies, especially those that have given birth recently. coco has never been with any males, so she has never given birth i take very good care of her she is never dirty, cleaned out twice a week, i buy the more expensive types of veggies coz they are the only ones she will eat, i never hesitiate to get her to the vets if i think she is poorly! |
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Post by annancoco on Apr 26, 2012 14:06:40 GMT
Vaginal infections are rare in guinea pigs, so I have no idea. One vet explained that UTIs are spread when one pigs gets it, and other pigs sit on the urine spots of the infected pig. It enters their bodies, and spreads the infection. Maybe that's what happened. She had a discharge from something else that she then recontracted as a vaginal infection. I have no idea. . she has her own cage and dosent mox with the other piggy we have also my vet said it was not contagious, it is something that she has developed herself |
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Post by 3piggles on Apr 27, 2012 13:01:52 GMT
I hope she is doing better. Did the vet elaborate on how she could do it to herself?
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Post by jolovespiggies on Apr 27, 2012 14:03:07 GMT
I am so sorry to hear this love, I hope she is OK. Please let us know.
Jo xx
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Post by annancoco on Apr 27, 2012 17:52:48 GMT
no 3piggles he didnt, just that due to the discharge her saw on her that it was from her vagina, and hoped it had not spred to her womb, but that she was distended she has been on the anti biotics a week tomorrow and she has still had some discharge, she has another week to go befoer her will even see her (unless she takes a major downhill turn) then she said they would do an x-ray, then the only treatment would be a hysterectomy! the x-ray alone is £80, the who knows what the hysterectomy would be i was too upset to go that far she is having up and down days today is a down day she isnt moving around much huddled in a corner and hasent eaten her spinich, but yestday she ate her spinich and moved around (not as much as normal) but more than today. like i said im giving her recovery diet 4 times aday, her poo's are normal, she is nibbling hay, her eyes are bright i just dont know how much more or what else i can do for her, im off work all next week so i can spend more time feeding her etc (my dads been doing the afternoon feeds whilst i have been at work this week) vet seems to think she might not recovery from the infection and as with all small piggies the op is going to have a uncertian outcome. i have read that once they have had this, if you manage to clear the vaginal infection it is likely to return regularly, then of course you have the problem of the constant anti biotics i could just cry ............. but at the end of the day i know i have to do what is best for her and i cant be selfish about it just cause i want her with me! ........no i am crying so im off for abit xx |
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Post by 3piggles on Apr 27, 2012 18:13:53 GMT
Hugs!!! If Teebers checks in, maybe he can give you some advice.
I had one pig get a hysterectomy. It wasn't as bad as I expected, but it was incredibly stressful until she was home and acting herself again. If her poos are good, then she's getting the food she needs, and her system is functioning. If anything, I would see if she'll take a syringe of orange juice, for more C and a bit more liquid. Keep her hydrated, even if you have to syringe feed her liquids. Maybe try some cucumber in her cage so she can eat a bit and drink at the same time.
I wish I had some "make it all better" advice for you, but I don't.
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Post by yodelpig on Apr 27, 2012 19:39:47 GMT
Have you got metacam for the pain? A hysterectomy is quite an operation and a lot of the success depends on how comfy your vet is with operating on small animals and how good her team is. It won't be cheap, though! Would your vet be prepared to contact one of the best British guinea pig vets about using zithromax (azithromycin)? It is a very strong, not licensed antibacterial last ditch antibiotic that has saved piggies' lives where baytril has failed. It has saved my Hywel's life last year. Here are Simon Maddock's contact details: www.inorthamptonshire.co.uk/profile/457491/Northampton/Cat-and-Rabbit-Care-Clinic/ (Don't forget that you need to dial for Britain first if you want to fax, and leave off the first zero). |
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Post by Teebers on Apr 30, 2012 12:12:16 GMT
How has she been going? Any improvement?
Pyometras are associated with hormonal changes (often involving cystic ovaries) which is why they're associated with a recent heat, and there is definitely a significant risk of recurrence even if she does respond to the antibiotics. My advice would be to let your vet pursue further diagnostics (xrays or ultrasound if available) if you can afford it, and at least get a quote for the hysterectomy if she is diagnosed with pyometra.
yodelpig is right that a lot of times the success of these surgeries come down to the experience of the surgeon in working with exotics but provided it is a success, the patient usually does recover well with good nursing care :3
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Post by 3piggles on Apr 30, 2012 13:01:29 GMT
Thank you for the word, Teebers. I googled it, and read about the condition, causes, etc. I hope I don't have to deal with it, but at least now I will know what it is if I ever do.
All digits crossed for you, Annacoco, and I hope you can get this resolved soon.
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/ what the outcome going to be??
