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sozansound2

Post   » Tue Jan 14, 2020 1:53 pm


I was wondering if I can use a juicer to get the juice out of a piece if pepper and hand feed him that or if things arent looking good in his eating, giving him the juice of pepper with critical care?

Is that am effective thing to do?

sozansound2

Post   » Tue Jan 14, 2020 2:19 pm


So i am back home and hand feed him just 1 cc of water. Does anyone know the recommended amounts of water to feed in total for the day by any chance?

I gave him 1 just for now and cleaned him up a bit. I checked the place I transported him. It was 1h to the hospital and 1h back home. I only saw like half a poop. It means he isint pooping. He is urinating doe. He dosen't really eat hay much. I dont know if he will reject his pellets which is his favorite.

Is critical care a good alternative for introducing him to fiber and everything needed to kick start the pooping process?

Clearly I need to wait, maybe, for the surgery day unless when I go to the second opinion vet later in 3h he sees it as an emergency and maybe give me a date much sooner.

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Tue Jan 14, 2020 3:28 pm


Guinea pigs generally need anywhere between 30ml-100ml of fluids per day. 1cc isn't going to cut it if he doesn't drink from his water bottle. He will need a significant amount of watery veggies and Critical Care to make up that amount, so I would strongly suggest that you alternate feeding Critical Care with giving water by syringe. Do take care to avoid aspiration on either the water or the CC. See:
https://www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html

It's imperative that he stay well-hydrated, particularly while he is on Metacam (an NSAID).

Handfeeding with Critical Care is also going to be essential if he isn't eating on his own. I wouldn't see the point in using a juicer with bell peppers; Critical Care contains all of the nutrients that he will need if he isn't eating veggies and pellets. You can certainly try that if he doesn't like the flavor of CC, however. Some of us have had better luck warming the CC briefly (5-6 seconds) in the microwave, which seems to improve the consistency and flavor for pickier eaters.

He also needs hay. Try freshening up the hay or offering a different brand to entice him to eat it. If he won't come out of his hidey to eat, keep small piles of hay close to the hidey so that he can reach it.

I'm glad that you were able to make an appointment for him for surgery. Do also read:
https://www.guinealynx.info/stones.html
https://www.guinealynx.info/surgery.html
https://www.guinealynx.info/postop.html

sozansound2

Post   » Tue Jan 14, 2020 4:06 pm


Thanks for the water amount.

About how much ml of critical care per meal? I know it is split between 4-6 a day. Since he ate his lettuce this morning, I will do 3 for today and tomorrow will be the usual. I have a bunch of syringes I have from the vet so I can alternate between critical care and water.

sozansound2

Post   » Tue Jan 14, 2020 4:45 pm


And also is critical care supposed to be a paste or a liquid?

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Tue Jan 14, 2020 7:12 pm


The instructions on the packet suggest 3 tablespoons of dry Critical Care per kg of weight. This should be mixed with water until it has a somewhat loose consistency. I don't make mine too watery. You'll need to cut off the tip of the 1cc syringe as described on the Handfeeding page. If you warm the Critical Care in the microwave for a few seconds (the goal is to WARM it, not make it hot), it will make a smoother consistency.

*Go slowly* and push the syringe past the front teeth at a slight angle. Dispense a little of the formula at a time, and watch to make sure you see a chewing motion. You don't want him to aspirate on it. You can alternate between Critical Care and plain water. He may not want it, but it is often called "forced-feeding" for a reason. He needs to eat and needs to keep weight on. Otherwise, he will not be a good surgical candidate, no matter how skilled the veterinarian.

Do follow the handfeeding instructions carefully. It's not all that difficult, but it takes a little practice to get the hang of it.

sozansound2

Post   » Tue Jan 14, 2020 8:38 pm


We saw the second opinion vet. She found out the stone is in a position to block off a bit more urine making him only able to pee very small amounts.

His bladder is extended. The operation will be tomorrow morning as this is an extreme emergency. I tried to hold back as much water just because of that and used a small bit of water. Enough to make the critical care thick enough to be able to still slide into the syringe and out in a good manner.

I gave him my first batch at 4:50pm but it was a bit liquidy. Then when to the vet. Found out what I said above and then came back to make the second batch and came out good. At 7pm I gave him the second batch.

I still have 1 more but unsure if I should give him the last batch due to it containing water. I gave him 2 pain meds. One is to make him a bit calm and maybe be able to pee a bit more.

The vet tried to use a catheter to empty out his bladder but he was too alert and not possible. Also to be able to push back the stone to make it easier for surgery tomorrow. That is why she said I should give him that second pain med also to maybe be able to insert the catheter successfully. She wants this because once the stone is lodged into the urethra too much it makes it very hard to remove it. Possible but not very easy.

If that is the case and catheter was not possible and she goes in and the stone cant be removed without other complications trying then sadly he will be put down on the table. He wouldn't have to be in pain anymore and I do agree with this if the stone is just not retrievable without other problems that he could have long term.

The second med is called gabapentin. Just .2 ml

Thank you for everyones advice and help. I do truly appreciate it. Tomorrow is the big day.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Tue Jan 14, 2020 9:00 pm


This would certainly explain why he feels so poorly. I'm sorry. Stones are lousy, and unfortunately this may be a will be a more complicated surgery because it has moved into his urethra.

I'm familiar with Gabapentin but don't know if that's a reasonable dose without knowing the concentration of the drug that you have (it should be on the bottle, expressed as something like 10mg/ml or similar. Would also need to know his weight.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for tomorrow.

sozansound2

Post   » Tue Jan 14, 2020 9:13 pm


What they said to give is .2 and all I see on the bottle is that it is 50 mg/mL oral solution and QTY of 4ml.

And yes I knew stones are not the best thing to deal with and tried to prevent them. I knew that pigs can get them even when you try to prevent them. But we knew this and every other flaw but they are worth it regardless. Flaw or no flaw

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Tue Jan 14, 2020 9:53 pm


Stones are not a flaw. They are a medical condition that happens for reasons that we don't quite understand. Factors may include heredity, diet, lack of exercise, or a history of urinary tract infections. I've certainly dealt with my fair share of them, and they can be devastating.

I hope your little guy does well with the surgery and is able to recover. You will want to review diet and try to lower overall calcium as it may contribute to future stone formation. Unfortunately, though, they do tend to recur.

sozansound2

Post   » Tue Jan 14, 2020 10:13 pm


I'm sorry I wrote that wrong. Yea I know it is a medical condition.

I heard cases from the vet they developed 1 stone and then a month later they got another even when diet was changed accordingly.

My piggy ended up sharing some veggies with the female and ate all green lettuce and some pieces of red pepper. Makes me happy he was able to eat some solids. He even drank some water earlier than that but much prefers to slouch around. Can't blame him

Thank you for the well wishes

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Jan 14, 2020 11:51 pm


Sef unfortunately has a lot of experience with stones. I think all of us here hate them.

Hoping for the best for your guinea pig.

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