Blood spots on Lacey’s bedding

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ItsaZoo
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Post   » Fri Jun 11, 2021 12:36 am


Thanks, I’m worried about her. We’re in the middle of a heat wave, but she’s in air conditioning so I don’t think that’s the problem. She’s not sneezing and no UTI symptoms. So I just pester her every few hours to get her to eat something and move around.

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ItsaZoo
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Post   » Sat Jun 12, 2021 12:29 pm


Well, someone must have told Lacey about the vet appointment today. Yesterday she perked up, started eating hay and pellets, wheeking when she heard the fridge door, and standing up to chew at the bars for her vitamin C. She is also eating CC off a spoon. Input and output have been good for 24 hours, weight is 880. So I cancelled the drop-off appointment. The clinic is swamped through the weekend and I don't know how long she would be in that little carrier or what they would do for an exam. Fingers crossed she's on the mend.

I'm amazed my blood pressure isn't through the roof - what a week!

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Lynx
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Post   » Sat Jun 12, 2021 11:11 pm


No kidding! I hope she continues to have a good weekend!

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ItsaZoo
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Post   » Sat Jul 10, 2021 3:37 pm


Lacey is at the vet clinic today. She started losing her appetite overnight Thursday and there were pellets in her cup Friday morning. She barely picked at her hay all day but would still eat corn husks and fresh grass. She gets those year-round so it’s nothing new to her system.

She looked puffy but not bloated, tummy was soft. So I gave her a number of massages. Poops are smaller and I can hear digestive gurgles.

So the clinic only had drop-off available. I typed up a health and food history and dropped her off. The vet called and suspects a uterine infection. She feels something like a mass and palpated her ovaries, but it could be food or gas. She wants to try Albon antibiotic, which I’ve given in the past with no problem. Then she wanted a follow-up and ultrasound. So I asked her to do the ultrasound today if possible. I figured why wait if she’s already there.

Now I’m waiting nervously for a call.

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Lynx
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Post   » Sat Jul 10, 2021 9:28 pm


Has she gotten back to you?

For some reason I was thinking urinary vs. uterus. Changed my response when I realized my error!

I hope this is something that clears up easily.

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ItsaZoo
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Post   » Sun Jul 11, 2021 12:08 am


Sorry I didn't get back sooner - hectic day!

I picked Lacey up this afternoon, but didn't really get any answers. The vet didn't charge me for the ultrasound because it was inconclusive. She didn't see a definite mass, but mentioned concern about the way the kidneys looked. She thought the weight loss might be related to kidney issues.

She said she didn't find any painful areas when she palpated her abdomen and ovaries. So she gave me Albon antibiotic and I have CC and syringes. She said to look for improvement during the week and follow up with them. Surgery is not an option due to her age (she's 5 this month) and not knowing exactly what's going on.

Lacey had a good number of poops during the day, but tonight almost nothing. She picked at the hay, and ate some pellets. She had some fresh grass and corn husk and CC, but mostly she just sits in one place. I put her in her playpen on the floor to get her moving around more. And she got a tummy massage.

husband has been giving her peppers every time she wheeks, so I was hoping we just gave her too much of a good thing. But it looks to be more serious than that.

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Lynx
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Post   » Sun Jul 11, 2021 8:30 am


I take it he has laid off the peppers? It is so hard for US to break a pet feeding habit! We want animals to love us.

Hoping the Albon makes a difference. Over the years I don't see it used frequently.

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ItsaZoo
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Post   » Sun Jul 11, 2021 5:33 pm


We cut out the veggies the last 2 days. I wondered about the Albon as well. She had that before and she loves the butterscotch flavor, but I don't see much about it on line.

The clinic phoned and I told the tech she's not eating hay or pellets, only grass and corn husks. I'm doing what I can with CC, and she did drink water last night. The tech consulted with the vet and called back to tell me not to feed grass or husks. I'm just to feed 1 tablespoon of CC throughout the day. I asked about meds for motility or appetite, she checked with the vet and said the ones they have for dogs and cats don't work with guinea pigs.

I know this is a tough situation, but according to my notes from 2019 they gave her a motility injection when she wasn't eating and pooping after she got sick from Bayril. So I'm not sure what's going on with the clinic - it's the same vet but I'm a little disappointed with the lack of meds and the inconclusive ultrasound.

So I'm doing what I can with CC and I also syringed unflavored Pedialyte between CC bites. Then she got a tummy massage which she complained about, and when she got back in her cage she pooped. Small and sticky, but food is moving through her system.

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Lynx
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Post   » Sun Jul 11, 2021 11:50 pm


With the grass, I think the main concern is that she chew it thoroughly so it doesn't mass in her stomach. I think of corn husks as being a wonderful, delicate, fibrous thing. Not sure I would stop offering them (I used to give the tender inner husks). She does need her system to be processing food. One tablespoon of CC is pretty pathetic. I would absolutely give more!

You know all this. I understand why you are disappointed. You can remind her of the motility injection if it seems needed.

Most of all, I just hope she gets better.

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ItsaZoo
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Post   » Mon Jul 12, 2021 1:41 am


Thanks for the feedback. I agree, I think the corn husks are a good idea. That’s what kept her eating the last time she was ill. I still have some frozen and there is fresh corn in the store now. I only feed the inner husks torn into strips of about 1/2 inch.

The CC is slow going. She tolerates it for a short time, then she just stops chewing. So she’s not getting enough CC unless she also eats some real food.

I’m doing what I can and I’m hoping she’ll get her appetite back.

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Lynx
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Post   » Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:55 pm


I hope so too. That reminds me, occasionally used is diazepam, to stimulate appetite. I do not know if it would help.

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ItsaZoo
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Post   » Tue Jul 13, 2021 12:17 pm


I called the clinic today and I’m waiting for a vet tech to call me back. Their exotic vet is only in Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

I spent most of yesterday feeding CC mixed with Benebac and Pedialyte. She even started taking it from the syringe. Between mouthfuls of CC I syringed Pedialyte mixed with a little watermelon water, and she drinks that easily. I cheated and gave her a few strips of fresh corn husk and some soft grass.

Then we had a few sessions of tummy massages on a warm pad and I could feel rumbling so there’s movement. But this morning there were only a few very small stringy poops.

So I repeated it all again this morning and will keep trying until I can get in touch with the clinic. It’s just not looking good.

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