[Gpdd] Gpdd: [Health]: (Mercy the guinea pig)

ellen garrison elmga at hotmail.com
Sat Oct 10 09:25:57 EDT 2009


Hi everyone,

I went to our local animal shelter yesterday, as I volunteer to pick up the fixed feral cats from time to time, from the cat colony that we help maintain (i.e., trap, neuter, spay, return).  I asked them if they had any guinea pigs.

Yes, they had two.  I went out to see, as the are in hutches outside near the cat building, housed with rabbits and rats (if they have any of these.)  There was just one piggie left; the other had been adopted.  This piggie was so sick.  I could tell immediately just by looking at him.  I don't know what they were doing just waiting as he was not well: very crusty, squinty narrow eyes, diarrhea, with poop stuck on two of his front "fingers".  I told them I wanted to get him, and they just gave him to me.  That was it.  I did have to fill out the paperwork, but they seemed to know he was not well.

I took him home and gave him critical care, vitamin C, and topical baytril for the eyes.  He cannot eat.  He tries but cannot.  He is very sweet.  I did not realize how poorly he was.  I named him Mercy.

His teeth:  the only ones I can see being the front four, look overgrown.  I have given him tiny syringes of pedialyte (electrolite replacement for babies), and keep trying to syringe critical care.  He looks like he was a big guinea pig, but he weighs two pounds.  that is a little less than 1 kg.  I cleaned his behind and his nails and trimmed them.  he started to clean himself.  he seemed grateful someone took notice.

I am very certain that tomorrow, before I go to work (I work a swing shift, 2 to 10 pm) if he does not poop or 'pee' I need to take him to the vet to have him humanely euthanized.  It is sad that this has to happen, but he has not once pooped nor peed since I got him, which was 11 hours ago, and I have to go to work tomorrow and I can't just leave him to suffer.  I keep trying to give him critical care and water.  He tried to eat hay and a piece of apple, but i think his teeth are giving him trouble.  he could not swallow.

I knew he had diarrhea because his towel in the hutch was messy.  But even with the critical care and a good probiotic called Jarro dophilus with FOS, no poop yet.  I think he may have been extremely dehydrated.  I don't know if he has bladder stones, but i have been giving him little massages and he only makes little grunting noises.  He almost sounds like a rabbit.

I will keep you posted; please send some good energy to Mercy.

thanks, Ellen

 

 

 
 		 	   		  
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