[Gpdd] HEALTH: Capt. Jack's situation

[corrine sakumoto]

We have a male guinea pig who is a little over four years old (we've had 
him for a little over three years and the previous people said they had 
him for a year).  He has always been very loving and active and such a 
super sweetie!  Just for the record we have NO guinea pig savvy vets 
that we are aware of.  We've looked and looked and tried the ones that 
were recommended.  But to no avail.  On Friday night, I noticed that 
Capt. Jack seemed to be slightly 'lurching' so I thought he might need a vet visit.  The first vet we called is away on vacation for two weeks.  The other vet we called saw him on saturday afternoon and mentioned 
that the might have a lower respiratory infection.  Baytril was 
prescribed and he's been on that.  Other things that we saw is that he has a lump on his leg, it's like a fatty lump.  Also, he has a tiny cyst near his penis.  Well, on Sunday morning I cleaned 
his pen and it was nicely peed in.  But towards the afternoon I kept 
seeing that it was dry.  By night time I was panicky so Michael stayed 
up with him and gave him water by syringe as well as critical care since he was barely eating on his own.  We called the vet who had seen him on saturday and he said to come in on monday.  So we dropped him off on 
monday morning when they opened.  By lunchtime they said that he seemed 
alert but could find nothing wrong.  Still no pee though.  After he had 
been there for four hours we asked if they had aspirated his bladder and they said no they didn't check anything.  So upon our request the vet 
checked his bladder and they said it was empty.  But he still hadn't 
peed.  So they gave him sub q at noon.  By three p.m. we checked in again and the vet said they can't find any blockage, they checked his penis and he seems fine.  They think he's dehydrated.  But in the vet's own words, he said 'I don't know where all the water 
is going.'  But they said to just watch him and continue with the 
baytril but the sub q should hold him until tuesday morning.  But it's 
now almost five pm on monday and still no pee!  We only have the two 
vets.  There aren't any others to try.  Of course we're left on our own 
and don't know what to do for him.  He doesn't really eat on his own but he is alert and he does seem thirsty whenever we syringe him water.  
Michael just gave him one of his favorite things, which is watermelon 
and Michael said that he attacked it.  So that was good to hear.  Again, we have no vet to consult.  NO ONE.  Is there anything at all that we 
can do?  Supposedly the vet says there's no blockage, he said that Capt. Jack is just dehydrated.  ANY help would 
be appreciated.  And just another note that this vet that we saw will be going on vacation after tuesday.

Thanks for your help.

Capt. Jack and Michael