Potato’s Medical Thread

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C00kie
nom nom nom

Post   » Thu Sep 02, 2021 8:06 am


Just took in a gp from a friend of a friend and he’s having a handful of concerning symptoms. All vets in my area are booked out, and the ER is considering him non emergent and cannot see him as they’re only taking emergent cases currently. I’m still searching for a vet that can see him and making phone calls but figured it couldn’t hurt to post here to try to get an idea of what may be going on.

Potato is an un-neutered male guinea pig of unknown age but definitely young, I’m thinking probably less than a year old. He’s weighing in at about 530 grams, but conditions were not optimal (very squirmy and on carpet) so I’ll try to get a more accurate weight on him when he’s had some time to relax. His body condition looks alright, not perfect but not severely underweight either.

Symptoms: He is having a hard time walking. It appears he’s mainly having an issue with his right back leg but the other back leg seems to be troubling him too. His front legs seem okay and are how he is mainly pulling himself while sort of waddling his back end along. I see no visible wounds on his legs or feet. His nails need trimmed but are not curled under. He has some dried crust by his left eye, and that eye appears to stick out of his head a bit more than the right. His breathing seems very fast but that could be because he is scared of me and knows he’s weak and incapable of running away. I can’t tell if it’s fast because he is afraid or fast because he is having difficulty breathing.

He is alert and shows a want to run away and hide when approached, but just can’t really. His appetite seems alright, he’s grazing on some hay and ate an Oxbow vitamin C treat I offered. I’ve put a water bottle and some pellets on a paper plate next to a hay pile all right by a hide to help him have easier access to his necessities. I left him alone in the quietest room of the house to try to help him relax and encourage his appetite.

From what I can gather, he was purchased from a chain pet store a few months ago and has been “healthy”. He has been fed strictly hay with very occasional access to pellets (as a treat) and never access to veggies. I’m thinking the thing with his walking is an issue related to this diet, maybe scurvy? I have no first hand experience with scurvy so I can’t be sure. Does anyone else agree, or have a different idea? As stated I’m still trying to get him into a vet but with the pandemic it isn’t easy. I appreciate any input and advice for how to make him most comfortable and help him the best I can.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Sep 02, 2021 9:06 am


I think your dietary analysis is good. For now do continue to monitor his weight and try to get the best food into him you can. I was going to say a possible spinal injury (in which time and healing might help and an xray to diagnose) but I think your idea of scurvy is a definite possibility.

See if you can force/syringe crushed vitamin C into him. Maybe 100mg/day.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Thu Sep 02, 2021 9:25 am


Sounds like scurvy to me, too. I agree with Lynx's recommendation of 100 mg. per day for a week to ten days, then cut back to about 35-40 mg. a day. I'm betting you'll see very quick improvement.

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C00kie
nom nom nom

Post   » Fri Sep 10, 2021 6:58 am


Update on Potato’s condition: After supplementing vitamin C, all of his symptoms have resolved. I’m going to continue to offer extra vitamin C (half an oxbow tab daily) for probably the remainder of his life just to make me feel better, but I really think he’s doing great now. He runs around and calls excitedly for food when he hears the hay being rustled. His only issue now is he doesn’t recognize ANY veggies as food, even classic gp favorites. I’ll get some veg into him eventually I’m sure, it just makes me sad for him.

Thank you Lynx and bpatters for the helpful advice!

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Sep 10, 2021 9:33 am


Thanks for the update! I am so glad to hear he is doing well!!!

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