Gidget Medical Thread

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Bookfan
For the Love of Pigs

Post   » Sun Apr 02, 2023 1:01 pm


That is such good news!

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Waddles
Party Poop-er

Post   » Sun Apr 02, 2023 2:31 pm


Yes, it is. Glad to hear Gidget's on the mend. What a worrying time it must have been for you, ItsaZoo.

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Sun Apr 02, 2023 4:58 pm


Great news!!

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ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Sun Apr 02, 2023 10:36 pm


This weekend was much better than the last. Gidget has been eating like crazy, she’s so hungry. And she’s been drinking more, too, so she was probably a little dehydrated. When I weighed her this morning she was up about 30 grams.

Today she did some zoomies and she’s been busy tunneling under her blankets and moving her hideys. It’s a relief to see her feeling so good.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun Apr 02, 2023 10:57 pm


It’s a relief to see her feeling so good.

No kidding! Zoomies are the best!

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ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Sun Apr 09, 2023 8:50 pm


Gidget has been doing so well all week. She was eating like mad, begging for food, and jumping up on her hidey.

Today we have a setback. She seemed a little clumsy last night. This morning she was doing well, eating and moving around. Then this afternoon, she slowed down and tonight she’s clumsy and her back legs roll a bit if she turns too fast.

I gave her Meclizine earlier, and tonight Metacam in case there’s any pain. She’s eating a bit but obviously not feeling as good as she was.

I’ve noticed this happen after I hold her on my lap. I wrap her in a blanket and she has some lettuce. Then she usually curls up in a ball and sleeps on her side, sometimes for almost a hour. When she wakes, she’s kind of unsteady and dizzy. With her inner ear issues, I wonder if her equilibrium goes haywire while she’s asleep in her side. I don’t know if guinea pigs have fluid and crystals in their ears like people do. I have two friends with vertigo and both have had similar issues when they’re in one position for a length of time.

She’s still taking sulfatrim through Tuesday. I may contact the vet and see about starting Orbax after this is done to make sure the ear infection is taken care of.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun Apr 09, 2023 10:45 pm


You are very observant to have noticed a link related to holding her and her sleeping position.

Also hoping you can completely knock out the ear infection.

Lisa12

Post   » Mon Apr 10, 2023 9:59 am


We are keeping fingers crossed for Gidget..i had severe ear infection myself for three weeks in january-it hurt like hell!

Some penicilin based AB didnt work so doctors had to put Geomicyn (some tetracycline based AB) directly in to my ear+cleaning the ear(that hurt, too) few times to get better..so i know how she feels and its quite unbearable with painkillers, too:(.

Hope she will completely recover, soon!

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ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Mon Apr 10, 2023 12:40 pm


I empathize, Lisa12. I had ear infections as a child and remember how painful they were.

This morning I left a message at the vet clinic. Gidget is moving around better and she’s eating and wheeking for food. However, I heard a few sneezes and some nasal sounds while she was on my lap this morning.

Yesterday was day 14 of the sulfatrim, so that’s the minimum number of days prescribed.

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ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Mon Apr 10, 2023 11:20 pm


We’re switching back to Orbax starting tomorrow. We need to wait 24 hours and I gave her Sulfatrim this morning. Tonight she’s wobbly again, picking at pellets and hay, mostly staying in one corner puffed up. I gave her meds for pain and nausea. I just hope this is only the ears and not a URI starting again. So frustrating that she bounced back and is now heading in the wrong direction again.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Apr 11, 2023 11:09 am


I sure hope it helps!

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ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Wed Apr 12, 2023 9:41 pm


Gidget is still wobbly, and she coughed a few times this morning. First time was when I was feeding CC and she acted like she couldn’t swallow. I only feed 0.1 ml per bite and I make sure she takes the syringe and is chewing so I’m not forcing food in her mouth. Later she coughed again while picking at some hay.

We got a vet appointment this afternoon, he listened to her lungs and said they didn’t sound too bad. He checked her pupils for signs of neurological issues. She rolled a few times and he saw she was wobbly, so he really thinks it’s her inner ears. While Orbax seemed to work well for her ears and we only started a second course of that yesterday, he recommends switching back to Sulfatrim in the morning. It’s more effective for URIs.

The Orbax took care of the ears before, and I saw improvement in about 3 days. But the Sulfatrim worked on the URI in about 3 days and she started eating again. So I don’t really know what to do.

He also recommended trying Valley View Vet Hospital since he’s had good experiences with them treating stubborn issues in exotics. They are about two hours from where I live, and I notice they’re on the vet recommendations list here on Guinea Lynx. However, the vet that is listed here is no longer on the vet hospital website.

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