My guinea pig has bloat and is dragging legs. Can Petco help?

Thanks for reaching out about your guinea pig. This sounds serious and should not wait until Saturday. Anorexia for 2 days is a serious concern, four to five days might be fatal. You might have to check for clinics open later in the evening. Offering food and water via a syringe might improve things, but is not a cure. Check with the Petco veterinarian to inquire on their experience with exotic animal. Investigating which local veterinarian has the most exotics experience might prove beneficial. Good luck.

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. So sorry this happened to Jingle. Are you sure the paralysis is related to the fall? Dragging the back legs can be a sign of scurvy which is a vitamin C deficiency. Very common in guinea pigs if they are not on a supplement. Does he take a vitamin C supplement? If not, he needs about 50mg per day and you will usually see improvement in a week or so. I suggest this one: ( https://www.amazon.co.uk/Natural-Science-Vitamin-Supplement-Count/dp/B00E0HQA7G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522060364&sr=8-1&keywords=oxbow+vitamin+c ) It's common for injury to the spine, pelvis, or limbs to result in hind leg paralysis. Sometimes administering corticosteroids can help the guinea pig heal. You will need to get these steroids from your vet. Back injuries can occur very easily occur in guinea pigs. A twist the wrong way while playing or a fall can fracture the pelvis or some vertebra. X-rays would detect these conditions. Does he have feeling in the feet if they are pinched? The sporozoan parasite, Encephalitozoon cuniculi, is yet another possibility. It is treated with anti-parasitic medications, such as febendazole. Some bacterial infections can also result in paralysis. There are no tests to detect these. Some vets simply treat with febendazole and a safe antibiotic in case these conditions are to blame. You may want to speak to your vet about that possibility. Did you use a vet that is used to treating guinea pigs? If not, I suggest you find one. Guinea pigs are not small dogs or cats, they are different and have different conditions/diseases. A vet that is not used to treating them may not know what to look for or how to treat them. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thanks for reaching out about Chloe and including a photo. Yes, you should see a veterinarian as soon as possible. This could be very serious. Gastric distention can be a clinical sign of many problems, but early veterinary intervention has a better prognosis. Good luck.

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Oh dear, it does sound very concerning - I am worried that Brownie may have fractured her leg or foot from that description. She needs to be seen by a vet right away. Your vet will likely want to x-ray that leg to determine if (and specifically where) there's a fracture, and can then discuss the best way to help her heal, as well as start her on the necessary pain medication. Unfortunately there's nothing safe and over-the-counter that you can give her to help, so keep her safe and confined until you can have her seen by a vet. Hope this helps and she feels better soon!

We can certainly try. Post again with your question, just know that we legally cannot provide a diagnosis or medication in the absence of a physical exam and a VPCR (veterinarian-patient-client relationship). You may need to find a veterinarian to examine Buddy. Most veterinarians will examine small pets. If a specialist is needed, they can refer you to one or seek a consultation with a specialist. The larger veterinary reference labs have specialists on staff for consultations by practicing veterinarians.

Thanks for reaching out about Pepper. Hopefully by now you have seen the veterinarian and things are positive and/or manageable. A radiographs is recommended to have assessed the condition. Good luck.

I'm so sorry about Pig. Ideally he needs to see a vet as he may have a spinal cord lesion, pelvic fracture or other fracture. He may have a collapsed disc or broken vertebra. Spinal cord lesions may not always start with full paralysis. He needs to be kept fairly quiet to help allow for healing but knowing the extent of his injury will help determine if he can recover. He also may need pain medication which is only available by a prescription from the vet. After exam the vet may likely recomend radiographs to look for the lesion. The sooner a diagnosis is made and treatment started the better his chance of recovery.