Guinea pig limping, weak, and pooping. Is it a vet emergency?

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!

Thanks for arching out about Hoke. These signs are general of pain. Possibilities include fractured limb, but also a urinary calculi/obstruction. A visit to a veterinarian today is highly recommended. Radiographs will probably be needed. This does appear to be serious. 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.

Hi there! Yes, you should definitely take Pepper into a your vet for an examination. I don't think it's an emergency but I would do it soon. Be sure that you take her to a vet that is used to treating guinea pigs. There are a many things that could be going on. Most common at her age would be a tooth issue causing her not to be able to chew her food appropriately or an intestinal impaction/constipation. Be sure you are feeding the correct type of hay and you are getting it from a good source. Poor quality hay can cause a lot of problems. I like Oxbow products: http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/products/farm-fresh-hay I hope this helps. Best wishes!

I'm so sorry that Cam is sick. I sincerely apologize that no one has responded to your question and it has been 4 days. I hope he has survived. Some things that could cause those signs are nutritional deficiency (like vitamin C), liver shunt, ear infection, head trauma, and even parasites (like mites). What you are describing almost sounds like seizures. True seizures are rare in guinea pigs although possible. If your guinea pig cries out, falls to one side, and starts twitching, it is most likely infected with a skin parasite known as guinea pig mange (Trixicara cavis). The seizure-like behavior is due to the intense itching sensation caused by the mites burrowing through the skin. The mites are microscopic and you would not be able to see them with your eyes. He needs to be seen by a vet because those mites (if he does have them ) are easy to treat with the proper medication. I hope this helps. Best wishes!

Check her foot for swelling or redness. She may have an infection (bumblefoot) which would account for the symptoms you are seeing. It happens when guinea pigs are kept on a wire bottom cage. Dirty bedding can also complicate it, especially if she develops a small wound on her foot. You don't necessarily need a vet that specializes in pocket pets. A local vet should be able to diagnose and dispense antibiotics. If this is not possible, try foot soaks in a dilute chlorhexidine or Betadine solution. You don't need much, just enough for her to stand. Soak daily, dry thoroughly and keep her on paper towels until she heals. Change bedding daily or more often if necessary.

It sounds like Boo is very ill, it could be a gastrointestinal condition that is causing this. you must take him to the vet urgently in order to get it checked and treated as by the sound of his condition he might not survive if you wait the weekend.