Why is my old guinea pig dragging her back legs and what can I do?

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.

Your guinea pig probably fell and injured his spine, this is a very situation, he will probably stay paralyzed, you should take him to the vet to check how bad it is and bear in mind he might need to be put to sleep.

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.

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.

Poor Skyla! The fact that she is walking abnormally is cause for concern. This clinical sign is known as ataxia and may be associated with severe dehydration or very low blood sugar. Both of these can be caused by diarrhea, and require supportive care. I recommend having Skyla seen by a vet as soon as possible, as she may require supplemental fluids, additional antibiotics, or further diagnostics. I hope all is well and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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.

Thanks for reaching out but you need to take her to the veterinarian. Not sure if this is a back injury or a systemic illness. Try to observe to determine if Pancake is actually nursing or just going through the motions. Babies are very delicate so a vet visit is recommended as soon as possible. Good luck.