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Rosie and Pippi (Skinny) - Rescues (August 25, 2012)| A Texel and a Skinny female guinea pigs both picked up from San Francisco with other pigs and cat/kittens. Texel previously had two litters: 5 babies each time; last litter 2 months ago, all stillborn. Skinny: slit-like eyes: sick, not awake, or too cold?; cat/kittens; scratches with scratches on body; toenails (some caked with feces); now housed with the female Texel. |
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Fluffy Neuter (April 2015)Fluffy is a two-year-old male who had an elective neuter on March 14, 2015. His recovery and healing process was uneventful. On April 4 he stopped eating pellets and a hard rock-like lump was observed in the groin area. He was taken to the vet that evening and the lump/abscess/pus was aspirated. His meds continued and when the swelling returned he went to the vet on Monday night, April 6.The abscess was lanced and flushed with a saline/Nolvasan solution and packed with Silvadene ointment. He is to have the area flushed and packed twice daily. His meds, Chloramphenicol and Metacam, are to be given twice daily. He is also getting Benebac, Child Life liquid Vitamin C, and Oxbow's Critical Care supplement. Some of the photos are of poor quality since my cell phone needed to be charged.
PLEASE NOTE, abscesses and treatments are not all alike. Therefore what has been done for one animal or species may not work or be appropriate in another case. What is presented here is what has worked and was determined to be best for the two animals featured. That does not mean it is the right way or the wrong way for any pet that you might have who has an abscess. Your vet can best determine what might be appropriate in your own pet's case but it might not be appropriate for other cases. Also, it is always best to get the complete facts before being critical of another person's prescribed treatment. Lancing and leaving the area open is a viable option.
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Care Charts The files in this album may be downloaded and used to record information regarding the health of your guinea pig. The charts are available in both Word doc and PDF file format. The visual care charts are only available in PDF file format.
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Allie: in a Parakeet Cage (July 19, 2004)
UPDATE October 2005: Allie amd Emmy have been placed in a wonderful new home with a five-year-old female guinea pig who recently lost her cage mate. They have settled in and Emmy no longer is has her ongoing sludge problem.
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Belle Belle and her sister ended up at a shelter after Belle was thrown against a wall. She was fine but, like her sister who died, she has a medical problem and cannot be adopted. Her sister had liver disease, inflammed intestines, and bloody vaginal discharge. Belle has shown symptoms of bloody urine and blood-tingued droplets and a recent vet check up and x-ray revealed a possible uterine mass.
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Billy and Mr. Miyagi (February 17, 2006)I was asked by my local shelter if I could take Billy because he had an eye problem and by my former vet, who works at another shelter, if I could take Mr. Miyagi, an older male who was found abandoned in a field. Billy was treated with at least three types of medicine that did not resolve the eye problem. It is believed that he might have a blocked tear duct. Mr. Miyagi was very healthy but he ended up with a head tilt that he was given antibiotics the same night he went to the pet ER. He was totally normal again three days later. CLICK THUMBNAILS TO VIEW LARGER IMAGES. The most recent photos are at the beginning of the album.
UPDATE 5-22-08: Mr. Miyagi died suddenly. The cause of his death is unknown ... he was scheduled for an x-ray to check for a stone or tumor. His current cage mate is Lucky.
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Bobby Momo emailed me to tell me that there was a guinea pig who needed a new home and he looked very similar to Jasmine. I had already contacted the person and found out that he was no longer available. However, it turned out that the person who took him was the same person that I got Queenie and Lil' Kim from. She took him in so that he would not become snake food and she set about looking for a new home for him. When she found out that I had wanted him she said that he could come live with me. So Bobby stayed at “Yuko's Cavy Spa” where he got all spiffed up and then he went on to “Momo's Cozy Hotel” where he got to take treks around her kitchen. I picked him up on Wednesday evening and we headed towards his new home “up north”. He’s nearly twice Jasmine’s size and not too similar in personality other than the fact that they are/were both very inquisitive and like to watch what is going on around them.
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Charlie: A Rescued Guinea Pig (September 28, 2006)Charlie is a rescued guinea pig. Nothing is known of his background or why he was surrendered to a shelter. He spent about two months at the shelter before an urgent plea went out seeking adopters and rescuers. The shelter was overloaded and overwhelmed by the guinea pigs that they had in residence and they all needed to be placed immediately. He was a bit overweight and had a mild case of mites that he was treated for at the shelter. He also had an impaction problem and was neutered to see if that would correct the situation. It did not so periodically he needs to have his anal sac cleaned out. He is a very sweet guinea pig and loves to be petted. CLICK THUMBNAILS TO VIEW LARGER IMAGES.
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Cody and Charlie Cody is a six-year-old male Dwarf (Polish or Netherland-x?) and Charlie is a seven-year-old female Holland Lop. They are a bonded pair; Charlie is spayed and Cody is neutered.
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Dora Outdoor Cat
Dora was a very young cat when her caretakers let her outside. She was not spayed and ended up with two back-to-back litters and may be pregnant with her third litter. Three low spay appointments have been set up for her so far but she has yet to be spayed. Her caretakers released her last litter and they went into foster care at The Marin Cat Connection. The calico was not weaned and remained and will remain with Guinea Pig Fun, a nonprofit who occasionally takes in rescues. Dora, the mother, was spayed and placed in a loving home with the person who tried to rescue her a year earlier. CLICK THE IMAGES TO VIEW LARGER PHOTOS.
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Emma | 13 Images
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Hamster Photos (October 19, 2005)This album shows various hamsters and setups and include hamsters who were pets or rescued, fostered, and then placed.
11-4-07: Jerry got adopted!; 1-6-08: Speedy got adopted!
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Handsome (September 3, 2007)Handsome is a five-year-old Peruvian male who was no longer of value in breeding programs. When he was rescued the first time, the person found him living in very poor conditions and he was full of lice. The second time he was rescued he was living with females and a young male. He had an infected bite wound on his torn ear and multiple bite wounds on his back. He also was impacted and underweight. He was treated with and an antibiotic (TMS/Bactrim) and daily cleaning of his ear followed by Silvadene cream. He is quite sweet and enjoying his senior years in a non-breeding, non-competitive environment. CLICK THUMBNAILS TO VIEW LARGER IMAGES.
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Jasmine: A Rescued Guinea Pig (March 27, 2005)March 26, 2005 ... has mites, a head tilt, malnutrition, and is pregnant. The most recent photos are at the beginning of the album and the remainder are in chronological order. Jasmine was picked up from a possible backyard breeder and brought directly to a vet for assessment. She is very thin and her bones stick out and her fur is missing in places and very short and sparse. The vet said that she is pregnant and that she might be due in a week. She also said that the she had nothing to eat (it was around 8pm when I saw the vet). She treated her for mites and told me to give her raspberry-flavored Baytril once daily for her head tilt and also 50ml of Vitamin C daily. The vet isn't sure what caused Jasmine's head tilt. She did not see an outer–ear infection or eardrum rupture. She checked and said that Baytril would do the least amount of damage to the babies. A probiotic is being given to counteract any problems that the antibiotic might create. Her weight is 690 grams/1.52 pounds (due to severe malnutrition) and according to the breeder, she is about a year old and has had a litter before.
UPDATE: Once at home, she ate food and drank water but she did not eat the alfalfa hay or alfalfa pellets. At one point she was given two separate doses of a calcium supplement, NeoCalgucon: 0.5ml/cc. One week later she gave birth to three live babies; all three had to be put down since they were dying. The two smaller babies weighed 35grams/1-1/2 ounces and the larger baby weighed 50grams/1-3/4 ounces. The following day she delivered a mummified fetus and an injection of oxytocin was given to see if there were any other babies left (there were none).
UPDATE 4-10-05: Jasmine is currently being fed Oxbow’s Critical Care to supplement her food intake of vegetables and hay (she currently will not eat pellets). She is fed 30-45cc of CC per day which she eats from a spoon and loves. She has gained some weight but is still extremely thin. She now weighs 670 grams. She's still scratching and being treated for mites and she still has the head tilt.
UPDATE 5-3-05:Jasmine had her one-month checkup and came through with flying colors. She now weighs 804 grams so the Gerty Guinea mix will be eliminated. She will be given Oxbow's timothy-based pellets and grass hays along with her veggies and daily Vitamin C. The month-long course of antibiotics will be stopped but the Critcal Care is to continue. The Ivermectin will be given every two weeks for two more treatments. A fecal float was done to rule out any parasites.
UPDATE: Worked on bonding Jasmine with Pippi and Izzy, however, the bonding did not work out. Jasmine started to lose weight and Pippi kept stalking her and Izzy was not in the mood for another cage mate. She was then tried separately with two six-week-old females but neither bonding attempt was successful. She did, however, like her stuffed toy tiger. Her new neighbors are Lily and Daisy aka Bijou, two exbreeders who needed a new home. Lily is older and has possible mild cataracts and was underweight and had aborted her last litter but she seems to be doing fine now.
UPDATE 10-2-05: Jasmine is currently being treated for a tooth and gum problem. She is receiving an antibiotic, pain medicine, vitamin C, and Oxbow's Critical Care. She is in a smaller cage and may be viewed on the Guinea Pig Fun web cam.
EDIT 1-6-07: Jasmine was put to sleep today.
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Jenni: A Rescued Guinea Pig (August 2, 2007)Jenni was rescued from a shelter by a guinea pig rescue in California. She came into the shelter with three other "stray" females and was the only one with a major hair loss. She was treated with Ivermectin and Revolution (for mites) and also Bactrim/TMS, an antibiotic. She greatly improved under the care at the rescue. Her vet also determined that she had a luxated lens and that she might have a fungal infection. However, the rescue did not treat her for the fungal as the vet suggested nor did they treat her glaucoma. After her hair grew in she still was having problems with her skin so Guinea Pig Fun took her since she was still un-adoptable. She was taken to GPF's vet where a culture was run to confirm the ringworm. In addition to her anterior luxated lens in the left eye, she also had glaucoma. The vet discussed it with an eye specialist (as did the rescue's vet when she was there) and it was decided that the best treatment was to remove the eye. During surgery to remove the eye they found multiple bite wounds on her body and a swelling underneath one area of wounds. After surgery she was permanently removed from her former cage mate. Her treatment includes two pain relievers and an antibiotic twice a day along with a cold compress to the surgery site twice a day. Critical Care is to be force feed 2 - 3 times a day if she is not eating. A fungal culture was run with the results due within about 10 days. UPDATE: The culture was positive and she various topical meds have been tried. She is currently on Griseofulvin per the recommendation of her previous vet and my vet. Unlike Reba, she is tolerating the medicine and her hair is growing back but she is still itching. CLICK THUMBNAILS TO VIEW LARGER IMAGES.
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Jenni: Luxated Lens and Glaucoma | Jenni had an anterior luxated lens in the left eye; she also had glaucoma. The vet discussed it with an eye specialist and it was decided that the best treatment was to remove the eye. Her treatment included two pain relievers and an antibiotic twice a day along with a cold compress to the surgery site twice a day. Critical Care was force feed 2 - 3 times a day if she was not eating. |
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Kylie and Misha: SF ACC guinea pigs (June 14, 2008)
Spots (aka Misha ) 6-14-08: a six-year-old Peruvian female was a shelter guinea pig who was not adoptable due to a lump on her abdomen. She was pulled from the shelter and taken straight to a vet in SF for assessment. Spot's weight is fine and she has "perfect teeth". There is possible thinning of the hair over the rump ... not known at this time if it is hormonal/ovarian-cyst related or mites or dietary. The lump is a tumor and not attached to the abdomen wall and believed at this point not to be related to a mammary gland. Surgery is the recommended treatment for the tumor and surgery is scheduled. The hair around her lower rump is stained a deep yellow/brown possibly from sitting in the urine-soaked shredded paper bedding and a UTI.
UPDATE 6-15-08: I gave Spots a bath this morning and she is very hyper and sensitive to the touch and flips all over the place, most likely due to mites. Her hair was very chopped as though she may have come in with mats that they just cut off at the shelter. I tried to even it up a bit and cut off the stained areas on her lower rear end. I discovered that she is actually the one with a urinary problem ... the white towel showed pink urine. I gave her Ivermectin and Vitamin C and started her on TMS/Bactrim. I called the vet this morning and left a message for the correct doses of each. It will probably take a month for the mites issue to resolve but I'm not sure about the urinary problem. It could be a simple one, possibly stress-related due to being in a shelter environment, or more involved. She will be checked on the 5th by the vet when she gets back from her vacation and the tumor removed on the 12th unless there is a problem
UPDATE 7-5-08: Misha (aka Spots)was checked by the vet today and had her surgery a week early. A mass was removed that extended to her right mammary gland. The mass was sent out to a lab to be analyzed. She is to receive TMS twice daily for seven days and Metacam once daily for five days. LAB REPORT RESULTS: Malignant Adenocarcinoma (cancer) of the mammary gland; excision (removal) appears to be complete.
Buckeye (aka Kylie) 6-14-08 a six-year-old female was a shelter guinea pig who was not adoptable due to existing medical conditions. She was constantly wet and they "could not keep her". (Translation she would go out the back door = PTS = euthanized.) She was pulled from the shelter and taken straight to a vet in SF for assessment. Buckeye does not have perfect teeth and they may present a problem at some point. She is very small ... about 690 grams ... for an adult. The vet did not think she was 5 years old but she did think she was an adult. Before going to view her at the shelter I thought that her constantly-wet rear end might be due to mobility problems rather than the yeast problem that the shelter vet thought might be the issue. When I checked her out at the shelter she seemed to hop (she's not a satin) and at the vet's she would not move. X-rays were taken which revealed arthritis and calcification of the knees (they are bent). The x-rays also revealed gas in the gut but there was no sign of bloat. The vet feels that her problems may be due to scurvy/lack of Vitamin C. She is to receive a Vitamin C supplement along with Metacam as needed and Oxbow's Critical Care. Buckeye (now known as Kylie) is doing fine and has gained a little bit of weight. She is the (somewhat) mellow one. This morning she was dry and still is so the vet bedding is working at wicking away any urine moisture. She is getting Vitamin C and Metacam daily and I started the Critical Care this morning. Her droppings are still very small but she does seem to be eating. I'll have my own vet check her and her teeth out on the 5th when she sees Spot.
UPDATE 6-28-08: Kylie may have had a stroke or seizure today. She has returned to "normal" and will be assessed by her regular vet.
UPDATE 7-5-08: Kylie was checked out by my vet today and she seems to be doing fine at the moment. Her weight is steady and she is eating normally although she tends to spill her pellets a bit when she eats ... they seem to be spread around her bowl now. The vet checked her teeth and did not see any problems with the pre-molars that the other vet had mentioned. Kylie's eyes were checked since she seems to stare off into space a bit after her seizure episode. Her pupils do react to light but we are not sure how much she really sees ... it could simply be light and shadows. She still walks (waddles) and no longer hops like she did at the shelter. Also, as long as she is on the vet bedding (Palace Pet is the brand I use) she is dry around her rear end. Her antibiotic was stopped since she is currently not displaying any symptoms of an inner ear-infection. If she gets another seizure I am to start the antibiotics. the vet cut back Kylie's Metacam dose to 0.1cc daily and the liquid Vitamin C was cut back to 0.2cc daily. The info on the vet record that I received today say "possible idiopathic vestibular episode vs. infection." CLICK THUMBNAILS TO VIEW LARGER IMAGES.
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Lucky: A Rescued Guinea Pig (October 7, 2006)Lucky and his companion used to live indoors until they were put outdoors to live due to the caretaker's girlfriend's allergies. They had a dog house as shelter and a bale of hay, a pellet dispenser, and carrots dumped on the ground provided their nourishment. They lived this way for two to three years until Lucky was rescued after a wild animal killed his companion. EDIT: Lucky was checked by the vet and confirmed that he is now blind. CLICK THUMBNAILS TO VIEW LARGER IMAGES.
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Max (aka Pua) w/mites (April 26, 2004)These photos show a guinea pig who was left behind after the occupants moved out of an apartment in the mountains of Los Angeles. The guinea pig was found in a bird cage among the bags of trash. The landlords took in the pig and cared for him in the best way that they could. They discovered that his skin was quite flakey and had open sores on it. A topical-pain reliever provided some relief for the pig, however, their daughter had allergies and so they could not keep him. The guinea pig needed immediate medical care and a request for help was posted on a guinea-pig forum. After various attempts to try to transport the guinea pig to the San Francisco Bay Area, a person was asked if he might have any suggestions on how to get him transported. The person offered the use of a (new) car and to pay for the gas for the trip. The offer was accepted and a person in the LA area drove to meet the people who had been caring for Pua (his name was later changed to Max when it was discovered that he was a male). The tranport person, who had never driven more than an 1-1/2 hour's distance, drove down to Gorman (north of LA) to meet the people who had the guinea pig. The drive back also included the transport of two other male guinea pigs, one of whom had been abandoned in a park. They also both had a (very mild) case of mites. The drive to and from LA was done as a turnaround trip and took a total of 12 hours. This album will contain photos that show the healing progress which will be the result of treating Max with Ivermectin and baths. It appears that Max may be a Satin.UPDATE: 7-17-04 An update on Max ... his hair is growing in and he looks so much better now. There is still flakey skin so he still will need a couple more Ivermectin treatments and baths. One thing that was noted during his last photo shoot is that he had a weird way of breathing. I took him ot the vet and he was put on oxygen and then they referred me to the ER vet for overnight oxygen and x-rays. When he was at the ER vet, they said that the oxygen seemed to make him worse so they sent him home. He's currently being treated twice a day with antibiotics and will go back to the vet for oxygen and an x-ray if his breathing worsens. He has no other symptoms such as discharge from his eyes or nose and no sneezing. He was housed on kiln-dried-pine shavings for a week since I had run out of Carefresh. At the moment he seems to be improving (the first vet wasn't sure if he would survive without being on oxygen all night).
UPDATE: 7-18-04 Max's x-rays today showed that he has fluid in his lungs and chest area. He was given and injection of furosemide/lasix and sent home with the same ... to be given twice a day.
UPDATE: 7-30-04 Max is no longer on the lasix but will continue his antibiotics for two weeks and then have another x-ray taken to see if his lungs are clear. [His next x-ray showed one clear lung and his meds were stopped and he is to be monitored.]
UPDATE: 10-31-04 Max started breathing with difficulty again so he was taken to the vet where another x-ray was taken. The diagnois was heart disease and his treatment will include lasix and a bronchodilator. However, the vet called back to say that she can not find any information on the dilators so they will not be presribed. So far, Max has been seen by four vets, including one at an emergency clinic.
UPDATE: 12-15-04 Max was seen by another exotics vet recently and it was discovered that he was being treated for the wrong ilness and with the wrong medicine. He has persistent pneumonia and the vets did not get back to me with the results of the last two x-rays that were taken on two occasions. He is now being treated with a high dose of Baytril and may need to be on it for the rest of his life.
UPDATE 6-22-05: Max died today. His fifth x-ray showed that his lungs were collapsed due to the scar tissue from his ongoing pneumonia that he had for nearly a year.
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Oreo: A Rescued Guinea Pig (August 30, 2007)Oreo was abandoned along with another young male guinea pig. They were found inside a small bird cage in front of a closed feed store. A good Samaritan named Julia took them so that they would not be harmed or die from the heat. Meghan took them while a rescue or transport to a rescue could be found and Kathy assessed their health (as did a vet) and treated any medical concerns. Oreo is very underweight and has bumble foot on the pads of both rear foot pads. The other male appears to be healthy and is ready for placement in a loving home or with a rescue who will screen and place him. Oreo is currently being treated medically: Bactrim/TMS, Metacam, Vitamin C and Silvadene cream applied topically. CLICK THUMBNAILS TO VIEW LARGER IMAGES.
UPDATE9-1-07: Oreo was checked out by his vet today and he is to continue with the Metacam for 3 - 5 days and his TMS/Bactrim for a total of two weeks. The vet felt that the bumble foot did not enter his bones and that he should be fine when he is healed. He is still in a quarantine cage and will be for a couple of more weeks. UPDATE 9-8-07: Sparky was adopted today and it appears like it will be a great new home for him! Oreo is still being medicated (antibiotics) and is being monitored since he has a very high water intake and urine output. UPDATE: Oreo weighs 1116grams, which is at least a 255gram weight increase since his rescue. UPDATE 11-18-07: Michele is fostering to adopt Oreo and he's got some great new buddies. UPDATE 7-2-08: Oreo will be coming back to GPF since Michele has to move and cannot take him with her.
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Oscar and Pryn Oscar and Pryn are two Peruvian brothers. Their caretaker had stage-four cancer and was no longer able to care for them. They had a skin problem when they arrived but that was finally resolved and their hair grew back and looks very healthy and shiny. No more scratching and no more shrieking or seizures! The good news is that they were adopted and now live in a huge cage with Kathleen and her daughter, Kaelieigh. CLICK PHOTOS TO VIEW LARGER IMAGES.
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Outdoor Hutch: Rescued Guinea Pigs Guinea Pig Fun was contacted about two guinea pigs who were living outdoors in unacceptable housing. After they were rescued and an intake was done it appears that they are both healthy and that there are no broken legs or toenails or problems with bumble foot even though they were housed on a wire floor. They will be given another dose or two of Ivermectin and watched for any signs of possible illness since a third guinea pig died one to two weeks ago. The three guinea pigs were obtained from someone six months ago as a Christmas present for children who quickly tired of them. The family didn't "have much time for them any more". Click thumbnail to view a large image.
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Pedro with Permanent Head Tilt (April 9, 2006)Pedro was originally treated for a head tilt for 2-3 months by a pet store (?) I believe and then someone rescued him since they were going to put him down. She treated him with more antibiotics and tons of TLC for two more months and then needed to find him a permanent home.
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Pikachu and Jubaroo (September 3, 2007)Jubaroo is another owner-surrendered guinea pig who was rescued from a shelter. He is an older male Silkie/Sheltie possibly four years old and very sweet. He lives with Pikachu, a younger male Silkie/Sheltie. CLICK THUMBNAILS TO VIEW LARGER IMAGES.
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Precious aka Miss Van Gogh Miss Van Gogh is a young female special-needs pig from a shelter. She had a mass on her left ear that was removed at the shelter vet. There was a problem with a rear leg ... maybe the inflamed broken toenail on the left rear foot. She is underweight (she weighs 528 grams), has a head tilt, and possible mites. Along with her ear where the scab fell off, areas that need to be watched: rear end where there was stiff and wet urine-soaked hair and the area around her eyes (there is slight hair loss around the left eye and possible flakes). She had a Nizoral bath and is currently receiving TMS/Bactrim twice a day and Metacam once a day (just for a couple of days for the toenail) and Oxbow's Vitamin C. In addition, the inflamed toe is being soaked twice a day. She will receive a standard-intake preventative dosing of Ivermectin: once a week for three weeks for any mites. She is very sweet and loves to eat!
UPDATE 11-24-07: Precious was assessed by her vet tonight about 10:00pm. The ear mass had returned aggessively, was bleeding, and causing extreme pain so she was humanely PTS.
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Queenie and Lil' Kim They are a bonded pair of lovely guinea pigs. They are sweet and very calm. They received the first dose of Ivermectin and Revolution yesterday and they had a bath, nail trimming, ear cleaning, and chlorohexiadine foot cleaning since they came to me, which is yesterday. ~ Yuko
Due to Yuko's concerns about Queenie's potential medical issues, GPF offered to help Yuko if needed ... either to foster and treat her or take her in as a sanctuary pig. More information after the vet examines them both. ~ Kathy CLICK THUMBNAILS TO VIEW LARGER IMAGES.
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Reba and Rita (September 3, 2007)Reba, GPF's mascot, was turned into a shelter with the bottom half of her severed leg still in the bottom of the cage. The rest of her leg was amputated at the shelter. While in foster care, it was discovered that she was pregnant and Rita was the only baby who got along with her. Both were placed with a family but, due to a family medical emergency, she was returned to a guinea pig rescue in California, the rescue who placed her. After Reba arrived at GPF she was tested again for ringworm and the test was positive. Reba is currently being treated for a fungal skin problem as is Rita who does not exhibit any visual symptoms. Rita arrived "healthy" but she had sludge, urine scald, and diluted blood in her urine which she was treated for by GPF. Both are very sweet.
UPDATE 10-7-07: Rita and Reba went to the vet for a quality-of-life assessment. A mass/tumor was discovered in Rita. She was losing weight daily and not a candidate for surgery. Reba's fungal problem was not resolved after trying different oral and topical treatments. Two weeks after her last shampoo she had a thick crusting around her left eye. There had been virtually no improvement since she was here and she was not a candidate for Griseofulvin since she had an adverse reaction to it: diarrhea and lack of appetite and appeared to be suffering/dying just after one dose. Therefore it was decided that it was more humane to have her join Rita on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge.
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Rosie: A Rescued Guinea Pig Rosie was found by a couple during their walk in a rural area. They tried to get her but she ran away so the man went back later and caught her and brought her home. After two days she started to loose her hair so she was taken to the vet. The vet gave two options: put her down or treat her. They chose treating her so she was given an oral dose of Ivermectin and Chlorhexi to dilute and apply as a topical once a week. The couple could not keep her since they had two rat terrier mix dogs and they felt that they could do no more more her since the treatment they were proving was not resulting in her getting better. GPF took her in and found that she had other medical issues as well as hair loss. She appeared to have an URI and was severely underweight. It's quite possible that she was dumped where there was no access to water (a guinea pig will not eat if there is no water source). She was started on Bactrim/TMS. Metacam, Oxbow's Critical Care, liquid Vitamin C, and continued dosing with oral Ivermectin. It is not known at this time if she will make it; she will be evaluated by my vet in a week. She was named Rosie since she was found in Santa Rosa.
UPDATE 5-24-08: Rosie went to the vet today and had a couple of x-rays taken. She does have pneumonia ... a "nasty" case per the vet; one lung is worse than the other. She was given fluids with Baytril and Vitamin B added and I was given fluids to take home in case she stops eating. She was switched over to Baytril twice a day to see if that will help since the Bactrim/TMS didn't seem to be helping that much. If the Baytril interferes with her eating then she'll be put back on Bactrim and may be given an injectable antibiotic also. She was not given oxygen like Max used to get when he showed up at (another) vet's. She is to continue with Critical Care and daily Vitamin C supplement (oral: liquid) and I'm to check with the vet in a couple of days. If she does okay then she will be rechecked in four weeks (the minimum that it will take to get the pneumonia resolved) or next Saturday if things aren't working out too well. No photos were taken today at the vet ... I left the camera home this time around. Lasix (for the fluid) was not an option with pneumonia and I'm to not apply any more aloe vera since she was ingesting a little of it and it can be toxic to them in large amounts (?).]
UPDATE 6-5-08: Rosie's hair is slowly growing in and should be fully grown in the next couple of weeks. She has gained 100 grams since she arrived here. She is still receiving her antibiotics and Critical Care daily. She still makes noises and surges back and forth when she breathes but she has perked up and is now no longer bony.
UPDATE 6-14-08: Rosie took a sudden turn for the worse and was having trouble breathing. She was taken to the vet where it was determined that it would be best to humanely euthanize her since she was having trouble getting any air/oxygen.
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Sammy (aka Navajo) (September 3, 2007)Sammy is a young male Abyssinian-X who was rescued from a shelter. He ended up at the shelter after he was abandoned in a cage next to a dumpster. He was placed by a rescue but he and his young male cage mate did not get along, which can happen when males reach adolescence. He is very sweet and loves to be petted. So far he has been in eight "homes": breeder, pet store, caretaker, shelter, rescue, adoption, rescue, sanctuary.
UPDATE: Sammy's fungal culture tested positive (he is housed in the same unit as Jenni and where Reba was housed) and he is currently being treated.
UPDATE 3-1-08: Sammy was brought in for a routine neuter and was fine during and after the surgery. However, a couple of hours later he vomited while at the vet's office and efforts to save him were not successful. A necropsy was done performed to try to determine what would have caused the vomiting and the end result. However, there was no obvious reason for his death.
CLICK THUMBNAILS TO VIEW LARGER IMAGES.
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Scooter and Skipper 3-13-08: All four brothers and their mother were housed in a too small cage with a wire floor. One of the baby pigs had only "three legs". He got one of his legs stuck in the wire floor when he was about two weeks old. When he was pulled out he jumped or twisted and the owner thought that he had most likely broken his leg. The mother also has a left-rear leg problem and it is not known if hers is also broken. Neither pig was taken to the vet. One of the babies has a possible bite wound on his shoulder (unless it turns out to be ringworm). The mother is still in the cage with the other two male babies and the father most likely was left in the cage after the babies were born. The mother looked like she is possibly pregnant again. The guinea pigs normally lived outside but were being housed inside during the colder weather. The woman still has the adult male but I did not see him since she brought the cage outside and placed it on the porch in front of the door. Information on appropriate cages, care, time to separate male babies from their mother, and (hazards of) breeding was siven to the woman. [My vet is familiar with the animal control in the woman's area and she felt that education is the best way to go since this situation would not be a high-priority.]
UPDATE 3-15-08: The two babies were taken to the vet tonight for a checkup and to have their sex confirmed. The results of the exams for both pigs are: Pig #1 (black mask/face; "Scooter"): Leg most likely broken when he was two weeks old and healed/set in one week: "Old fracture of left tibia - healed with arthrodesis (frozen) torsal joint. No treatment except soft bedding to prevent sores on foot." Pig #2 (white blaze on face; "Skipper"): "Lesion on back appears to be a healed bite wound. Monitor for signs of ringworm (less likely)."
UPDATE 3-16-08: The two remaining babies and the mother were placed according to the woman who had them.
UPDATE: 6-29-08: Both Scooter and Skipper were adopted today and the family will continue to monitor his leg that was broken and have their own vet exam his leg.
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SF abandoned guinea pig (aka Sammy) (July 16, 2008)7-17-08: Two female college students found a young male Peruvian guinea pig abandoned in a small, dirty cage on a street corner in San Francisco. They fed him water and lettuce and the next day GPF picked him up since he was going to be taken to an over-crowded animal control shelter the next day. (The SF ACC is not a no-kill shelter.)
His long hair was completely matted and needed to be removed (a process that took a while) with scissors and an electric shaver. It's quite possible that he may have a fungal infection since he has flakes on his skin and his ear flaps appear to have a scaling and crusting on them. He will receive an anti-fungal medicated bath and get his eyes and ears cleaned today. In addition, he will receive Ivermectin for possible mites and Vitamin C. He appears to be underweight but is eating non-stop (pellets, vegetables, and hay). He displayed a bit of labored breathing, hopefully due to his poor diet and housing. More photos and updates to follow. CLICK A THUMBNAIL IMAGE TO VIEW THE LARGER PHOTO.
UPDATE: 1-1-09 Sammy was found in his cage upside down and dead in his hay box. He had been checked and was alive about 15 minutes earlier. He consumed a huge amount of water and had a high urine output. He was being treated for a UTI but the thought was that he had kidney disease.
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Snowy, a Rescued Guinea Pig (February 5, 2007)
2-5-07: When I held four-year-old Snowy, I realized she was the one who would be the new GPF mascot. I ended up taking her two buddies but once they were here, the female kept chasing her away from the food and going after her. I tried Snowy with Starina and they were fine but not for too long ... Starina also went after her. She is by herself at the moment which might be good since I think Tulip and Keifer may have eaten her food (they are "well fed"; meaning they love to eat and it shows). She is only 707 grams. I got her medical record today and aside from being underweight, she has a large amount of missing hair (was treated for mites) that is starting to grow back. However, she is still scratching so I gave her a dose of Ivermectin. She also has a cyst on her back that the vet expressed. It's barely visible so hopefully it won't grow back. She had a urinary stone that was removed and she nearly didn't come to after being put out. The rescue was told that she might not survive if she had to go under again. The vet had never removed a stone but they did so by putting her under and pushing on it. Unfortunately, the medical record shows that they tore the urethal opening. She was on Metacam and Baytril after the procedure which was done 12/19/06. I have a call in to my vet to have her assessed. Like Jasmine was, she is very fragile. She was breathing slowly so hopefully she will be okay. She has a very sweet temperament and no head tilt but I believe she is a texel or texel cross.
UPDATE 2-6-07: Snowy still loves her Critical Care and has gained 27 grams. Five new photos added.
UPDATE 2-15-07: 4 new photos #1 - 4; gained 40 grams.
UPDATE:The vet found a tumor in Snowy's abdomen which most likely was causing her various medical issues. Due to her prior problems with sedation when she had surgery while she was at the rescue, she was not a candidate for surgery so she was humanely PTS after being here only one month.
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Tatianna aka Hoppy (January 22, 2006)This is the information that came with Hoppy: "The mother had a baby, very large, that had development issues. She was
probably crunched up in the womb and or in the birth canal. Her muscles were not strong enough to support her body and head. She did better after I had her on some towels. I gave her regular massages and some hand feeding. She was able to nurse on her mother. This happens sometimes with single babies. They develop larger and need help for a couple of days." The photos below show her slight head tilt (to her right) and the front left leg/paw that sometimes gets turned under.
UPDATE: Tatianna's rear leg was dislocated so it was surgically removed. She is doing great and she and her older female cage mate now reside with her former caretaker.
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Tigger aka Dr. Watson Tigger had mites and urine scald when rescued by Michelle; Satin with potential for bone loss and mobility problems; bites occasionally but is very user-friendly and sweet.
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Willie: Head Tilt & Dislocated Shoulder (June 25, 2005)He is a young male who has a head tilt and a dislocated shoulder (front left). He gets around by using his front right leg for support (as though his left leg were amputated).
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WildCare (May 1, 2005) | 7 Images
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Handfeeding Critical Care (January 21, 2007)The first photos are ones that SandyF took of the way she prepares a 1cc syringe for handfeeding Oxbow's Critical Care. The photos that follow are methods that I used to give Jasmine her Critical Care. I usually give the Critical Care in a 35cc syringe, spoon, or a thicker version (less water) in a mini bowl. All of the methods work so just find one that works best for you and your guinea pig. Thanks, Sandy, for your awesome photos!
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Peg Teeth (6-1-08)Six-year-old female who is currently eating and acting in a normal manner. No drooling or wet chin. Previously seen by a vet and had teeth trimmed. Call in to vet for another appointment and antibiotic type and dose to be given for inflammation (if approved) until seen.
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Pregnant Pig Transport to LA (March 9, 2008)SF ACC called Cavy Spirit about two pregnant pigs who needed to be pulled so a request for fosters was posted on the Guinea Lynx forum. sus4rabbitsnpigs offered to take them into her rescue and Amy offered to transport them to her in LA. Amy and Kathy left Sunnyvale at 10:30am and transferred them to Susan in Valencia about 3:30pm and arrived back in Sunnyvale about 9:30pm (Kathy was actually on the road from 8am until 11:30pm.) Amy drove and Kathy sat with the pigs to monitor them and take photos.
Both guinea pigs were very sweet but quite stressed with the transport. The Peruvian was very uncomfortable (some of the roadway was very bumpy). She kept moving around and would go after the Aby and snap/bite her face, rear end, and barber her. Both were fine being petted; the Aby more so than the Peruvian who was stressing out. Both pigs wiped their nose and the Peruvian had some debris accumulated in her right nostril that she cleaned off. No sneezing was noted. We did not separate them during the transport. However, they might need to be separated if the Peruvian does not settle down after arriving at the rescue so that she doesn't stress/injure the Aby and/or her babies.
EDIT 3-11-08: The larger carrier was given to Susan to keep the guinea pigs in for the remainder of the transport.
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