Help!!! Guinea Pig In Distress!!

[Goat_Walker]

OK. my friend has a guinea pig

bout 6 months, he keeps squealing and then going quiet. when picked up he goes limp and he cant stand. when he tries he is hunched up and my friend says he keeps acting like he is having a seizure - shaking and head turning to the side as if in pain. labored breathing/

Any idea? What can she do for him? Vet isnt really an option.

 

[Higins00]

Are you sure it's a male and not female in labor? I have never had this happen and I have had 4 guinea pigs. It sounds terrible. Is there any liquid coming out of it's nose? I had a hamster that had seizures and had running liquid out it's nose. It didn't live long. I hope someone can help

 

[ChickenWisperer]

I'm sorry, but a vet is your ONLY option. If your friend can't take the animal to the vet, then she shouldn't have gotten the animal in the first place...

I'm not familiar with the species, so I don't know what to do in the meantime. I would say turn the lights off, make it as comfortable as possible, and STOP stressing him by handling him.

 

[ShelterGirl]

HI!
This is the guinea pig's momma!
He is a male, I am sure. I've checked furiously to make sure ever since he was a wee thing.
I can't tell of there is any liquid but there is alot of standing quietly, then fallif and dragging/rolling on the cage floor. His head is cocked to the side a bit.
LORD!
I tried to click to him as normal to get his ears to twitch and no response. A second click set him off into rolls and squeals.

Here is my question, does it sound like seizures? I work at a humane society and have seen them before in larger animals...
His breathing is labored and changes pattern alot.

I wonder though, because his family was rescued from a meth lab...could it be affecting him? Maybe internal problems?

 

[ShelterGirl]

Please do not bad mouth me...lights are dim and I handled him maybe 30 seconds before letting him be.
Our local vet offices are closed and I'm already looking for an emergency clinic as I speak. I have been a responsible guinea pig momma (having rescued, fostered, then adopted him and spent much time with).
I am now quiet and turning off the light. But I'm sticking right here until I can find a vet.

 

[Higins00]

Is there any way he could have hurt his neck. Do you have young kids that could have dropped him off the bed? If not it sounds like there is something really wrong. I don't know what meth would do to a guinea pig. How long have you had him? Maybe his organs are shutting down.

 

[ShelterGirl]

There has been no instance of dropping in my care. My young brother is never around him. I'm the only one to handle him.

Him and three other siblings and their dad were rescued after a police raid on a lab and came to us. I have had NO previous signs.

 

[ChickenWisperer]

Quote:
I'm not bad mouthing you - just speaking the truth. The way the OP was worded it made it sound like vet care couldn't be afforded.

 

[ShelterGirl]

Sorry for the jumped conclusion. What I am trying to explain in simplicity is that all of the local vet clinics are closed, and the emergency clinic is for dogs and cats. It's a difficult situation and I am trying to dig up as much research as possible. I am trying to find a way to either gain help now, or try and ride it out and take him ASAP in the morning to a vet.

 

[mamahen2011]

As a Vet Tech, I've seen many seizures and they are all different. Could definitely be seizures, they can be set off by light, sound, any environmental changes, stress, fright, many many triggers . Sounds very neurological to me. You said he was rescued from a METH LAB? Unfortunately, if you can't get him to a vet, it doesn't sound real good for him. However, maybe if you keep him isolated, soft lighting, no noises (or at least minimize them), cover 1/2 the cage so he can "hide" and not handle him much. Maybe he can get through until you can get him to a vet that can do more. He could be epileptic and need medication.

Good luck with the little guy.