Here we can see, “Broken Guinea Pig Legs: Symptoms and Treatments”
Guinea pigs are popular among children for various reasons, but that doesn’t mean they’re invincible. Unfortunately, exotic animal veterinarians see broken guinea pig legs much too frequently, and these injuries are frequently caused by child mishaps or problems with the guinea pig’s cage or toys. However, there are still things you can do to help a guinea pig with a possible broken limb if you find yourself in this situation.
Types of Broken Bones
Simple fractures are shattered bones that haven’t broken through the skin layer because there aren’t any skin wounds. The treatment plan will be determined by the location of the break and how long it has been fractured. Fractures can also be classified into more specific categories, such as oblique, complex, compression, and others, which your veterinarian can explain.
Because a compound fracture is more than just a shattered bone, it can be more serious than a simple fracture. A hematoma, or a wound or swelling of blood beneath the skin, is often linked with these fractures, and the bone may even protrude through the skin. In addition, compound fractures are more likely to become infected than simple fractures because of the rupture in the epidermal layer.
What Happens When Guinea Pigs Break Their Legs?
Accidents
Rough handling by children is a common cause of a broken guinea pig limb. Children are more aggressive with animals, carrying them about and even accidentally stepping on them, resulting in traumas such as broken bones. Adults, too, have mishaps from time to time. Guinea pigs are dropped, squirmed, try to jump out of arms, trodden on, and are mistakenly picked up, and all of these activities can cause a guinea pig’s little leg to break.
Getting Locked Up in a Cage
Guinea pig cages with wire floors, hay hoppers, wire exercise wheels, and other devices that a leg can get stuck in can easily cause injury.
Malnutrition
If a guinea pig’s bones are not properly nourished, they will become weak, brittle, and prone to fracture. This frequently happens when a guinea pig isn’t fed properly and isn’t getting enough vitamins and minerals.
Treatments for Guinea Pig Legs That Have Been Broken
If your exotics pet is having trouble walking or appears to have a leg injury, it should be sent to your exotics veterinarian as soon as possible. If your guinea pig isn’t eating, it should be handled as an emergency to avoid ileus from developing due to the limb injury’s agony. Until your veterinarian can treat your guinea pig, you can syringe feed it mixed vegetable baby food or Critical Care, but this is only a temporary option. If left untreated, the stress a guinea pig’s body undergoes due to an injury and the discomfort it may experience enough to kill it. Even if the first vet you take it to cannot help you heal its leg, ask for pain relievers and anti-inflammatory medications to keep it comfortable until you get it more carefully.
Without X-rays, your veterinarian may be able to detect if the limb is broken, but an X-ray is the best way to see exactly where the leg is broken. Splinting or surgery to insert pins in the leg may be required to keep it together until it heals. If the leg cannot be medically healed or splinted, or the break is more than a few days old, it may need to be amputated. If one of these solutions is out of your price range, your exotics veterinarian may suggest euthanasia. Some guinea pig owners who cannot afford surgery or splinting have had success with cage rest and supportive care at home for about a month to see whether the bone heals first. However, this procedure necessitates a significant amount of effort on your behalf and may not be effective for all types of broken legs. Before taking this route, consult your exotic veterinarian to see if this is a break that would respond to this form of treatment.
Guinea Pig Legs That Don’t Break
Appropriate Foods Should Be Feed
To keep your guinea pig’s bones strong, make sure you feed it the right guinea pig diet. Give a vitamin C supplement, whether it’s in the shape of a tablet, a droplet, or something else. Guinea pigs can’t synthesize this vitamin. Therefore they have to eat it, just like people.
Get Rid of Items that Legs Can Get Stuck In
Remove any wire wheels, hay hampers or hay balls, wire ramps, and even wire cage bottoms that a guinea pig could get its leg stuck in.
Cage Shelves must be removed.
Allowing your guinea pig to tumble into its cage is not good.
Keep an eye on the kids.
When handling guinea pigs, have youngsters sit on the ground and educate them how to be gentle with pets while supervising them.
Provide a Safe Place to Run Around
Please make sure you and everyone else in the house know when your guinea pig is out of its cage, so no one treads on it, or invest in a playpen for your pig to avoid such mishaps.
User Questions
Is it possible for guinea pigs to sense pain?
Guinea pigs feel pain but don’t express it. Thus they may suffer for a long time before being recognized. However, changes in typical behavior can indicate the onset of disease or suffering.
Do guinea pigs have any idea when they’re going to die?
Guinea pigs may be aware that they are sick or injured. However, they could not realize they were dying. Likewise, the other guinea pigs may be unaware that their companion is dying. They’re only sick, and then they’re gone.
Is my guinea pig alive or dead?
Rigor mortis affects dead guinea pigs, causing their muscles to stiffen. This typically occurs between minutes to hours of death and can persist up to 72 hours. Your guinea pig is probably in shock if its eyes are shining, there are no rigid muscles, and you notice breathing.
Are guinea pigs fond of being held?
Guinea pigs are gregarious creatures who enjoy caressing, rubbing, and playing with humans. First, however, you must learn how to handle your guinea pig to avoid any injury properly. It’s fairly uncommon for guinea pigs to be wary of their human companions.
Is it possible to terrify a guinea pig to death?
Guinea pigs can die from sheer terror, such as when confronted by a fox or rat. And they frequently die due to an attack on an outdoor hutch. But, in general, only piggies with a weak heart or very feeble are affected.
Conclusion
I hope you found this helpful guide. If you have any questions or comments, don’t hesitate to use the form below.
