Post by Dawn - Admin on Oct 12, 2005 9:51:11 GMT
Introduction: The following has been written to help you figure out how injured your guinea pig is, what first aid should be given, when should the guinea pig be taken to the veterinarian, and what care the veterinarian will probably provide.
Supplies and Equipment: To help you determine your guinea pig’s condition and provide first aid, you should have the following available:
gauze or clean cotton sheeting
povidone iodine solution (antiseptic for washing cuts and bites)
glass thermometer used for humans or electronic ear thermometer (Thermoscan)
stethoscope (there are stethoscopes available for about $15.)
clock or watch with a second hand
Assessment: Figuring out what happened and to what degree the guinea pig is injured.
Can you tell exactly what happened to the guinea pig?
Was he/she crushed? By what amount of force?
Did he/she fall? From what height and on what type of surface?
Was he/she bitten? By large animal? small animal?
Examine your guinea pig gently and carefully :
Is there any bleeding? Is it from a large cut/laceration? How deep is it?
What color are the mucous membranes of the mouth? pink? pale-white? bluish? brick red?
Is the guinea pig able to walk?
Is each foot and leg in correct position?
Listen to the guinea pig’s heart: Count the heart beats for 15 seconds and multiply by 4. This gives you the heart rate for one minute. The heart rate should be between 240 and 310 beats per minute.
Listen to the guinea pig breathe for 15 seconds and count the breaths. Multiply by 4.
A guinea pig should take 90 to 150 breaths per minute.
Take guinea pig’s temperature:
Glass thermometer: Take the glass thermometer and shake the mercury so that it is at 93 or below.
Place thermometer in area where leg meets body and hold there for 3 minutes.
Remove the thermometer and read the level of the mercury.
Electronic ear thermometer: Turn thermometer on according to instructions. Cover ear tip with plastic cover which comes with thermometer. Gently insert thermometer into ear, pointing towards guinea pig’s eardrum. Push button. Thermometer will give you digital reading.
Normal temperature for a guinea pig is 99º to 103º fahrenheit.
Offer the guinea pig water and his/her favorite food. Does he/she eat the food? Is he/she drinking?
Does the guinea pig appear weak?
Does the guinea pig appear alert?
Is the guinea pig acting in a normal way?
Deciding on severity of injury:
Loss of blood (called hypovolemic shock): The guinea pig can lose blood either externally where you can see it or internally where you cannot see it.
Things that indicate serious blood loss are:
Increased heart rate, closer to 310 or above.
Increased breathing rate, closer to 110 or above.
Temperature is low, closer to 99º or below.
Mucous membranes of mouth are pale...very light pink or white.
Guinea pig is thirsty.
Guinea pig is weak.
Guinea pig is not acting normally.
Immediate Care:
If the guinea pig has an external wound/cut/laceration apply pressure with gauze or clean cloth. If it quickly stops bleeding, then clean with povidone iodine or mild soap and rinse well with water. Keep guinea pig warm. If he/she is showing any signs of serious blood loss, take to veterinarian immediately.
What Will The Veterinarian Do?
The doctor will give the guinea pig fluid either intravenously (directly into a vein) or subcutaneously (under the skin). The veterinarian will usually give a fluid called Lactated Ringer’s Solution (LRS).
[Intravenous: 24 G catheter, lateral metatarsal, caudal auricular, cephalic, femoral veins or jugular;
administer 100 ml per kg per day. Subcutaneously: 22-25 G butterfly catheter, 25-35 ml per injection site.]
The doctor may also give the guinea pig a medication called dexamethasone along with medication to protect the guinea pig’s stomach.
[Dexamethasone 0.1-0.6 mg per kg IM with gastric protectants.]
If the guinea pig will not eat, it must be force fed or he/she will die. The veterinarian will make a mixture of Nutrical and ground pellets or use a soy based liquid with vitamin C (10 to 50 mg per kg) added. The fluids will be given either by using a feeding syringe or by placing a small tube into the guinea pig’s stomach.
If the guinea pig is in pain, the veterinarian can give him/her either buprenorphine or meperidine by injection.
[Buprenorphine 0.05-0.1 mg per kg subcutaneously every 6-12 hours or Meperidine 10-20 mg per
kg subcutaneously or intramuscularly every 6 hours.]
Depending on what caused the wound, how deep it is and how well it could be cleaned, the veterinarian may place the guinea pig on an antibiotic medication.
SAFE ANTIBIOTICS:
Chloramphenicol [50 mg per kg every 8 hours for 7 days; oral, subcutaneous or intramuscular]
Trimethoprim-sulfa [30 mg per kg every 12 hours for 7 days; oral, subcutaneous or intramuscular]
Enrofloxacin, trade name Baytril [10 mg per kg every 12 hours for 7 days; oral]
Cefazolin [50 mg per kg, intramuscular]
UNSAFE ANTIBIOTICS, NEVER GIVE TO A GUINEA PIG, THEY CAUSE ENTERTOXEMIA, KILLS GOOD BACTERIA IN INTESTINE AND ALLOWS CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE TO OVERGROW:
Penicillin
Erythromycin
Clindamycin
Chlortetracycline
Streptomycin
Broken bone (called fracture):
Guinea pig will limp or be unable to walk.
Guinea pig’s foot or leg will probably be swollen and may not be in the correct position.
Guinea pig may make noises “crying” that he/she is in pain.
There may be bleeding.
Immediate Care:
Keep guinea pig quiet. Immobilize limb with hand. Call veterinarian and transport immediately.
What Will The Veterinarian Do?
The doctor will xray the guinea pig. If a bone is broken the veterinarian will apply a splint. Sometimes the fracture will need to have a pin placed surgically to hold the bones together. If the guinea pig has an open wound, the veterinarian will probably prescribe an antibiotic.
home.gwi.net/~czupryna/squeak/firstaid.html
Supplies and Equipment: To help you determine your guinea pig’s condition and provide first aid, you should have the following available:
gauze or clean cotton sheeting
povidone iodine solution (antiseptic for washing cuts and bites)
glass thermometer used for humans or electronic ear thermometer (Thermoscan)
stethoscope (there are stethoscopes available for about $15.)
clock or watch with a second hand
Assessment: Figuring out what happened and to what degree the guinea pig is injured.
Can you tell exactly what happened to the guinea pig?
Was he/she crushed? By what amount of force?
Did he/she fall? From what height and on what type of surface?
Was he/she bitten? By large animal? small animal?
Examine your guinea pig gently and carefully :
Is there any bleeding? Is it from a large cut/laceration? How deep is it?
What color are the mucous membranes of the mouth? pink? pale-white? bluish? brick red?
Is the guinea pig able to walk?
Is each foot and leg in correct position?
Listen to the guinea pig’s heart: Count the heart beats for 15 seconds and multiply by 4. This gives you the heart rate for one minute. The heart rate should be between 240 and 310 beats per minute.
Listen to the guinea pig breathe for 15 seconds and count the breaths. Multiply by 4.
A guinea pig should take 90 to 150 breaths per minute.
Take guinea pig’s temperature:
Glass thermometer: Take the glass thermometer and shake the mercury so that it is at 93 or below.
Place thermometer in area where leg meets body and hold there for 3 minutes.
Remove the thermometer and read the level of the mercury.
Electronic ear thermometer: Turn thermometer on according to instructions. Cover ear tip with plastic cover which comes with thermometer. Gently insert thermometer into ear, pointing towards guinea pig’s eardrum. Push button. Thermometer will give you digital reading.
Normal temperature for a guinea pig is 99º to 103º fahrenheit.
Offer the guinea pig water and his/her favorite food. Does he/she eat the food? Is he/she drinking?
Does the guinea pig appear weak?
Does the guinea pig appear alert?
Is the guinea pig acting in a normal way?
Deciding on severity of injury:
Loss of blood (called hypovolemic shock): The guinea pig can lose blood either externally where you can see it or internally where you cannot see it.
Things that indicate serious blood loss are:
Increased heart rate, closer to 310 or above.
Increased breathing rate, closer to 110 or above.
Temperature is low, closer to 99º or below.
Mucous membranes of mouth are pale...very light pink or white.
Guinea pig is thirsty.
Guinea pig is weak.
Guinea pig is not acting normally.
Immediate Care:
If the guinea pig has an external wound/cut/laceration apply pressure with gauze or clean cloth. If it quickly stops bleeding, then clean with povidone iodine or mild soap and rinse well with water. Keep guinea pig warm. If he/she is showing any signs of serious blood loss, take to veterinarian immediately.
What Will The Veterinarian Do?
The doctor will give the guinea pig fluid either intravenously (directly into a vein) or subcutaneously (under the skin). The veterinarian will usually give a fluid called Lactated Ringer’s Solution (LRS).
[Intravenous: 24 G catheter, lateral metatarsal, caudal auricular, cephalic, femoral veins or jugular;
administer 100 ml per kg per day. Subcutaneously: 22-25 G butterfly catheter, 25-35 ml per injection site.]
The doctor may also give the guinea pig a medication called dexamethasone along with medication to protect the guinea pig’s stomach.
[Dexamethasone 0.1-0.6 mg per kg IM with gastric protectants.]
If the guinea pig will not eat, it must be force fed or he/she will die. The veterinarian will make a mixture of Nutrical and ground pellets or use a soy based liquid with vitamin C (10 to 50 mg per kg) added. The fluids will be given either by using a feeding syringe or by placing a small tube into the guinea pig’s stomach.
If the guinea pig is in pain, the veterinarian can give him/her either buprenorphine or meperidine by injection.
[Buprenorphine 0.05-0.1 mg per kg subcutaneously every 6-12 hours or Meperidine 10-20 mg per
kg subcutaneously or intramuscularly every 6 hours.]
Depending on what caused the wound, how deep it is and how well it could be cleaned, the veterinarian may place the guinea pig on an antibiotic medication.
SAFE ANTIBIOTICS:
Chloramphenicol [50 mg per kg every 8 hours for 7 days; oral, subcutaneous or intramuscular]
Trimethoprim-sulfa [30 mg per kg every 12 hours for 7 days; oral, subcutaneous or intramuscular]
Enrofloxacin, trade name Baytril [10 mg per kg every 12 hours for 7 days; oral]
Cefazolin [50 mg per kg, intramuscular]
UNSAFE ANTIBIOTICS, NEVER GIVE TO A GUINEA PIG, THEY CAUSE ENTERTOXEMIA, KILLS GOOD BACTERIA IN INTESTINE AND ALLOWS CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE TO OVERGROW:
Penicillin
Erythromycin
Clindamycin
Chlortetracycline
Streptomycin
Broken bone (called fracture):
Guinea pig will limp or be unable to walk.
Guinea pig’s foot or leg will probably be swollen and may not be in the correct position.
Guinea pig may make noises “crying” that he/she is in pain.
There may be bleeding.
Immediate Care:
Keep guinea pig quiet. Immobilize limb with hand. Call veterinarian and transport immediately.
What Will The Veterinarian Do?
The doctor will xray the guinea pig. If a bone is broken the veterinarian will apply a splint. Sometimes the fracture will need to have a pin placed surgically to hold the bones together. If the guinea pig has an open wound, the veterinarian will probably prescribe an antibiotic.
home.gwi.net/~czupryna/squeak/firstaid.html
