3.16.2012

Poof surgery recovery update - 1 month post operation


It has officially been one month since Poof had an ovariohysterectomy spay surgery to treat her case of ovarian cysts. We are glad to report that this little guinea pig has been recovering very well!

Post operative care was not easy - it takes a lot of time and dedication to struggle with a stubborn pig around the clock (details of our exact protocol). Poof was weighed, given antibiotics, force fed Critical Care, then later given probiotics multiple times a day. We checked the incision site every time we took her out and inspected her enclosure regularly to ensure that she was pooping (bloat and GI stasis are life threatening conditions) before changing it twice a day. She was also offered a rotating selection of her favorite foods and fresh hay to encourage eating on her own. The total time spent caring for Poof alone was more than three hours per day.

It took two weeks before we felt Poof was stable enough to ease up on the intensive care and rejoin her piggy friends. We continued weighing her and checking the incision site daily even after she was busy bossing them around again. Other than the staple removal incident, the only minor snafu was her sustained hair loss - even after the scab had fallen off Poof's fur continued to thin out all over her body (not just on her flanks or underside, which is a typical symptom with ovarian cysts). Healthy cavies are usually resistant to parasites but major surgery and other forms of stress can suppress the immune system, which would explain why Poof was more vulnerable to infestation. Our vet prescribed Poof and all the pigs Ivermectin. By the second dose she showed signs of improvement (decreased hair loss and scratching at self).

As anyone who has cared for a sick pet can attest to, it is a difficult journey but one that is certainly worth the effort. Seeing Poof happy and back to her old tyrannical self is the best reward of all.

View a photo log of her recovery here.

5 comments:

  1. I'm very pleased to hear that Poof is doing well. :-) Keep up the good work, all.

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  2. Yay!

    The day 26 photo is amazing. You'd never know she had such a large incision.

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  3. Sally, it amazes me too, and I see it regularly! I credit our very skilled and guinea-pig-experienced vet for the great job he did.

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  4. We are so happy that Poof is doing well! No doubt about it...she has excellent care and lots of love and I believe that makes all the difference in how quickly and well they recover (been there numerous times...bladder stones in two males and a tumor in another...I treasure my memories of caring for them). Have a wonderful weekend and give Poof a cuddle for us! :o)

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  5. Pencils and Paint, I agree, its never easy.. but the little furries are certainly worth it :)

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