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Buttercup passed away on November 19, 2015. You can read about her final story here.
Buttercup and Feebee, the “Guinea Golden Year” Guinea Pigs
Buttercup and Feebee are the perfect guinea pig pair.
Adopted together in 2011, they are sisters through and through, and they have enjoyed a long and relatively healthy life at the HappyCavy Forever Home. (Not counting, of course, the minor surgery Buttercup had in 2013.)
But, despite their shiny coats and resilient nature, somewhere between the “popcorns” and sleepy days, Ms. Cups and Feebs have entered the “Guinea Golden Years.” Sure, they may still play, eat, and cause a ruckus almost as much as when they were younger, but it’s clear that neither is getting any younger.
And it’s here we find ourselves with Little Miss Buttercup’s current condition.
Summary
- Since January 2015, Buttercup has undergone antibiotic treatments for an infection in her mouth
- In May 2015, Buttercup lost her front right bottom incisor, presumably due to the infection
- A culture of Buttercup’s infection was taken on 7/13/15. The results showed that Baytril and Flagyl are the correct antibiotics to be using. She is currently receiving a course of both.
- This is part #1 of a three part series. Catch up on part #2 or skip to part #3
———
“Oh, hello.”
The story goes like this:
Several days after Hammy’s passing, in the beginning of January 2014, Buttercup developed a persistent tooth infection – one that has not yet been resolved.
After multiple vet visits, a myriad of medicines and treatments – and plenty of bills – The Humans had some time to process Buttercup’s ordeal. And now it’s time to share her story, as HappyCavy does, in the hopes of helping others through their own guinea pig’s health challenges.
Read along to follow Buttercup’s journey through this most recent health problem, which is split into sections. (Eep! You have seven months to catch up on!)
Continue scrolling to read part #1, or:
Buttercup’s First Vet Visit
January 6, 2015
Vet Visit Fee*: $50.50 USD
Cost of Medicine*: $27.50 (Critical Care), $45 Chloramphenicol, $11.50 Reglan
TOTAL*: $134.50
What Was Done: Office visit
Perscriptions: Chloramphenicol (antiboitic), Reglan (to regulate gut health)
*All prices are based on our own personal veterinarian in the Portland, Oregon metro area. For recommended guinea pig doctors in your area, visit http://wheek.it/vets
Starting on New Year’s Day 2015, Buttercup began to act noticeably distant. Over a span of 48 hours, she became lethargic, always hiding in her pigloo; her water consumption decreased; she slowly ate less hay and instead went for pellets. Something was obviously not right.
So, to the phone The Humans went to schedule a vet appointment!
The first available time-slot was scheduled with the HappyCavy family vet on Tuesday, January 6th.
By the time her appointment day arrived, Buttercup had stopped eating, and The Humans were getting low on Critical Care to hand-feed.
Surprisingly, when at the appointment, Buttercup was acting happy, cheerful, and spunky. Sometimes she turns it on, and she had it up to 10 that day.
Weekly Health Checks
Performing at-home weekly health “check-ups” on each guinea pig you own is the cornerstone of a solid guinea pig care schedule.
Checking weight, ears, eyes, along with other vitals, can alert you to potential health issues when they matter most.
After a vitals check, mouth examination, flushing of her mouth, and other things Buttercup didn’t appreciate, the Family Vet suspected she had an infection in her mouth. He pointed to a slight thickening of her jaw, yet could see no obvious swelling or redness which one would suspect to accompany it. But, that was enough. It was antibiotics for Cups!
He prescribed the antibiotic Chloramphenicol to be administered two times each day for two weeks, with Reglan and probiotics to keep the gut stable during her antibiotic cycle. And The Humans were sent home with a care package of Critical Care, to feed Buttercup while she rested and healed.
Buttercup with just one item from her recently-acquired medicine collection.
———
After the appointment, Buttercup immediately began her antibiotic and Reglan regimen.
After just 48 hours of beginning the antibiotic cycle, she began eating pellets and hay…her smile returned. Hurray!
On January 21st, her antibiotic cycle stopped. She seemed to be back to her happy-go-lucky self, with no cares in the world.
That lasted until March 10, 2015.
Buttercup’s Second Vet Visit
March 10, 2015
Vet Visit Fee*: $50.50
What Was Done: $119.50 X-ray, $37.50 urinalysis
TOTAL:$207.50
What Was Done: Office visit, urinalysis and x-ray to check for bladder stones
Perscription: None
*All prices are based on our own personal veterinarian in the Portland, Oregon metro area. For recommended guinea pig doctors in your area, visit http://wheek.it/vets
The night of March 7th, Buttercup slowly began eating less and less, and in 24 hours, she ceased nearly all intake of food — without so much as a pellet to snack on. The Humans, again, sprang into action and began hand-feeding her Critical Care over the weekend until the Family Vet office opened.
Buttercup — carefully held on her back during a frequent exam — displaying the Signature Buttercup Smile.
The next Monday, March 9th, The Humans called Southwest Animal Hospital first thing in the morning and scheduled an appointment for their first availability on March 10th.
The appointment was made with a stand-in for the regular doctor who was out of town. Dr. Reluccio met with The Humans and Buttercup and performed an examination. Despite the regular doctor’s previous assessment, there was nothing, in Dr. R’s opinion, that displayed clear signs of an infection.
So, the doctor ordered a urinalysis and X-ray to check for bladder stones. At the time, we questioned the treatment recommendations, and looking back, perhaps we should have pushed harder for alternative treatments from our regular doctor. But, hindsight is always 20/20.
The Humans left without medicine, but they were determined to continue monitoring Buttercup.
———
Several days after the appointment, with hand-feeding ongoing, Miss Buttercup seemed to be holding her own, and, after several days, she slowly began to eat pellets and hay. At the time, this seemed like a miracle, considering that The Humans were constantly bothering her for weight checks, palpation sessions, and general wellness snuggles for several weeks.
Buttercup: a lesson in positivity
But, after just two weeks, her gum line began to swell and turn a shade of dark red. Buttercup grew more feisty; her smile began to fade. Soon after this, The Humans noticed a rancid smell coming from her mouth.
So, what did we do?
We made another appointment with the Family Vet for the following day, on April 21st.
But, before then, The Humans decided to take a chance — a careful chance — to see what was going on with Buttercup’s bothersome tooth.
A short rally was had to gather the supplies needed for this mission. Then, ever so carefully, Buttercup was laid on her back on the lap of Human #2.
And the exploration began.
Using a small cotton swab, her gum-line was carefully, delicately, prodded and examined. First, her left side. The gums were quite swollen. Then her right. A sickeningly foul smell.
“Could the root be infected? Could her right incisor be rotted? Maybe if we just touch that tooth to see what it feels like…”
And the tooth moved! With just the delicate touch of a cotton swab, the tooth moved as if nothing was there to hold it in place.
Buttercup’s “missing tooth”; photo taken after it was properly cleaned and dried
So, Human #2 went one step further. He held the tooth steadily in his hand, and tested it again: the tooth was definitely not healthy and on the verge of falling out.
With a slight movement of Human #2’s fingers, a touch so gentle that that it could barely be described as movement, it happened.
Buttercup’s bottom right incisor came cleanly out of its socket, with Buttercup nearly expressionless.
There we were.
Buttercup unfazed.
Human #1 slightly traumatized.
Human #2 holding Buttercup’s entire left front bottom incisor in his hands.
And some really funky fluid making its way out of where her right incisor had met its socket.
*shudder*
The Humans spent the next half hour diligently cleaning her now empty tooth socket with a water syringe and saline solution, and they counted down the hours until Buttercup’s (now emergency!) vet appointment the next day.
Fortunately, Buttercup’s appetite began to improve almost immediately after her tooth was removed, and the awful smell dissipated within a few days.
And, as she began eating on her own, the gum swelling incrementally began to subside. Whew!
Buttercup’s trying to show you her tooth situation
Continue reading part 2 of this story.
Share Your Brave Moment
Was there a time you had to be brave to help your guinea pig? Did you ever have to do something that you weren’t sure would help, but nobody else could?
We’d love to hear from you! (And it may make Buttercup feel a little bit better to know that she isn’t alone.)
Leave your comments and stories in the comment section below!
Catch up on Buttercup’s story. Read part #2 of this story, or skip forward to read part #3 of this story.
I feel so bad for Buttercup! What an ordeal for everyone! This seems an unusual situation for a GP. I’ve had many over the years and never dental issues. Get all better, Buttercup!
I had one who had both his top front teeth fall out numerous times. They grew back within a couple of days each times.
What a trooper Buttercup was through all of this, My boy Nutty, had to be given vaccinations for a MAJOR tooth and root infection, but finally we had to make the hard decision to let him go, he was about 4 and a half, close to average lifespan. My old boy Porkchop and Hershey my newest cavy are 8 months – 1 year Hershey’s 8 months and porky is close to his one year. Porky and Hersh send Buttercup some happy thoughts and a nose bump.
[…] Looking for part #1? Click here to read the first part of this story. […]