Mallen - poorly pet shop pig

[Towsbuns]

After alot of pondering about whether I was doing the right thing I bought a poorly guinea pig from a pet shop at the weekend. I have been monitoring him for a couple of weeks and after I had a closer look at him on Friday and had a go at the shop assistant who refused to let me take him to the vets, I went back and bought him on Saturday.
This is Mallen
http://www.muchos.co.uk/members/jaybee/Sweetie.jpg
See how thin he is
http://www.muchos.co.uk/members/jaybee/t_Skinnyboy.jpg
he has swollen joints on his front legs, is covered in bites and is losing his hair. I aint happy!!
This piccie shows the hair loss and swollen joint.
http://www.muchos.co.uk/members/jaybee/t_Swellbald.jpg

[Tamsin]

Aww poor chap! Maybe you could get a copy of your vets report and send copies to the shops manager and the local council (who licence petshops).

Tam

[Bunnysam]

Grrrrrrrrrrrr pet shops make me mad all they are interested in is their poxy money

I agree with Tamsin.

What was the name of the pet shop?

ps By the way Mallen is a very cute piggy

[Adele]

Hello, sorry to interupt this thread, but for Legal reasons we strongly advise you not to publically name the Pet Shop through which you experienced this problem.
If folk wish to Pm each other re this away from the Open Forum then of course that is your business.
I hope you do not mind my stating this fact, but it is in your own interests that I have done so. :D

I am sorry to hear about the unwell guinea pig, lucky that you were on hand to help when you did, well done :D

[Towsbuns]

No worries Adele, I have no intention of publicly naming them. I don't want to jeopardise any complaints I have initiated with both the Trading Standards and the RSPCA.
I really begrudged handing them money which is why it took so long to step in, however, when they said there was nothing wrong with him I knew he was not going to get any treatment from them. They will be presented with a vet bill and I will demand my money back - there is no way they will make anything out of this pig

[Tamsin]

Well done Julie, let us know how you get on.

Tam

[Bunnysam]

sorry :oops:

I didn't think.

I hope it all goes well with little Mallen pig.

[bunnymad]

Good on ya. The poor we thing doesn`t look happy.
Let us know how you get on. It amazes me that ppl can do this sort of thing. Well makes me mad really. Good on ya for rescuing him:)
bronie

[Kiwibunny]

Oh the poor little guy, he looks so sad and sweet. I hope he's going to be OK, please keep us up to date with his story. And good on you for helping him.
Anna

[Dorothy]

Well done for helping Mallen. He would probably have been overlooked by most people in the condition he is in. Wonder what the pet shop would have done if he was not sold :roll: . Good luck with the RSPCA etc. keep us posted as to how it all goes :D .
what a lovely colour he is :D .

[beck]

well done for rescuing little Mallen. He is very cute.

How is he doing?

[Holly Go-Lightly]

Julie,

You did the right thing and are continuing to do so by following it up with every authority available. Good Luck to you and your piggie.

[bunnytales]

Well done you for helping this little guinea pig.

Mallen looks a bosta and hopefully now with your good care - this little critter will make a good recovery - I'll keep fingers crossed.

I think this is precisely why Animal Welfare needs a regulatory body to pay un-announced vists to keep a general check on animal welfare - I have my police womans hat ready to go!! - Just kidding folks.

[Towsbuns]

Just a quick update - Mallen is improving all the time, he has scurvy, is very underweight, his teeth are too long and he has ear mites. The swelling on his leg has reduced, however, the sudden change in his diet to include fresh grass and veg has upset his tum a bit so he is now mainly on hay to try and naturally wear down his teeth as the vet doesn't want to stress him out too much in his current sorry state. He is also on probiotics and vit c supplements to sort out his tum and the scurvy - poor little mite, he must wonder what's hit him since he has been at my house, I feel as though I am constantly syringing stuff down him.
I have still heard nothing from the RSPCA since the call I made on Saturday but the Trading Standards have responded, only to tell me that I need to speak with Environmental Health rather than them re. this.

[Kiwibunny]

Give the little guy a big kiss from me. So glad he's doing better. PS How'd he get his name?

[Kiwibunny]

Give the little guy a big kiss from me. So glad he's doing better. PS How'd he get his name?

[Towsbuns]

How'd he get his name?
He has a Catherine Cookson Mallen Streak - if that means nothing you are a whippersnapper.
I have had a response from the Senior Environmental Health Officer for the area asking for more details and details of the vet I have taken him to. I have given him the full story including lots of piccies. Still nothing from the RSPCA which I am very disappointed about.

[Towsbuns]

http://www.northern-heritage.co.uk/pages/product_detail.asp?jgtype=4&jgmenu=&id=345

'the family mark, a distinctive flash of snow-white hair'.

[Kiwibunny]

OK, connection made! But I'm no whippersnapper, in fact, I'm likely the oldest member of this forum (sadly). Just not a CC fan really, not really keen on historical romance/dramas. But I LURVE guinea pigs...........
Anna

[Towsbuns]

Kiwibunny - just had a look at your pigs on webshots - they are gorgeous, I love black pigs, it took me ages to find Basil and I haven't seen another black rex for sale or in rescue since.

[Kara]

Arrrrr cute pigge, well done to you for helping him out.

Best wishes to the gorgeous Mallen

[Kiwibunny]

Hi Julie, yup, black pigs are nice, but hard to photograph as they tend to disappear into themselves! Can you post up another pic of Basil somewhere? I also love ginger pigs like Chester and your lovely honey-coloured bunny!. Snubby's mother was smooth black with a few tan markings, even Tufty is not true black, but Snubby is black as black and very shiny!
Anna

[Towsbuns]

I hope to have anothe photo session at the weekend as I would like to show you all how much Mallen has improved so I will try and get some better ones of Basil with a paler background at the same time.

[Kiwibunny]

How's Mallen "The Streaker" doing??

[Towsbuns]

Thanks for asking Kiwibunny - he's not too bad. i took him back to the vets last Thursday and, unfortunately, he had lost a bit of weight. It is like a juggling act - trying to get the right foods into him to heal the scurvy, put on weight and wear down teeth all at the same time without upsetting his tum. He is looking alot brighter, his skin is healing, the swellings have disappeared and his hair is getting thicker and has got a bit of a shine to it. It is almost as if his body is concentrating on the healing before the putting on of weight.
I am taking him back to the vets tonight to be weighed again and if he still has not gained weight he will have to stay in and have his teeth sorted. This may mean an anaesthetic but I am hoping that this won't be necessary as I am not sure he is strong enough to cope with it.
It is a shame that the weather has turned which means that his runs on the garden are now limited and that he will have to be moved either indoors or into the garage soon. Will update again later.

[Towsbuns]

Great News - Mallen was weighed again last night and had regained the 20g he had lost plus put on 10g more in only 5 days - it sounds such a little but with him being so thin anyway - even a little makes a difference. The vet managed to use a gag and trim off a little of one of his back teeth which was a bit too overgrown so no anaesthetic needed and now he should find eating even easier. he doesn't have to go back for another two weeks and if he is still gaining weight satisfactorily then he will be discharged. Mallen's eyes are still running a bit but the vet was not too concerned and just feels that it is part of his scurvy and, hopefully, should improve although may not necessarily clear up completely.

[MandyM]

Yay great news :thumb:

[rngpwelfare]

That is fantastic news.

Well done Julie. I now that you have put a lot of time and effort into helping this little man. You must be feeling a great sense of pride in what you have managed to do for him.

Piccy's in the near future please.

[Kiwibunny]

Can't you send him to NZ for me? I fell in love with him, he looked so vulnerable and sad. I'm so pleased he has put on weight and improved. If he can't come here, then you must keep him!
Anna

[~Lisa~]

Poor piggy :( Isn't it just terrible how some of these pet shops get away with this type of behaviour? Mallen must have been suffering for quite a while before you came along like a fairy godmother to rescue him from this situation. Sounds like he wasn't fed on a good enough diet to me and majorly lacking in vitamin C. Chances are he rarely tasted any veges whilst in that pet shop.
I see you are already a piggy fan so I know he will be given the royal treatment. Bless him, I bet he thinks he's in heaven 8)
Wishing him all the best for a full and speedy recovery.

[Towsbuns]

Sorry about the lack of pics - we have got a new PC at home and we forgot to add the digital camera software onto it - we are working on it!! Lots of pics currently stuck on the camera. Bought Mallen a new 4ft hutch yesterday - he will look lost in there on his own. He is eating loads and has starting 'talking' to me - we even got our first popcorn out of him at the weekend - he must be getting better!!

[Kiwibunny]

Yay! Go Mallen!

[Towsbuns]

I had the most awful night with Mallen last night. When I checked him yesterday morning, he seems a bit subdued and his pellets seemed a bit softer than usual, but nothing serious. However, when I got home from work last night he had really bad diarrhoea and was looking very poorly. Thankfully, I had held onto a couple of sachets of probiotic and I managed to get that into him along with some multivitamin but he just didn't seem interested at all. I really thought I would lose him overnight. He stayed in the kitchen overnight with a hot water bottle and the only thing I managed to get into him during the night was well diluted Ribena. He seems brighter this morning and is eating but he is still very loose and I am still worried.
Come on Boy - you have come so far!!

[Lynn]

Keep fighting little Mallen. It's good he seems brighter this morning and is eating - thinking of you both.

[MandyM]

You can do it Mallen..... hugs too you both xx

[rngpwelfare]

How is he today Julie?

[Marlene]

Hope Mallen is a bit better today Julie. I have followed his progress from the start and was so disappointed to see your last post. Please let us know.

[Rallybunny]

Poor Mallen. Hope he gets better soon.

[Towsbuns]

Thanks all for asking. Sorry for the lack of updates over the weekend, we are still trying to get the new PC at home up and running properly. Thankfully Mallen has continued to improve slowly over the weekend. I kept him indoors until yesterday afternoon and syringed liquids and a DIY food mix (ground excel pellets mixed with water) into him - he seems to have a taste for dioralyte and loves it :P His eyes still look a bit sunken and one is still running a bit but has improved since being flushed with optrex (can't you tell that I have bought the Peter Gurney Piggy Potions book). he had a run on the grass in the sun yesterday and seemed alot happier. Let's hope he continues to improve as I don't like this roller coaster ride.
Tracy - I see you have some gorgeous new bunnies in!! I notice that BlackJack is missing - has he found a home at last??

[MandyM]

Glad to hear he's improving, great news! :D

[riaob1]

So happy that Mallen is improving, keep up the good work.

I am sending him loads of love and reiki so hopefull he will grab some and it will help him.

With love

maria

[Towsbuns]

Well Mallen was back at the vets last night to be weighed again. He has lost all the weight that he had put on which hasn't surprised either me or the vet considering how ill he was this time last week. Simon thinks that the probiotic and dioralyte probably saved him last weekend. Even though he had lost weight, Simon was happy to not see him again for at least a month when I should pop him back in for another weight check. I have got some more probiotic though - just in case.

[bunnyhuggger]

Good news Julie! Hopefully he'll put his weight back on again soon. Way to go Mallen!

[Towsbuns]

I think I may have found Mallen a buddy. A friend of a friend recently had a female guinea from a pet shop and she was already pregnant. She had four babies, two girlies, which she has rehomed, she is keeping the other girlie and she has a little seven week boy left (well my friend thinks she has) - I have left her a message earlier and if he is still available then I will have him.

[Kiwibunny]

Oh dear, I just called in here for a quick look, (I've been flat out this last couple of weeks), so relieved that little Mallen is coming right. Fingers and toes and everything else crossed that this is his last set-back. Great idea to get a little buddy for him Julie. Looking forward to pics.
Anna

[Towsbuns]

Well we have the new addition to the family - a little black, ginger and white chap. He is dinky and I was a bit concerned at first as Mallen was doing a bit of a war dance but as that can be read as wanting dominance, a scrap, or feeling randy - I wasn't sure what was going on but they seem ok now and Mallen seems to have a new lease of life.
The new arrival (still only known as Mallen's little buddy) is a very scared little thing at the moment so I will wait for him to calm down a bit before I get some piccies.

[Kiwibunny]

Can't wait for the pics, he sounds like a real little cutie. Lucky Mallen.

[Towsbuns]

Sad news, I'm afraid. We lost Mallen yesterday. I have been a bit concerned for the last couple of weeks, he was just not gaining weight and had started to drink more than usual. He was due to visit the vets next week, so as he still appeared to be perky and was eating well I thought next week would be soon enough. However, when I went in to feed him yesterday morning, I picked him up and he squeaked in an unusual way but still appeared perky. Yesterday I found details of a rodentologist here in MK with the intention of giving her a call but, unfortunately, Mallen was gone when I got home from work. Little Buddy was sitting beside him.
I now have a 12 week old male guinea pig who is on his own and missing his pal - has anyone ever put a baby gp in with two older male gps?

[Lynn]

Aw Julie - unfortunately I don't know much about bonding guineas, but I just wanted to say I am really sorry to hear about Mallen. I hope things work out for the baby.

[MandyM]

Oh Julie, I'm so sorry to hear about the little fella...

[sunshine]

:cry: Aw Julie I'm so sorry to hear aboout Mallen - you did your very best for him.

[Caz]

I am really sorry you lost the poor little fella, at least the last few weeks he spent in comfort with lots of love and attention!

Re: third piggy - I tried this and it broke my original pairing up I ended up with three piggies in three seperate cages. Apparently they tend to get along best in pairs (unless you have one male and two females) according to a lady who rescues them that I spoke to.

Caz

[Marlene]

Oh Julie, I am so sorry to hear about Mallen.

I followed his progress from the start but have missed the last few weeks and have been hunting to find out how he was. You gave him the very best of care and loving Julie so he had a very special life with you which he most certainly would not have had. Please keep that in mind.......thinking of you.

[Towsbuns]

Thanks for the kind words Marlene. I just thought I would share these piccies with you - this is Mallen at his best - I really thought he was going to make it at this point. His coat and eyes were so much shinier - he was still underweight though.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v498/Towsbuns/Mallen2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v498/Towsbuns/Mallen.jpg
Plus this is little Ozwald who I got a couple of weeks ago from Cheryl (SGPRescue) as a new friend for Buddy
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v498/Towsbuns/Cute2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v498/Towsbuns/Cute1.jpg

[MandyM]

Awww Julie Mallen was such a sweeite, and I think you really did a fab job with him :)

Just look at Ozwald, what little muncher!

[Marlene]

Thank you Julie for those lovely pictures of Mallen...you certainly made a difference to his wee life!!

Oswald looks beautiful so you must keep us posted on his progress.

[honeybunny]

Ozwald looks so cute..did his brother find a home I know you had the two to choose from?
and how are your bunnies getting on?

[Kiwibunny]

Oh NO! I'm so sad! I've been away for ages and was looking for news on Mallen and I'm really sad that he's gone. He was so cute and sweet. You did well to care for him so lovingly, Julie. I don't know about a trio, maybe visit one of the cavy sites like guinealynx and ask there. Of course the ideal solution would be to get another male for Ozwald's buddy. Thanks for posting the pics of Mallen and Ozwald is almost as cute!

[Towsbuns]

Honeybunny - Ozwald's brother was to be paired up with one of Cheryl's single males - not sure if he has found a home yet though (daren't ask).