Guinea Pig anaesthesia problems

Re: Guinea Pig anaesthesia problems

Nicola Smith — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:16:33 GMT

Hi, definitely worth starving for a few hours pre GA as they seem to store food in their mouth for ages, then when asleep swab mouth out with cotton bud o get rid of anything still sitting there. Iso does may then slobber so may need to regularly get rid of secretions with cotton bud.

Re: Guinea Pig anaesthesia problems

Kerry Spain — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 09:32:02 GMT

Thank you, we used injectable to knock down then maintained on isoflo. I will try swabbing the mouth out before hand.

Re: Guinea Pig anaesthesia problems

Emma Bartlett — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 21:19:45 GMT

Atropine to reduce secretions, they can be tubed...tricky but can be done. I use a cotton bud to wipe around mouth as soon as they are sleepy enough.

Iso and sevo are irritant to piggies and they don't like it in the chambers, use injectable then mask .....hope this helps

Re: Guinea Pig anaesthesia problems

Vicky RVN — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 21:10:23 GMT

[quote user="Bizzy McClure RVN MBVNA"]I'm pretty sure that they can't vomit but they do regurgitate food if they have eaten recently.[/quote]

That's what we think too.

Re: Guinea Pig anaesthesia problems

Kerry Spain — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 21:04:19 GMT

hmmm interesting. I've never seen one be sick either.

Re: Guinea Pig anaesthesia problems

Honeybadger — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 20:52:04 GMT

I'm pretty sure that they can't vomit but they do regurgitate food if they have eaten recently. A vet I worked with used to ask owners to starve them just for the morning of the GA.

Re: Guinea Pig anaesthesia problems

Vicky RVN — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 20:42:41 GMT

I've always found i have to syringe/cotton bud piggies mouthes when they're UGA to get rid or any gunk.

Recently we've had to wake up a couple of pigs before starting their procedures and do them another day. They became gurgly and the vet wasn't happy to carry on. We now take theit food away for an hour or two pre op and this seems to have helped.

Re: Guinea Pig anaesthesia problems

Phrin Vernon RVN — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:53:50 GMT

I've never seen problems like this before, and was surprised to hear that pigs vomit - could aspriration be the cause?

Back to the vomiting thing I'm really surprised, and annoyed with myself that I didn't know that! I have always elevated the head during GA - I'll have to think twice next time, and do some reading up!

Re: Guinea Pig anaesthesia problems

Kim Buckley — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:05:44 GMT

Can't say I've ever seen problems with g-pigs like you are describing. I think g-pigs are too small to intubate but I could be wrong. Very strange.

Re: Guinea Pig anaesthesia problems

Emma Bartlett — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 19:01:42 GMT

How did you knock him out?

Re: Guinea Pig anaesthesia problems

Kerry Spain — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:20:24 GMT

OK thanks Gillian, any other suggestions other than to keep the head lowered? They are immposible to intubate arn't they?

Re: Guinea Pig anaesthesia problems

Gillian Mostyn — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:31:00 GMT

[quote user="Kerry Haigh RVN A1 Cert SAN MBVNA"]the vet on duty seemed to think the head should be lowered to prevent aspiration pneumonia.[/quote]

I'd agree

GPs really commonly 'vomit' under GA and you do need to be really careful to prevent aspiration.