Pets- specifically a guinea pig during chemo..

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Artista928
Artista928 Member Posts: 2,753
edited November 2015 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

I have been on abx for many days now. Was hospitalized last Thursday and released yesterday from needing IV abx for a stubborn infection of the skin over my right tissue expander (cellulitis). Came home with IV set up and a nurse to show me how to do this 2 x day myself for 1 week for now.

Got mixed feedback from docs/nurses on pets and chemo. I live alone in a small apt. I have to clean my guinea pig cage (I use gloves when I scoop her litter). She can shed like cats/dogs. Her large set up is by the couch where I live and sleep. I don't sleep with my head "up against" her cage. After this infection scare, they are saying best not to have her around. I have noone to help at all let alone go somewhere and for months??? I can't afford it and I would lose my mind without her cuteness and antics to keep me up during this journey. I'm not holding her. I figure you get infection through the skin and not through the air so bathe daily and don't hold her.

Anyone have experience with this? If I keep myself and especially the area clean then even though I have to deal with her poop pellets which gets vacuumed up and scooping the pee areas of the litter wearing gloves to be sure and when chemo starts, surgical mask, I should be ok? I know I'm not the only one with a furry/fuzzy pet in a tiny apt going through chemo..?

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  • scrunchthecat
    scrunchthecat Member Posts: 269
    edited September 2015

    I don't have a guinea pig - I have three cats. I hired my catsitter to scoop their poop while I undergo chemo. I also am careful not to let them scratch me. No problems. Maybe you could hire someone to clean guinea's cage for a few weeks. :-)

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  • DayLily15
    DayLily15 Member Posts: 144
    edited September 2015

    guinea pigs are vegetarian so their poop is not as poopy as a cat, and if your piggy is tame she is not likely to scratch you. i would not use wood shaving of any kind for her bedding, not cat litter. just news paper and a washable bed for her to sleep. avoid over feeding her fresh food that can go bad, guinea pigs can live for years on water and guinea pig pellets only. using a hair brush made for new born children can take care of most of her shedding. give her a piece of sandpaper to walk on to keep her nails rounded off . put her water in a small bowl and change it often, the bottles can build bacteria around the ball bearing as they hold a weeks worth of water or more for one piggy. i truly hope you can keep her, she sounds like a great piggy.

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  • Nancy2581
    Nancy2581 Member Posts: 1,234
    edited September 2015

    Artista - I have 2 chocolate labs, 5 birds (3 while undergoing chemo) and 5 fish tanks. I picked up dog poop during chemo and also used gloves. You could also get those sterile masks to wear while cleaning your guinea pig's cage. I used those when picking up dog poop and changing the papers in the bird cages. I didn't handle the birds during chemo and I did not clean fish tanks (hubby did). I had no problem, but my birds were in a back spare bedroom along with the fish tanks. I slept on the couch mostly and both of my dogs were in the room with me. Is there anyway you could move the guinea pig cage somewhere furthest away from you?

    Nancy

    I used to have guinea pigs. Sweet little boogers aren't they? I used care fresh bedding when I had them and bought a scooper to scoop poop daily and pee spots. Miss those little guys.

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  • Artista928
    Artista928 Member Posts: 2,753
    edited September 2015

    Wow Nancy, nice zoo! lol. I wish I had a large place so I can keep more pets. Love animals! I used to have birds too and I miss them. Just have this gp in my pic here.

    I live in a tiny place so no way to push her cage away from the couch I'm on next to her. Place is jammed and small. So it sounds like as long as I wear gloves (the traditional yellow dish gloves) and surgical mask during the chemo months that I should be ok? Like I said, nowhere for me to send her free of charge and would be pricey if I sent her to rescue or vet office. Plus she is my sanity/therapist just by her presence.

    And I'm not handling her as in picking her up and putting her on my lap. I do with a finger rub her head which she loves but that's it. Immediate purell after that.

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  • Nancy2581
    Nancy2581 Member Posts: 1,234
    edited September 2015

    LOL - yes, I have quite a zoo. Your guinea pig is adorable. I think you will be fine with precautions. And I agree with you that by having her there she will help you get through this. I know my pets did. I still walked my dogs twice a day during chemo. Of course, my dogs would always poop and I brought disposable gloves with me to pick it up lol. I looked like a dork, but all was well. When do you start chemo?

    Nancy

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  • AmyQ
    AmyQ Member Posts: 2,182
    edited September 2015

    Artista,

    Although I did not have guinea pigs during chemo I do know and I think the precautions you are taking, are smart ones. I recently acquired two baby brothers and use gloves while changing the paper litter and scooping out their waste. I would think the added protection of a mask wouldn't hurt either. From a sanity side, do everything you can to keep her with you. I had two cats and three dogs during my chemo and loved the company. My female springers have since died, (miss them dearly) but still have the cats and one doodle plus my piggies. I wish you well and much luck. Do everything you possibly can to keep her with you and I think you will be fine.

    If I was near you, I'd offer to help out but Minnesota is a long drive two or three times a week.

    Take Care,

    Amy

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  • PoppyK
    PoppyK Member Posts: 1,805
    edited October 2015

    I am a crazy guinea pig lady! I had 5 of them when I was going through chemo. They were wonderful comfort/therapy pets for me! I have a cat litter scoop to clean their pee corners. I HAD to hold them! I would put a towel on my lap for them to snuggle into. The fur stayed on the towel and not on me.

    Your counts should come back up about 2 weeks after infusion. This is when I would do a complete cage cleaning. If this isn't possible for you, is there a neighbor (maybe a high school kid looking for a few extra bucks) who could help out?

    I would take care of her, but Fremont is far away.... and more importantly, you would miss her dearly!

    Do you have anyone to help you during chemo?

    BTW, Poppy, my screen name is the shortened version of our piggie Popcorn's name.

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  • Artista928
    Artista928 Member Posts: 2,753
    edited October 2015

    Very cool Poppy! I love my girl so much. Glad to hear I can keep my baby. Yeah, the issue some have is her cage is right up against the couch so while when I sleep my head is at the other end, people say still the dander and whatnot can be in the air. I do have a pretty good air purifiier too in the room. While I use fleece on 3/4 of the cage, her kitchen which is the end that's up against the couch I use wood stove pellets. Very cheap and you know where she's peed cuz it turns to dust. So I do scoop those areas a few times a day just for sanitary sake for her. I can't flip ends as it's snug jammed between my small dining table and the couch and next, I'd never see her as it's either the igloo, sleep sack or in the kitchen. So that's why I figure daily spot cleanings in her kitchen to help prevent dusty particulates from the dust dunes of dried pee from the wood pellets I'd use a surgical mask during chemo. As for the fleece I have a long hose vacuum instead of an upright so I vacuum up her poop and hay pieces.

    I typically do the white vinegar remove everything wipe down once a month. So I could figure the time when my counts are higher I hope and make sure I do it then.

    Man I wish you lived close not because to help me although I appreciate the offer (I have 0 to call on except for a friend who can sometimes due to her sis having pancreatic cancer and she needs a lot of her attention) but for the guinea pigs!

    I don't know if you know about this site, but it's THE BEST for accurate and valuable info as what I came home with was totally wrong in her health and care. They also have cage and accessory stores where I have shopped online. You hardly find anything for guinea pigs out there and then if it's safe/appropriate so I was thrilled to come across this site which has message forums as well, including a medical section where there's a tech on there you can post and she'll answer so you may not have to jump to a vet right away.

    Home page:

    https://www.guineapigcages.com/

    Forums. And at the top you'll see cages store and fleece store (which has much more than that, really good place).

    https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/index.php

    Thanks again for posting. I feel better as I read in this thread it is possible to do it and be ok during chemo! Wish I lived in a bigger place instead of in this overpriced sardine can! xo


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  • PoppyK
    PoppyK Member Posts: 1,805
    edited October 2015

    I'll have to check out those sites. It sounds like you have a plan.

    Make sure you have a phone number to reach the doctor if you have any questions or concerns when doing chemo. If you are nauseous or running a fever, call them. Have foods that are easy to prepare to make it easier for you and most importantly, take care of yourself.

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  • Artista928
    Artista928 Member Posts: 2,753
    edited October 2015

    Thanks Poppy. :)

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  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited October 2015

    Artist, your piggy is adorable. If you decide you would like help with cleaning her cage, I'm sure there must be some fellow animal-lover out there who would be happy to help someone who is in chemo. Maybe try the local 4-H club. Network. I think our mental health is super-important and this little piggy has an important role in your well-being.

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  • Artista928
    Artista928 Member Posts: 2,753
    edited October 2015

    ^^ ^^

    Thanks! What's a 4-H club?

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  • BarredOwl
    BarredOwl Member Posts: 2,433
    edited October 2015

    Hi Artista:

    An article from the Mercury News regarding 4-H clubs:

    http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-news/ci_278320...

    A listing of area clubs:

    http://www.alamedacounty4h.org/clubs.html

    BarredOwl

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  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited October 2015

    I went to a 4-H event where many members were showing their guinea pigs. By the way, all guinea pig lovers need to know about the very fun books about the guinea pig named Olga da Polga, by English author Michael Bond (author of the Paddington Bear books).

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  • Nancy2581
    Nancy2581 Member Posts: 1,234
    edited October 2015

    Artista - here is another guinea pig website/forum. Lots of great info. I was on this forum all the time when I had my piggies.

    http://www.guinealynx.info

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  • Artista928
    Artista928 Member Posts: 2,753
    edited October 2015

    ^^ ^^

    Yeah I know the lynx site. The folks on guineapigcages.com refer there for medical stuff. The forum is pretty dead which is why I highly recommend this site for active convo from well knowleged people. bpatters is the medical expert on the medical part of the board. I've taken pictures of odd stuff I'd see coming from Mooshy and post on that forum. She's saved me $ a couple times from running to the vet. So glad to have found that place after 4 months of getting Mooshy. I was doing everything wrong because I believed the employee saying she's had gps before knew what was best. Uh. No. GPs are exotics and like birds (which I've had for over 20 years though not now) are sorely misunderstood and receive the wrong care/food, etc. Exotics are different than cats and dogs and unless you talk to someone specialized in exotic keeping like birds and rodents, good luck. Don't listen to anyone in a pet store is a big one. I'm a big time animal lover and exotics like birds and gps are my main loves. So I get upset when folks are saying do this or that when they really are incorrect. :)

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  • Jclc83
    Jclc83 Member Posts: 246
    edited November 2015

    Just found this thread. Interesting reading.

    My Onc never asked me if I had pets or gave me any warning about them. I have a Guinea pig, two dogs and a parrot.

    I can't stop being a responsible Pet owner or a mom or a grandma just because I am going through treatment I wash and sanitize my hands often especially the first week after infusion. But mybird sits on my shoulder, her cage needs constant cleaning and she would never let me ignore her. They all need to be fed, dogs need to be walked and they're always cuddling with me. The piggy needs to be fed and have his cage cleaned too if it wasn't for these critters I wouldn't get any exercise at all!

    I wouldn't go out if my way to expose myself to new germs but I'm not all paranoid about ones that have lived in my house all along

    The animals give me much more than I could ever give them. Enjoy them, love them. I led a very healthy lifestyle and always ate right and got BC anyway so.......


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  • Artista928
    Artista928 Member Posts: 2,753
    edited November 2015

    ^^^ Well said. My girl is right by my side and being alone, she's it. She makes me smile and laugh. No way is she going anywhere. I wouldn't be doing near as 'well' without her. She's my reason to get up. Her cage is right next to the couch where I live. I wash my hands well too and put gloves on if handling the litter.

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  • Mamiya
    Mamiya Member Posts: 432
    edited November 2015

    I live with two humans, three dogs and a ferret. The humans are great but they go off to work and school and leave me here. Without the animals I think I would go insane. The ferret is my favorite little helper and she always brightens my day. There is no way I would do this without all of them. I think you are already doing the sensible things by being careful when cleaning out the cage etc. One thing I have to remind myself of is that after chemo I should not kiss any of the creatures in the face for a couple of days, which is hard because most of them are so darned cute. Keep your furry companion close to you, she is part of your support system!

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  • Artista928
    Artista928 Member Posts: 2,753
    edited November 2015

    My fuzzy butt IS my support system since family is in the dark except for my bro who is in LA. :)

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