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8yr old Guinea Pig

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sireinstein

I have a guinea, his name is "Babe" named after the movie about a pig. He's now going through his eigth year which I understand he is quite the elder. He hasn't been held much in about 3 1/2 yrs. Why? because I developed a serious allergy rated at 5++ (very allergic). I mean immediate itchy rashes, runny nose, very itchy eyes. The doctor said to get rid of him but I couldn't. I still hold him every once in awhile but unfortunately he doesn't get to much attention from my non-allergic siblings until this time I held him EVERY day for about 2 1/2 because I was homescooled. He's been healthy the whole time until recently. My dad noticed one night he was making loud noises almost like he was breathing heavy. So the next day I examined his teeth and 1 was completely missing. He'd actually got them knocked out several times but when he was more youthful he could overcome it and they'ed grow back. Thats what I assumed would happen this time but he lost alot of weight while I was gone for a four day weekend so I assume it created an issue with eating. It kinda seems like unlike when he was younger the one missing tooth is getting in the way of eating, drinking (somewhat). There is another issue. I noticed he started scratching his head almost spasmatically. Like sometimes completely random for 1-3 seconds for about a 30 second periods. Then what really bothered me was when he tryed to scratch his head with both feet. Which you all should know isn't possible. Sometimes his head or foot kinda jolts and does the whole scratching motion but not smooth or without a full movement. I understand he's old and exspect him to die sometime soon but wouldn't like him to die of starvation.

More about the amazing pig. He's won several awards at 4-h and can even do some funny tricks. I don't know if these are normal but he would carry his bowl around the cage to the nearest corner to me like dog and beg for food. Sometimes he would beg for carrots by standing straight up on his hind legs. Several families bought guinea pigs because they loved taking care of him so much while we were gone on vacations. Unfortunately they were exspected a guinea pig like Babe and it didn't always work out for them. He never got angry and was amazingly tame. Was incredible friendly and loves to be held. I've never seen a pig quite like him.


As you can see he's meant alot for me and as odd as this may sound, I'd like him to die "happy" not starving or with seizures. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Diagnostics, advice, feeding.
 
hiya
i would say definitely take him to the vets. i understand that he obviously means a lot to you and you are in a very difficult situation with your allergies, i understand about allergies as my family has lots between us. i'm also tempted to say could you find him a good home with someone else, where he can spend the rest of his life, as guinea-pigs really need more attention and exercise and cuddles. maybe you could find somewhere that you could visit and still see him? as regards the feeding, it may be that h needs syringe feeding, if the teeth are trouble, but again i should just take him to the vets for advice. he definitely needs to be eating and drinking. and as for the scratching, he may have a skin problem, and again the vet may help there, however vets sometimes missdiagnose skin problems.
i would suggest maybe getting him some Gorgeous Guineas shampoo and melts etc. for him as they will soothe him. if you e-mail chrisse she may be able to help, and she will tell you the best products for his needs. you can find her e-mail on the contact us page.
http://www.gorgeousguineas.com/oilsoaks.html he is fairly old, but may still have a lot of life in him, if he cou;d start to eat and drink, however he does seem in a bad way. so please go to the vets is what i would do. let me know how you get on, hope the little dear is better soon. :)
 
I'd be glad to give Babe to the nighbors. They took care of him several times in the last year but he is 9 years old ( not 8 like I misstated earlier got him in the summer of 1998). I don't want to give an animal to younger kids 3 and 9 that is probably gonna die within a year even if it overcomes this. I can still ask because they love him. Would be great for the allergies and I'd wrather him be happy.
 
I would take your piggy to the vets to see about his scratching. At 9yrs old I really wouldn't rehome him now he is very used to you and your ways by now and new surroundings may stress him, I also think bathing him at 9ys old would stress him too especially if he isn't used to being petted so much, all that faffing with GG shampoos would be too much for him. As I say I would take him to the vets for medicine and let him live out his days as he has grown used to. He must be content to live until 9!
 
OK so, I may take him to the vet but I need to know what I can feed him with a syringe ?
 
Ok I searched the forums and tried syringe feeding him. I got some pellets without the treats and put them in the microwave with some water for about 35 seconds. This instantly mushed them up. Then I was able to insert it behind his front teeth using a puppy syringe but I think I know part of the issue now. It looks like one of his bottum teeth is longer than the other and when he chews it digs into his upper gum where a front tooth is missing. Making it painful. I feel bad that I didn't examine him earlier before I got the allergies he wouldn't of gone on with this problem for more than an hour. He's doing much better now that I fed him, or atleast it looks that way but want I want to know is if its possible to file or cut the tooth down slightly. I really don't want to pay to go the vet and get it cut. Going to a check up is exspensive in itself but you also have to pay the procedure. He's 9 years old, I would of done it in a hearbeat when he was younger but his times probably almost up. I just want to make him happier. Doesn't mean I won't go to the vet for help but I'd really like not to.
 
If he is having a go at his head by 'scratching' a lot, his teeth must really be paining him. What's going on in his mouth sounds quite complicated. I can only say he needs to go to a vet really. If they can do the teeth then and there you shouldn't have to pay extra for it (i really don't think it will be much extra)

Which county are you located in? I imagine someone on this forum would love to give him a quiet & loving home, if you're allergies are getting in the way of his care (I hope that doesn't sound awful, i mean it in the nicest possible way). He sounds like an adorable little man.

On syringe feeding. You could liquidise different veggies for him. This website should help; http://www.guinealynx.com/handfeeding.html Also if you do a search on google, it comes up with quite a lot of info.

Best of luck to you :)
 
Clover_kins said:
If he is having a go at his head by 'scratching' a lot, his teeth must really be paining him. What's going on in his mouth sounds quite complicated. I can only say he needs to go to a vet really. If they can do the teeth then and there you shouldn't have to pay extra for it (i really don't think it will be much extra)

Which county are you located in? I imagine someone on this forum would love to give him a quiet & loving home, if you're allergies are getting in the way of his care (I hope that doesn't sound awful, i mean it in the nicest possible way). He sounds like an adorable little man.

On syringe feeding. You could liquidise different veggies for him. This website should help; http://www.guinealynx.com/handfeeding.html Also if you do a search on google, it comes up with quite a lot of info.

Best of luck to you :)
Click to expand...

Acutally I have good news. I still will have to live with the allergies but I forgot to tell you all that we are adopting two Urainian girls which will be here this week (can't believe I forgot that they'd love to give him attention). So his attention problem will not be an issue soon. And Atleast at petsmart, they do charge extra for teeth cutting.
 
Hi & welcome Sireinstein :)

How lovely that you are adopting two little girls. I'm sure they will love Babe & give him lots of attention which should be lovely for him, but I do agree with Clover_Kins, that if he is in pain, which the head scratching seems to suggest, then it is best to take him along to a vet & see if he can be made more comfortable. If he feels better & not in pain then he will enjoy the attention from the girls much more I'm sure :)
 
Maybe as a last resort you could feed him with a needle less syringe, but only as a last resort.
 
Whereabouts are you/, someone may know of a gp friendly vet near you,or even a rodentologist.I do agree with the people who have advised you to get vetinary help.Piigies can live to 10yrs or more ,but even if he does not have much longer he deserves to be kept pain free.
 
We'll its really my mom who doesn't want to take her to the vet but I'll try to convince her again. I did notice he started eating hay today so thats a good sign.
 
Good luck with purseuding your mum,but your piggy really does need expert attention.
 
Update: Health and eating-
After just 3 sessions of syringe feeding he is doing much, much better. He seems to actually enjoy it. All we have to do is put the syringe next to his mouth and he reaches out with his mouth and places it the the proper position 8). This allowes us to leisurely place him on our laps in a comfortable position which isn't the least bit stressful for him. He even takes kindly to water through the syringe but I'm trying to avoid giving it to him that way because he was drinking out of the bottle earlier, just not enough. As far as pain, or irritance while eating. It appears to have almost disapeared. He even started to eat some Timothy hay and doesn't have any problems at all eating the syringe food (days before he would make noises and sometimes jerk is head). His issues with spasms appear to have got much better overnight and I havin't seen one all day. Previously to last evening and today he had alot of liquid around his eyes and they were almost always 3/4 shut. His eyes are now looking great. I believe he is turning around very fast and hopefully I can go to the vet and get his long tooth cut which won't be as exspensive as getting an examination as well.
 
You are doing realy well.Your piggy is lucky to have you to care for him.Paws crossed that he will be o.k. for a long while yet.
 
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