Advice on potential constipation

[Matthew Connolly]

Good evening

Our 2 year old boy

This morning we came down to see them and one of our boys looked unhappy and none interactive which is strange because he's a loud mouth energetic one. Hes not touched food, water or even made a noise all day. He lies in the same place on his side and doesn't move except to readjust for comfort.

We took him to the vets and she said she can't see anything wrong with him except he has a little bit of gas build up. She's given him pain killer and basically medicine to make him poo. It's been 5 hours and he still hasn't used the toilet, made a noise or even moved so I'm getting extremely worried. Not like I'm not already. I don't know what to do? Surely something should have happened by now with his bowel if that's the issue?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear this.

Guinea pigs do not get constipation. If they aren’t pooping it’s because they aren’t eating. Poop output is 1-2 behind food intake so by the time they stop pooping, they already haven’t been eating properly for a few days. Hay is their largest proportion of food intake and it cannot be gauged by eye - they can easily reduce intake without you noticing but it can have a big effect. This is why they need to be weighed each week as routine care, but these weight checks need to be done daily when there is a health issue

You must urgently step in and syringe feed him. You also need to switch from the routine weekly weight checks and instead weigh him daily (each morning is best but the key thing is that it is done at the same time each day so you know you are in the same place in the feeding cycle at each check). This is essential so you can monitor that he is getting enough syringe feed in each 24 hour period.
You won’t see normal poop output until his system is back up and running with a good amount of food intake.
So do step in with syringe feeding either a proper recovery feed such as oxbow critical care or use his normal pellets mushed with warm water as an alternative where recovery feed is not available. He will need to be syringe fed every two hours and given as much as he will take at each sitting. You are aiming for at least 60ml in each 24 hour period, but his weight checks are your guide. If he loses weight each morning then he needs to spend the day being fed more.

Have you been given painkillers give him at home? Hopefully you have.

Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
Digestive Disorders: Not Eating - Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement)

 

[Matthew Connolly]

He's recently started what can only be described as a sneeze or cough and his upper body is like having a spasm every now and then

 

[Piggies&buns]

He's recently started what can only be described as a sneeze or cough and his upper body is like having a spasm every now and then

I would call the out of hours vet

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

with @Piggies&buns .

Fingers crossed for your poorly boy. Please step in with support feeding and watering (our syringe feeding guide link contains tips on how to improvise in an emergency as does our emergency care collection).