Drinking lots of water

[Tedski]

Teddy has been drinking a lot more water than usual the past few days. He’s 1kg, about 3 years old, still seems happy and is eating well.
He went to the vets yesterday as he has had conjunctivitis and a URI within the last month and he needed a check in.
He’s had just shy of two weeks of baytril and fusidic acid last month; and we are using fusidic acid continually to clear up his eye issues as per the vet’s advice. He hasn’t lost any weight in the last month but in the last few days we’ve noticed him having a lot more water and it’s worrying me! The weather has been a lot warmer this week so it’s probably that, the only other difference is that he’s had probiotic in his water (recommended by vet after baytril)
Is this concerning or am I just paranoid? Could it just be a mix of the medication, temperature and him just liking the taste of probiotic? X

 

[weepweeps]

As he’s already seen the vet yesterday for a check up I’d say it’s maybe just the hotter weather that is making him drink more.

 

[Tedski]

Update: this morning teddy doesn’t seem hungry at all, he’s not very bright and he’s facing the wall a lot. I got him to eat some grass and a mint leaf but he won’t touch his veggies. I don’t know what to do other than call the vet when it opens

 

[weepweeps]

Poor Teddy. I hope you can get an appointment for him today.

 

[Qualcast&Flymo]

Poor Teddy, he doesn't sound very happy. Yes, best thing is to get him seen by the vet as soon as possible.

Baytril often reduces appetite, but there's probably more to it than that. Sending healing vibes

 

[Tedski]

I thought that might be it, but it’s been over a week and a half since he last had baytril

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear this.

Please step in with syringe feeding mushed pellets or ideally recovery feed if you have it to hand. Mushed pellets is the emergency alternative. Also ensure you switch to daily weight checks (weigh him each morning) so you can be sure you are giving though syringe feeding to keep his weight stable.

Please do speak to a vet today

Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre

All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

 

[Bertie & Jelly]

Thinking of you and Teddy x

 

[Tedski]

I think he’s having some hay! It’s really hard to tell whether he’s getting it in, he was eating apple quite enthusiastically a bit ago, but just dropped it on the floor… he’s weeing as usual and was quite wriggly when I was holding him. His eyes seem a little sunken in and I’m just preparing recovery food now. Poor guy seemed absolutely fine yesterday

 

[Tedski]

We’re struggling to get an appointment anywhere with a specialist, I don’t know what to do. Our local isn’t a specialist but all the local-ish specialists are refusing to see him without an appointment and subsequent referral from our local which will take days. Our local has never been good at anything that isn’t a uri or conjunctivitis and I haven’t got the money to have so many consults and this seems really urgent.

 

[weepweeps]

Have you got any pain killers to give him until you can get him seen?

 

[Tedski]

We went to our vet who gave us metacam and emiprid, but he has no idea why this is actually happening. He thinks it may just be weeks of stress adding up as teddy has been through a lot recently

 

[Tedski]

Teddy seems to be much improved since last Wednesday, thank goodness! He was 900g on Wednesday and now rests at ~970-1000g
He’s been so so good having his critical care and he’s eating very well though still being just a little picky, but he’s very sassy normally so this isn’t unusual.
When should I stop critical care? He seems hungry and eager when I feed him, he has 15ml twice a day and spends a lot of time grazing. He’s always hungry (eating grass, hay + veggies, even if he’s a little fussy about which veggies to have) and I don’t want to feed too much!

He seems to be feeling so much better, I had some quiet music on while I was feeding him and he seemed to be oinking to the music (when his mouth wasn’t full of food) he’s just so sweet

 

[Wiebke]

Teddy seems to be much improved since last Wednesday, thank goodness! He was 900g on Wednesday and now rests at ~970-1000g
He’s been so so good having his critical care and he’s eating very well though still being just a little picky, but he’s very sassy normally so this isn’t unusual.
When should I stop critical care? He seems hungry and eager when I feed him, he has 15ml twice a day and spends a lot of time grazing. He’s always hungry (eating grass, hay + veggies, even if he’s a little fussy about which veggies to have) and I don’t want to feed too much!

He seems to be feeling so much better, I had some quiet music on while I was feeding him and he seemed to be oinking to the music (when his mouth wasn’t full of food) he’s just so sweet

Hi

That is great news.

You stop top-up feeding when the weight loss is mostly recovered/the weight has stabilised and the piggy is able to hold it without any support. Use our kitchen scales and weigh any ill piggy first thing in the morning for best day to day comparison. This gives you the best up to date insight on he recovery process.
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pigs Safely (videos)
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

If your piggy is eating on their own, you can switch to offering syringe feed in a little dish instead of by syringe and see how that goes; you will still need to serve that outside the cage but you can always offer the companion a tiny bit by syringe so the moth smells the same. It also helps with acceptance in case of illness.