Guinea pig eating anything BUT hay

[RachyKate]

Luna is around 6 years old and has recently run into some health problems.

I took her to the vet for a URI and they prescribed her some meds to clear it up. The first two days on the meds she seemed to be perked up but by the third day she had stopped eating and was hunched in the corner all day.

I took her back to the vet and they gave me different meds for the URI as well as some pain meds and something to help keep her system moving. I've been giving those to her for about 3 days and she definitely seems to be feeling a bit better, however she still isn't eating much hay.

I've bought some other kinds (orchard grass and alfalfa) in hopes of peaking her interest as well as some compressed hay treats. I gave her hay in a toilet paper roll and she only ate the cardboard and I've had to remove her paper bedding (I use fleece with some paper where she usually goes potty) since I've caught her eating that as well.

I'm honestly at a loss for what to do and would appreciate any advice I can get!
(I should also mention that she's been eating her veggies just fine and drinking lots of water but isn't much interested in pellets either)

 

[Piggies&buns]

I'm Sorry to hear she is unwell.
It’s quite normal for a piggy who is struggling to breathe to not want to eat hay.

It’s essential, if you aren’t already doing so, for you to switch from the lifelong weekly weight checks and instead weigh her daily. You must also step in and syringe feed her a recovery feed, or in its absence, mushed pellets. This is going to replace her hay intake with the fibre she needs, stop her from losing weight and keep her gut functioning properly.
She will need at least 60ml of recovery fees each day, but the weight checks are the only way to know how much she needs.
The syringe feeding needs to continue until her hay intake returns to normal and she can maintain her weight herself again.

Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

 

[RachyKate]

I'm Sorry to hear she is unwell.
It’s quite normal for a piggy who is struggling to breathe to not want to eat hay.

It’s essential, if you aren’t already doing so, for you to switch from the lifelong weekly weight checks and instead weigh her daily. You must also step in and syringe feed her a recovery feed, or in its absence, mushed pellets. This is going to replace her hay intake with the fibre she needs, stop her from losing weight and keep her gut functioning properly.
She will need at least 60ml of recovery fees each day, but the weight checks are the only way to know how much she needs.
The syringe feeding needs to continue until her hay intake returns to normal and she can maintain her weight herself again.

Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

Thanks for the advice! Do you have any suggestions on the best way to syringe feed her?

I've had a really difficult time getting her to eat through syringe feeding. She fights it a lot and I'm not able to get much in her. I live alone so I don't have anyone to help me with the feedings either.

 

[CTWC]

Good morning how is it going?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thanks for the advice! Do you have any suggestions on the best way to syringe feed her?

I've had a really difficult time getting her to eat through syringe feeding. She fights it a lot and I'm not able to get much in her. I live alone so I don't have anyone to help me with the feedings either.

The guide I linked in explains a bit about how to do it.

I actually syringe feed the way I medicate. I get a few syringes filled with feed first. I then get on the floor sitting on my knees. I put piggy between my legs with them facing away from me. I have my left hand holding piggy so they can’t go forward, and they can’t go backwards between they are between my legs. The left hand which is holding them is the one I use to hold their head and the syringe is in my right hand. I can then get the syringe in their mouth. With feeding rather than medicating, I find they tend to relax quite quickly and start to enjoy the food (with medicating the hate it the entire time!).

 

[weepweeps]

Sending your piggy healing vibes.

 

[Jelly/Jam]

Good morning how is it going?

Good morning