Guinea pig might have eaten nerf bullet

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Hello I am concerned about my silkie guinea pig, Teddy. He hasn't been that active and has only been getting up to drink and eat any veggies i give him, or to move locations. He is also hunched over and feels like he has lost some weight. Today i was cleaning my room and found a half eaten Nerf bullet on the ground under my desk. Recently, teddy has been jumping out of his cage to explore, so then i started to worry that he might have eaten the bullet, but we also have dogs, so i don't know if it was him or my dogs. I tried to get him an appointment but they only had one open for the end of this month, so I tried to get an emergency appointment. Anything else i should do? I'm keeping him in his carrier for a short while to see if he can poop, he is still eating veggies and fruits i give him, but I haven't seen him eat his food pellets since this morning. He did get up and eat some hay though, and i did see him clean himself when he was done eating his carrots. His poop seems a bit clumpy, but its not diarrhea. Anything else I should do? Sorry if i'm bothering y'all, i just don't want him to be in pain.

 

[Lady Kelly]

Hunching is a sign that he is in pain. Weight loss is another indicator of ill health. I assume you haven't been weighing him regularly as you say he seems to have which indicates you don't know for sure? Please start weight daily while he is unwell so you can see what's going on with his weight, you will also need to step in with syringe feeding but a piggy who is now less active, not eating properly and losing weight is an emergency and needs to see a vet asap. I would try calling some other vets too and see if anyone can get you in sooner

 

[VickiA]

Daily weighing, support feeding and an emergency appointment with the vet are all necessary.

 

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I just got back form the vet, they couldn't feel anything bad in his abdomen, they checked his teeth and everything is good he is just a bit underweight. His lungs and heart are normal as well. I did weigh him last month, he was about 1,000 grams, now he is 900. I will be feeding him more and will be keeping him in a separate cage until he gets his weight back up. Thank you for your advice!

 

[Wiebke]

HI!

Here is our practical and comprehensive emergency and bridging care advice:
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Weight - Monitoring and Management

See a vet again for a scan or x-ray if the weight loss continues or the signs of pain are getting more pronounced.

 

[Siikibam]

Does he live with another piggy? If so please don't separate them. That could cause a rift in their bond. Feed him pellets that have been soaked in hot water and cooled down. You can either use a syringe with the tip cut off or offer them on a spoon or in a bowl. You will have to feed him regularly in order to help him maintain his weight.

Was he given any painkiller?

 

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I normal clean under my desk every time i let out my piggies, but i found the Nerf bullet under a hay bag, so i didn't know it was there. And they did not give any medication or painkillers. He does live with another guinea pig as well. The vet said if he doesn't get better then they would do blood work and an x-ray

 

[Wiebke]

I normal clean under my desk every time i let out my piggies, but i found the Nerf bullet under a hay bag, so i didn't know it was there. And they did not give any medication or painkillers. He does live with another guinea pig as well. The vet said if he doesn't get better then they would do blood work and an x-ray

I would recommend an x-ray if he doesn't get better but make sure that your vet knows that guinea pigs are not easy to get blood from; ideally you get that from a nicked quick.

Please take the time to read the green links; they explain a lot of what has been mentioned in more practical detail.

 

[Lady Kelly]

I think perhaps speak to your children as well about the importance of tidying up all their toys, especially something like a nerf bullet that could cause problems if eaten

 

[Wiebke]

If your guinea pig has eaten a Nerf bullet, it is important to take action quickly to ensure their safety. The foam used in Nerf bullets is not toxic, but it can cause a blockage in the digestive system if ingested in large quantities.

The first thing you should do is to monitor your guinea pig for any signs of distress, such as loss of appetite, lethargy, or abdominal pain. If you notice any of these symptoms, it is best to contact your veterinarian right away.

If your guinea pig seems to be acting normally, you may still want to take them to the veterinarian for an examination. Your veterinarian can perform a physical exam and possibly an X-ray to determine if there is any blockage in the digestive system.

In the future, it is important to keep small objects like Nerf bullets out of reach of your guinea pig to prevent them from accidentally ingesting them. Additionally, make sure your guinea pig has access to plenty of hay and water, which can help move any ingested material through their digestive system.

Hi

Thank you for your advice.

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