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Guinea Pig Refuses To Eat Or Drink

C

cupfudge

New Born Pup
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Hi everyone! I have a 3 year old guinea pig named Betty who won’t eat. She has always been a picky eater, but she always ate enough hay, pellets and drank water. Recently, she has stopped eating hay and drinking, as well as eating any fruits or vegetables. She is so picky she will eat something one day and absolutely refuse to eat it the next day. I’ve taken her to see 2 vets but both said there was nothing wrong with her besides that she won’t eat. I have been syringe feeding her a formula to get food in her recommended by my vet and she fights me the entire way. Nothing seems to get her appetite back- vitamin C doesn’t help(I’ve been giving her that too). She refuses to eat anything now, and her behavior has changed too. This may be irrelevant but before she used to love to lay down and sleep, and just “melt” onto my lap. But now she stays in a ball with her backbone sticking up like a hard hump even while sleeping. Please help- I have another baby guinea pig that loves her and I can’t bear to lose Betty.
 
welcome to the forum.you need to syringe feed your piggie frequently.there are guides in the health and illness section on how and how much you need to feed.i would be asking your vet to do other diagnotic tests,eg bloods,xray ,ultrasound...maybe go to a cavy savvy vet.guinea pigs stop eating when they are in pain,or ill,maybe teeth.only a vet can help you decide on appropriate treatment.I'm sorry Betty is not eating.
 
The same as eileen said , plus is she pooping? If so what are they like?

If she were my pig l would take her to the vets As soon as possible! !!!
 
gizzy said:
The same as eileen said , plus is she pooping? If so what are they like?

If she were my pig l would take her to the vets As soon as possible! !
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At first I noticed her poops got smaller, but because of the other baby guinea pig it’s hard to tell if she’s pooping at all. I’m taking her to a guinea pig specialist tomorrow to see if anything else is wrong. Thanks!
 
Smaller poops (if their hers) do suggest she's been eating less/nothing. Good your going to a more cavy savy vet and I hope you get an answer. Good luck. X
 
Best wishes at the vets, please let us know how she gets on! !
 
Have the vets given you any pain relief? If she's sitting hunched up then she's in pain and won't eat.You need to be syringe feeding very regularly and weighing daily at the same time to see if she's keeping her weight up.Where are you from? We can maybe recommend a knowledgeable vet.
 
I think you need to see a different vet, she can't be ok and not eating. I hope tha the cavy savvy get helps you xx
 
It does sound like there is pain somewhere if she is hunching and not eating. Best of luck with the specialist vet. Unfortunately regular vets can be hit and miss with their knowledge on piggies and it sounds like you have unfortunately seen 2 that have little knowledge on what to look for to find the problem
 
I agree that she may need pain relief. Hopefully the specialist tomorrow will be much more helpful. Ask about pain relief if they do not mention it. The usual brands in the UK or Metacam or Loxicom. I am not sure about overseas.
 
The hunching would make me wonder if she is in some discomfort. Some pigs respond to pain by refusing to take in food. I would ask the vet to assess her urine (stones can be very painful and lead to food refusal.) Have her teeth been checked? It's possible for her molars to be overgrown, making chewing painful or difficult and leading to her being off her food. In the meantime, keep on syringing food to her. It is vitally important that guinea pigs keep getting food even when they are not keen on it, as not eating can cause gut stasis and bloat. I really hope you can get some answers at your next vet appointment... please keep us updated on Betty!
 
Thank you all for your support! At first I thought that it was a teeth problem but both vets said her teeth were healthy. I have been syringe feeding her twice daily but it’s so difficult. She fights me the entire time and she hates it, but I know I have to do it to keep her alive. I’ve also noticed sometimes when I pick her up she makes low groaning sounds. It’s so strange because still she seems happy. When I put her on my lawn she goes around with the other guinea pig chutting and exploring happily. One of the only things she will eat is grass, though very slowly. I’ve been putting so much attention towards her because of her illness I feel bad for not paying attention to my baby pig biscuit anymore. Thanks!
 
Freela said:
The hunching would make me wonder if she is in some discomfort. Some pigs respond to pain by refusing to take in food. I would ask the vet to assess her urine (stones can be very painful and lead to food refusal.) Have her teeth been checked? It's possible for her molars to be overgrown, making chewing painful or difficult and leading to her being off her food. In the meantime, keep on syringing food to her. It is vitally important that guinea pigs keep getting food even when they are not keen on it, as not eating can cause gut stasis and bloat. I really hope you can get some answers at your next vet appointment... please keep us updated on Betty!
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Gem789 said:
Have the vets given you any pain relief? If she's sitting hunched up then she's in pain and won't eat.You need to be syringe feeding very regularly and weighing daily at the same time to see if she's keeping her weight up.Where are you from? We can maybe recommend a knowledgeable vet.
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I’m from California, and today I’m going to see a cavy specialist in Berkeley. I really, really hope he can save her, he’s my last resort.
 
I hope you get the answers you've been looking for! A piggy that is all hunched up and not eating is not a happy piggy.
 
Just came back from the vet. The doctor checked her teeth and saw that there was indeed something wrong with them. Her teeth were trapping her tongue and slightly discolored. She also is having problems with her gut but the doctor was not sure whether the teeth were the root of the problem or if it was something bigger. We left here there as she is going to have a x-ray done and get some fluids injected. Thanks for the help!
 
cupfudge said:
Just came back from the vet. The doctor checked her teeth and saw that there was indeed something wrong with them. Her teeth were trapping her tongue and slightly discolored. She also is having problems with her gut but the doctor was not sure whether the teeth were the root of the problem or if it was something bigger. We left here there as she is going to have a x-ray done and get some fluids injected. Thanks for the help!
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Oh bless her. Poor little girl no wonder she is struggling. Are they going to do her teeth for her once they have done the x-rays (I'm assuming they are looking for abscesses or something else that is causing her teeth to overgrow).

With her not liking the syringe feeding I would go little and often. Try getting some into her every few hours rather than larger amounts twice a day. If her tongue is getting trapped then it's going to be sore for her to eat so hardly surprising that she fights you but it is needed to keep her going
 
Lady Kelly said:
Oh bless her. Poor little girl no wonder she is struggling. Are they going to do her teeth for her once they have done the x-rays (I'm assuming they are looking for abscesses or something else that is causing her teeth to overgrow).

With her not liking the syringe feeding I would go little and often. Try getting some into her every few hours rather than larger amounts twice a day. If her tongue is getting trapped then it's going to be sore for her to eat so hardly surprising that she fights you but it is needed to keep her going
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Yes! They put her under anesthesia and looked at her teeth. Apparently she had a large sore which explains her refusal to eat- chewing was painful because she was literally chewing her cheek! Poor pig. She is recovering at the animal hospital and is very groggy. I cannot take her home until tomorrow. Thanks!
 
Oh bless he, if her teeth have now been burred then that will be good but obviously it will still take time for the sore to heal so she will need pain relief and syringe feeding too. You need to encourage her to eat as much hay or grass as she can to keep the teeth at the new length otherwise they will overgrow again. Some piggies need repeat treatments every 2-4 weeks until they are back in the routine of eating properly etc.
 
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