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Is it something urgent?

Kosson

Kosson

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jan 2, 2018
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Location
France
One of my piggies Themis (sow, about 9 years old rescue pig, weight 1030g) does not seem normal herself.

Normally she is talkative and whenever her friend (Dinah, sow, about 1year and 9 years old equally a rescue pig, 1050g) gets some hay, Themis follows.
Themis is a talkative pig whenever I cuddle her she does not stop talking.

Till 3 hours ago, she seemed to be normal, she wanted her veg dish which I served around 13h. She ate her veggies and then hay.
After that normally two piggies get some naps and actually normally I do not bother them till late in the evening around 17h or 18h.

Today I decided to fill some hays around 16h. Dinah was there (actually it was her who get my attention) and she happily ate some hay. Before they attack newly filled hays, I always serve them some hays. Dinah is happy and she gets them just as usual. Themis stayed her hideout, which is not abnormal, but when I offered her some, she did not move.
I tried for some time but she does not want it.

I cuddled her but when she squieks she made just some weak sounds (sounds like she wants to make normal sounds, but she cannot do it), not at all as usual.

Now her friend takes the hideout so Themis stays in the tunnel but she does not seem to be relaxed.

Does it seem to be something very serious, or is it something 'to keep eye on'?

For your information, she is living in her piggy place (4x2, fleece with peepad underneath, I turned heater on as usual. It is not too hot nor too cold. Her friend is happy.)

Now she is having some her poops, but not hay.
 
I'm afraid I have no advice just bumping your post so it gets noticed.
 
Kosson said:
One of my piggies Themis (sow, about 9 years old rescue pig, weight 1030g) does not seem normal herself.

Normally she is talkative and whenever her friend (Dinah, sow, about 1year and 9 years old equally a rescue pig, 1050g) gets some hay, Themis follows.
Themis is a talkative pig whenever I cuddle her she does not stop talking.

Till 3 hours ago, she seemed to be normal, she wanted her veg dish which I served around 13h. She ate her veggies and then hay.
After that normally two piggies get some naps and actually normally I do not bother them till late in the evening around 17h or 18h.

Today I decided to fill some hays around 16h. Dinah was there (actually it was her who get my attention) and she happily ate some hay. Before they attack newly filled hays, I always serve them some hays. Dinah is happy and she gets them just as usual. Themis stayed her hideout, which is not abnormal, but when I offered her some, she did not move.
I tried for some time but she does not want it.

I cuddled her but when she squieks she made just some weak sounds (sounds like she wants to make normal sounds, but she cannot do it), not at all as usual.

Now her friend takes the hideout so Themis stays in the tunnel but she does not seem to be relaxed.

Does it seem to be something very serious, or is it something 'to keep eye on'?

For your information, she is living in her piggy place (4x2, fleece with peepad underneath, I turned heater on as usual. It is not too hot nor too cold. Her friend is happy.)

Now she is having some her poops, but not hay.
Click to expand...

Hi

HUGS

Please contact a vet clinic as soon as you can to tomorrow morning and follow the the practical information and advice in the guide link below. It also contains further practical links in case things suddenly take turn for the very worst before you can get to a vet. As far as I know there is no out of regular hours vet cover in France?

Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
 
Wiebke said:
Hi

HUGS

Please contact a vet clinic as soon as you can to tomorrow morning and follow the the practical information and advice in the guide link below. It also contains further practical links in case things suddenly take turn for the very worst before you can get to a vet. As far as I know there is no out of regular hours vet cover in France?

Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Click to expand...
Good evening Wiebke,

Thank you very much for your precious advice.
I worried a lot, I actually took her to the vet after I posted the thread (luckily there was just one time slot available).
The exotic vet throughly saw Themis but he found nothing. He prescribed Metacam just in case.
Then another hour passed without Themis moving / eating, but around 7pm when I prepared the veg dish, she squicked a lot ! Now she eats a lots and she looks much happier. Perhaps I visited to the vet for nothing but I do not regret !
Maybe she was cold... ? I will pay attention to her for a while. Right now, I am very very glad that she gets normal self !
 
Kosson said:
Good evening Wiebke,

Thank you very much for your precious advice.
I worried a lot, I actually took her to the vet after I posted the thread (luckily there was just one time slot available).
The exotic vet throughly saw Themis but he found nothing. He prescribed Metacam just in case.
Then another hour passed without Themis moving / eating, but around 7pm when I prepared the veg dish, she squicked a lot ! Now she eats a lots and she looks much happier. Perhaps I visited to the vet for nothing but I do not regret !
Maybe she was cold... ? I will pay attention to her for a while. Right now, I am very very glad that she gets normal self !
Click to expand...

As any vet will tell you, they are happier seeing any pet too soon rather than too late. And so are we. :)

We can only go by your own words and the tone of your message but without direct access to your piggy to break through that filter - that is the big drawback we have online. What you needed was that crucial hands-on access, hopefully for peace of mind but in case something more serious was going on to be able to step in quickly and have a much better chance at recovery.

Perhaps she has a pain issue and the metacam is helping or the cold has got to her. It can affect piggies, even when they are looked after well. It was no surprise that I lost two older piggies just a few days before Christmas last year within a week of the first intense cold spell ending even though they were indoors in the warmest room of the house and had snugglesafes for the night... I would recommend that you weigh her daily on your kitchen scales first in thing in the morning for best day-to-day comparison for the next three days but if the weight is stable you can go back to your usual once weekly weigh-in and body check. :(

Weight and health monitoring:
Weight - Monitoring and Management
Guinea pig body quirks - What is normal and what not?
Early Signs Of Illness

Here are some very practical tips on how you can keep your piggies warm. Like with our hot weather tips, many are very simple, don't cost much but in combination with each other they can be surprisingly effective. Cold Weather Care for Indoor and Outdoor Guinea Pigs

Here is the access link to our full information collection, which you may want to bookmark, browse, read and re-read at need. You can also access it via the extended top bar. All the links in your thread are included in there. It is one of the largest information collections. We link in our guides for all the little practical how to details and in-depth information that we cannot type out in full every time.
Comprehensive Owners' Practical and Supportive Information Collection
 
Much better to get them checked and find nothing wrong than leave it and they are suffering. Is she really 9 years old or was that a typo? If so, that's a brilliant age you must be a good carer 😍
 
Wiebke said:
PS: If you have anxiety issues, please take the time to read this very practical guide here: Pet Owners Anxiety - Practical Tips For Sufferers and For Supporters

You will hopefully find it very helpful.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I guess that I sound a little crazy. Maybe it is because this summer I lost my guinea pig really suddenly (and she was still young).
My daughter 'sensed' that the piggy was not as fine as usual two days before that, but as piggy ate normally, pooped normally and behaved normally, I did not take her to the vet right away. Now I stopped blaming myself, as the context really suggests that even if I took her to the vet asap, quite possibly the vet could not do anything.

I guess this event traumatised me psychologically at certain level and I have not healed completely from its impact. And although fortunately the same thing did not happen this time, Themis was not definitely normal self yesterday afternoon. Maybe she was deeply asleep for some hours... I do not know. Admittively normally I do not pay much attention to them in the afternoon as I work at home and my clients do not wait... But as she was not normal it caught my attention.

When I posted the first message, I wished to learn some stories from somebody who experienced same sort of event, or get some advice from piggy savvy pepple. During I waited for some replies, I called to the vet and found that he had just 15 minutes to squeeze my piggy in. If I did not take it, I would have to wait for Friday so I decided to take my piggy, knowing two days could change things for a piggy. Actually before I went to the vet I wanted to delete the post, but I could not do it (maybe simply I do not know what to do). As I had to rush to the vet, I left it with regrets. I think if this things happen next time, I will post the update.

I will read all articles that you suggested to me here. And I just realised that I might have made you waste your time (in order to reply to me - to the first post). For me your first reply was very helpful and I appreciated it. I felt very assured, and from your advice I was ready to visit another vet IF things did not get better.

This afternoon Themis was talking and having some hays with her friend and relaxed, I think everything is Ok now ( or seems to be so).
 
Kosson said:
Thank you. I guess that I sound a little crazy. Maybe it is because this summer I lost my guinea pig really suddenly (and she was still young).
My daughter 'sensed' that the piggy was not as fine as usual two days before that, but as piggy ate normally, pooped normally and behaved normally, I did not take her to the vet right away. Now I stopped blaming myself, as the context really suggests that even if I took her to the vet asap, quite possibly the vet could not do anything.

I guess this event traumatised me psychologically at certain level and I have not healed completely from its impact. And although fortunately the same thing did not happen this time, Themis was not definitely normal self yesterday afternoon. Maybe she was deeply asleep for some hours... I do not know. Admittively normally I do not pay much attention to them in the afternoon as I work at home and my clients do not wait... But as she was not normal it caught my attention.

When I posted the first message, I wished to learn some stories from somebody who experienced same sort of event, or get some advice from piggy savvy pepple. During I waited for some replies, I called to the vet and found that he had just 15 minutes to squeeze my piggy in. If I did not take it, I would have to wait for Friday so I decided to take my piggy, knowing two days could change things for a piggy. Actually before I went to the vet I wanted to delete the post, but I could not do it (maybe simply I do not know what to do). As I had to rush to the vet, I left it with regrets. I think if this things happen next time, I will post the update.

I will read all articles that you suggested to me here. And I just realised that I might have made you waste your time (in order to reply to me - to the first post). For me your first reply was very helpful and I appreciated it. I felt very assured, and from your advice I was ready to visit another vet IF things did not get better.

This afternoon Themis was talking and having some hays with her friend and relaxed, I think everything is Ok now ( or seems to be so).
Click to expand...

You are not wasting my time on here - that is what I come onto the forum for, after all!

We see quite a few people who are panicking over their piggies so you get a bit of a feel for it after nearly 15 years and tens of thousands of posts on here. it is always so much harder after a somewhat traumatic loss.

Please do not apologise. This forum is a friendly and supportive place; not just for ppiggies but also for their owners. We provide moral support as much as practical advice so you have to found the right place. We are non-judgmental. :)

You may also find our grieving guide helpful if you feel the need to make more sense of your strong feelings: Human Bereavement: Grieving, Processing and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children

You must a very sensitive and loving daughter and be proud of her.
 
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