Laying down in the middle of walking as if in pain...

[miloandmason]

Hello! My guinea pig, Mason, has recently been laying down in the middle of walking as if he is in pain and needs to stop. I noticed it three days ago, I took them out of their cage for their clean and usually he is running around everywhere but he layed down the whole hour. I decided to keep a close eye on him and ever since he has just been laying down and while walking he lays down every 5 seconds and does not get to where he intended to go. It is really bothering me, I have an appointment to take him in to the vets Tuesday but I fear that is too far away. He is still eating and drinking regularly, whenever I come into the room he squeaks like crazy. I have no clue what could be wrong, has anyone had anything similar happen to their pigs?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I would suggest you switch from routine weekly weight checks and instead weigh him daily so you can be certain he is definitely eating enough hay and maintaining his weight.
Ensure hay is easily accessible in lots of areas around the cage just in case he is experiencing some pain and doesn’t feel like moving much.

I hope the vet appointment is helpful.

 

[Free Ranger]

Is he an older boy? My boy began to experience symptoms of arthritis at about 4 1/2 but tbh I didn't notice - I just thought he was 'slowing down'. He started to get impaction (poops getting bunged up at the back end) about the same time. It was when I took him in to get impaction advice the vet said he had arthritis: stiff knees at the back, some hair loss on his back legs/groin, and puffy feet. He had hair in his teeth from nibbling at his stiff joints - that's how we monitor him now! He was still eating, not losing weight (he's a chunky 1.35 kilo), and his coat was in good condition. He now has metacam twice a day and will for the rest of his life. I've also put him on a glucosamine supplement which took a month to kick in but he's now moving round much more and has no hair in his teeth when we check him. He has also taken a liking to fluffy snuggle tunnels and heat pads!

If you have a younger boy arthritis is less likely but hopefully the vet will give you answers. It could be something internal or perhaps an injury - even an old injury flaring up. It is important to do regular weighing when you suspect something is wrong as it tells you quite a bit. Sometimes there is slight weight loss over a long period as something is rumbling under the radar. Sometimes there is more rapid weight loss over days or a week which is a big red flag! There is some daily fluctuation - morning or evening - full or empty bladder - so weigh at the same time each day and keep a note. Any changes plus or minus about 30g would be normal unless there is loss day on day. Sometimes (not always though) if they are poorly their piggy friend is more attentive than usual - my girls sleep separately so if I see them snuggling I actually get worried! Good luck little fella, and keep us updated x

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

All the best for your vet appointment. I am sure that they will also check the heart during the examination.

You may find these links below with lots of practical care tips helpful in order to look after your piggy as best as you can until they can see a vet and during recovery:

Pain symptoms and crisis/bridging care:
A - Z of Guinea Pig Behaviours (see entry pain symptoms)
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

Practical tips on how to arrange access to food and what to look out for in guinea pigs that struggle getting around:
Looking After Guinea Pigs With Limited or No Mobility
Caring for Older Piggies and Facing the End - A practical and supportive information collection

Pain often impacts on the appetite and food intake, so your weight monitoring and feeding support in case of weight loss can make all the difference; our guides contain advice on how to improvise in an emergency:
Weight - Monitoring and Management
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures