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Specialist My Boar Has Stopped Eating

I

Imspooky

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi there, everyone. Um, I'm new, akward, incredibly shy and incredibly stressed.

About a week ago, my boar Corvous stopped eating. He shows interest in food and looks as if he wants to eat... But he wont eat. Ive been syringe feeding him critcal care as per the vet's orders but he still cant eat on his own.

His stools are not beans, but rather large masses of what I assume are critcal care. I hate to say it, but I had him eating grass for a few days because I couldnt buy hay. He cant seem to put anything in his mouth now, though thankfully he can and does drink for himself from his bottle.

I'm not sure what's wrong as the specialist who ordered a CT scan on him didn't find anything incredibly alarming. Before this all happened, I found a stool that had some odd... like, bubble attached to it. I encountered it again last night.

I realize this a awful lot of information to absorb at once and my thoughts are scattered, but thats just how my mindset is currently, all over the place.
 
How knowledgeable are the vets you have seen with guinea pigs? Unfortunately being an exotics specialist doesn't always mean they are experienced with piggies.

What tests/checks have been carried out so far? E.g. have they checked the back teeth
 
Has the vet checked all his teeth, including the back molars?
Is your vet cavy savvy?

Could you also add your location so that we can assist you more easily.
 
Imspooky said:
Hi there, everyone. Um, I'm new, akward, incredibly shy and incredibly stressed.

About a week ago, my boar Corvous stopped eating. He shows interest in food and looks as if he wants to eat... But he wont eat. Ive been syringe feeding him critcal care as per the vet's orders but he still cant eat on his own.

His stools are not beans, but rather large masses of what I assume are critcal care. I hate to say it, but I had him eating grass for a few days because I couldnt buy hay. He cant seem to put anything in his mouth now, though thankfully he can and does drink for himself from his bottle.

I'm not sure what's wrong as the specialist who ordered a CT scan on him didn't find anything incredibly alarming. Before this all happened, I found a stool that had some odd... like, bubble attached to it. I encountered it again last night.

I realize this a awful lot of information to absorb at once and my thoughts are scattered, but thats just how my mindset is currently, all over the place.
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome!

Please switch to syringe feeding and water ASAP as your boy is unable to chew and drink.
I agree that it unfortunately sounds very much like overgrown premolars and molars. It can impact on the digestive system.

Mucus bubbles with poos are a sign of acute dehydration. Please ask your vet for subcutaneous rehydration and have the back teeth checked as soon as possible. Also get some electrolyte powder like dioralyte (UK)/pedialyte (US) from the pharmacy.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment


Where are you located (country, state (USA/Australia), province (Canada) or UK county/city)?
 
I live in Wisconsin, De Pere, that is.

I have visited a total of three different vets, the last one who preformed the Ct scan was two and a half hours away at the madison university of veterian studies. He examined Corvous' back teeth and couldnt really find anything wrong with his molers, at least, thats what he reported. We looked at his entire body, he has a tad bit of pneumonia I am treating and a tiny kidney stone but both of these things weren't very serious, according to him. His vitals are all in the green as of his last check up, and yet he simply won't eat.

To date hes had: Blood testing, CT scan
 
I'm so sorry about Corvus, you have clearly tried your best to do the best for him.

I would echo the advice to give syringe feed and water . It sounded like a teeth issue to me too, but you have had his teeth checked.

I hope you can get to the bottom of this too.
 
In all honesty, I think I need to go back and have them look at his teeth. It just doesn't sit right with me: if his vitals are all good, why wouldnt he eat, unless when the doctor looked at his molars he maybe made a mistake and made a incorrect call? I want to go back to the facility and have his mouth looked at.

It just smacks me in the face that Ive missed something, that there has to be another reason. Would overgrown teeth show up as abnormal on a CT scan?
 
Imspooky said:
In all honesty, I think I need to go back and have them look at his teeth. It just doesn't sit right with me: if his vitals are all good, why wouldnt he eat, unless when the doctor looked at his molars he maybe made a mistake and made a incorrect call? I want to go back to the facility and have his mouth looked at.

It just smacks me in the face that Ive missed something, that there has to be another reason. Would overgrown teeth show up as abnormal on a CT scan?
Click to expand...

Please don't beat yourself up! You are doing your very best, and that is all we can do in any situation.

Guinea pig/rodent dentals don't feature large/not at all in vet training unfortunately; so depending on the angle they could have been missed by a vet not familiar with them. Guinea pigs have also got some of the fastest growing rodent teeth because they have evolved against the very abrasive silica in hay.
Piggies also fall into the gap of being classed as 'exotics' but being too common and uninteresting for most exptics buffs... :(

Here is the link to the Guinea Lynx vet list page: Guinea Lynx :: GL's Vet List
 
I've made another note to the University regarding my pig getting his teeth worked on, hopefully we'll be back in Madison within the week. I'm going to continue his critical care feedings and water syringe, I'm so nervous and scared about what will happen to him in that time. But I won't give up. I can't.

This little boar means everything to me.
 
I can’t add to any of the advice given but wanted to assure you of my support.
It sounds as if you are doing everything you possibly can for Corvous.
Holding you in my thoughts
 
Update: on the 11th I believe me and Corvous are going back to madison and insisting the guinea specialist open his mouth and look at his teeth.

I do hope I dont come off negative to him, hes a fine Veterinarian... but I'm hoping and praying his CT scan just didn't see that his molars were overgrown... which i would think you COULD spot on such a sophisticated scan. Oh well, one thing at a time.
 
This is all a lot of mixed information, so not really sure what to suggest in helping. However I would say pneumonia and a kidney stone are good reasons for not eating too. Is your little one on pain relief for the kidney stone and a good antibiotic? And yes overgrown teeth will most definitely show up on a CT scan, as will everything including inner ears, jaw and tooth roots.

x
 
We are currently at a Vet as we speak, hes been making odd noises whilst feeding him. The vet suspects possible tounge entrapment, which does sound feesable

Hes currently getting an xray for pneumonia, Ive been at the vet all day, some very bad accidents here tonight.

Yes, hes currently on two pain meds and a suspension of antibiotics. Hes lost some weight though. His teeth are really bothering him..
 
Tongue entrapment I believe occurs when the back teeth are overgrown. I hope that you can get things sorted for this little chap. You are certainly doing your best.
 
Sending you some ((((hugs))))

You're doing everything you possibly can for your little one so don't worry. Sometimes the vets aren't experienced with guinea pigs, especially their teeth.
 
I met with the vet yesterday night, she suspects tongue entrapment and recommends having his teeth filed.down.

Nornally this would make me extremely happy, however she mentioned that I would need to keep doing this his entire life. I want my boy to eat, but I also dont have a lot of money nor a close pig dentist. Not eating is a very bad thing for pigs, and I dont want him being sedated every three weeks if that possibly had to happen.

Then, she mentioned the thing that has been making me cry on and off all last night and this morning: euthanasia. I dont want to kill him... I want him to be with me, happy.

I admit... I'm sort of at a loss now. Everything Ive been working towards seems like its for naught. I'm exhausted constantly and have been guiltily thinking about his brother and how scary it must have been we he passed on a operation table.

So now... at 5:32 am on a Sunday morning... I'm sitting here looking through pictures of my old pig and memories of Corvous when he was very young.

Baised upon the opinions of more cavy savy individuals here... what... do I do?
 
Why does the vet suspect overgrown teeth and tongue entrapment? Why did she not put a scope in to have a look?

I wouldn't make any decisions without knowing for definite what the issue is. Yes dental problems can be ongoing but they shouldn't be every 3 weeks for life. With the right treatment and getting him eating hay promptly after treatment he should make improvements. I've never dealt with dental piggies though so @furryfriends (TEAS) is your best bet for advice on this and also @Bill & Ted goes through regular dentals
 
So, she looked at his teeth as best she could. The vet I went to lasy night really lacks any sort of equipment for piggy dental. She based this upon him not eating and this odd noise he makes when hes being fed (like a wet click or squeezing noise) that is her suggestion, anyway.

I am extremely grateful for all of this feedback.
 
Unfortunately... things were getting too hard for me and Corvous... last night I... we parted ways last night.

He has been sent to the rainbow bride... I feel like a failure. I miss my pig. I feel like I betrayed him... but honest, everyone I... I just... I couldnt keep up and I... I didnt want him to suffer. I dont have a lot of money, and... and I just really think I fucked up... but I just... coulsntcouldn't keep up.

I dunno... what I'm gonna do... but I am least at peace knowing he isnt hungry or thirsty or bloaty...

Am I a monster...?
 
So very sorry for your loss.
You did everything possible for Corvous and allowing him to go go to the Rainbow Bridge is a last act of love.
You are not a failure in any way, shape of form - you did all you could for his well being.

Guilt is a normal part of grief and only time will ease the initial pain.
Corvous died knowing he was loved - hold on to that as you grieve.
The forum has some very good threads on helping people to grieve - sorry I can't link them for you but I'm a technical stone ager.

Be gentle with yourself and remember we are here to support you through grief as well .
 
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