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Deleted member 157325
My guinea pig is I'm guessing around 2 or 3 years old and definitely no older than 5 years. I got him from petsmart because they had a special adoption guinea pig since he had a leaky eye that would crust shut. Fortunately, me and my dad were able to heal it with baby wash. I think he had bloat and maybe gi stasis because on Friday last week I noticed he wasn’t eating any hay or pellets even when I offered fresh ones. He would only eat cucumbers since they’re his favorite but after doing some research I came to this conclusion. I was unsure of what to do at first so I kept feeding him cucumbers and a bit of carrot since it was all he would eat. I also made sure he had fresh water too. I don’t know what could have caused it since he had food and water and I know that gi stasis can be caused by not eating. On Sunday I was able to get my dad to go buy some critical care herbivore so I could make sure he was getting something nutritious and high fiber run his system to keep it going. My dad is a nurse and he has tried to apply his nursing skills and listen to his belly with a stethoscope and me and we both don’t hear anything but he is pooping a bit more now since before the critical care he wasn’t. His poops are mostly normal sized and texture but the color is a bit lighter than usual which I’m guessing has to do with the new food and maybe a lack in nutrition.
I’ve noticed that he has bloating too and I think it’s causing him pain because when I try to give him gentle massages to try and move the gas along and stimulate his gut, he whimpers a bit. My dad called an animal er and explained the situation and they recommended a warm water soak and massage. Since I’ve been doing this he’s been drinking a bit more water and eating a tiny bit of hay on his own now but he still kind of just sits around in his cage. I’m really worried because I know how deadly bloat can be for guinea pig and similar animals like rabbits. His tummy isn’t extremely huge but it does sometimes feel hard and then a bit squishier after a massage and a warm water soak or using a heating pad. It also sounds like hitting a ballon when I gently thump it with my finger. My dad doesn’t want to take him to the animal er or the vet because of how expensive it is and to him he’s just a guinea pig so I wanted to know what I could do to give him the best chance. I’m doing the critical care and aiming at about 50 cc each day and spreading it out throughout the day when I’m home since I have school. Is it safe to give him baby simethicone because I’ve done research and I’ve also heard of gripe water but I’ve heard the gripe water doesn’t usually work since it’s basically a herbal remedy and it may have sodium bicarbonate in it which isn’t safe for guinea pigs. Is the simethicone okay to give him? I’ve heard people say that you can half the dose for a regular baby and give it 2 times a day. I’m not sure if it’s safe but his bloat isn’t getting better with critical care and massages. If anyone has any tips that worked for them and can tell me if the simethicone is safe please let me know he’s my first guinea pig and I really love him and I don’t want to loose him and him being in pain.
I’ve noticed that he has bloating too and I think it’s causing him pain because when I try to give him gentle massages to try and move the gas along and stimulate his gut, he whimpers a bit. My dad called an animal er and explained the situation and they recommended a warm water soak and massage. Since I’ve been doing this he’s been drinking a bit more water and eating a tiny bit of hay on his own now but he still kind of just sits around in his cage. I’m really worried because I know how deadly bloat can be for guinea pig and similar animals like rabbits. His tummy isn’t extremely huge but it does sometimes feel hard and then a bit squishier after a massage and a warm water soak or using a heating pad. It also sounds like hitting a ballon when I gently thump it with my finger. My dad doesn’t want to take him to the animal er or the vet because of how expensive it is and to him he’s just a guinea pig so I wanted to know what I could do to give him the best chance. I’m doing the critical care and aiming at about 50 cc each day and spreading it out throughout the day when I’m home since I have school. Is it safe to give him baby simethicone because I’ve done research and I’ve also heard of gripe water but I’ve heard the gripe water doesn’t usually work since it’s basically a herbal remedy and it may have sodium bicarbonate in it which isn’t safe for guinea pigs. Is the simethicone okay to give him? I’ve heard people say that you can half the dose for a regular baby and give it 2 times a day. I’m not sure if it’s safe but his bloat isn’t getting better with critical care and massages. If anyone has any tips that worked for them and can tell me if the simethicone is safe please let me know he’s my first guinea pig and I really love him and I don’t want to loose him and him being in pain.
