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My Lovely under the weather

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moola

moola

Junior Guinea Pig
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My beautiful (and have to admit favourite) girl Lovely (my avatar) is looking a bit under the weather. She's 3.5, so not a total old timer. She has not been tucking into her food with so much gusto as normal - I checked her teeth and they seem fine. But today she has been doing this thing where she's a bit puffed up and not exactly shivering, but doing these small jolts. She also seems to be wanting to groom the other two more than usual. However, her coat is shiny and her eyes are bright, and she did do some loud squeaks for food earlier. I gave them Brussels Sprouts for the 1st time yesterday, so am wondering if it could be something as simple as that change in food. But she just doesn't seem to be her usual cheeky confident self. I keep wanting to burst into tears, so am not being very together!8...

The other thing is that Squeaky has had to go to the vet earlier this week with what I suspect to be a bite which got a bit gunky ( I am not pointing fingers, but I think Ringo may have got a bit frisky because she had her season last week) - she's had some antbiotics and is on the mend and is totally her usual self. Eating like a horse! However, I am wondering if perhaps Lovely has licked some of the stuff I used to clean her wound? And that might be why she's a bit off colour.

I thought I would give it another 24hrs and then take Lovely to the vet. Thankfully my vet is gorgeous with guineas, so I do trust her. But I thought I'd ask if anyopne on here recognised any of these symptoms?

Thanks!
 
I would take her to the vet as soon as to be on the safe side.

Hope its nothing too serious and keep us updated please.

Louise xx
 
She has been nibbling on some hay and seems to be settled and relaxed, so I think I'll leave it till the morning as she might perk up after a good night's sleep. She's usually the first up the ramp demanding food, so I'll know if she's not OK.
 
did she like the sprouts?maybe shes having a sulk because youre making her eat sprouts!ha ha and if there was no turkey to go with it id be sulking too
 
She seems still to be juddering, but I think it's actually more of a wheeze than anything, I have just had a listen to her chest - so I am wondering if it's perhaps dust from her hay which is irritating her, or whether she might have a chest infection. I have read a few threads on both of these, so if she's not better tomorrow morning I'll at least be going to the vets well armed with information! She is kept on fleece, so it would only be the hay she eats which irritates (Excel Timothy with Herbs). She is moving about a bit and nibbling on nuggets and hay, so I am not quite as worried as before, but I am definitely not happy about the wheezy chest.

P.S. None of them were too impressed with the sprouts! I thought they'd love them as they are piggy-sized cabbages!hehehe
 
If i were you, I'd get an emergency vet. I don't want to concern you, but piggies are prey animals and hide their illnesses, so if she's showing being ill, she maybe really ill. x
 
Guinea pigs do not hide their illnesses, it is the owners who do not know what to look for in their animals. The "hidden illness" is just a convenient saying to reduce a possible guilty conscience on the part of a unobservant owner.
Moola is obviously someone who knows what her pig's normal behaviour pattern is and has noticed a change which indicates a problem.
It could be hay-fever, I am just a little concerned by the small jolts. As you say, see what she is like in the morning.
 
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She's not any worse, but I did syringe feed her some water just to make sure she's not dehydrated. She's still doing the little wheezes. I have a vet coming round to look at her later. Meanwhile I have been terrible - couldn't sleep and lots of tears! I am sure Lovely is probably thinking I'm having a bout of hysteria!:0
 
Good luck - it's nice you have the vet coming to you, so you don't have to take Lovely out from her home. Let us know how she's doing.
 
Well, it's actually just a friend of a friend who (luckily) is up for a visit this weekend and is a small animal vet - good timing! :)

I'll let you know how we get on. Meanwhile I am off to get some Olbas Oil!
 
hope everything is going ok with Lovely. I'm keeping fingers crossed and Rowdee and Gavin have their paws crossed x
 
Weighing a pig is part of the observation package, so that also indicates an observant owner.
 
Ok, so it has been confirmed she has a chest infection and so has some antibiotics (baytril) and some metacam for pain relief. I also have some sachets of liquid 'recovery' feed. The vet said it might be a good idea to put her in a separate cage so she doesn't get hassled by the others and so I can monitor her food/water intake more accurately, so I have put her alongside the others. Hopefully she will brighten up a bit over the next few days.
 
Food trouble!

I feel like I have been struggling to get Lovely to eat today. I got a pack of recovery food from the vet, but it bungs the syringe up, so you're either squirting it everywhere or stuck. So I decided to make my own version - I ground up some nuggets, basil and celery leaves in a mortar and pestle, mixed in some cranberry juice then forced it through a tea strainer. Does this sound ridiculous?! It's much easier to administer. I have been alternating it with feeds of slightly diluted baby food (apple pear and banana puree) which goes down a treat. I have been feeding her every 1-2 hours as I can't seem to get more than 10-15mls down in one go. Can anyone advise if this sounds about right?

I am covered in green gloop!:{
 
It sounds like you are doing just fine. I hope she is soon feeling much better. I worry about separating them from their friends when they are poorly though as it seems to distress them more. Keep and eye on how she seems.

Have you cut the end off the syringe? I find it works much better if you cut the end off. The food seems to flow so much easier.
 
oh well i am sorry lovely is poorly, but with a name like lovely, have you tried using probiotics (syringe it don't put in the bottle, as need to be kept in the fridge to keep it fresh for 24 hours) sometime can help with the upset tummy from antibiotics? and i think metatone tonic can help boost appetite too read somewhere i am sure. I send my best wishes for a speedy recovery for lovely and hope you are feeling and sleeping better
 
I am just off to get some probiotics and metatone, thanks! It's all a little easier now as I have been mixing ground up nuggets with the fruit puree and a bit of water - she seems to like this and it comes out of the syringe quite easily. She had a bit of a half-hearted nibble on a piece of cucumber earlier - literally one or two bites, but fingers crossed she'll recover her appetite! Just as well I can work from home......I have been feeling quite broody lately, but now syringe feeding a guinea pig at 5.30am has made me remember why I don't want another baby!rolleyes
 
No Poo!

Ok, I am starting to get a bit worried as Lovely hasn't done much poo since I have been syringe feeding her, and her belly is definitely a bit swollen - I was just wondering how long it takes for things to get through their digestive system - I didn't start properly syringe feeding her till yesterday lunchtime. She has done a few little poos that are quite mucousy, but not more than say a teaspoon's worth in total. I am also wondering if this is because she has not been moving around at all, and so her bowels are being sluggish? Also, am I feeding her too much? I have been giving her about 20mls of nuggets ground up in fruit puree every 2 hours. Any advice gratefully received!
 
I am totally gutted to have to say that I had Lovely PTS early this morning. She was in a state when I got up, like gasping for air and dragging herself round on her side. The vet thinks she must have had some underlying condition which presented itself with similar symptoms to a chest infection. I am glad that her pain is over and that I was able to hold her, she looked peaceful at the end. Meanwhile I am a wreck! It's funny, but I don't think people understand unless you have piggies - they get right into your heart! XX
 
moola said:
I am totally gutted to have to say that I had Lovely PTS early this morning. She was in a state when I got up, like gasping for air and dragging herself round on her side. The vet thinks she must have had some underlying condition which presented itself with similar symptoms to a chest infection. I am glad that her pain is over and that I was able to hold her, she looked peaceful at the end. Meanwhile I am a wreck! It's funny, but I don't think people understand unless you have piggies - they get right into your heart! XX
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I'm so sorry to hear Lovely has left for the Rainbow bridge! You did everything you could and she'll be happy popcorning with her friends! RIP little one!
 
BIG HUG!

I am so sorry that you have have lost your fight for Lovely's life. I am sorry that you had to make the hardest deicision of them all for the sake of your little girl - at least, she is now free to roam without pain and she went knowing how much you loved her!

It really whacks you right around, doesn't it? And it will take time until your heart is able to catch up... As if the size of a pet decides how much you should grieve, and not the depth of your bond! 8...8...8...
 
Sorry to hear the news.
As I said, I was concerned by the jolts she kept having. That was consistent with heart problems, similar to the heart missing a beat then starting up again. I read your post about the mucous on the pellets and was going to post that she needed fluid, then I read that she had died.
I have lost many pigs to heart problems. Heart failure means that the kidneys stop working and there is a fluid build-up in the lungs.
The aspects of their behaviour that always makes me think the worst is their reluctance to eat and to move. Yet, sitting still, they can look quite healthy.
I have had them live for upto 5 days after the onset, but the majority only live for 2-3 days. The gasping for breath, or it can look like they are trying to "bite" the air, is a certain sign that death is inevitable.
There is nothing else you could have done for her.
 
So, so sorry to hear about Lovely - having looked at your avatar that is exactly what she was. You're right - no-one understands how much these little critters get into your heart and how devastating it is when they leave us.
**big hugs**
 
Moola, I am so very sorry to hear that Lovely has passed. Big *hugs* to you.

Rest well, sweet Lovely. xx
 
moola said:
I am totally gutted to have to say that I had Lovely PTS early this morning. She was in a state when I got up, like gasping for air and dragging herself round on her side. The vet thinks she must have had some underlying condition which presented itself with similar symptoms to a chest infection. I am glad that her pain is over and that I was able to hold her, she looked peaceful at the end. Meanwhile I am a wreck! It's funny, but I don't think people understand unless you have piggies - they get right into your heart! XX
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I am so sorry to hear about Lovely. Must have been horrible to see her like that but like you say, she is not in pain any longer and has a new life in Rainbow Bridge looking over you.

I can't handle reading about all these piggies passing away. 8...
 
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