Not Drinking.

[Chelle_83]

Hi.

This is my first post here but joined a while ago & find this forum so helpful when there’s things I’ve wanted to know in regards to my piggies. Anyway…

My guinea pig Mercury has a URI. My Son noticed her breathing sounded crackly 5 days ago so I contacted the vet straight away & got an appointment that day. The vet said that it definitely sounds like a URI & prescribed her Enrofloxacin & Rheumocam (Meloxicam). Other than her breathing being crackly & her nose a little crusty she’s shown no other signs. She’s eating hay, pellets & plenty of vegetables however has stopped drinking water. She’ll drink some if we actually pick the water bottle up off the cage & take it to her but other than that she’s not really drinking. I’ve tried putting water in a bowl but she won’t touch it & I’ve syringe fed her some water. When doing her vegetables I’ve been rinsing them in plenty of water & giving plenty of watery vegetables (cucumber, celery etc) so just wondering if she’s getting enough water this way. She is a little quiet, just wanting to lie down & rest.

I lost a guinea pig 3 months ago so really worried, my pets are like my babies. Just wondering if I’m doing enough in regards to her drinking.

Thankyou in advance for any help and advice you can give me. Oh and I’m in the UK.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome to the forum and I’m sorry to hear of her illness.
The need to drink comes before the need to eat, so if a piggy is eating then they are drinking and are getting enough fluid.
If you syringe feed her water and give more watery veg than she usually would have then you are reducing/stopping her need to drink independently as she is getting plenty in other ways.

Make sure to weigh her daily while she is unwell so you can monitor hay intake more closely while she is on antibiotics.