Not eating hay-only eating poop?

[Popcorn bby]

Hi, I've have been so worried these past few days about some behaviors one of my guinea pigs, Pumpkin, has been having. The timeline of events starts last week on either Tuesday or Thursday, when we took her to the vet for nasal discharge. The vet said Pumpkin had a URI and sent us home with Baytril, which both Pumpkin and her sister have been on countless times before with no issues. We gave Pumpkin about three doses, but on the second day, I noticed Pumpkin wasn't showing any interest to hay. Even when I put in a fresh hay pile or tried to handfeed her, the whole day I only saw her eat a few hay pieces (with trouble) at most. (Just thought I'd add that Pumpkin never stopped eating vegetables at any point in this) The next day we gave her one more Baytril dose before ultimately stopping in case Baytril was the culprit. Ever since then she's been making small improvements, over the weekend she actually went up to the hay piles a few times, although every time she would eat one piece willingly, then leave. Over the weekend, I also noticed that she began eating poops all around the cage. I didn't stress too much since I thought she was just trying to balance her gut or something, but after a few days (today) she is basically eating more poop than hay. She even goes and waits by her sister's bottom so that she can eat it as soon as she poops. It's honestly really worrying.

Today we took her to the vet, but ultimately got no answer. The vet checked her teeth and did jaw x-rays, which did show things that have potential to cause issues in the future, but nothing to the extent that could be causing her not eat right now. She focused more on the URI, saying she needed to let her gut heal up before putting her on oral meds, so she sent us home with a nebulizer (twice a day, 20 days). She also sent us reglan to help her gut. That is where we are at. Even as I talk right now, she is waiting for her sister to poop so she can eat it, she prefers it over hay right now. I was sure there would be a teeth issue, so I am honestly just really scared. I am aware this is a really long post, and that you guys are not vets and can't know everything from my descriptions, but I am quite desperate for any insight on this since we are basically backed into a corner right now.

Thank you.

 

[Siikibam]

I would start weighing daily at the same time. If she isn’t eating enough hay then it’s likely she is losing weight. You’ll have to step in with syringe feeding to help her. Baytril can affect some piggies and not others. ill also tag @Wiebke @VickiA
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

 

[Redys]

Guinea Pig Eating Poop Not Hay

(Id love a reply if you see this please) I'm in the exact same situation except I haven't been able to see a vet yet due to where I live but have an appointment. I changed brands of Timothy hay 6 days ago from Oxbow to Kaytee because they were out of Oxbow. I moved my 2 guinea pigs seperate cages that are side by side (I'm bonding them still) to another room that same day. She refused to eat Hay but still was pooping, eating hay pellets and veggies, even yogurt treats and cardboard with zero difficulty or noticable pain. On day 3 I bought Oxbow Timothy, Orchard & Botanical Hay and she went right for it and I watched her eat for 30 minutes multiple pieces like normal and I was so happy, but I woke up 12 hours later and came to check and she hadn't made a single Dent, it was like she lost interest when I left. Around then, 2 days ago, is when I realized she had very few poops, I lifted the fleace and her hidies I looked everywhere and there was maybe 12 total from 24 hours prior. The last 2 days there's only about 5 at a time and I've seen her eating them, doesn't matter if it's light brown or almost more black, she will eat it. I notice her hays been touched whenever I come in the room, all scattered, but it hasn't been eaten. Like I said she'll eat anything else, she runs and popcorns, she weaks if she hears the hay bag even, she chews her toys, she sleeps normal hours, she gets all her vitamins, she seams happy. I don't know what's wrong with her. Did you ever solve your problem and if so what did you do for your piggy? I'd really appreciate it.

 

[Piggies&buns]

(Id love a reply if you see this please) I'm in the exact same situation except I haven't been able to see a vet yet due to where I live but have an appointment. I changed brands of Timothy hay 6 days ago from Oxbow to Kaytee because they were out of Oxbow. I moved my 2 guinea pigs seperate cages that are side by side (I'm bonding them still) to another room that same day. She refused to eat Hay but still was pooping, eating hay pellets and veggies, even yogurt treats and cardboard with zero difficulty or noticable pain. On day 3 I bought Oxbow Timothy, Orchard & Botanical Hay and she went right for it and I watched her eat for 30 minutes multiple pieces like normal and I was so happy, but I woke up 12 hours later and came to check and she hadn't made a single Dent, it was like she lost interest when I left. Around then, 2 days ago, is when I realized she had very few poops, I lifted the fleace and her hidies I looked everywhere and there was maybe 12 total from 24 hours prior. The last 2 days there's only about 5 at a time and I've seen her eating them, doesn't matter if it's light brown or almost more black, she will eat it. I notice her hays been touched whenever I come in the room, all scattered, but it hasn't been eaten. Like I said she'll eat anything else, she runs and popcorns, she weaks if she hears the hay bag even, she chews her toys, she sleeps normal hours, she gets all her vitamins, she seams happy. I don't know what's wrong with her. Did you ever solve your problem and if so what did you do for your piggy? I'd really appreciate it.

Please step in with syringe feeding and switch to daily weight checks so you can monitor her hay intake a during feed intake more closely. You will need to see a vet.

Eating poop can sometimes suggest a digestive upset.

Please do not feed yogurt drops to a guinea pig. They are not suitable at all.

Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
Weight - Monitoring and Management