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Piggie that’s not himself

SarahO

SarahO

Junior Guinea Pig
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Wiltshire, UK
Hey guys
Over the last 3 days my handsome Bailey has not been himself. He is not eating much. He will eat a little hay, most of his veg but won’t touch his peaflakes anymore but will eat a few dried carrots. His personality has changed, where he would not allow me to stroke him when he is in his cage he now just sits there and lets me do it. I had him out for a run around with my other piggie cookie and Bailey is usually the one chasing around cookie but now he runs away when cookie is behind him. Took him to the vets today who found nothing wrong and nothing wrong in his mouth/teeth either. The vet has given me rheuocam 0.8ml once a day just in case he feels discomfort anywhere. If that doesn’t work then it will be an X-ray. Just wondered if there is any extra advice here as well?
 

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I’m sorry to hear this.

It’s very important you switch from the routine weekly weight checks and instead weigh him once a day (in the morning). This enables you to monitor hay intake. Often when a piggy is unwell they are not eating enough hay, even if they are still eating a little. This will quickly show with weight loss and is essential you step in with syringe feeding.

Piggies quickly metabolise their pain meds (in around 12 hours) so once a day usually isn’t enough. It could be advisable for you to split this dose and give half in the morning and the other half 12 hours later. Do discuss this with your vet.

Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
 
Today it appears that Bailey is eating his hay but is not touching his water, although he is eating his veg but not all of it. His stools indicate some dehydration but he is pooping more. I have been splitting the medicam so it’s given in small doses twice a day.I think I will need to take him back to the vets
 
It seems to be holding at the moment to under 1kg. He is an abbysinion and has always been 1.2 kg till now. He hardly touched his veg today. He nibbled at it and he acts like he wants it. I swear it has to be something with mouth but no drooling and vet could not find anything when she looked
 
Was he sedated we all so the molars could be properly checked or was she able to do it thoroughly with him awake?
 
I think it was checked thoroughly awake. The vet took him out the back to do it
 
I’ve had a piggie with dental issues.
Vet had a look at his teeth while he was awake with some sort of otoscope and didn’t find anything, and then a month later after tons of medication he went under anaesthesic and we found all his molars were going in the wrong direction causing dental discomfort.
If he was taken in the back it sounds like they may have done quite a thorough investigation but you could always ask to be sure.

Are you support feeding?
I hope your boy starts to feel better soon x
 
piggl said:
I’ve had a piggie with dental issues.
Vet had a look at his teeth while he was awake with some sort of otoscope and didn’t find anything, and then a month later after tons of medication he went under anaesthesic and we found all his molars were going in the wrong direction causing dental discomfort.
If he was taken in the back it sounds like they may have done quite a thorough investigation but you could always ask to be sure.

Are you support feeding?
I hope your boy starts to feel better soon x
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Thank you. I took Bailey back to the vets today as spent most of the day sat in his litter tray. He had lots of hay him but he was not eating it. Strange though as he is still bright and not once so far has he shown signs of being lethargic. It’s like he is on hunger strike and still won’t drink either. So now I am giving him recovery meds using his own nuggets as vet has not got any available yet till Monday. He has meds to get his gut moving plus the medicam he was given 2 days ago. Blimey and I thought Cookie had it bad after his operation earlier this year
 
SarahO said:
Thank you. I took Bailey back to the vets today as spent most of the day sat in his litter tray. He had lots of hay him but he was not eating it. Strange though as he is still bright and not once so far has he shown signs of being lethargic. It’s like he is on hunger strike and still won’t drink either. So now I am giving him recovery meds using his own nuggets as vet has not got any available yet till Monday. He has meds to get his gut moving plus the medicam he was given 2 days ago. Blimey and I thought Cookie had it bad after his operation earlier this year
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I would be wondering if it is the painkillers helping him along, which is a good thing. My boy didn’t show any signs of lethargy after he got prescribed painkillers even in the worst of times.

Fingers tightly crossed the medication helps him feel better soon. Sounds like you’re doing so well by him x
 
Today he still isn’t eating his food or drinking. I’m still giving him meds and recovery food. His weight this morning was 0.89kg 😕 which is lower than yesterday
 
SarahO said:
Today he still isn’t eating his food or drinking. I’m still giving him meds and recovery food. His weight this morning was 0.89kg 😕 which is lower than yesterday
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How much lower than yesterday?
How much syringe feed are you getting into him?

It can mean you need to syringe feed more each day. 60ml is the minimum amount of syringe feed needed for a piggy who is not eating for themselves
 
Yeah I have to give him more. I have another appointment at the vet today. I swear it’s to do with his mouth. He will go for his veg but plays around with it most of the time trying to eat it. The only thing he would eat most was a small bit of broccoli I very rarely give this because it can cause issues to guinea pigs but I guess he ate it due to the size of the little stems on it. Just can’t explain why he won’t touch the hay or water. I have not changed the hay at all it’s the same kind I order each time. He weighs now 0.87kg
 
SarahO said:
Yeah I have to give him more. I have another appointment at the vet today. I swear it’s to do with his mouth. He will go for his veg but plays around with it most of the time trying to eat it. The only thing he would eat most was a small bit of broccoli I very rarely give this because it can cause issues to guinea pigs but I guess he ate it due to the size of the little stems on it. Just can’t explain why he won’t touch the hay or water. I have not changed the hay at all it’s the same kind I order each time. He weighs now 0.87kg
Click to expand...

It’s definitely worth getting another check of his mouth done in case something is now visible.
But also a thorough check of elsewhere.

Hay is the first thing an unwell piggy (for whatever cause) will stop eating, hence the weight loss.
 
I now have been told that I would have to contact an exotic pet as my current vet would not be able to help considering my pigs have been going there for years. They have recommended a place in Bristol which I can’t get to as too far away and I don’t drive. But I have found another vets in Trowbridge who can help to look at Bailey. It’s so frustrating that no one wants to help. Apart from the vets in my town that I’m going to see. Appointment not till Wednesday at 12:30 so keep going for now. I don’t Bailey to be put down if he is acting the way he does towards the food he wants to eat but just won’t
 
Hi. I’m in Swindon and there is an exotics vet here if you can get here. I’ve never used them but I did get a quote from them last year and they were quite expensive.

I had a piggy who lost lots of weight last year. He had his teeth looked at under GA and they looked fine. But the vet saw some puss at the bottom of his incisors. He had a tooth root abscess. It didn’t show up for another two weeks though. Are there any lumps along his jaw bone? Good luck at the vets. I hope you can get some answers soon and Bailey is on the mend.
 
Thank you. I was advised by the one in Bristol about the Swindon one but I still can’t get there as no car. I have called Vets4pets in Trowbridge and I am giving them ago. This is the one I am visiting on Wednesday.
 
Ok. I took Bailey to the new vets today……this vet was fantastic. The vet found a mass of hair sitting at the back of his right side of mouth. He was put under briefly so it could be removed. The vet wasn’t able to see if there was an infection as it seemed he had a possible abscess as the right hand side of his mouth is very swollen. I always suspected it was his mouth area but nobody believed me. I have been given medicam and baytril for Bailey. I have also been given recovery food and will be feeding him every hour today. 🤞this the start of a recovery
 
I’m so pleased they have found something. I hope Bailey is soon on the mend. 🤞🏻
 
Ok. I tried the recovery food and I could not get the consistency right as it would either not go up the syringe or I could not push the syringe as it was stuck. I have gone back to using the nuggets and water now and it is much better to use with syringe. Bailey however has not touched any of his food in his cage not even the veg, but it could be it is because I’m feeding him on a regular basis now. I don’t feed Bailey every hour as it takes a while for the food to be eaten so Bailey will sit with me for at least 2 hours so I’m feeding him more but over a longer period with me. This makes it less stressful for Bailey. Meds have been pretty easy to give him. Bailey has not pooped at all today but it could be the problem I had earlier with the recovery food.
 
I found dipping the plunger in some of the food before putting it into the syringe helped it slide easier. Also changing the syringe every week to every couple of weeks, depending on the amount feed and the piggy, can help.

The consistency is down to you, I always made mine a bit more watery to get some extra hydration in my sick piggy, but this then also increases the volume you have to get into them.

I know this has been mentioned a few times but weighing daily, preferably in the morning, will help you as time goes on and lovely Bailey starts to hopefully feel a bit better on his own. For example if his weight is down, you may need to try and increase the amount you get into him, and vice versa.
 
despite all my efforts of feeding Bailey, he has not pooped or urinated at all. Not touched his food in the cage. He just hides under his fleece and just sits there. His weight this morning is 0.79kg. I’m visiting the vets again anyway as was pre booked when I last went on Wednesday. I feel that he needs to be put to sleep. He cant go on like this it’s not good to see him suffering.
 
I am sorry to hear this.

You have done so well for him but if he is still struggling after his procedure, I am sure a talk with the vet about next steps is a great move.
If he still isn’t moving about then that is likely a sign he is in pain, wether this is due to his dental issues or not, so if you go to the vets and perhaps you try another route of medicating then I think increased painkillers may be a good idea.

The issue with situations like these are that with our love and support your boy will likely survive for as long as you continue to medicate/feed him, but you have to ask yourself if you took all that away, what would happen?
It’s the same question I had to ask myself when putting my dental boy, Digby, down. That’s how I knew I made the right decision.

In situations like these there really is no right or wrong, as every decision is made with love and care, so I wish you the best with whatever decision you make.
I know how tough it is and I am sending you so many hugs x

A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs
 
Good luck at the vets. I hope they can come up with a plan to help Bailey. Good luck. Sending healing vibes and a big hug to you 🤗
 
I’m sorry to say that Bailey crossed the rainbow bridge today. He was 5 years old. I appreciate all the help and guidance from yourselves for Bailey. I now hope that Cookie will be fine without him.
 
I am sorry for your loss. You did everything you could for Bailey, it's so sad he had to leave you.
 
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