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Please help! My Guinea Pig is dying!

cutelittlepiggies2

cutelittlepiggies2

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
May 30, 2021
Messages
54
Reaction score
43
Points
195
Location
Utah
Hi, I’m new here. I just created this account so I could get help on my piggie. Her name is Pepper. I started seeing weird yellowish, light colored looking poos in their cage. I separated Peachy (my other Guinea Pig) into a playpen to see and her poops and Peppers poop was very dry, and they weren’t drinking out of their water bottles so I made a terrible decision of trying to syringe feed water. I didn’t do my full research. I slowly gave Peachy’s hers but the syringe wasn’t working. So, for Pepper I decided to try a different one. It was a lot faster so it shot down Pepper’s throat. Now Pepper is shaking and can’t breathe very well. She is coughing and wheezing. I think she spit out most the water onto me but she still isn’t okay. What should I do? I’m such a terrible pet owner. Is she gonna die? I should’ve never gave them water through a syringe but tried a water bowl. I can believe my self, I feel so guilty this is all my fault. Please help!
 
Hi! I'm sorry to hear that your piggies are poorly. Please take them to the vet as breathing issues are a serious problem. We cannot diagnosis what is going on and a trained vet will be best to help them out. Hoping for the best for your piggies.
 
RedLoredAmazon said:
Hi! I'm sorry to hear that your piggies are poorly. Please take them to the vet as breathing issues are a serious problem. We cannot diagnosis what is going on and a trained vet will be best to help them out. Hoping for the best for your piggies.
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Thank you! I will try to get her in. Thank you for understanding. 🙏
 
cutelittlepiggies2 said:
Hi, I’m new here. I just created this account so I could get help on my piggie. Her name is Pepper. I started seeing weird yellowish, light colored looking poos in their cage. I separated Peachy (my other Guinea Pig) into a playpen to see and her poops and Peppers poop was very dry, and they weren’t drinking out of their water bottles so I made a terrible decision of trying to syringe feed water. I didn’t do my full research. I slowly gave Peachy’s hers but the syringe wasn’t working. So, for Pepper I decided to try a different one. It was a lot faster so it shot down Pepper’s throat. Now Pepper is shaking and can’t breathe very well. She is coughing and wheezing. I think she spit out most the water onto me but she still isn’t okay. What should I do? I’m such a terrible pet owner. Is she gonna die? I should’ve never gave them water through a syringe but tried a water bowl. I can believe my self, I feel so guilty this is all my fault. Please help!
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Hi

Unfortunately, without access to your piggy, we cannot tell you whether they are OK or not. It sounds like some of the water may have gone down the wrong way into the lungs; I hope that your piggy will settle soon and that the breathing will ease again. This however does not affect any underlying issues which prompted you to syringe feed water in the first place.

Please see a vet as soon as possible if your piggy is not eating. Piggies that are not eating don't just need water, they need mainly fribrous food very carefully and slowly syringed; never more than they can hold in their mouth.

Always switch from the usual life-long once weekly weight monitoring to weighing once daily at the same time in order to monitor the daily food intake. Since about 80% what your piggy eats in a day is hay, hay and more hay, you cannot control the food intake just by eye; especially as piggies often chew on crud.
The need to drink comes before the need to eat, so a dehydrated piggy is one that is not eating. Please check the water bottle as to whether it is working normally first and foremost.

Please take the time to carefully read our detailed, practical step-by-step emergency and crisis support information so you know what you can do for a very ill piggy and how you do it; including improvising tips in an emergency and practical advice for the case that your piggy is dying before you can see a vet, as some countries like the USA don't have out-of-hours emergency vet cover.
We have all necessary emergency information and practical advice collected in this link so you have everything to need to know handy until you can have your piggy vet checked: Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
 
Wiebke said:
Hi

Unfortunately, without access to your piggy, we cannot tell you whether they are OK or not. It sounds like some of the water may have gone down the wrong way into the lungs; I hope that your piggy will settle soon and that the breathing will ease again. This however does not affect any underlying issues which prompted you to syringe feed water in the first place.

Please see a vet as soon as possible if your piggy is not eating. Piggies that are not eating don't just need water, they need mainly fribrous food very carefully and slowly syringed; never more than they can hold in their mouth.

Always switch from the usual life-long once weekly weight monitoring to weighing once daily at the same time in order to monitor the daily food intake. Since about 80% what your piggy eats in a day is hay, hay and more hay, you cannot control the food intake just by eye; especially as piggies often chew on crud.
The need to drink comes before the need to eat, so a dehydrated piggy is one that is not eating. Please check the water bottle as to whether it is working normally first and foremost.

Please take the time to carefully read our detailed, practical step-by-step emergency and crisis support information so you know what you can do for a very ill piggy and how you do it; including improvising tips in an emergency and practical advice for the case that your piggy is dying before you can see a vet, as some countries like the USA don't have out-of-hours emergency vet cover.
We have all necessary emergency information and practical advice collected in this link so you have everything to need to know handy until you can have your piggy vet checked: Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Click to expand...
Thank you for taking time to help me. I’m trying my best to schedule a vet appointment. I feel so guilty. This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have syringe fed water in the first place. Thank you once again for your help.
 
It is ok don’t feel so guilty all pet and guinea pig owners make mistakes it is not uncommon I have made my fair share of mistakes it happens just try to see a vet 😊
 
Vegetable_Monster said:
@Wiebke.

Alot Guinea pigs don't drink much water, they are probably getting enough from veg if your feeding that. Are you feeding plenty of Hay unlimited every day? Sounds like the gut isntt moving enough, the yellow I think will be mucus, I've seen this before when a Guinea pig has not eaten for a while due to being poorly

You shouldn't need to syringe water, just for future advice, unless they are really sick and not eating any wet foods at all.

Do see a vet about the aspirated water, can't do anything about that at home
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Yes, they get plenty of fresh hay everyday. Sorry, I am wrong. It wasn’t yellow just light colored and very dry and crumbly. I was so worried that I just acted of what I thought was right. I feel like a Guinea Pig killer, I feel so much guilt. Thanks for your help.
 
Agirlwithaguinea said:
It is ok don’t feel so guilty all pet and guinea pig owners make mistakes it is not uncommon I have made my fair share of mistakes it happens just try to see a vet 😊
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Thank you! I’m so worried right now. So guilty. I would never intentionally hurt my baby.
 
cutelittlepiggies2 said:
Thank you! I’m so worried right now. So guilty. I would never intentionally hurt my baby.
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Believe me know I had a guinea pig that I brought to a vet for respiratory infection and it said they take small animals and they gave her medicine that killed here slowly she died in my arms and I was felling very guilty we brought her to a different vet and they gave here a pain free death and then I showed the medication and the vet was like the other vet was very wrong and the meds killed her so I understand
 
Agirlwithaguinea said:
Believe me know I had a guinea pig that I brought to a vet for respiratory infection and it said they take small animals and they gave her medicine that killed here slowly she died in my arms and I was felling very guilty we brought her to a different vet and they gave here a pain free death and then I showed the medication and the vet was like the other vet was very wrong and the meds killed her so I understand
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Aw, i’m so sorry for you lost. It’s hard to get her into a vet. I’m so worried. Thanks for your responses!
 
cutelittlepiggies2 said:
Hi, I’m new here. I just created this account so I could get help on my piggie. Her name is Pepper. I started seeing weird yellowish, light colored looking poos in their cage. I separated Peachy (my other Guinea Pig) into a playpen to see and her poops and Peppers poop was very dry, and they weren’t drinking out of their water bottles so I made a terrible decision of trying to syringe feed water. I didn’t do my full research. I slowly gave Peachy’s hers but the syringe wasn’t working. So, for Pepper I decided to try a different one. It was a lot faster so it shot down Pepper’s throat. Now Pepper is shaking and can’t breathe very well. She is coughing and wheezing. I think she spit out most the water onto me but she still isn’t okay. What should I do? I’m such a terrible pet owner. Is she gonna die? I should’ve never gave them water through a syringe but tried a water bowl. I can believe my self, I feel so guilty this is all my fault. Please help!
Click to expand...
Pepper isn’t doing any better, if not worse. She can barely keep her eyes open. Do you think she will pass from this before I can get her into the the vet?
 
I hope you are able to get her to the vets today. Don’t feel bad. Accidents happen.
 
Have you had any luck getting into a vets? At this point I'd definitely class as an emergency x
 
cutelittlepiggies2 said:
Thank you for taking time to help me. I’m trying my best to schedule a vet appointment. I feel so guilty. This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have syringe fed water in the first place. Thank you once again for your help.
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Hi!

Mistakes are part of the normal learning curve; we have all made our own mistakes and likely more than you. Take them on the chin and use your experience constructiveley. We learn so much more from our mistakes than getting everything right the first time. There are always things you cannot foresee and therefore not prevent. It doesn't make you a bad owner; only refusing to learn and improve and repeating your mistakes over and over again does.

Adult life and growing in life is not about never putting a foot wrong and never stumbling, but all about how you get up and go on. Learning to live with regrets but turning them into something positive you can do in the future is an important life lesson and the one that will ultimately get you much further and make you are much more understanding and better person.

Please don't panic. If the breathing (and pooing issues) persist or return, please see a vet as promptly as you can. In some countries, like the USA or Canada it can unfortunately take several days to be seen.
That is why I have added the Emerging and Bridging Care link to my last post. You may want to bookmark it so you have it handy if you end up with another situation where you cannot see a vet immediately. Illness and emergencies have a bad habit of happening at the most inconvenient of times. Reading up on how you spot illness, what you can do (not just giving water but looking beyond the immediate symptom) and knowing what you can do in a crisis is a practical lesson you can take from this that may be life-saving at some point in time. ;)
 
Flutterby said:
Have you had any luck getting into a vets? At this point I'd definitely class as an emergency x
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No. It was closed yesterday the one that takes Guinea Pigs and today it might be closed again because of Memorial Day. I’m trying my hardest to get her in.
 
Vegetable_Monster said:
Was anything wrong with her before you started syringing water? Was she eating OK before?
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She was eating, but she wasn’t drinking or she hadn’t been the last couple of days. Which obviously I messed up, she could’ve gotten water during the night because I don’t watch her all the time. She ate directly after she got that water and is still eating hay, atleast.
 
Wiebke said:
Hi!

Mistakes are part of the normal learning curve; we have all made our own mistakes and likely more than you. Take them on the chin and use your experience constructiveley. We learn so much more from our mistakes than getting everything right the first time. There are always things you cannot foresee and therefore not prevent. It doesn't make you a bad owner; only refusing to learn and improve and repeating your mistakes over and over again does.

Adult life and growing in life is not about never putting a foot wrong and never stumbling, but all about how you get up and go on. Learning to live with regrets but turning them into something positive you can do in the future is an important life lesson and the one that will ultimately get you much further and make you are much more understanding and better person.

Please don't panic. If the breathing (and pooing issues) persist or return, please see a vet as promptly as you can. In some countries, like the USA or Canada it can unfortunately take several days to be seen.
That is why I have added the Emerging and Bridging Care link to my last post. You may want to bookmark it so you have it handy if you end up with another situation where you cannot see a vet immediately. Illness and emergencies have a bad habit of happening at the most inconvenient of times. Reading up on how you spot illness, what you can do (not just giving water but looking beyond the immediate symptom) and knowing what you can do in a crisis is a practical lesson you can take from this that may be life-saving at some point in time. ;)
Click to expand...
Thank you. Hopefully can get seen by a vet today. Thank you for all your help!
 
cutelittlepiggies2 said:
Hi, I’m new here. I just created this account so I could get help on my piggie. Her name is Pepper. I started seeing weird yellowish, light colored looking poos in their cage. I separated Peachy (my other Guinea Pig) into a playpen to see and her poops and Peppers poop was very dry, and they weren’t drinking out of their water bottles so I made a terrible decision of trying to syringe feed water. I didn’t do my full research. I slowly gave Peachy’s hers but the syringe wasn’t working. So, for Pepper I decided to try a different one. It was a lot faster so it shot down Pepper’s throat. Now Pepper is shaking and can’t breathe very well. She is coughing and wheezing. I think she spit out most the water onto me but she still isn’t okay. What should I do? I’m such a terrible pet owner. Is she gonna die? I should’ve never gave them water through a syringe but tried a water bowl. I can believe my self, I feel so guilty this is all my fault. Please help!
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Update: She did make it through the night. I caught her eating hay in the litter box as if she had moved from her sleeping spot. I hope she makes it.
 
@cutelittlepiggies2. I’m so pleased you found this forum. Unfortunately, we can’t change what has happened ...and I hope all goes well at the vets
 
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I hope that the little one recovers fully from this. Would you like to show us a photo? We love piggy photos.
 
VickiA said:
I hope that the little one recovers fully from this. Would you like to show us a photo? We love piggy photos.
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Sure! Here she is. She is doing so much better today!
 

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