Post surgery appetite concerns

[Piggydreams]

My guinea pig (male, 3 years old) had a surgery for his mammary gland tumour 10 days ago. The surgery went fine and he started to get more active and like his normal self 2 days after his surgery. However, his appetite has remained consistently low since then (he was eating fine before the surgery).

At first I figured it's the antibiotic effect for which the vet prescribed him probiotics, but that hasn't helped much either. He certainly shows interest in food and moves around in search of it, sniffs and nibbles at hay and other veggies but then drops them. In a day, he eats a few pieces of leafy greens and some hay here and there on his own and thats it. Other than this, he's being syringe fed mashed veggies + pellets and water every 3-4 hours (longer gap at night). Although I fear it's less than his body needs since it's hard so feed him as he's EXTREMELY uncooperative when he's being fed and he's lost some weight over the past 10 days.

So my concern is why could his appetite be so low? What's causing this, should I ask the get to prescribe him some different antibiotics, or reduce its dosage (currently it's 0.2 ml twice a day)? He's been prescribed antibiotics before but he's never had such a strong reaction to it.

Apologies for the long post. Any suggestions would be very helpful! Thank you.

 

[Piggies2023]

My guinea pig (male, 3 years old) had a surgery for his mammary gland tumour 10 days ago. The surgery went fine and he started to get more active and like his normal self 2 days after his surgery. However, his appetite has remained consistently low since then (he was eating fine before the surgery).

At first I figured it's the antibiotic effect for which the vet prescribed him probiotics, but that hasn't helped much either. He certainly shows interest in food and moves around in search of it, sniffs and nibbles at hay and other veggies but then drops them. In a day, he eats a few pieces of leafy greens and some hay here and there on his own and thats it. Other than this, he's being syringe fed mashed veggies + pellets and water every 3-4 hours (longer gap at night). Although I fear it's less than his body needs since it's hard so feed him as he's EXTREMELY uncooperative when he's being fed and he's lost some weight over the past 10 days.

So my concern is why could his appetite be so low? What's causing this, should I ask the get to prescribe him some different antibiotics, or reduce its dosage (currently it's 0.2 ml twice a day)? He's been prescribed antibiotics before but he's never had such a strong reaction to it.

Apologies for the long post. Any suggestions would be very helpful! Thank you.

It maybe the antibiotics. How many days left do you have? Has he been on this antibiotic before?

Is he on any painkillers?

 

[Wiebke]

My guinea pig (male, 3 years old) had a surgery for his mammary gland tumour 10 days ago. The surgery went fine and he started to get more active and like his normal self 2 days after his surgery. However, his appetite has remained consistently low since then (he was eating fine before the surgery).

At first I figured it's the antibiotic effect for which the vet prescribed him probiotics, but that hasn't helped much either. He certainly shows interest in food and moves around in search of it, sniffs and nibbles at hay and other veggies but then drops them. In a day, he eats a few pieces of leafy greens and some hay here and there on his own and thats it. Other than this, he's being syringe fed mashed veggies + pellets and water every 3-4 hours (longer gap at night). Although I fear it's less than his body needs since it's hard so feed him as he's EXTREMELY uncooperative when he's being fed and he's lost some weight over the past 10 days.

So my concern is why could his appetite be so low? What's causing this, should I ask the get to prescribe him some different antibiotics, or reduce its dosage (currently it's 0.2 ml twice a day)? He's been prescribed antibiotics before but he's never had such a strong reaction to it.

Apologies for the long post. Any suggestions would be very helpful! Thank you.

Hi

Please step in with feeding support for as long as needed and at the level needed in order to firstly slow down any weight loss and to stabilise the weight. Your home support is every bit as important as the operation itself.

Loss of appetite in the wake of a GA and/or from antibiotics also impacting on the gut microbiome is not uncommon. Unfortunately, there is no medication that can make your piggy eat again. Probiotics are a support measure but they cannot heal. The antibiotics dosage is not very high.

Please take the time to read and watch these very practical and helpful guide links, which talk you through every aspect of crisis and recovery support at home:
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
How to Improvise Feeding Support in an Emergency
Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support

Wishing you all the best.

 

[Piggydreams]

Thank you for your

Hi

Please step in with feeding support for as long as needed and at the level needed in order to firstly slow down any weight loss and to stabilise the weight. Your home support is every bit as important as the operation itself.

Loss of appetite in the wake of a GA and/or from antibiotics also impacting on the gut microbiome is not uncommon. Unfortunately, there is no medication that can make your piggy eat again. Probiotics are a support measure but they cannot heal. The antibiotics dosage is not very high.

Please take the time to read and watch these very practical and helpful guide links, which talk you through every aspect of crisis and recovery support at home:
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
How to Improvise Feeding Support in an Emergency
Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support

Wishing you all the best.

Thank you for your reply. Should I perhaps ask the vet if it would be possible to end his antibiotics course at an earlier time? I'm worried about feeding him more than his gut can handle as a few days back he had diarrhea even though I was only giving him 8-10 ml every 4 hours, so I dialed it down to 6-7 ml per session but I it's definitely not enough. His stools are solid now but smaller than they usually are.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for your

Thank you for your reply. Should I perhaps ask the vet if it would be possible to end his antibiotics course at an earlier time? I'm worried about feeding him more than his gut can handle as a few days back he had diarrhea even though I was only giving him 8-10 ml every 4 hours, so I dialed it down to 6-7 ml per session but I it's definitely not enough. His stools are solid now but smaller than they usually are.

Hi

A guinea pig that is not eating needs around 60 ml in 24 hours. You have as many sessions depending on how much you can get into your piggy at any time and whether theyare still partially eating or not.
The Weight Loss guide link in my previous explains this in detail; including how to use your kitchen scales as your best feedback/monitoring ally for computing the appropriate feeding level for the coming day. There are lots of very practical tips in all guides.

Please only ask your vet to stop an antibiotic if your piggy has a bad reaction to it; this includes looking sick/apathetic in addition to the loss of appetite. Please be aware that every course of antibiotics that is not finished will contribute to the resistancy problem. Soft poos are acceptable; runny diarrhea means contcting your vet.

It is a tough time for any owner and you have my full sympathy, having been there quite a number of times.

 

[Piggydreams]

What can I add in his syringe feed to make sure he gets the needed nutrition along with the fibre? The pellets I give him don't seem to suit his gut in large quantity as it caused diarrhea (and I'm afraid of switching to another brand as his stomach won't be used to that) so I mix it up with mashed veggies like tomatoes, cucumber and capsicum. Is there anything else I can provide him? I don't have guinea pig critical feed available near me so this is also a problem.

 

[Wiebke]

What can I add in his syringe feed to make sure he gets the needed nutrition along with the fibre? The pellets I give him don't seem to suit his gut in large quantity as it caused diarrhea (and I'm afraid of switching to another brand as his stomach won't be used to that) so I mix it up with mashed veggies like tomatoes, cucumber and capsicum. Is there anything else I can provide him? I don't have guinea pig critical feed available near me so this is also a problem.

Are you sure that it is the pellets and not the antibiotic that is causing the diarrhea?
This guide has further suggestions: How to Improvise Feeding Support in an Emergency

 

[exia]

I dont really have any expert advices to give. But I recently had a post GA piggy at home and experienced the same. He was also on antibiotics. At first he was given Azithromax which upset his tummy and gave him diarrhea. We stopped the Azithromax and with lots of probiotics and bio-lapis the tummy was better, and the vet prescribed Bactrim. The appetite was low like 7 days after the last antibiotics dosage was given. Can you call the vet to get some advice? It could be the antibiotics that gives him diarrhea

 

[Piggydreams]

So I took him to the vet just now and the surgical area had gotten infected, he has cleaned it up and prescribed ointments for cleaning/applying on it.
He said the infection is the reason why he hasn't eaten till now. I think his appetite should get better as the wound heals then.

He needs to be given the antibiotics for 5 more days if all goes fine.

 

[Piggydreams]

Quick question, the doc recommended I make a cone for him or put on a loose sock to keep him from opening his stitches. In case of an infected wound would sock be a safe option? He was trying to scratch the wound so I had to put on a sock but he looks very uncomfortable in it.

 

[Wiebke]

Quick question, the doc recommended I make a cone for him or put on a loose sock to keep him from opening his stitches. In case of an infected wound would sock be a safe option? He was trying to scratch the wound so I had to put on a sock but he looks very uncomfortable in it.

Hi

Unfortunately, cones don't work with guinea pigs. They can wiggle out of them within minutes. A sock may or may not work but it needs to be rather tight.

 

[Piggydreams]

After 4-5 failed attempts with multiple cones and socks, I managed to get a rather tight sock on him that has stayed on till now. Worried about the infection getting worse because of limited air flow but I hope it will be fine..

 

[Wiebke]

After 4-5 failed attempts with multiple cones and socks, I managed to get a rather tight sock on him that has stayed on till now. Worried about the infection getting worse because of limited air flow but I hope it will be fine..

Hi

you may be better off to leave the wound to heal without protection.

 

[Piggydreams]

Hi

you may be better off to leave the wound to heal without protection.

I kept it open initially but he kept trying to scratch the area. He looks uncomfortable in the sock but idk what else to do.

 

[Wiebke]

I kept it open initially but he kept trying to scratch the area. He looks uncomfortable in the sock but idk what else to do.

Make sure that yo take it off regularly since air is needed for the healing process.

 

[Piggydreams]

His poops are still very small, I was giving him 5-6ml per feeding session and decided to bring it up to 8-10 ml to stabilize his weight (and also hand feed him hay during feeding sessions) but whenever I feed him a bit more his poops grow soft and I fear he may have diarrhea again. I genuinely don't know what to do, if I feed him less he will lose weight and if I feed him more his tummy can't handle it.
He's being given probiotics 3x a day. Still not eating much on his own.

 

[Piggydreams]

Also, the vet had put him on a different antibiotics 2 days ago so I don't think it's the antibiotics causing it. He never had a problem with antibiotics before. I'm supposed to give him antibiotics for 3 more days.
He's already lost a lot of weight since his surgery 12 days ago and then the appetite issues and the diarrhea that I'm afraid things could turn dangerous soon.