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Severely Underweight And Weak Piggies!

H

Hjx

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jul 14, 2017
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Location
West Yorkshire
I'm really really hoping someone can help us.
We have three Guinea pigs. One female and two male. The female is the mother of the two boys (she was pregnant when we got her). Our female is just under two. The males are 15 months old. About seven weeks ago they were all healthy. We then noticed the two males were starting to lose weight. As soon as we noticed we took them to our local vet who trimmed their teeth (front). This didn't solve the problem. They are enthusiastic about food and do manage to eat it but don't seem to be eating enough.
They are all indoor Guinea pigs. We feed them pellets, Timothy hay, and fresh veggies daily.
We took them back to our vet who said that it could be their back teeth but they would need to go under anaesthetic and might not survive.
We are very determined to make them well again. We found an exotics vet and took them there. They examined them and referred us to a specialist at another vets. The vet there after thoroughly examining them conducted tests for salmonella and other things which unfortunately all came back negative. She has suggested blood tests and scans but it very stuck over what is could be. The only problem is they are too small to go under anesthetic which is required for a blood test.
One is 400g and the other is 450g.
We're doing everything we can but I'm so worried as the littlest one is now falling over and struggling to get up. We have told our vet but other than syringe feeding they have no idea what could be wrong with them :(
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Any similar experiences?
Please let me know if I can answer any other questions!
Thank you!
 
Start syringe feeding them with critical care, they sound very underweight for 15 months? My boy is 6 months and he's 610 grams, I thought he was on the underweight side.

Are they fighting over mum? And are they neutered? It sounds quite serious but in the meantime you should definitely be syringe feeding them around the clock (a bit every few hours) to get some weight back on them. It's worrying that they're so weak.

I'll tag @Wiebke for you, she may be able to help further.

I hope they get better very soon!
 
They have both been neutered, quite a while back now so I'm pretty sure it's nothing to do with the operation (we did ask this). We've never seen them fight. They spend 90% of their time snuggled up just those two and mum sits in the house. We've just separated the two boys from mum about a week ago to see if made a difference but I'm not sure it has. We made sure to check mum wasn't eating all the food right when we first noticed them losing weight incase this was the problem. If only it was that easy :(
 
Hjx said:
They have both been neutered, quite a while back now so I'm pretty sure it's nothing to do with the operation (we did ask this). We've never seen them fight. They spend 90% of their time snuggled up just those two and mum sits in the house. We've just separated the two boys from mum about a week ago to see if made a difference but I'm not sure it has. We made sure to check mum wasn't eating all the food right when we first noticed them losing weight incase this was the problem. If only it was that easy :(
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Ah okay, were you weighing them regularly previously? Knowing previous weights might be helpful too, see if it's dropped hugely weekly. I'd weigh them daily now too as well as syringe feeding.

Has your vet checked the back teeth or for pain/discomfort?

What weight is your sow?

Sorry for all the questions, just trying to figure out what might be going on.
 
Unfortunately we weren't weighing them before we noticed them losing weight. It's a lesson I've learnt for the future. The best we have is pictures (I take tonnes of pics of them) and we can see a big difference in how healthy they looked compared to now. They never felt boney like they do now.
I wish I had weighted them before :(
Our female weights 750g.
We have been weighing them all daily now. I am syringe feeding them too. I've been giving them some fruit as well. I know they shouldn't have too much fruit but with them being so critically underweight I feel like feeding them something they will eat is better than nothing.
The first vet gave us painkillers after suggesting the back teeth. This actually stopped them from eating all together. The second vet told us not to give them anymore and also looked at the back teeth. She said that although you can't see perfectly while they're conscious she was pretty sure it wasn't their back teeth that was the problem.
 
Front teeth rarely cause any issues dental wise.... I am surprised the vet trimmed these, for two piggies to have front teeth problems to need clipping would seem highly unusual...However they should still be able to eat once food is in there mouth and by the sound of it have been eating since this was done is that correct?

Are they eating now?
How is their chewing?
What did they weigh previous to weight loss for 15 month old piggies they seem really underweight?
Are you syringe feeding at moment?

Falling over would indicate a possible inner ear infection or something neurological unfortunately. Where abouts are you located city/townwise in case we can recommend a cavy savy vet nearby

Tagging in @Adelle @helen105281 @Abi_nurse @Pound Shilling & Pig @Elwickcavies

Sorry you are going through this
 
What pain killers where they given please?
 
sport_billy said:
Front teeth rarely cause any issues dental wise.... I am surprised the vet trimmed these, for two piggies to have front teeth problems to need clipping would seem highly unusual...However they should still be able to eat once food is in there mouth and by the sound of it have been eating since this was done is that correct?

Are they eating now?
How is their chewing?
What did they weigh previous to weight loss for 15 month old piggies they seem really underweight?
Are you syringe feeding at moment?

Falling over would indicate a possible inner ear infection or something neurological unfortunately. Where abouts are you located city/townwise in case we can recommend a cavy savy vet nearby

Tagging in @Adelle @helen105281 @Abi_nurse @Pound Shilling & Pig @Elwickcavies

Sorry you are going through this
Click to expand...

Thank you!
I was sceptical myself after the first vet trimmed their teeth. After having Guinea pigs before I felt that their teeth was okay. This is one of the reasons we went elsewhere. The second vet did say the teeth probably didn't need to have been trimmed but that it wasn't a problem.
They are eating right now as well as being syringe fed but they don't seem to be getting much down more trying to eat.
Unfortunately I didn't weigh them before, lesson learnt for the future.
I live in West Yorkshire.
 
sport_billy said:
Front teeth rarely cause any issues dental wise.... I am surprised the vet trimmed these, for two piggies to have front teeth problems to need clipping would seem highly unusual...However they should still be able to eat once food is in there mouth and by the sound of it have been eating since this was done is that correct?

Are they eating now?
How is their chewing?
What did they weigh previous to weight loss for 15 month old piggies they seem really underweight?
Are you syringe feeding at moment?

Falling over would indicate a possible inner ear infection or something neurological unfortunately. Where abouts are you located city/townwise in case we can recommend a cavy savy vet nearby

Tagging in @Adelle @helen105281 @Abi_nurse @Pound Shilling & Pig @Elwickcavies

Sorry you are going through this
Click to expand...

Is it likely for two Guinea pigs to both have an ear infection at the same time?
 
Yes, i would think that would be the case.

Faeces been tested for parasites?

When you saying eating, is the food going in okay? So if you feed them a sprig of parsley or coriander it is getting ate fast - no over chewing?

If they are eating fine I wouldn't necessarily think it is teeth related, how is the chewing?
 
I don't know... It is odd both are ill together with same symptoms

How long have you had them?
 
So you've had them for that amount of time? The weights are really concerning.

I have the name of two recommended vets

Holly House Vets
Segio Silvetti
468 Street Ln
Leeds, Yorkshire LS17 6HA
0113 2369030

Springfield Vet Group
William Taylor
39 Moorgate Road
Rotheram, Yorkshire S602AD
01709 377241
 
sport_billy said:
Yes, i would think that would be the case.

Faeces been tested for parasites?

When you saying eating, is the food going in okay? So if you feed them a sprig of parsley or coriander it is getting ate fast - no over chewing?

If they are eating fine I wouldn't necessarily think it is teeth related, how is the chewing?
Click to expand...

The faeces has been testing for bacteria and has all come back negative.
They definitely eat much slower than the female in terms of how quickly the food would disappear but it does get eaten.
 
sport_billy said:
So you've had them for that amount of time? The weights are really concerning.

I have the name of two recommended vets

Holly House Vets
Segio Silvetti
468 Street Ln
Leeds, Yorkshire LS17 6HA
0113 2369030

Springfield Vet Group
William Taylor
39 Moorgate Road
Rotheram, Yorkshire S602AD
01709 377241
Click to expand...

Thank you. Holly House is the vets we are currently seeing.
They were looking much healthier and a good weight up until the end of May. From then they seem to have been going down hill.
 
What are Holly house recommending you do next?
 
Hoping some of our h&i advisors may be able to give you some idea to speak to the vet about
 
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sport_billy said:
What are Holly house recommending you do next?
Click to expand...

They have recommended blood tests. But they would need to be under anesthesia for it and they are too underweight. They have said to keep syringe feeding them until they are big enough. We have been doing this for over a week and they're not gaining weight :(
 
both males fell ill in the same moment of their life... I hope there is nothing about genetic issues, there are a lot of weird diseases still unknown. Near my home there is a rescue of cats and there is a resident cat who is a mistery for the vets; he looks like a kitten, but he is an adult... I have forgotten his story, but he has been followed by the best vets of the university and nobody understands...
Look at your piggies and try to find some clue to inform the vet. For example, what's about their poo? does it look normal? have you tried to change the pellets? some pellets have flours and cereals; buy a gluten free pellet...
something about thyroid? when it will be possible to have a blood sample, ask for a hormonal check up.
Is it sure that for a blood test anaesthesia is necessary? I would try to go to a very expert vet, better if he works into a vet university clinic... read this article below
Guinea pig: Saphenous vein (non-surgical) | NC3Rs
 
I don't really know what to suggest, this is very serious so needs to be sorted quickly. Have they been wormed & treated for mites? Antibiotics?

If they're not gaining weight syringe feed more often, are you just using pellets mushed or critical care? I personally found that both worked quite well for my boy so mixed them.

Have you got any pics of them you can share? Before & after maybe?

Poor babies, we'll think of something I'm sure!
 
Are you aggressively hand feeding them? If they are not able to maintain weight then you need to do it for them.

Is the way they are eating different? Does their mouths move differently? Are theu struggling? Your posts suggest that they aren't having any issues with the actual process of eating.

One of my boars was losing weight despite eating everything he normally does. He has been given a course ouf Itrafungal and he is currently at a stable weight. Have they been given an antifungal/antiparasitic treatments?

Has an infection been ruled out by the vet?

How is their poop looking? Has it changed shape,,colour, size or texture?

Blood is usually taken under anaesthetic but it is possible to take a sample from an overclipped nail. My vet did this recently. The vet needs to be quick to get the sample onto the slide though as it starts to congeal very quickly from a nail clip.
 
Sorry there is little I can add to what has been said already. if their teeth are ok and they are wanting to eat but you say chewing slowly, this suggests pain, perhaps in swallowing, which suggests a fungal throat infection could be a possibility.

For them both to become ill at the same time with the same symptoms an infection of some kind seems more likely than the manifestation of a disease.

The falling over could simply be down to weakness due to the weight loss.

Sadly any number of things that make pigs feel unwell or cause them pain can reduce their appetite or ability to eat but I would speak to your vet re itrafungal as @Jaycey mentions above.

In the meantime keep syringe feeding them as much as possible
 
Good luck; I hope your piggies pick up soon!
Keep up with the syringe feeding; have you though about baby food? Obviously nothing with meat in it, but plain carrot, or apple and pear? That might tempt them and you may be able to syringe feed them a little bit of that, or leave it in a little dish for them?
Hugs to you and the piggies! X
 
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