Sick Guinea pig getting worse?

[Abi92]

A couple days ago I noticed my guinea pig breathing really heavily and barely moving so I took him to the vets and he was diagnosed with GI stasis, we’ve been administering medication, pain killers and syringe feed to him and he stayed a full day at the vets the first day getting fluids etc. It’s been a couple days and I really haven’t seen much improvement in him except he has more energy, is pooing a little bit and isn’t wheezing like he was. He’s still breathing heavily and falls over all the time when he tries to walk. But now I’ve noticed that he’s started throwing his head up for seemingly no reason and his eye has become bloody where it was just weepy before.

I have some pictures and a video but I don’t know how to attach them to a thread.

does anyone have any idea why he’s doing the head thrashing or why his eye could be bloody? I want to take him back to the vet to get him looked at again but it’s so incredibly expensive and if this means he needs even more medication, it’s going to be a lot of money and at a certain point we have to wonder if it’s worth it, we’re already stressing him out shoving syringes in his mouth four times a day, which he absolutely hates. I need to know realistically if he will survive this because all I seem to be doing at the moment is stressing him out and/or making it worse?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I'm sorry to hear he is unwell.

What medications has he been given?

If he is getting worse then he will need to be taken back to a vet. It seems there may be something else going on with his head/eye issue and yes it may require a different medication. The vet is the only person who can say what is going on and what his prognosis is.

Poop output is 1-2 days behind food intake so once he starts eating enough, then you will see more poop produced. Ensure you weigh him daily as that is your guide as to how much syringe feed to give to him. If he isnt eating anything for himself, then you need to aim for at least 60ml of syringe feed in a 24 hour period, but his daily weight checks are your guide as to whether even that is enough. If his weight is stable from day to day, then he is getting enough. If he loses weight then he needs to be fed more.

Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Weight - Monitoring and Management

You can add pictures by pressing 'attach files' just below the message box.

I hope he is ok

 

[Wiebke]

 

[Merab]

I echo what has been said and offer my support.
Holding you in my thoughts

 

[Abi92]

I'm sorry to hear he is unwell.

What medications has he been given?

If he is getting worse then he will need to be taken back to a vet. It seems there may be something else going on with his head/eye issue and yes it may require a different medication. The vet is the only person who can say what is going on and what his prognosis is.

Poop output is 1-2 days behind food intake so once he starts eating enough, then you will see more poop produced. Ensure you weigh him daily as that is your guide as to how much syringe feed to give to him. If he isnt eating anything for himself, then you need to aim for at least 60ml of syringe feed in a 24 hour period, but his daily weight checks are your guide as to whether even that is enough. If his weight is stable from day to day, then he is getting enough. If he loses weight then he needs to be fed more.

Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Weight - Monitoring and Management

You can add pictures by pressing 'attach files' just below the message box.

I hope he is ok

I need to speak to my dad as soon as he gets home about it, unfortunately he won’t be home until tomorrow morning. Do you have any tips on how to make syringe feeding easier? I’m only just about getting around 7ml into him every time I do it (which is 4 times a day) so he’s only getting roughly 24ml, this is obviously way less than he should be and I’m trying so incredibly hard to get him to have more but it takes me an hour each time just to get those 7mls in and he fights me the whole time. I’ve tried every method I can find, the best one being wrapping him up in a towel but this is still not great. I don’t know what else to try and he gets so worked up and stressed.

Ive attached a photo of his eye too.

 

[Abi92]

I echo what has been said and offer my support.
Holding you in my thoughts

Thank you for your kind words x

 

[Piggies&buns]

I need to speak to my dad as soon as he gets home about it, unfortunately he won’t be home until tomorrow morning. Do you have any tips on how to make syringe feeding easier? I’m only just about getting around 7ml into him every time I do it (which is 4 times a day) so he’s only getting roughly 24ml, this is obviously way less than he should be and I’m trying so incredibly hard to get him to have more but it takes me an hour each time just to get those 7mls in and he fights me the whole time. I’ve tried every method I can find, the best one being wrapping him up in a towel but this is still not great. I don’t know what else to try and he gets so worked up and stressed.

Ive attached a photo of his eye too.

What medication has he been given?

I know it’s not easy when piggy is being feisty. All I can really suggest is feeding little and often - feeding more often than four times but giving him an amount each time that he will tolerate. So It could mean feeding him 5ml every two hours for example.

Are you weighing him daily? If not then please do so as it is the only way to know how much food is actually enough for him to maintain his weight.

I added the syringe feeding guide in my first reply, but there is also the video link below

Today's instructional video on our Facebook page - Syringe feeding

 

[Siikibam]

Do you have the funds to take him yourself? If so I would book him in. Hope he’s seen soon and they can work out what’s going on. Good luck.

 

[Abi92]

What medication has he been given?

I know it’s not easy when piggy is being feisty. All I can really suggest is feeding little and often - feeding more often than four times but giving him an amount each time that he will tolerate. So It could mean feeding him 5ml every two hours for example.

Are you weighing him daily? If not then please do so as it is the only way to know how much food is actually enough for him to maintain his weight.

I added the syringe feeding guide in my first reply, but there is also the video link below

Today's instructional video on our Facebook page - Syringe feeding

Sorry, I completely forgot about your question the first time. He’s on Emeprid for the GI stasis and Lexicom for pain relief. My dad says we should finish the course of medication (it finishes tomorrow) first before taking him back to the vet, but seen as these new symptoms seem to have nothing to do with his GI stasis (he’s also started to wheeze again this morning), I can’t see how that’s going to help.
I have been weighing him and he is dropping weight a little bit which is why I’m so panicked about the syringe feeding. I will definitely try your suggestion as he is usually alright for the first 10 minutes or so and then he gets fed up so I’ll definitely give that a go.

 

[Abi92]

Do you have the funds to take him yourself? If so I would book him in. Hope he’s seen soon and they can work out what’s going on. Good luck.

Unfortunately I don’t, I’m a full time uni student so I’m barely able to feed myself! He lives with my dad at home but luckily I’ve been back at home for a while because my uni course is finished. We aren’t poor or struggling particularly financially and our boys have always been incredibly spoilt, but with deaths in the family (and therefore funerals to pay for), combined with being unable to work for a while because of covid, this really couldn’t have come at a worse time. We’ve already spent over £300 on vet bills in the past few days and knowing that if we take him back they’re going to charge us for the consultation, probably another X-ray, blood tests, probably keeping him in for another day for monitoring and nursing, etc etc, my dad just can’t afford that right now. Luckily he’s got a credit card so he’ll be paying it off monthly but I still think it’s going to put us in a very tight spot and that’s why he’s so reluctant to take him back in.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m so sorry you are in a difficult situation.
You are right - a chest issue, head and eye issue isn’t going to be dealt with by emeprid or loxicom - and waiting until the course ends won’t help.
If he isn’t eating for himself, then he can’t run out of medication anyway so is going to need some more before the course ends.
Definitely only feed as much as he can handle in one go, and then feed more often. There is no point in sitting there for an hour if he has had enough after 10 minutes.
I hope you can get him seen soon as he really does need further checks and treatment

 

[Abi92]

I’m so sorry you are in a difficult situation.
You are right - a chest issue, head and eye issue isn’t going to be dealt with by emeprid or loxicom - and waiting until the course ends won’t help.
If he isn’t eating for himself, then he can’t run out of medication anyway so is going to need some more before the course ends.
Definitely only feed as much as he can handle in one go, and then feed more often. There is no point in sitting there for an hour if he has had enough after 10 minutes.
I hope you can get him seen soon as he really does need further checks and treatment

Another thing we’ve been wondering and I’d like to get your opinion on, we’ve been keeping him in a smaller cage in my room so I can keep an eye on him and we were told by the vet to keep him in a nice quiet environment where he can rest. This means we’ve separated him from his buddy, he’s staying in their outdoor cage still. We hate keeping them apart but his cage mate is a much younger, more excitable guinea pig and we were worried about him bugging him and mounting him all the time because that’s what he usually does. So the question is, should we let them see each other at all or would make it worse for them to see each other and then be separated again?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Another thing we’ve been wondering and I’d like to get your opinion on, we’ve been keeping him in a smaller cage in my room so I can keep an eye on him and we were told by the vet to keep him in a nice quiet environment where he can rest. This means we’ve separated him from his buddy, he’s staying in their outdoor cage still. We hate keeping them apart but his cage mate is a much younger, more excitable guinea pig and we were worried about him bugging him and mounting him all the time because that’s what he usually does. So the question is, should we let them see each other at all or would make it worse for them to see each other and then be separated again?

We don’t recommend separating piggies on medical grounds. Being separated is too stressful for them to be away from their cagemate and they often feel better to be kept together. Stress can also lower the immune system, making recovery that bit harder. Even if they absolutely must be separated, the it’s best to keep their cages next to each other so they can still see each other through the bars. It helps keep a bond alive, plus reduces the stress caused by being totally alone - this goes for both piggies.
Unfortunately separating for medical reasons does risk them refusing to go back together again so this is another reason we don’t recommend it - it can ruin a bond.

When you put them back together, you will need to carry out a neutral territory rebonding. You cannot now just put your poorly piggy straight back in the outdoor cage. It will need to be done somewhere neither of them see as their territory.
You also cannot put then back together and then separate them repeatedly - as reintroducing and separating causes them stress - plus every time you did it, you would have to have a neutral territory, so they either need to be permanently together or apart.
When you put them back on neutral territory it will become obvious fairly quickly whether they are able to remain together going forward. Once you do the reintroduction, and if it is successful, please don’t separate them again

How big is the smaller cage youve got him in?
Can you move the other piggy indoors in a separate cage so they can at least still see each other even if you don’t feel he can be in the same cage at present? It’s obviously best for your poorly piggy to not be put back outside yet.


Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics
A Comprehensive Guide to Guinea Pig Boars

 

[Abi92]

We don’t recommend separating piggies on medical grounds. Being separated is too stressful for them to be away from their cagemate and they often feel better to be kept together. Stress can also lower the immune system, making recovery that bit harder. Even if they absolutely must be separated, the it’s best to keep their cages next to each other so they can still see each other through the bars. It helps keep a bond alive, plus reduces the stress caused by being totally alone - this goes for both piggies.
Unfortunately separating for medical reasons does risk them refusing to go back together again so this is another reason we don’t recommend it - it can ruin a bond.

When you put them back together, you will need to carry out a neutral territory rebonding. You cannot now just put your poorly piggy straight back in the outdoor cage. It will need to be done somewhere neither of them see as their territory.
You also cannot put then back together and then separate them repeatedly - as reintroducing and separating causes them stress - plus every time you did it, you would have to have a neutral territory, so they either need to be permanently together or apart.

How big is the smaller cage youve got him in?
Can you move the other piggy indoors so they can at least still see each other even if you don’t feel he can live with his cagemate at present?

Bonding and Interaction: Illustrated social behaviours and bonding dynamics

I could keep them both in the same cage indoors as they’ve both been in it before during winter months. I worry about Charlie getting really bored in the small cage as they tend to free roam around the garden but if it will make Bruno feel better having him around them I suppose that’s what we’ll do. Thank you for your advice.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I could keep them both in the same cage indoors as they’ve both been in it before during winter months. I worry about Charlie getting really bored in the small cage as they tend to free roam around the garden but if it will make Bruno feel better having him around them I suppose that’s what we’ll do. Thank you for your advice.

Do also be aware that rebonding while one is poorly can also cause problems. It’s a fine line to tread now separation has already occurred. If you can move the outdoor piggy indoors but keep them separated until your poorly piggy is feeling better and strong enough to reestablish a bond, then it may be best.

You will need to be careful and keep an eye on them while rebonding to ensure it is successful. It will be obviously fairly quickly if they will accept each other back.
As long as you reintroduce them somewhere else first - do not just put Charlie in Bruno’s cage (or vice versa) . It needs to be a proper reintroduction somewhere else first - ie a bathroom floor, somewhere outside of the normal territory - following the bonding guide I added in above.

If they have both lived in the indoor cage during winter, then I assume it Isn’t too small anyway.

 

[Abi92]

Do also be aware that rebonding while one is poorly can also cause problems. It’s a fine line to tread now separation has already occurred. If you can move the outdoor piggy indoors but keep them separated until your poorly piggy is feeling better and strong enough to reestablish a bond, then it may be best.

You will need to be careful and keep an eye on them while rebonding to ensure it is successful. It will be obviously fairly quickly if they will accept each other back.
As long as you reintroduce them somewhere else first - do not just put Charlie in Bruno’s cage (or vice versa) . It needs to be a proper reintroduction somewhere else first - ie a bathroom floor, somewhere outside of the normal territory - following the bonding guide I added in above.

If they have both lived in the indoor cage during winter, then I assume it Isn’t too small anyway.

They’ve only been apart for about two days so I’m not so worried about them being nasty to each other, especially considering Charlie has always doted on Bruno, he absolutely adores him and they have never fought, not even when they were first introduced when we got Charlie from a rescue. The very first time they met, they just sat and ate together and we’ve never had any problems. I will definitely introduce them outside in their run though because of course it’s better to be safe than sorry.

 

[Abi92]

Do also be aware that rebonding while one is poorly can also cause problems. It’s a fine line to tread now separation has already occurred. If you can move the outdoor piggy indoors but keep them separated until your poorly piggy is feeling better and strong enough to reestablish a bond, then it may be best.

You will need to be careful and keep an eye on them while rebonding to ensure it is successful. It will be obviously fairly quickly if they will accept each other back.
As long as you reintroduce them somewhere else first - do not just put Charlie in Bruno’s cage (or vice versa) . It needs to be a proper reintroduction somewhere else first - ie a bathroom floor, somewhere outside of the normal territory - following the bonding guide I added in above.

If they have both lived in the indoor cage during winter, then I assume it Isn’t too small anyway.

This is them two minutes after being reintroduced!

 

[Piggies&buns]

So lovely! I’m glad separation hasnt done any damage.

 

[Abi92]

So lovely! I’m glad separation hasnt done any damage.

Yes I think we got incredibly lucky to find such a good friend for Bruno, and our first choice too! We went to a little thing called guinea pig speed dating at a rescue to see which would be the best match for Bruno but of course we could pick whichever little one we liked best and luckily for us, Bruno liked him too!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Yes I think we got incredibly lucky to find such a good friend for Bruno, and our first choice too! We went to a little thing called guinea pig speed dating at a rescue to see which would be the best match for Bruno but of course we could pick whichever little one we liked best and luckily for us, Bruno liked him too!

Yes that is the best and recommended way to find a new friend to ensure character compatibility by letting the piggy pick their own new friend

 

[Betsy]

I'm so pleased that they have rebonded with no problems! They have obviously missed each other. You may find that now they are back together Charlie (or is it Bruno?) perks up a bit.