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Stopped eating fresh food

D

Dollface

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I have a pair of male guinea pigs who are just over a year old. They are well looked after and live inside our home. This week I noticed the one guinea pig seemed smaller when changing the cage as if he had lost weight. I then noticed he has stopped eating his fresh food, only eating his pellets and muesli. He is still drinking and moving around, although I have noticed some wetness under his chin. I have now managed to book him in (with some trouble) to a veterinary hospital to see an exotic vet specialist. I’m so worried about him. Can anyone offer me any advice or reassurance?
 
Hay is the most important part of the diet and any weight loss is due to reduction in hay intake, not reduction in veg or pellets. Veg and pellets jointly only provide 20% of the daily food intake.
As he is losing weight, then you must step in and syringe feed him to replace the fibre from hay. You can feed either a recovery feed (Oxbow critical care, Emeraid, supreme science) or use his normal plain pellets mushed up with water
Please switch from the routine weekly weight checks and instead weigh him daily so you can be sure he is given enough syringe feed in each 24 hour period to stop the weight loss.

You mention muesli - please do note that piggies should not be fed mueslis. They should only be given a plain timothy hay or grass based pellet. Any pellet should be kept strictly to one tablespoon per pig per day
Pellets Or Muesli / Dry Mix?

When is his appointment?
Do let us know how you get on at the vet

The guides below offer further information on syringe feeding

Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Weight - Monitoring and Management
 
Unfortunately I had to get him euthanised today after taking him to the veterinary hospital. 😭 we are soo upset
 
I'm so sorry. What did they say was the problem?
 
Dollface said:
His teeth had crossed over and he was too weak. It would have been an ongoing financial treatment and we couldn’t afford it 😢
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I'm so sorry. Many ((HUGS)) to you.
 
I’m so sorry you had to make this very hard decision. Take care. ❤️
 
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