Will be a long one, but I'll be thankful to anyone, willing to dive and help us figure out what's going on. Accept any suggestions.
Hello, last year, in the beginning of december I adopted two guinea pigs Dobi (black shorthair) and Doti (brownish longhair). Each turning 3 years old this month. Each being regularly checked at the vet every two months and overall, except for a few minor things to pay attention to, healthy. The previous family gave us everything they've lived with, including three different kinds of food, cage, toys, food regime, so we know and do what they are used to.
First week in, and all is looking good, they've started getting used to us. (We live in a flat and the temp doesn't fall below 20~22°C.) My mom bought them some food, that's a little different (my personal main, suspect for where it all started). The food was from those that they sell in bulk and pour you in a plastic bag. I did some research beforehand and knew that corn and seeds (included in that food) are not good for them and decided not to give it to them, but they seemed to like it, so we gave them sometimes as a treat some pea flakes and other things from that food. Also, as i mentioned, they arrived with three different types of packed food, so i did mix of the three every time i fed them. (Later understood that they avoid one type, the second is new for them and actually i should have just given them the third one.-so this could also be a possible reason for what's to come.)
Saturday of second week, i see Dobi (black one) mostly staying in the house, not moving around the cage, don't see her drinking water or eating. Sunday, emergency to the vet. (The vet they've usually been taken to.) Figured she was bloated. Prescribed Baytril (i think it was 1ml a day), 9 days treatment including degan (0,1ml a day) and Vetregul (as a probiotic, 0,5ml a day). (Later the other vet was surprised it was this long treatment).
So, treatment finishes, she continues to lose weight, but is not bloated anymore. (I can't really remember now, but i think i did handfed her during those 9 days) She looked like she was eating and getting better, and i was thinking, let's give her some time, she went through a lot of stress and stuff and was not bloated anymore. (My biggest concern at that time was the flora inside her digestive system. Knew it was very sensitive and this long treatment worried me. Plus, i knew that probiotic during antibiotic treatment is bullshit, bcs next dose of antibiotic will kill anything that could do smth. (Am a molecular biology student 4-th year and studied cell and microbiology.))
Anyway, i have a planned trip for Christmas and am leaving the country between 22-nd and 5-th jan. (15 days) Thinking that she is looking better, i leave her at the hands of my mom and brother (we all live together, so no problem). Two days in, they tell me, they are taking her to the vet, is too weak, hasn't eaten or drank anything for 3 days. (Now, my mom tend to be a bit on the dramatic side) Anyway, throughout my whole absence, we hear each other every day and almost all the time, she tells me, she may die any moment, she is like a leaf (when they came she was ~1kg). The vet put her smth (saline), gave them more degan (0,1ml twice a day) and Fibreplex (1ml a day) told them to syringe feed her and they are trying. (Giving her around 12 grams, which is really little.) My mom is wondering if this is pointless, and we're just hurting her. (Bcs obviously, Dobi doesn't want to eat from syringe, and i am telling her everyday that, if she stop feeding her, she will die and this is the best we can do for her now. And i can't damn wait to go back and take stuff in my hands..)
Anyway, i'll try to be quicker with the story.
So, the vet also suggests, doing an X-ray, to see her teeth and digestive system. But they need to stabilize her first. And honestly my mom thinks he's not trying to save her and just want to rip us off.
So my mom decides to take her for a second opinion to another vet two days later. They did a full body check-up and tests, and everything is fine, also, no parasites. The other vet makes her a "cocktail" 2 syringes of 20 ml and injects her with it every day for around 10 days. This livens her up and things start looking good. I come back for the end of this cocktail treatment and take things over. Start syringe feed her water and around 4-5 times 30-40 grams of food a day. Also, forgot to mention. The piggies came with their multivitamin 9 drops every other day (will add a picture of it).
Been feeding her like this till recent days and she even gained some weight, but it's unstable with sudden drops:
20.01.23- 800gr
23.01.23- 784gr
27.01.23- 805gr
1-2.02.23- 757-9gr
3.02.23- 769gr
4.02.23- 759gr
5.02.23-748gr -(yesterday we took her to the vet so stress is also a factor here)
And now we're getting to the main point. Yesterday, they gave her another check-up and did X-ray. They didn't see anything suspicious. I'll attach them here. The thing that worries me now is what they prescribed: barium sulfate, 100ml for 3 days (33ml a day). They said they haven't tried it with guinea pigs, but it worked really well for other weird case with dog. And honestly we're out of options. Will accept any advice. Thanks in advance.
Hello, last year, in the beginning of december I adopted two guinea pigs Dobi (black shorthair) and Doti (brownish longhair). Each turning 3 years old this month. Each being regularly checked at the vet every two months and overall, except for a few minor things to pay attention to, healthy. The previous family gave us everything they've lived with, including three different kinds of food, cage, toys, food regime, so we know and do what they are used to.
First week in, and all is looking good, they've started getting used to us. (We live in a flat and the temp doesn't fall below 20~22°C.) My mom bought them some food, that's a little different (my personal main, suspect for where it all started). The food was from those that they sell in bulk and pour you in a plastic bag. I did some research beforehand and knew that corn and seeds (included in that food) are not good for them and decided not to give it to them, but they seemed to like it, so we gave them sometimes as a treat some pea flakes and other things from that food. Also, as i mentioned, they arrived with three different types of packed food, so i did mix of the three every time i fed them. (Later understood that they avoid one type, the second is new for them and actually i should have just given them the third one.-so this could also be a possible reason for what's to come.)
Saturday of second week, i see Dobi (black one) mostly staying in the house, not moving around the cage, don't see her drinking water or eating. Sunday, emergency to the vet. (The vet they've usually been taken to.) Figured she was bloated. Prescribed Baytril (i think it was 1ml a day), 9 days treatment including degan (0,1ml a day) and Vetregul (as a probiotic, 0,5ml a day). (Later the other vet was surprised it was this long treatment).
So, treatment finishes, she continues to lose weight, but is not bloated anymore. (I can't really remember now, but i think i did handfed her during those 9 days) She looked like she was eating and getting better, and i was thinking, let's give her some time, she went through a lot of stress and stuff and was not bloated anymore. (My biggest concern at that time was the flora inside her digestive system. Knew it was very sensitive and this long treatment worried me. Plus, i knew that probiotic during antibiotic treatment is bullshit, bcs next dose of antibiotic will kill anything that could do smth. (Am a molecular biology student 4-th year and studied cell and microbiology.))
Anyway, i have a planned trip for Christmas and am leaving the country between 22-nd and 5-th jan. (15 days) Thinking that she is looking better, i leave her at the hands of my mom and brother (we all live together, so no problem). Two days in, they tell me, they are taking her to the vet, is too weak, hasn't eaten or drank anything for 3 days. (Now, my mom tend to be a bit on the dramatic side) Anyway, throughout my whole absence, we hear each other every day and almost all the time, she tells me, she may die any moment, she is like a leaf (when they came she was ~1kg). The vet put her smth (saline), gave them more degan (0,1ml twice a day) and Fibreplex (1ml a day) told them to syringe feed her and they are trying. (Giving her around 12 grams, which is really little.) My mom is wondering if this is pointless, and we're just hurting her. (Bcs obviously, Dobi doesn't want to eat from syringe, and i am telling her everyday that, if she stop feeding her, she will die and this is the best we can do for her now. And i can't damn wait to go back and take stuff in my hands..)
Anyway, i'll try to be quicker with the story.
So, the vet also suggests, doing an X-ray, to see her teeth and digestive system. But they need to stabilize her first. And honestly my mom thinks he's not trying to save her and just want to rip us off.
So my mom decides to take her for a second opinion to another vet two days later. They did a full body check-up and tests, and everything is fine, also, no parasites. The other vet makes her a "cocktail" 2 syringes of 20 ml and injects her with it every day for around 10 days. This livens her up and things start looking good. I come back for the end of this cocktail treatment and take things over. Start syringe feed her water and around 4-5 times 30-40 grams of food a day. Also, forgot to mention. The piggies came with their multivitamin 9 drops every other day (will add a picture of it).
Been feeding her like this till recent days and she even gained some weight, but it's unstable with sudden drops:
20.01.23- 800gr
23.01.23- 784gr
27.01.23- 805gr
1-2.02.23- 757-9gr
3.02.23- 769gr
4.02.23- 759gr
5.02.23-748gr -(yesterday we took her to the vet so stress is also a factor here)
And now we're getting to the main point. Yesterday, they gave her another check-up and did X-ray. They didn't see anything suspicious. I'll attach them here. The thing that worries me now is what they prescribed: barium sulfate, 100ml for 3 days (33ml a day). They said they haven't tried it with guinea pigs, but it worked really well for other weird case with dog. And honestly we're out of options. Will accept any advice. Thanks in advance.
liver booster (bcs of the streptococci her liver indicators were on borderline high). Had to keep the abscess open for a week and rinse it with some solution. She was loosing weight (got to an all time low 686) but suddenly decided she want to drink water and then eat eat some hay, then we stopped the pain relievers to see if she's in pain and nope, she started eating even more. Now i don't syringe feed her anymore (just prebiotic and antibiotic for the next few days left) and she is steadily increasing weight - today was 743grams. Started being the most vocal guinea pig i've ever heard 
