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Whimpering guinea pig?

Nutter Butter

Nutter Butter

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
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Location
North Carolina (USA)
I have a 3 year old guinean pig named Peanut (or Nutter Butter.) A few minutes ago, she was beginning to make short squeaking sounds. At first, I thought that maybe she had a few hiccups, but after 3 minutes, they started up again and lasted for almost 3 minutes. I don't know if this is a sign of illness or if she's in pain, but I don't know what to do since this came out of the blue and nothing before has indicated that she was ill. I'm sorry if this is normal but my piggie is getting a bit old and I'm just easily worried by her.
 
Does she do them while toileting? Could you record her doing it? If it’s ongoing I would get her seen. We can’t really figure out what it is by your description.
 
Nutter Butter said:
I have a 3 year old guinean pig named Peanut (or Nutter Butter.) A few minutes ago, she was beginning to make short squeaking sounds. At first, I thought that maybe she had a few hiccups, but after 3 minutes, they started up again and lasted for almost 3 minutes. I don't know if this is a sign of illness or if she's in pain, but I don't know what to do since this came out of the blue and nothing before has indicated that she was ill. I'm sorry if this is normal but my piggie is getting a bit old and I'm just easily worried by her.
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Hi!

It is impossible for us to comment just from your description except that if it is a continuing expression of pain, you want to see a vet as quickly as possible. Please accept that without having a video/audio (which you will need to upload on a public setting elsewhere and then copy across as we do not have an uploading facility on our forum, which is entirely run by voluntary member donations), we cannot even guess at what you are dealing with as we only have your words and your own interpretation to go by.

Could you please try and establish any situational context: Does she squeak when peeing or pooing? Is she arching, hunched up, the fur standing up or is a movement painful? Etc.
 
Siikibam said:
Does she do them while toileting? Could you record her doing it? If it’s ongoing I would get her seen. We can’t really figure out what it is by your description.
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Question 1: yes
Question2: I will try to catch her doing this again and I'll send a link
Question 3: this is the first time shes ever done this, I'll try to convince my parents to get her to the vet but i don't know if they'll agree because of Covid-19
 
She needs to see a vet then. Hope you can get her in soon.
 
I can only hazard a guess. Your best bet is a vet.
 
Nutter Butter said:
Question 1: yes
Question2: I will try to catch her doing this again and I'll send a link
Question 3: this is the first time shes ever done this, I'll try to convince my parents to get her to the vet but i don't know if they'll agree because of Covid-19
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Hi!

It sounds like your piggy could be developing a urinary tract infection; if you are unlucky a bladder stone. Symptoms should become more consistent over the next few days. they can also include intensely red pees. They are a sign of an infection and require a course of antibiotics. I am sure that your parents will come round when your piggy is screaming with every frequent pee and is having bloody pees. It generally takes 5 days on average for an infection get fully going.

Ideally you should ask your vet to feel the bladder whether it is soft and relaxed or tight with a stone being able to be felt. Make sure that you stick that request to the carrier. Vet care is classed as a key working service even in restricted lockdown conditions because the freedom from pain and suffering is one of the 5 basic animal welfare rights, which have also been officially recognised by the USA. You are allowed to travel for it.
Accessing veterinary care during coronavirus/Covid-19 lockdown

All the best!
 
Wiebke said:
Hi!

It sounds like your piggy could be developing a urinary tract infection; if you are unlucky a bladder stone. Symptoms should become more consistent over the next few days. they can also include intensely red pees. They are a sign of an infection and require a course of antibiotics. I am sure that your parents will come round when your piggy is screaming with every frequent pee and is having bloody pees. It generally takes 5 days on average for an infection get fully going.

Ideally you should ask your vet to feel the bladder whether it is soft and relaxed or tight with a stone being able to be felt. Make sure that you stick that request to the carrier. Vet care is classed as a key working service even in restricted lockdown conditions because the freedom from pain and suffering is one of the 5 basic animal welfare rights, which have also been officially recognised by the USA. You are allowed to travel for it.
Accessing veterinary care during coronavirus/Covid-19 lockdown

All the best!
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Thank you so much for alerting me! I've finally been able to record my guinea pig whimpering and though she doesn't do it much in the video, you get the general idea of what's going on.
 
Unfortunately there is not much you can do to help a piggy in pain except get to a vet as fast as you can for some prescription pain medication and a proper diagnosis and treatment, perhaps you could point out to your parents that a routine health consultation and treatment will cost much less in the long run than an emergency one when things get worse... a whimpering piggy is in pain and needs a vet as a matter of urgency x
 
There is nothing you can do. Please inform your parents the longer you leave it the worse it may be. And that could end up costing more in vet bills.

Please also cut back on the pellets. She shouldn’t be having such a bowlful. A tablespoon a day is enough. And weigh her daily at the same time.
 
I'm a bit deaf so I can't actually hear anything other than the water bottle - sorry. It looks like she drinks well which is always a good thing. Did you think she was whimpering while peeing? Have you tried checking the colour of her urine - perhaps by putting her on a white towel until she pees? Or does her pee look 'cloudy' and leave a white powder behind when it dries? If she lives with friends it can be tricky to tell who's done what so you might have to have her in your lap on the towel for a bit, but don't separate them in case they get upset.

I'm not a health expert but one of those will answer shortly. However, when I've had girls with bladder trouble they've often been a bit dribbly as it hurts to pee, which makes the back end wet and dirty-looking, but your little lady looks clean and dry round the bum. She's a beauty! I do hope it works out for you.
 
Free Ranger said:
I'm a bit deaf so I can't actually hear anything other than the water bottle - sorry. It looks like she drinks well which is always a good thing. Did you think she was whimpering while peeing? Have you tried checking the colour of her urine - perhaps by putting her on a white towel until she pees? Or does her pee look 'cloudy' and leave a white powder behind when it dries? If she lives with friends it can be tricky to tell who's done what so you might have to have her in your lap on the towel for a bit, but don't separate them in case they get upset.

I'm not a health expert but one of those will answer shortly. However, when I've had girls with bladder trouble they've often been a bit dribbly as it hurts to pee, which makes the back end wet and dirty-looking, but your little lady looks clean and dry round the bum. She's a beauty! I do hope it works out for you.
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She only whimpers while toileting and I feel like she's drinking a tad more water than usual. My parents are starting to lean towards taking her to the vet which is a good thing.
 
If she whimpers while toileting you've got something definite to tell the vet... and the above experts are right in that if you catch a problem early it's likely to be quicker and cheaper to address - as well as obviously being better for Peanut! If they think it's an infection they might give antibiotics and there are painkillers that can be used for guinea-pigs too which will make her more comfortable. The painkiller we get over here has a sweet taste that my pigs love so it's easy to offer a little syringe dose (the antibiotics are not so tasty though!)
 
Yay. Have they got an appointment yet?. Let us know how you get on.
 
Good. How is she? Have you been weighing every day at the same time?
 
Siikibam said:
Good. How is she? Have you been weighing every day at the same time?
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Sorry for ignoring a few of your previous questions, I was skimming the replies and I missed a few.
Unfortunately, the scale we have been using is quite old and my parents and I are planning on getting a new one. Its not as accurate as before so we are pretty sure if the results we've been getting aren't reasonable. (the last time we weighed her, the scale said she was 4 pounds.)
Also, About the amount of pellets I give: She doesn't eat the entire bowl everyday (she finishes about a forth of it) but I'll regulate the quantity of her food now. thanks for letting me know!
 
She should only be eating a tablespoon of pellets a day, no more. They’re the junk food of the piggy world and most contain fillers which aren’t part of their diet. They’re also high in calcium (more than high calcium veg).

Please get proper working scales as soon as possible. It’s important to get an accurate picture of what her weight is doing as part of lifelong health monitoring, not just when they’re ill.

Will you be able to get her a friend yet?
 
Siikibam said:
She should only be eating a tablespoon of pellets a day, no more. They’re the junk food of the piggy world and most contain fillers which aren’t part of their diet. They’re also high in calcium (more than high calcium veg).

Please get proper working scales as soon as possible. It’s important to get an accurate picture of what her weight is doing as part of lifelong health monitoring, not just when they’re ill.

Will you be able to get her a friend yet?
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My parents said that they'll get her a piggie friend in the summer, I've negotiated with them for months and this is the agreement we settled on. Hopefully Covid-19 will disappear earlier though, since that's the main reason they are hesitant to take Peanut to the vet and getting her a friend.
 
Unfortunately COVID may not be over For a while yet. If she needs vet care in the intervening time then that’s what she should be given.

Let us know how it goes at the vets.
 
All the best tomorrow. Let us know how it goes.
 
My mom once again has had to post pone the appointment because her car broke down. Fortunately, Peanut has not shown any other symptoms and has stopped sqeaking while toileting. I'm pretty sure my mom is still going is take peanut to the vet regardless.
 
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