Are there any chances my guinea pig will get better?

[hexi]

Hi everyone!

First of all, I wanted to say English isn't my first language but I'll try my best to write as clearly as possible.

I've got a guinea pig that is 3.5 years old. He's been doing really well so far, no serious illnesses or anything wrong with his health. He started acting weird last week, his poop was also soft and smelly. He refused to eat hay but he did eat his normal food, plus veggies. I took him to a vet nearby and I was told he could have gotten a bit lazy and that I should stop giving him vegetables so he starts eating hay again as it's crucial to keep him healthy. So that's what I did.

He was really upset that I stopped giving him veggies but he seemed to be doing well. However, suddenly, he refused to eat anything, he only drank water. What's more, he started having diarrhea. I was alarmed so this time I went to a vet that is well known for being great at treating guinea pigs in a city nearby. She examined him, checked his teeth, drew his blood and so on. I was really relieved because it was obvious she knew what she was doing. She told me there seemed to be something wrong with his belly. According to her, this might be some liver problem or a bacterial intestine infection. She gave me 2 types of probiotics and antibiotic for him. Plus, I got critical care food (not sure if it's the right name but basically, a dry powder that needs to be mixed with water) and I've been syringe feeding him for 2 days now. As for now, he's really apathetic, he doesn't really fight when I try to feed him and was it a struggle before! Even the vet says he's one of the hardest little guys they have had to deal with. Anyways, he also stopped drinking water so I decided to give him water with a syringe. He doesn't really move around, only sits in a corner of a cage. I feed him every hour, plus every 2 hours I give him water. As for probiotics, I give one in the morning and the other one in the evening. He takes his antibiotic at the noon. I have an appointment tomorrow because he doesn't seem to get better at all. The vet also called me yesterday and told me there seemed to be everything okay with his kidneys but a parameter that is related to liver was too high. He will need to be given some more medicine to improve it.

I am really concerned and worried because he's never been so down before. He only lies down, not moving much. His symptoms also aren't getting better. Plus, the vet said that any problems with digestive system of guinea pigs can be hard to treat and a lot depend on him and his strength. I want him to get better and I try my best but he's keeping on being so run-down. I don't think I've ever seen him feel this bad and tears come to my eyes when I look at him.

Did anyone's guinea pig experienced this type of illness? Did they recover from it? Do you have any tips so he would get well as soon as possible?
Thanks for any advice in advance!

 

[Betsy]

Your English is very good and you are doing all you can for your piggy. We are mainly a UK based forum so it would help if you could add your State/Province and Country to your profile as it helps our Health Experts tailor advice to where you are located.

 

[hexi]

Your English is very good and you are doing all you can for your piggy. We are mainly a UK based forum so it would help if you could add your State/Province and Country to your profile as it helps our Health Experts tailor advice to where you are located.

Thanks, Betsy! I'm glad my post was understandable. I'm not really good at vocabulary related to health problems and veterinary so I was worried I could make some silly mistakes and get misunderstood. Anyways, I'm really happy you responded to me. However, I don't really feel comfortable openly sharing my location online but I do appreciate your advice!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thanks, Betsy! I'm glad my post was understandable. I'm not really good at vocabulary related to health problems and veterinary so I was worried I could make some silly mistakes and get misunderstood. Anyways, I'm really happy you responded to me. However, I don't really feel comfortable openly sharing my location online but I do appreciate your advice!

We only need a country, nothing more than that. Knowing which country you are in can affect the advice we give.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone!

First of all, I wanted to say English isn't my first language but I'll try my best to write as clearly as possible.

I've got a guinea pig that is 3.5 years old. He's been doing really well so far, no serious illnesses or anything wrong with his health. He started acting weird last week, his poop was also soft and smelly. He refused to eat hay but he did eat his normal food, plus veggies. I took him to a vet nearby and I was told he could have gotten a bit lazy and that I should stop giving him vegetables so he starts eating hay again as it's crucial to keep him healthy. So that's what I did.

He was really upset that I stopped giving him veggies but he seemed to be doing well. However, suddenly, he refused to eat anything, he only drank water. What's more, he started having diarrhea. I was alarmed so this time I went to a vet that is well known for being great at treating guinea pigs in a city nearby. She examined him, checked his teeth, drew his blood and so on. I was really relieved because it was obvious she knew what she was doing. She told me there seemed to be something wrong with his belly. According to her, this might be some liver problem or a bacterial intestine infection. She gave me 2 types of probiotics and antibiotic for him. Plus, I got critical care food (not sure if it's the right name but basically, a dry powder that needs to be mixed with water) and I've been syringe feeding him for 2 days now. As for now, he's really apathetic, he doesn't really fight when I try to feed him and was it a struggle before! Even the vet says he's one of the hardest little guys they have had to deal with. Anyways, he also stopped drinking water so I decided to give him water with a syringe. He doesn't really move around, only sits in a corner of a cage. I feed him every hour, plus every 2 hours I give him water. As for probiotics, I give one in the morning and the other one in the evening. He takes his antibiotic at the noon. I have an appointment tomorrow because he doesn't seem to get better at all. The vet also called me yesterday and told me there seemed to be everything okay with his kidneys but a parameter that is related to liver was too high. He will need to be given some more medicine to improve it.

I am really concerned and worried because he's never been so down before. He only lies down, not moving much. His symptoms also aren't getting better. Plus, the vet said that any problems with digestive system of guinea pigs can be hard to treat and a lot depend on him and his strength. I want him to get better and I try my best but he's keeping on being so run-down. I don't think I've ever seen him feel this bad and tears come to my eyes when I look at him.

Did anyone's guinea pig experienced this type of illness? Did they recover from it? Do you have any tips so he would get well as soon as possible?
Thanks for any advice in advance!

Hi and welcome

You are doing all you can for your piggy.
Sadly there is never any prediction as to whether he can or will make a full recovery. While vet care has made big strides in recent years, guinea pigs are still very much the stepchildren of research so vets have to work at the limit of knowledge and often well beyond when it comes to diagnostics and treatment. There is unfortunately not a lot you can do when it comes to serious kidney and liver or other small organ issues in guinea pigs.

It is very hard feeling so helpless with somebody you love and care for. It is one of the worst feelings you can ever have, whether that is a pet or person that is very ill or dying. There is nothing wrong with heart!

Here is our crisis care advice as well as a guide that will hopefully help you if your much loved boy is not getting any better and you have to consider making some heart-breaking decisions about his quality of life and long term wellbeing.
You would not have contacted us with of you weren't already asking yourself the kind of questions that the second guide link is dealing with in order to make it easier for you when the time comes.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs

I wish I had better news for you and the kind of answer that you are praying to hear. But life is sadly often not like that. You can only treasure every day with a pet as a special gift but there are never any long term guarantees and promises...

PS: We have literally members and enquiries from all over the world. Climate, general background, access to vets or exotics vets, medical and care brand names etc. can vary enormously from country to country. By adding your country you help us to help you better because we can tailor any advice and recommendations straight away to what is relevant and available we you are and do not have to keep our answers general so they are valid wherever you are. We don't want our members to give too exact a location or any personal details for their own protection; just enough that we can support them as much as possible wherever they are.

 

[Merab]

I can’t add any advice but want to offer support.
A sick guinea pig is a worry.

Your English is excellent

 

[hexi]

We only need a country, nothing more than that. Knowing which country you are in can affect the advice we give.

Thank you for responding! Your words made me change my mind and I decided to add my country to profile after all. I hope it can be useful!

Hi and welcome

You are doing all you can for your piggy.
Sadly there is never any prediction as to whether he can or will make a full recovery. While vet care has made big strides in recent years, guinea pigs are still very much the stepchildren of research so vets have to work at the limit of knowledge and often well beyond when it comes to diagnostics and treatment. There is unfortunately not a lot you can do when it comes to serious kidney and liver or other small organ issues in guinea pigs.

It is very hard feeling so helpless with somebody you love and care for. It is one of the worst feelings you can ever have, whether that is a pet or person that is very ill or dying. There is nothing wrong with heart!

Here is our crisis care advice as well as a guide that will hopefully help you if your much loved boy is not getting any better and you have to consider making some heart-breaking decisions about his quality of life and long term wellbeing.
You would not have contacted us with of you weren't already asking yourself the kind of questions that the second guide link is dealing with in order to make it easier for you when the time comes.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs

I wish I had better news for you and the kind of answer that you are praying to hear. But life is sadly often not like that. You can only treasure every day with a pet as a special gift but there are never any long term guarantees and promises...

PS: We have literally members and enquiries from all over the world. Climate, general background, access to vets or exotics vets, medical and care brand names etc. can vary enormously from country to country. By adding your country you help us to help you better because we can tailor any advice and recommendations straight away to what is relevant and available we you are and do not have to keep our answers general so they are valid wherever you are. We don't want our members to give too exact a location or any personal details for their own protection; just enough that we can support them as much as possible wherever they are.

Thank you for such an extensive answer! You're really incredible! I read the links and admit I had quite a hard time reading the second one but I know I will do whatever's best for him. I don't want him to suffer but I still do hope he will get better soon. He's been quite a vigorous piggy so he may be strong enough to recover.

I can’t add any advice but want to offer support.
A sick guinea pig is a worry.

Your English is excellent

Thanks! I really appreciate you wrote these words of encouragment.

As for now, I keep on feeding him and giving him medicine but he seems to stay the same. He only gets more stubborn in refusing to eat. I hope it's good he has enough energy to fight although I'm not that sure. After having given him his medicine, I wanted to feed him. He was lying calmy in my lap and all of a sudden, he tried to jump out of it. It was so unlike him! It was a really quick movement, I almost didn't stop him from it even though he was really apathetic just a moment ago. He did walk around the cage a bit so it's awesome. Vet will have a look at him tomorrow, let's hope he gets better!
Thank you, everyone, for responding!

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for responding! Your words made me change my mind and I decided to add my country to profile after all. I hope it can be useful!


Thank you for such an extensive answer! You're really incredible! I read the links and admit I had quite a hard time reading the second one but I know I will do whatever's best for him. I don't want him to suffer but I still do hope he will get better soon. He's been quite a vigorous piggy so he may be strong enough to recover.

Thanks! I really appreciate you wrote these words of encouragment.

As for now, I keep on feeding him and giving him medicine but he seems to stay the same. He only gets more stubborn in refusing to eat. I hope it's good he has enough energy to fight although I'm not that sure. After having given him his medicine, I wanted to feed him. He was lying calmy in my lap and all of a sudden, he tried to jump out of it. It was so unlike him! It was a really quick movement, I almost didn't stop him from it even though he was really apathetic just a moment ago. He did walk around the cage a bit so it's awesome. Vet will have a look at him tomorrow, let's hope he gets better!
Thank you, everyone, for responding!

Thank you for adding your country. We have a few other Polish members.

It is never easy staring into the heart of darkness and facing down your worst fears but running away from them and then falling right into the well of despair is even more painful. Now that you know what is there, you are free to do everything you can for your boy and treasure your time with him. But now you also now know that you will have the courage, the strength and the clarity of mind that will help you through the crisis.

I am keeping my fingers firmly crossed for a good outcome. Hoping for the best and preparing for the worst is not a bad thing!

We are here for moral support and practical care tips whenever you need them.

 

[wiggypig]

So sorry to hear!

That is too bad he is having trouble eating on his own. My piggie was so frustrated and depressed when dental issues prevented him from being able to eat normally. That is good you are looking into things and feeding critical care. Watch out for symptoms of gas and bloat.

A dental film Xray may be the only way to detect certain dental problems. If this was not presented as an option yet, you can ask the vet if they have the equipment to do this. If not, you could call other vets to ask around. I believe a guinea pig would likely be sedated for an Xray, but I am not certain this is true in every case.

I hope your vet felt under his chin/neck area for lumps. When checking teeth, it is very difficult to see molars. This is why feeling the jaw for granular tissue, bumps, lumps or swelling and considering a dental film Xray may be advisable when a guinea pig isn't eating normally.

My guinea pig had dental problems. He was not lazy about eating. He just gave up because he was in pain and physically was not able to chew. I believe his jaw was in pain, for sure. Later on, I ended up speculating that he could have had a heart problem that made him have less energy and motivation to eat. So if your piggy became lazy, perhaps he is actually too sick, in too much pain or does not have the energy to eat. Low energy could be related to trouble getting enough oxygen, possibly due to a heart problem.

Before being diagnosed with dental problems, my piggy stopped eating hay and pellets, but still liked vegetables. Vegetables (like lettuce) are easier to chew than hay. It turned out his teeth had overgrown. So, he needed his teeth trimmed. He did not have any Xrays done at the time and did not have blood tests done either. A month later, he developed an abscess in his jaw area that very quickly grew to the size of a large grape. It was likely brewing under the surface, but all it took for it to grow so big without me noticing was that I hadn't given him a chin rub for a few days. So then, he had the abscess drained at the vet and went on antibiotics (large doses of Chloremphenicol - which he hated). The whole ordeal caused jaw pain and he ate better and had more energy while taking an anti inflammatory pain medication. The anti inflammatory pain medication did not solve his problem, but did allow him to eat on his own and live, happier life and gain back all his weight. The plan at that time was to get him in for more dental surgery to continue managing his dental problem and remove the pocket of infected tissue around the abscess.

Eating problems could even be caused by a injury like a hay poke inside the throat area. I am just speculating and it is really hard to say.

For digestive health, I always gave probiotics 90 minutes after each antibiotic dose. Veggies I offer while on antibiotics or when there are problems with poop/tummy are always low gas and low in sugar.

For my other piggy, he is on Baytril for a URI and had some tummy trouble. So, the vet mixed his Baytril medicine with less sugar. Excess sugar is hard on organs and gut health. Extra vitamin C is a good idea.

Also, I like to offer pellets or critical care food before antibiotics to prevent sour gut. I also often offer mint leaves and water after antibiotics. Oxbow has a Digestive support supplement too.

Wish you all the best! That is good you are so dedicated to his care and hopefully you and the vet are able to figure out what is going on and he can eat on his own again soon.

 

[wiggypig]

Edit: correct "the whole ordeal caused jaw pain" to "the whole ordeal with the dental abscess caused jaw pain"

 

[hexi]

Thank you for adding your country. We have a few other Polish members.

It is never easy staring into the heart of darkness and facing down your worst fears but running away from them and then falling right into the well of despair is even more painful. Now that you know what is there, you are free to do everything you can for your boy and treasure your time with him. But now you also now know that you will have the courage, the strength and the clarity of mind that will help you through the crisis.

I am keeping my fingers firmly crossed for a good outcome. Hoping for the best and preparing for the worst is not a bad thing!

We are here for moral support and practical care tips whenever you need them.

That's what I'll do! Hope for the best and prepare for the worst

So sorry to hear!

That is too bad he is having trouble eating on his own. My piggie was so frustrated and depressed when dental issues prevented him from being able to eat normally. That is good you are looking into things and feeding critical care. Watch out for symptoms of gas and bloat.

A dental film Xray may be the only way to detect certain dental problems. If this was not presented as an option yet, you can ask the vet if they have the equipment to do this. If not, you could call other vets to ask around. I believe a guinea pig would likely be sedated for an Xray, but I am not certain this is true in every case.

I hope your vet felt under his chin/neck area for lumps. When checking teeth, it is very difficult to see molars. This is why feeling the jaw for granular tissue, bumps, lumps or swelling and considering a dental film Xray may be advisable when a guinea pig isn't eating normally.

My guinea pig had dental problems. He was not lazy about eating. He just gave up because he was in pain and physically was not able to chew. I believe his jaw was in pain, for sure. Later on, I ended up speculating that he could have had a heart problem that made him have less energy and motivation to eat. So if your piggy became lazy, perhaps he is actually too sick, in too much pain or does not have the energy to eat. Low energy could be related to trouble getting enough oxygen, possibly due to a heart problem.

Before being diagnosed with dental problems, my piggy stopped eating hay and pellets, but still liked vegetables. Vegetables (like lettuce) are easier to chew than hay. It turned out his teeth had overgrown. So, he needed his teeth trimmed. He did not have any Xrays done at the time and did not have blood tests done either. A month later, he developed an abscess in his jaw area that very quickly grew to the size of a large grape. It was likely brewing under the surface, but all it took for it to grow so big without me noticing was that I hadn't given him a chin rub for a few days. So then, he had the abscess drained at the vet and went on antibiotics (large doses of Chloremphenicol - which he hated). The whole ordeal caused jaw pain and he ate better and had more energy while taking an anti inflammatory pain medication. The anti inflammatory pain medication did not solve his problem, but did allow him to eat on his own and live, happier life and gain back all his weight. The plan at that time was to get him in for more dental surgery to continue managing his dental problem and remove the pocket of infected tissue around the abscess.

Eating problems could even be caused by a injury like a hay poke inside the throat area. I am just speculating and it is really hard to say.

For digestive health, I always gave probiotics 90 minutes after each antibiotic dose. Veggies I offer while on antibiotics or when there are problems with poop/tummy are always low gas and low in sugar.

For my other piggy, he is on Baytril for a URI and had some tummy trouble. So, the vet mixed his Baytril medicine with less sugar. Excess sugar is hard on organs and gut health. Extra vitamin C is a good idea.

Also, I like to offer pellets or critical care food before antibiotics to prevent sour gut. I also often offer mint leaves and water after antibiotics. Oxbow has a Digestive support supplement too.

Wish you all the best! That is good you are so dedicated to his care and hopefully you and the vet are able to figure out what is going on and he can eat on his own again soon.

Thanks for sharing your story and all the tips you mentioned! You're awesome! It was a really comprehensive response.
As for any dental problems, he had his teeth checked plus this time, the vet also felt under his chin. She says she would need to check his teeth more carefully (the front teeth are in great condition but she has some doubts when it comes to mollars) but to do this, she will have to give him anaesthesia or sedate him. Anyways, he is too weak to do this right now and she says we need to improve his overall wellbeing at least a bit to even do this thorough dental check as it might come with quite a risk. But the thing is, he needs to eat to get better and he fights any type of food or medicine I try to give him. He's a real fighter, just not for the right cause!

What's more, I have a problem with syringe feeding him. I'll try my best to describe it. When I put the syringe into his mouth to inject food, I take out the syringe covered with food I gave him earlier. I tried feeding him with longer intervals, I also tried adding more water to make it easier on him but he doesn't seem to swallow the food, it kind of stays at his teeth, it really worries me. We have another vet appointment on Monday but it seems like I will have to call the vet tomorrow and probably schedule another one. Because of him not swallowing the food, he only ate the half of food he was supposed to and that's awful. He can't get better without eating.

Right now, he is sitting in his cage and it sounds like he's gritting his teeth. It really does seem like a dental problem. It kind of feels like there's no way out as he needs to eat, so he could get his teeth checked and corrected if necesary, but at the same time, he needs to have his teeth corrected to even eat. Please, cross fingers for him!

 

[Wiebke]

Hang in there!

Teeth gritting is a symptom of discomfort; especially in the mouth.
Unfortunately guinea pig dental care is not an area that most vets are familiar with (many are not even familiar with guinea pigs as a species). Sadly, a guinea pig that cannot chew will ultimately die as its teeth never stop growing at one of the fastest rates in rodents.

 

[wiggypig]

No problem!

Sorry to hear that he doesn't seem to be swallowing food ... You're absolutely right, he needs to be able to eat, so trying to fix whatever is preventing him from eating is essential. Perhaps his tongue is trapped under his molars, preventing him from swallowing. That's a good idea to get him seen at the vet as soon as possible, from your description it sounds possibly like an emergency to me and if he can be seen first thing in the morning, that would be ideal. If he makes any odd hooting sounds over night, becomes cold, more lethargic, or has laboured breathing, walks in a wobbly way, he would need emergency care.

Depending on your local climate, he may need extra help to stay warm until he is eating on his own since he's not going to create as much body heat from digesting food. He'll need to be allowed to get away from any type of piggy-safe heat pack used on his own though.

This won't help you in the short term, but I use the heating pads linked below because they were the safest option I could find. They don't get overly warm and they are designed to be chew proof and water proof. I put my heat pads underneath their fleece pee pad under a couple of their hidey huts/beds outside summer months. (I'm in Canada)
https://www.amazon.ca/Pet-Products-...ting+pad+rabbit+outdoor&qid=1588204211&sr=8-3

Something I have no personal experience with at all, but I have read that some people give their guinea pigs unflavoured Pedialyte to help with dehydration. I would not know if using this right now would be appropriate for your piggie or not, but thought I would put it out there.

I noticed that @Wiebke posted about Pedialyte when advising here:
More bad news about Sven

Feeding recovery food was a trial and error process for me. My piggie was actually able and willing to eat mush on his own from a tiny, shallow dish. A soft consistency that still held together worked best for him. Not soupy and not crumbly. I spooned the mush into his little dish in a mound shape and let him eat it on his own while supervised, or with a little help as needed (holding the dish up, scraping the edges out for him). If he can eat independently again but needs to gain weight or if his mouth is sore, he may appreciate eating mush instead of hard pellets while he recovers. Ask you vet and consider what you think is best for feeding, but that's what worked for my little guy.

These container lids can be used as a "plate" for guinea pigs who can eat recovery food with some independence:
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/71VIdbBf-JL._AC_SL1500_.jpg

 

[hexi]

Thanks, Wiebke and wiggypig for your responses. I wanna thank all of you guys, actually.

Unfortunately, I had no other choice but to put him to sleep yesterday. It was the most heart breaking choice I've ever made but it was the best thing I could do for my little boy. Apparently, apart from problems with his digestive system and teeth, he started having problems with kidneys and his bladder. Water basically stayed inside him with no way to go out. He wasn't peeing for 4 days straight, even after getting drip feed twice. Also, there were some neurological problems that caused him to almost completely forget how to swallow. When I tried to syringe feed him, the food would either stay in his mouth or go into his airways that lead him to began having some problems even with respiratory system. The vet said the most humane thing would be to end his suffering because there was absolutely nothing more we could do for him.

He was the best pet I could ever ask for and I'm glad for all this time I could spend with him. I doted on him and his personality. Even though I'm hurting at the moment, I know I couldn't do anything more for him. I hope he's happy anywhere he is right now and healthy again. I'm so fortunate I had him in my life, he brought so much happiness to my daily life it now just feels empty. I wish he could stay longer with me but I guess it wasn't meant to be. Frankly, I'm devasted right now but also filled with love for him and with the love I received from this little piggy.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks, Wiebke and wiggypig for your responses. I wanna thank all of you guys, actually.

Unfortunately, I had no other choice but to put him to sleep yesterday. It was the most heart breaking choice I've ever made but it was the best thing I could do for my little boy. Apparently, apart from problems with his digestive system and teeth, he started having problems with kidneys and his bladder. Water basically stayed inside him with no way to go out. He wasn't peeing for 4 days straight, even after getting drip feed twice. Also, there were some neurological problems that caused him to almost completely forget how to swallow. When I tried to syringe feed him, the food would either stay in his mouth or go into his airways that lead him to began having some problems even with respiratory system. The vet said the most humane thing would be to end his suffering because there was absolutely nothing more we could do for him.

He was the best pet I could ever ask for and I'm glad for all this time I could spend with him. I doted on him and his personality. Even though I'm hurting at the moment, I know I couldn't do anything more for him. I hope he's happy anywhere he is right now and healthy again. I'm so fortunate I had him in my life, he brought so much happiness to my daily life it now just feels empty. I wish he could stay longer with me but I guess it wasn't meant to be. Frankly, I'm devasted right now but also filled with love for him and with the love I received from this little piggy.

BIG HUGS

I am very sorry! Guinea pigs are so good at hiding huge problems. You have made totally the right decision!

You may find these guides here helpful now and in the coming days and weeks while you go through the inevitable soul searching after euthanasia and the grieving process. I hope they help you find peace in your mind and eventually in your heart, too!
A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs
Human Bereavement: Grieving, Coping and Support Links for Guinea Pig Owners and Their Children
Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig

You are welcome to post a tribute (with pictures if you wish to) in our Rainbow Bridge section. It is there for members who wish to make use of it at any time.

 

[wiggypig]

So very sorry to hear. It is all very fresh now and understandably devastating. Rest in peace, little one <3

 

[Freela]

I'm so sorry for your loss. He was clearly very loved and you did everything you could for him. ((HUGS)) to you.