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At A Loss

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Lady Kelly

Lady Kelly

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I went to the vets last night as both Jemima and Bea are losing weight. Jemima is hunching when she poops and is off her food but she is still eating small amounts and soft foods. Bea is as lively as ever and stuffing her face.

I know Bea has renal problems and is old so its a matter of time for her but the vet just said to plonk some vitamin C supplement in her water, no offer of antibiotics or anything (she had antibiotics last time and picked up weight again immediately).

Jemima shows no real reason for not eating, she is lively and her teeth are fine. She has been given some antacid and loxicom to see how she goes.

Basically when I phoned the vets to book in I asked for the exotic specialist to be told he left due to health reasons. I then said I'd have an appointment with Paula and got told that the exotic specialist had been brought in to replace her as she was leaving. I got left with one option for someone with experience of guinea pigs and all she kept saying was to supplement them with vitamin C.

This just isn't the service that I am used to from my vets at all and I was initially so happy to have a local specialist. Looks like I'll be begging my OH to drive us out to Chine House if things don't pick up.
 
I am very sorry! I have to go to Northampton on the train if I want to see a specialist and deal with a very grumpy hub for taxi service to and from the station, so I feel for you!

I hope that you can find out soon what Jemima's mystery loss of appetite/weight loss is!
 
I agree. Weight loss is a cause for concern and should be taken seriously. Please weigh them both daily from now on.

Perhaps it would be best to take your girls to a different vets.

Have you noticed any other symptoms? Crying when weeing/pooing? Diarrhea in the cage?
 
Not the first time I've dealt with weight loss and keeping a food diary (Jemima is being separated for an hour or two every night to monitor veg intake) and daily weight record for the next few days to help the vets. There is nothing seemingly wrong, wee's and poo's are normal, no crying, no diarrhea, nothing but hunching and the obvious loss of appetite

Will speak nicely to OH and see if he will take us out to the specialist in sileby I think as they have always been brilliant before
 
Loss of appetite is often related to pain, but it can be anything internal that doesn't show - has she had a scan or x-ray to see what may be going on in her body?

Ffowlyn last summer turned out to have distended, gas filled stomach, but normal guts when we tried to find out what caused her very similar mystery symptoms. Her problem was only discovered after my second visit and an x-ray. :(
 
Thanks Wiebke, worth knowing. There has been no mention of scans or x-rays so far.
 
Oh I am so sorry :(
It does not sound like you have got a good service, I would be unhappy as piggies can go downhill so quickly.

Are Chine House good with piggies? I use them for my horse.

x
 
Chine House are amazing. When I saw Paula at my vets (who is no longer there) she even referred Buddy to Chine House for his operation as it was quite an intense one and although she could do it she knew he was in better hands there. Craig (I think is his name) is an exotics specialist
 
I agree it sounds like a scan or xray is needed.
 
I would get a second opinion at Chine and see what they suggest. Big hugs and love to beautiful Bea and Jemima x
 
Strangely enough bea has gained 100g overnight still keeping an eye on her but now more concerned about jemima. 24 hrs of meds and she gained weight. Another 24 hrs and she's lost nearly all she gained plus has been in the spare cage for 1 hour and there's only one poop! Might have to get vets tomorrow as soon as first meeting is over now. Wong be chine house but I can get there Friday if needed
 
How is her tummy feeling?
 
Sport billy her tummy seems normal. Shortly after posting she started popping but not as much as usual. Poos are slightly smaller than usual and she hunches in the corner so looks like she's in pain. Will be at vets asap
 
Poor girl, let us know how she gets on x
 
Well it's not bloat but we're still stumped. Vet had a good feel and there's not many poo's inside as she's not eating enough. Upped the dose of antacid and now have baytril too incase of infection.

Currently feeding her some CC but she's fighting it so it's like she doesn't want to eat (despite pain killer!). Next step will be to sedate and check her back teeth :(
 
All the best for your poorly girl! Piggies that are not well will fight you over food; it can be quite a battle to get it in. wishing you all the best to get to the bottom of it!
 
Thanks everyone we persevered for well over an hour and she had a quarter of a sachet of CC but has also eaten cucumber, tomato, strawberry and carrot. I don't think it's her teeth as she gets more fidgety than normal when pooping and gets a little vocal which I'm taking as discomfort.

The vet rang and booked me in again tomorrow morning to check on her so hopefully will have more info then.
 
Thanks for the update Kelly, maybe worth getting an X-ray done also. Well done for getting some food into her. Hope the vet can give you an idea of what is going on tomorrow. Lots of healing vibes to Jemima x
 
I'm really sorry. it all sounds very sad and stressful. I hope that she makes a recovery.

Thanks for the recommendation on Chine House - I use them rather than the cheaper more local equine vets because they are so good and have such specialist knowledge. They have kept my Domino happy and still going despite various health problems that lots of people would have written him off for by now.

I hope your piggy is better soon :(
 
Well she's stayed at the vets for an X-ray with the thought being it could now be bladder stones as her bladder felt very tense. She wee'd on the vet hehe but didn't lose any more weight overnight so I got enough food into her
 
Right so there's no stones, no teeth problems, nothing! Vet is thinking a potentially very painful bout of cystitis and I now have super strong painkillers for her.

Check up tomorrow and then if she doesn't pick up in a few days it'll be a referral to the specialist at chine house
 
Well little miss jemima has made a huge improvement overnight and has even been eating pellets on her own. She's a lot livelier and even just bit the vet! (In jemima's defence the vet poked her bladder and was holding her still be having a hand over her mouth!). Weight check on Monday but hopefully the vetergesic and baytril are doing the job
 
Well my two girls are still yo-yo-ing with their weight. Bea has been gaining slowly since I started administering some of the left over baytril to her and Jemima gains when put back on vetergesic which I've now run out of. Keeping an eye for next couple of days but if she loses again then I'll be going back to the vets or maybe straight to Chine house
 
piggyfan said:
I really hope they are both okay.
Click to expand...

Me too! These two are causing me quite some concern seeing as there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with them (apart from a bout of cystitis with Jemima). Peter and Bumble are enjoying the extra veggies I keep throwing in there though lol
 
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