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Chipychanga is having great difficulty eating.

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PingandChipy

Teenage Guinea Pig
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I opened a new thread because the old one's title is misleading.

My guinea pig, Chipy, had dental surgery on Tuesday. His molar were starting to grow over his tongue. His front incisors were crooked and getting long. He was still eating but slower. He wasn't slobbering.

He made it thru the anesthetic fine but during the surgery the Vet accidentaly cut back one molar too short and she cut his gum. She was quite concerned and prescribed antibiotics and morphine although with the antiinflammatory metacam.

He is having problems picking up his food, once he is successful with that he chews and chews and chews and food just stays the same sticking out of his mouth. I am now giving him critical care 2x to 3x a day via catheter syringe.

I have also grated up carrot, softened his pellets with water, cut up grass, parsely leaves, dandelion leaves and romaine and green leaf lettuce. He has access 24/7 to hay and hard pellets as well.

This morning I gave him banana and he finished it all. I'm going to go and get him some baby food veggies.

He is still bright and chipper but he is thinner. It looked like he has lost 100grams at the Vets yesterday but she said she thinks the scale wasn't accurate. Oh, the vet also took an xray of his jaw yesterday for free to make sure his jaw isn't dislocated and that there weren't further problems hiding.

Am I missing anything? Are there any foods I'm missing that I could be offering to Chipy?

I'm super worried. If his gums/jaw are sore does anyone have any idea how long this could go on for?

Thanks so much.
Lynn
 
AWWW... Poor little thing...!
thought jars of baby food...?
maybe soft fruit... like melon and really ripe mango...?
you could always steam some cabbage unitll it falls appart in your hands...?
hope he gets better soon...!
fingers crossed
x
 
Hey, did you get some metacam to bring home? When Thumper had his teeth done he was doing well immediately afterwards and then went downhill big style after that. I think the pain was just making him very cautious about eating. xox
 
also... advocado... its soft and high in fat... that why your normally not ment to feed them it... but the extra fat might do him a little bit of good... :)
x
 
Have you got pain killers?

Not eating after dental treatment is very common. Please weigh him daily to control the food intake. The loss in weight is also not uncommon - guinea pigs can lose weight very quickly, especially when they are in pain and not eating for a day. Please take care that Chipy is drinking enough. Dehydration is a very nasty and often overlooked problem.

Here are more tips about handfeeding (also the amounts he needs to keep up his weight). http://www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html

I think that you have covered a lot. If you can offer some grass or chopped up herbs. Make sure to dissolve 1/8 of vitamin C tablet in a bit of water or some of his food to make sure that he is getting plenty.

BIG HUG
 
Thanks everyone,
Yes the Vet sent us home with metacam for 7 days to be taken twice a day, morphine for 2-3x a day, and antibiotic for 7 days.

I went and bought some avocado, cucumber, baby food in pear and carrot (not in the same can), and some more banana. He took a few little bites of avocado and gave up, same with cucumber. I took the skins off the cucumber. He wheeks for food but then he doesn't accept what I give him. He was scared of the pear and carrot baby food. In fact, he's scared of me lately because of all the forcefeeding and meds. :(

I've left him alone for now but will fed him more critical care in 2 hours. He is drinking water from the bottle, so hopefully he won't become dehydrated.

I've been giving him fresh grass since he came home from the vets but hes not interested in it anymore.

Thanks again. I'll update more later. I have to figure out that link now to seee how much food he should be eating.
 
Hi,
I read the link and I think Chipy is supposed to get 60 grams dry food and 100ml of water each day. He's 2 lbs.

Poor little piglet.
 
I gave Chipy more grated carrot and cucumber and he was able to eat that, thank goodness. I also gave him more critical card by syringe. He was getting pretty mad at me but I did get quite a bit down.
 
Oh heck!
I'm glad you've got the CC, i also syringe water as well when feeding CC.
Another thing to get more nutrients into Chipy is to make up a slushy of pureed fruits and give that to him......my piggy used to slurp it up and grab the syringe :)) You can also puree up or at least really chop finely a few veggies together and see if he can manage that.....it is best tho to still offer the grass and hay and as soon as he can manage it on his own he'll be diving into it :)
When he gets upset with you stop for a moment and offer a little bit of parsley or lettuce (cos) leaf as a treat, then do the CC again.
HUGE HUGS love xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
the girls send Chipychanga big kisses and friendly brrrrrrrr's xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
He still can't eat :( This is horrible. I gave him critical care again twice today and will give him another dose at bedtime. He can only eat banana and grated carrot, which he seems to be getting sick of.
 
So I found out that if I push the pellets into the back of his mouth he'll chew them and swallow them. So I'm pretty sure it's just that his front teeth were cut too short. I gave him his pain meds and he fell asleep on my lap for the first time :)

So I put him back in his cage for a nap. I'll go out in a bit and put more pellets into his mouth. He hates the critical care now :(
 
So I found out that if I push the pellets into the back of his mouth he'll chew them and swallow them. So I'm pretty sure it's just that his front teeth were cut too short. I gave him his pain meds and he fell asleep on my lap for the first time :)

So I put him back in his cage for a nap. I'll go out in a bit and put more pellets into his mouth. He hates the critical care now :(

oh nooooooo :{ SIGH........i had this happen a couple of times too (could've kicked the stupid vet who did it grrr) anyways what you're doing is great, perhaps moisten them a bit to make it easier for him :)
You'll have to continue to do this for a few more days until they've grown more.
With the CC add a little pureed apple or pear just a touch to make it taste yummy for him :) this will mean you wont have to add as much water.
Good luck love give the boy all our loves xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
Hi Glynis :)

Thats a great idea about adding the pear juice to the critical care. I have some pear baby food so I'm going to do this today! Thanks. Yeah, I'm not impressed by his teeth being cut too short. I even told them to be careful and not cut them too short.
 
He was able to eat some parsley stems when I stuck them in his mouth. He was eating them very fast. I also was able to get him to eat some of his cecotrophs. He seems plump today.
 
Your doing a great job. Keep at it. I know how tiring it can be. It's good news on the parsley stems!
 
Thanks! :)

Today he ate some hay I pushed into his mouth and once he realized what it was he starting eating really, really fast. Later I gave him some apple and green peppar. He was happy and eating quickly. I did have to make them into teeny sizes though. He can eat it if it is 1cm in diameter. He didn't want anymore parsely stems later, turned his nose up at them. sigh.

So I cut up some apple, banana and carrot on a plate for him. I tried to give him critical care mixed with baby carrot food and he spat it out. So I'll try with pear tomorrow. He is getting really angry at the critical care.

I sat and pushed about 15 pellets into his mouth today that he glady ate. I also gave him more fresh grass and he was eating it as I was leaving. He is defnitley not skinny anymore.

It's amazing how fast they can get chubby again!

When can I stop the critical care feedings?
 
really glad he's eating faster and you're doing so well helping him :-)
I'd continue with the feeds until you're confident he's eating on his own to maintain weight. If he doesn't like critical care you could always mush up his pellets with boiled water leave it to cool and feed those? X
 
Aw great news, I would just encourage him to eat. Instead of giving CC just sit pushing nuggets into his mouth. He's eating them anyway.

Your doing a Fabulous job, bet you glad you decided to give it a try! xx :)
 
Yup agree with Flinstones, if Chipy will eat the pellets by himself......and his weight is good you can give up the CC......but weigh him daily and you'll know if he's getting enough food :)
Pear or apple mushed up is good, you can make your own mushy by slowly cooking the apple or pear without sugar of course ;) and just a little water.......then mush it up, it's really easy to do with a fork :)
Keep it up the both of you are doing brilliantly x)x)x)
 
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