cookiecake
New Born Pup
I have a quick question. Can guinea pigs become dependent on oxbow critical care food? Will they give up eating on their own and just rely on syringe feeding? Hope this makes sense.
Critical care
- Thread starter cookiecake
- Start date
Not usually. A piggy who can eat for themselves, will eat for themselves.
Are you having an issue? If so, perhaps you could give us some details and we can help further
Are you having an issue? If so, perhaps you could give us some details and we can help further
In many years of syringe feeding piggies at times of illness and post op recovery I’ve only had one piggy who became rather too comfortable with the syringe and needed weaning off syringe feeding once she was well enough. Usually they will only accept the syringe feed when they need the nutrition and even when they are having syringe feed they will usually end the feed with a nibble of veggies or Timothy Hay as a treat.
Are you syringe feeding your piggy at the moment?
Are you syringe feeding your piggy at the moment?
cookiecake
New Born Pup
So, my 5 year old male guinea pig Cookie had to be neutered on Monday, September 20 to get a tumor removed. He gets pneumonia easily and I asked the vet to put him on antibiotics for after the surgery to make sure. He didn’t and just sent us home with Metacam for 5 days. I knew something wasn’t right when I picked him up that night at 5 pm. He was so lethargic, somewhat brain deadish (not trying to be rude but he just was there but not really). The later he developed a wheezing respiratory sound. He didn’t eat, pee, or poop or move. Then I def knew he was sick. So, the next morning I paid for an emergency visit to get Cookie looked at by one of his regular vets. They didn’t want to do the surgery so that’s why I was referred to a vet I didn’t know.
Luckily I got him in and he received antibiotics for 7 days. Luckily, I brought Oxbow critical care food for when my other guinea pig, his brother Cake, had some cancer removed just in case he needed it (thanks to this forum I learned about that product). So I have been syringe feeding him so he gets some food and fluids. He is eating hay, not pellets yet, treats, vitamin C tablet, and some veggies. However, he is not drinking yet. Today I will move him back into the cage and reunite him with his brother. They are so close and miss each other. I will keep an eye on both of them. I have been lessening the syringe feedings because he has been eating hay. My mom is worried he won’t eat on his own if I keep feeding him this critical care stuff but I want to make sure he gets his health back. I have a Ring stick up cam near his cage so I can keep an eye on him with the live feed when laying in bed.
Luckily I got him in and he received antibiotics for 7 days. Luckily, I brought Oxbow critical care food for when my other guinea pig, his brother Cake, had some cancer removed just in case he needed it (thanks to this forum I learned about that product). So I have been syringe feeding him so he gets some food and fluids. He is eating hay, not pellets yet, treats, vitamin C tablet, and some veggies. However, he is not drinking yet. Today I will move him back into the cage and reunite him with his brother. They are so close and miss each other. I will keep an eye on both of them. I have been lessening the syringe feedings because he has been eating hay. My mom is worried he won’t eat on his own if I keep feeding him this critical care stuff but I want to make sure he gets his health back. I have a Ring stick up cam near his cage so I can keep an eye on him with the live feed when laying in bed.
You need to ensure you weigh him every day as that is your gauge as to how much and if he still needs critical care syringe feeds. unless and until he eats enough hay himself so he refuses syringe feeds, and his weight is stable, then you need to continue to feed him
When you reintroduce them, do ensure you do so on neutral territory, don’t just put him back in the cage
When you reintroduce them, do ensure you do so on neutral territory, don’t just put him back in the cage
cookiecake
New Born Pup
Is there a chance they won’t get along anymore?
If they get on well and want to be together, then they will go back together quite happily.
A medical separation does have the potential to break a bond which is why we always recommend keeping them together when one is ill or putting them straight back together as soon as one comes home from surgery. However, this generally happens if there was already an underlying rift between them.
Do still ensure you follow the reintroduction process though, you don’t want to accidentally cause a problem