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Eric is in a bad way :(

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Zofia

Junior Guinea Pig
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I had to take Eric to the vet today. He was behaving oddly this morning - excited about breakfast bet then not eating. I weighed him and he's lost 150g since sunday.

The vet does not know what is wrong - he says that apart from the reported weight loss he seems healthy. He has eaten pellets and veg and hay at the vet as well as being syringe fed some critical care and being given fluids. Here he was only eating hay this morning. The vet has suggested he might be dehydrated but has not suggested a cause.

They've kept him in to observe him and treat as necessary.I went to see him after work and he seems cheerful enough but is obviously thinner than normal. He felt cold and was a little watery around his bottom. The nurse said she would put a heat pad in with him and said they were keeping an eye on the poo situation.

The vet has said teeth are fine.

I don't know how old Eric is. He was fully grown when I adopted him 3 years ago, and, indeed when the rescue centre got him 6 mths before that. So he could be any age. I've been suspecting 6 or 7 yrs old to be honest. He's grey around the edges and has saggy arms and legs and waddles when he walks/runs.

I'm not convinced he'll pull through this, although I'm sure Simon (the vet) will do everything he can for him. I wonder if his age might be catching up on him. :(
 
Poor Eric, you must be so worried. I hope he's ok.
 
I obviously don't know what's wrong with him but the fact you say he was cold to the touch, for me, isn't a good sign but the fact he's eating & is interested in food is good :)
 
My old Nibbles acted this way. She lost a lot of weight, but still ate her food, and seemed perfectly healthy. She did die of old age though, a few months after showing signs of this. :(

I hope this isn't the case with Eric though. Good luck with him :)
 
I obviously don't know what's wrong with him but the fact you say he was cold to the touch, for me, isn't a good sign but the fact he's eating & is interested in food is good :)

Oh, you're near me. Hi!
I'm trying to be pragmatic about this. I love Eric very very much. He's had a great time here the past 3 years. Much better than the awful home he came from. He's been loved. He's got 2 girlfriends. He's spoiled rotten. I want him to be with me forever. But, sometimes there comes a point where they can't be fixed. While I've had Eric we've dealt with an abdominal abscess (from his castration, he was allergic to his internal stitches - it was really nasty), countless broken teeth, ringworm. He's obviously been happy though and I'm proud of the change I've seen in him. There's something wonderful about watching a fat pig chase a girl! Waddle.

I desperately hope the vet can fix him, but, if not, I have to celebrate him and let him go with the dignity he deserves.

I'll know more in the morning when I call the vet. For now, it's just fingers crossed and positive vibes. The girls are missing him. I hope I can bring him back for them.
 
Oh, you're near me. Hi!
I'm trying to be pragmatic about this. I love Eric very very much. He's had a great time here the past 3 years. Much better than the awful home he came from. He's been loved. He's got 2 girlfriends. He's spoiled rotten. I want him to be with me forever. But, sometimes there comes a point where they can't be fixed. While I've had Eric we've dealt with an abdominal abscess (from his castration, he was allergic to his internal stitches - it was really nasty), countless broken teeth, ringworm. He's obviously been happy though and I'm proud of the change I've seen in him. There's something wonderful about watching a fat pig chase a girl! Waddle.

I desperately hope the vet can fix him, but, if not, I have to celebrate him and let him go with the dignity he deserves.

I'll know more in the morning when I call the vet. For now, it's just fingers crossed and positive vibes. The girls are missing him. I hope I can bring him back for them.

I'm not too far from you, Hi :)

Eric sounds a wonderful chap & i did have to laugh at a fat pig chasing a girl. Waddle. I agree it is wonderful :))
I hope tomorrow brings you & your girls good news :)
 
I really hope your special little piggy is ok, and the vet can help him. He will be all the more special to you because you have nursed him through all his problems. Everything crossed for him.
I loved your description of him, it made me smile a little, he sounds just like me, bless him. x


He's grey around the edges and has saggy arms and legs and waddles when he walks/runs.
 
He's home! He is eating. The vet still doesn't know what's wrong but he wasn't any worse today so the vet thought he would be better off in his own house.

He is currently chirrupping (does that mean he's pleased to be home cheepcheepcheep?)and cleaning himself. The girls seem happy to have him back.

Any advice re how to nurse him back to health here? I obviously want him to put the weight back on as quick as poss.

I have put bio-lapis in his water. I have some critical care - should I give him some of this later even though he's eating? or just if he stops eating?

He's eating hay at the mo. :)

Any tips as to how to fatten him up greatly appreciated.
 
awww Eric sounds wonderful, he must be so happy with you, hope he pulls through but even if he doesnt, you should be very proud of yourself.

Huge vibes being sent xxxxxxxxxx
 
Wonderful news. :)
Readigrass can help to help gain weight as can oats (rolled or porridge) or sweetcorn.

I think he was chirping "i'm so happy i'm home" :)
 
Glad to hear Eric's home, fingers crossed for a full recovery. I'm not sure what Critical Care is (assume it's some sort of rehydrater?) but how about syringe feeding him organic meat and cereal free baby food? I know nothing worth knowing to be honest, but my friend was advised to do this when her piggie was poorly.

Tracey x
 
I just weighed him and he has dropped another 50g or so since yesterday morning. I'm going to give him some fruit puree + critical care before I go to bed and weigh him again in the morning. I think I'll try him with a vitC tablet too - it can't do any harm - if he's not been eating much veg he might be a bit deficient.
 
I just weighed him and he has dropped another 50g or so since yesterday morning. I'm going to give him some fruit puree + critical care before I go to bed and weigh him again in the morning. I think I'll try him with a vitC tablet too - it can't do any harm - if he's not been eating much veg he might be a bit deficient.

please, be careful with vitamin C: I'm not an expert, but even for humans too much of vitamin C isn't very good for the liver, get the dosage right.

Have you considered seeing Vedra?
http://www.britishassociationofrodentologists.co.uk/contact_us.html
I just looked it up on the national rail website and she's about the same distance away from you as she is from me. Our dear boar had problems nobody could diagnose for months and she saved him, we are still treating him, but she really is the best piggy specialist I've ever known and we saw a lot of them. The very 1st time we saw her she charged the membership fee of £30 and that was for an emergency appointment on Christmas Eve! She loves pigs as much as we all do, please get in touch with her and see if she can help before it's too late. I don't want to be pessimistic, but he's loosing a lot of weight.
 
I just stumbled upon something - I decided to set up a little cage in my bedroom for Eric for overnight so I could monitor how much he ate, I worried he might be frightened in a little cage alone, but he hasn't stopped eating since I put him in. He's got some hay, a carrot (with top) and some pellets mixed with oats (and some water + bioLapis). He's really into the carrot. Maybe he needed some peace and quiet.
 
please, be careful with vitamin C: I'm not an expert, but even for humans too much of vitamin C isn't very good for the liver, get the dosage right.

Have you considered seeing Vedra?
http://www.britishassociationofrodentologists.co.uk/contact_us.html
I just looked it up on the national rail website and she's about the same distance away from you as she is from me. Our dear boar had problems nobody could diagnose for months and she saved him, we are still treating him, but she really is the best piggy specialist I've ever known and we saw a lot of them. The very 1st time we saw her she charged the membership fee of £30 and that was for an emergency appointment on Christmas Eve! She loves pigs as much as we all do, please get in touch with her and see if she can help before it's too late. I don't want to be pessimistic, but he's loosing a lot of weight.

Thanks for that - I'll try to get in touch with them tomorrow. I al;so have to take a rabbit to the vet tomorrow so I think I'll take a stool sample in. Simon says there's nothing wrong with the teeth, so I wonder if it's some sort of digestive bug.

It's really strange (good, but strange) that he doesn't seem depressed. He;'s quite lively all things considered. I am very worried though.
 
Another thought - Eric is eating pellets in his little bedroom cage, he hasn't stopped eating since I put him in there and is more alert than he was in the big house. Is it possible that the girls are bullying him? They've all been together for over a year and there've been no problems previously but they have got quite boisterous since they've grown up. He seems to be enjoying a bit of peace.

If he hasn't lost more weight in the morning I will leave him in the little cage, If he has lost weight I'll be at the vet at 8am.
 
Eric has maintained his weight over night. I've seen him eating pellets and hay. I'm going to give him some fibreplex this morning because he hasn't had any water over night and I think it's because he doesn't like the smell of the biolapis - so he hasn't actually had any pre-biotic. I've changed his water for normal water now and he's drinking - so he might gain a little weight today if he's been a bit dehydrated.

The girls are hormonal and fighting amongst themselves today so I'm going to leave Eric in the bedroom out of the way.

I'm hoping he might be on the mend. Yesterday his poos were all sticky and smelly (I think they were normal poo mixed with caecal poo) but today they're normal shape and smell which is promising. I have a sample of the "bad" poo just in case the vet needs it. Also, I think it's a good sign that he has pooed this morning because he hadn't last night.
 
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