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Eva's not eating

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Heather7000

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My guinea pig, eva, is not eating much. She will eat grass / hay / straw but won't eat her normal dried food or any fresh veg that we give her - and usually she will take carrots out of my hand! She had one tiny bite of a carrot yesterday but then wouldn't eat any more.

I have looked at her teeth. The bottom ones look a bit longer than my other guinea pigs but they don't look too long.

Is there anything else that might be wrong with her?

Thanks,
Heather
 
Not eating can be caused by a range of problems and illnesses.

Usually, it's the BACK teeth that are the problem, not the front teeth. Loss of appetite can also be caused by sores in the mouth and throat caused by fruit or tomatoes.

Have you had a look at her poos to see whether there is something wrong with her digestive tract?

Loss of appetite can also appear with other illnesses like URI (respiratory infection).

Make sure that you weigh Eva daily and have her seen by a vet.

Here is more about loss of appetite:
http://www.guinealynx.info/anorexia.html
 
I know how you feel, I have the same problem at the moment too. Definitely get her to the vets.
 
Welcome to the forum Heather, sorry to hear Eva is not well.

How old is Eva? I agree with much of what Wiebke has said, she's covered a lot of possibilities and advice there.

If the teeth are a problem, it is usually the molars - hidden behind the fleshy cheeks - that are the main issue. Incisor malocclusion tends to come about as a result of some form of molar overgrowth. Having her molars thoroughly checked would be a good first step. It is possible that there's something very slightly amiss in the back of her mouth - even something as simple as a small, sharp spur on one of the teeth can be enough to bother them.

Does it seem to be more of an inability to eat (picking food up then giving up after a bite or two), or does it seem to be a lack of appetite (simply not interested in food at all)? Is she eating as much hay as normal? The disinterest in veg is definitely not right, as you say she's normally very keen.

If the teeth are declared normal (by someone who really knows what piggie molars are meant to look like!), oral fungal problems should be considered. Oral fungal infections can present similar symptoms to dental issues - inability/reluctance to eat, dribbling - and it shouldn't be dismissed if there are no visible white patches in the mouth; these don't always occur with piggies.

Whereabouts are you? Perhaps we can recommend an experienced vet in your area, or even a rodentologist who is more likely to be able to do a dental examination and any necessary dental work without anaesthetic.
 
Thanks for all your feedback. Wiebke that link you provided is really useful :(|)

Laura, Eva is just under 2 years old. I think it might be an inability to eat as she will sniff the food but then just walk away and she did try to take a bite of carrot yesterday. She is still drinking her water.

I live in dovecot in liverpool so if you know any good guinea pig vets around there that would be very helpful :)

Thanks
 
Hopefully someone from your approximate area will be able to advise of good vets, I've had a look on the Vet List here and unfortunately can't find anything less than an hour from you.

In the meantime, it's worth learning about syringe-feeding and being prepared just in case you need to start feeding her yourself. Tracking her weight once a day will help you decide if she needs syringe-feeding (along with monitoring the amounts of hay and other foods she is eating); if she loses weight each day then she's probably not eating as much as she should be. Syringe-feeding is important to keep up normal digestion and simply to keep the pig strong enough to endure any necessary treatments.

If you do a search on syringe-feeding, you should find some good tips. Writing up a reference thread on this is my next project!
 
When I went home last night I put a fresh carrot in Eva's bedroom when it was dark and while she thought I wasn't looking she started eating it :)) - there was none of it left this morning!

I also poured boiling water on her dried food and mashed it up to make it soft. When it had cooled down I gave it to her but she still only ate a little bit of it.

Do you think maybe she is just fed up with having the same dried food all the time?

Heather
 
It is possible, but it's great to hear she is eating her carrot again. You can certainly try offering a different dry food - Science Selective, Burgess Excel (Tasty Nuggets, and Blackcurrent & Oregano), Wagg Optimum and Oxbow Cavy Cuisine are all good choices.

Do you vary the veg you give at all, or is she generally fed the same every day?
 
We found a large lump on Eva's tummy. She went to the vets on Friday to have it removed and she is much better now :<> we don't know exactly what it was but it has gone now :)
 
I am glad she is doing so much better and will hopefully recover completely. Thank you for you update; I appreciate it!
 
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