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Guinea Pig Extremely Lethargic, Won't Eat, Might Have Dental Issues

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Plummy

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I am very worried about my guinea pig, Boo Boo. Around two days ago, he started showing symptoms of lethargy and lack of appetite. He's usually very active (he is two years old), so I was very befuddled to see him stay inside his house all day. He has always been on the slim side for a guinea pig, but his inappetence has made him frail and weak. I did a bit of googling and my first assumption was that he might have pneumonia. The following day, I checked his teeth out of curiosity and found a gap in his bottom incisors >__< I'm almost certain that may be a reason as to why he is not eating; perhaps he is experiencing dental pain. I have tried feeding him mushed pellets, but it takes a lot of effort for him to even express interest in food.

Another concern I have is his raspy breathing. He does not have crusty eyes, although they are lacking in luster. Is URI still a possibility in this case? Please help! I am very worried about my baby and don't want this situation to get any worse ;__;
 
Hi & welcome to the forum, sorry to hear your boy is poorly. Could you give us a rough idea of your location please as it may help us to recommend a suitable vet for you?
 
I actually live in the United States (Austin, TX to be exact). This was the first site I saw on Google search, so I joined right away out of desperation :(

Any advice would be much appreciated. I have never been to a vet as my two guinea pigs are the first pets I've ever had.
 
Ok, we do have some members in the US that might be able to recommend a vet, but I would say he needs to be seen as a matter of urgency to be honest :( If you can ring around a few vets, you need to ask for one that is experienced in treating guineas, we call them Exotics vets over here, but as long as you explain you need an experienced vet in piggy health then you should be able to get him some help. If he is barely eating you will need to hand feed him, there are guides at the top of the page about syringe/hand feeding & what equipment to use :)
 
There's also Guinealynx, I think it's a website based in the US, so they may have a list of recommended vets on there, or someone near you that can recommend one.
 
He is in need of a vet urgently. He needs an appointment as soon as possible. This forum can only help until you get him straight to a vet, but that is all. There is no substitue for a vet seeing him.

Guinea pigs tend to go downhill very quickly if not treated straightaway and the fact that he is off his food and lethargic suggests he is in advanced illness as they tend to hide any illness. I know you are inexperienced and have never visited a vet, but your pet needs you now and urgently. The fact he has raspy breath suggest he has respiratory issues, but only a vet can see him and diagnose his problem. In the meantime I would suggest you mulch up his pellets into a slurry if you do not have any special food and syringe feed him until you get him to the vet. This will help keep his strength up to fight whatever is going on.

Let us know how you get on with him.
 
I am doing research and will take him to a vet later today. Thank you, everyone ;__;
 
Wishing you all the best. Please see a vet as an emergency if your guinea pig is lethargic and doesn't eat; don't dawdle!

Raspy breathing needs also to be addressed promptly, as some strains of URI can kill quite quickly. You do not need to always see all symptoms! PS: Loss of appetite is also typical for an acute URI!
Make sure that your vet is also checking heart and a fluid build-up in the lungs or the chest cavity; the lethargy could be down to heart problems. In that case please ask for a diuretic to help ease the breathing. If there is lots of gunk, ask for a mucus dissolving product. The need to breathe comes before the need to drink and thirdly the need to eat.

Please weigh him daily at the same time and hand feed if necessary in order to keep the vital guts going. Make sure that you keep him hydrated, too!
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/complete-hand-feeding-guide.115359/
http://www.guinealynx.info/uri.html
 
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