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Guinea Pig Health Issue.

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kyleib

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Morning all,

We have a poorly 3 year old boar.

He has been to the vets twice, and twice they haven't picked up on any apparent problems.

He is not eating or drinking much at all, so they have recommended syringe feeding, which he is taking well. They have checked his stomach for bloat, and checked his heart rate and have picked up no problems.

We met with a local guinea pig expert, who has said he has the start of liquid bloat, and has given us a small quantity of charcoal tablets to help.

Yesterday evening, he seemed to perk up a little bit, however, this morning he just isn't happy, I gave him his liquid food and tablet and he just is hiding and making strange noises.

He is pooping and going to the toilet as normal it seems, as we have separated him from his mate to monitor him.

He isn't responding to us, or to food which he usually does. At times in the week he was just lying on his side, and hiding in his house. We are so worried, It also seems he has lost a little weight.

The vets don't seem to think its a dental problem, and their next suggestion is to sedate and scan/xray him to see if that picks up any issues ( They have said that sedation may kill him)

I was hoping someone could offer some advice, as we really don't want him to die.
 
Piggies&buns said:
Please weigh him daily while he is poorly as it is the only way get know you are getting enough syringe feed into him. With a total loss of appetite you will need to feed every couple of hours aiming to get 90ml of feed into him in a 24 hour period.
Has he been given any pain medication?

Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Digestive Disorders: Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating
Click to expand...

Hi, the vet has given him Metacam.
 
He doesn't seem to want the syringe food anymore either :(
 
Yes, I'm being quite assertive with it, but he seems to just be spitting most of it out.
 
Weighing him is the only way to be able to gauge how much is actually going into him, but if he seems to having trouble swallowing then he needs to get back to the vet - there are many reasons why a piggy can stop swallowing properly
 
I’m sorry to hear your boy is unwell. Is the vet cavy savvy? :agr: With theabpve that if he’s struggling to swallow then I’d say it’s urgent that he’s seen today. All the best and hope you can get to the bottom of what’s troubling him.

Vet Locator
 
Hi,
Thanks for all the advice,

Unfortunately the vet said there was little that could be done, he was showing signs of bloat, but the vet believed it could be a kidney infection. She said the kindest thing to do was to put him to sleep :(
 
I’m so sorry that you had to help him to the rainbow bridge :( big hugs, sleep tight little one xx
 
His mate died earlier this year, and we found him a new mate, and they got on so well, but the new one is so young still. But not sure I can go through this again...
 
kyleib said:
He doesn't seem to want the syringe food anymore either :(
Click to expand...

Please have him seen by a vet asap as an emergency. He is clearly deteriorating and if it is a blockage, it is getting worse and may cause the body to close down. Blockage is sadly generally fatal in most cases. :(
 
I’m sorry for your loss. It will be hard for you at the moment to think about another friend for your piggy. Give yourself a bit of time but please do it for him.

Although you’re not yet ready (and remember you’re not replacing the boys you lost), I would contact rescues and see if they have any lone boars that need company. It can take a while and there is sometimes a waiting list. And with current circumstances it’s not as smooth sailing as before.

💕
 
kyleib said:
His mate died earlier this year, and we found him a new mate, and they got on so well, but the new one is so young still. But not sure I can go through this again...
Click to expand...

Nobody feels like they can go through this again in the immediate wake. A sudden death like yours does really whack you around.
As long as your boy is eating and drinking, you have a little time to come to a decision when you are over the very worst of your pain after Christmas.

Be kind to yourself. You have done absolutely the right thing and all you can do as a loving owner. Piggies sadly come up with these issues where there is no help or whether any medication takes too long to kick in from time to time, as I know from my own piggies. I sadly lost my Myfina to a blockage over Christmas Day 2017.

However, there are also those that live to a good old age... You won't only have all the bad luck all the time. The odds tend to even out.

Please take the time to read the information in this link here. You may find it helpful for looking after your remaining boy in the coming days and for yourself as you grapple with the pain and the inevitable soul-searching that characterises the onset of every grieving process.
Death, Dying, Terminal Illness, Grieving and Bereaved Companions: Information and Support for Owners and Their Children
 
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