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Guinea pig not eating

MediciandNeo

Junior Guinea Pig
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I have two guinea pigs both around 4 years old. Both love food and hay. Medici (the pig in question) was 1.6kg and was always a big boy but recently, over the last 8 or so days he lost his appetite. He barely ate for three days, so I took him to a vet and they said he had slightly over grown teeth and said I needed to give him painkiller rescue food and come back in a week. I wasn’t satisfied as he was still eating some what and gnawing on things so I went to a more expansive, small animal specialist vet who examined him and said there was nothing wrong with his teeth and that they actually looked good. This vet got a second opinion and they also confirmed they were healthy teeth. Long story short, they couldn’t find anything up with my boy but he had lost weight to 1.2kg, then got back up to 1.3kg. Since the vet he’s been eating recovery food daily and eating probably 1/3rd of the amount of veg hay and pellets he used to eat. He’s happy and seemingly healthy, pooing and peeing normally and like I say still is eating somewhat.

I am stumped as to what’s up with him. Has anyone had this problem before and what was your outcome or consensus ?

I am thinking maybe this is a psychological issue. He constantly tries to get to my other pig but Medici is too aggressive with fellow boars of similar age so I’m not going to risk it. Tonight I sat him on my knee and he ate more veg than he has this entire past week. What do you think?

Please help!
 
Not via anesthesia but the vets were adamant he wouldn’t be eating at all if his teeth were causing pain :(
 
I agree, sounds like he needs to see a cavy savvy vet who can have a proper look at him.
 
Sorry to hear your piggie is poorly, it’s a very worrying time.
Have you noticed if he makes strange faces or gags while swallowing/eating? Is he dropping bits of veg out of his mouth while eating? Does he eat off the floor and use he hands to help get food in? Is he/can he still eat plenty of hay or has this decreased and is he going for softer food?

These can be signs that your piggie could have overgrown teeth. My Ted has dental problems and these are the signs he displayed, it was very gradual and he lost small amounts of weight over the space of a couple of months, which eventually all add up.

Although I have kept Guineas before Bill and Ted (many years ago) I had never came across this problem before and was totally unaware this could happen. Hope you get him sorted. There is a great vet in Northampton called Simon Maddock at the Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic who specialises in guinea pigs and their dentistry. Do you live in UK? I would highly recommend him.
 
I once had a piggy with dental problems. He suddenly lost a lot of weight within a week. My vet used gas to check the back of his mouth and his throat which confirmed his teeth were overgrown and were trapping his tongue preventing him from eating properly. He had a dental but we sadly lost Enoch due to having to make the decision as his teeth were that bad but I so wish Simon wasn’t so far away x
 
Sorry to hear your piggie is poorly, it’s a very worrying time.
Have you noticed if he makes strange faces or gags while swallowing/eating? Is he dropping bits of veg out of his mouth while eating? Does he eat off the floor and use he hands to help get food in? Is he/can he still eat plenty of hay or has this decreased and is he going for softer food?

These can be signs that your piggie could have overgrown teeth. My Ted has dental problems and these are the signs he displayed, it was very gradual and he lost small amounts of weight over the space of a couple of months, which eventually all add up.

Although I have kept Guineas before Bill and Ted (many years ago) I had never came across this problem before and was totally unaware this could happen. Hope you get him sorted. There is a great vet in Northampton called Simon Maddock at the Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic who specialises in guinea pigs and their dentistry. Do you live in UK? I would highly recommend him.

Thanks so much for your reply!

This is why it’s weird because he’s eating normally and squeaking for food at dinner time but seems disinterested in nearly everything besides foraging leaves / natural dried snack hay etc.

Last night I tried something new and I fed him his veg while on my knee, I didn’t hand feed him, just put the bowl on my knee and he sat and ate lots more than he has been eating and as soon as he went back in his cage he didn’t touch his veg and ate a small handful of dried apple leaves. Any ideas ?
 
They don’t sound like experienced vets at all.where are you located? Maybe we can recommend a knowledgeable vet x

I live in Nottingham I took him to priory vets which specialise in small animals! Thanks for your help x
 
Sorry to hear your piggie is poorly, it’s a very worrying time.
Have you noticed if he makes strange faces or gags while swallowing/eating? Is he dropping bits of veg out of his mouth while eating? Does he eat off the floor and use he hands to help get food in? Is he/can he still eat plenty of hay or has this decreased and is he going for softer food?

These can be signs that your piggie could have overgrown teeth. My Ted has dental problems and these are the signs he displayed, it was very gradual and he lost small amounts of weight over the space of a couple of months, which eventually all add up.

Although I have kept Guineas before Bill and Ted (many years ago) I had never came across this problem before and was totally unaware this could happen. Hope you get him sorted. There is a great vet in Northampton called Simon Maddock at the Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic who specialises in guinea pigs and their dentistry. Do you live in UK? I would highly recommend him.

Also to add, he doesn’t make strange faces / gag or hold his head down or anything. There is literally no signs at all to indicate pain. He’s eating everything he used to eat just minimal amounts. He’s been eating kale, broccoli, spinach but avoiding peppers, celery and cucumber. He eats hay and a dry herb mix. I bought him a huge selection of dried flower / herb / dried leaf / hay mixes to tempt him and it did work. It got him interested in his hay again, however small.
 
I once had a piggy with dental problems. He suddenly lost a lot of weight within a week. My vet used gas to check the back of his mouth and his throat which confirmed his teeth were overgrown and were trapping his tongue preventing him from eating properly. He had a dental but we sadly lost Enoch due to having to make the decision as his teeth were that bad but I so wish Simon wasn’t so far away x
I experienced almost the exact same thing, apart from making the mistake of going to a non-cavy-savy emergency vet, paying £120 for a consultation to be adviced to feed late Treacle baby food to get her through the night (no Critical care given or anything) biggest regret I have going to that vet 😞😞
 
I experienced almost the exact same thing, apart from making the mistake of going to a non-cavy-savy emergency vet, paying £120 for a consultation to be adviced to feed late Treacle baby food to get her through the night (no Critical care given or anything) biggest regret I have going to that vet 😞😞
What the hell ?
 
I experienced almost the exact same thing, apart from making the mistake of going to a non-cavy-savy emergency vet, paying £120 for a consultation to be adviced to feed late Treacle baby food to get her through the night (no Critical care given or anything) biggest regret I have going to that vet 😞😞


I’m sorry for your loss. I lost medicis bonded brother last year to a chest infection which the vet insisted I gave him oral antibiotic, only for me to find out after he choked on that same med, that he shouldn’t have been given oral med because he couldn’t breathe properly. In my city there are really no guinea pig vets it’s such a frustrating situation.
 
If you can possibly go to see Simon Maddock in Northampton, he is probably the most knowledgeable guinea pig vet in the country, he uses a brace contraption to look at piggies teeth (including molars) without GA and files the teeth down without GA. He is also very reasonable priced, it cost me less than £50 to sort my Ted out!
 
If you can possibly go to see Simon Maddock in Northampton, he is probably the most knowledgeable guinea pig vet in the country, he uses a brace contraption to look at piggies teeth (including molars) without GA and files the teeth down without GA. He is also very reasonable priced, it cost me less than £50 to sort my Ted out!
He sorted even my gerbils teeth
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I experienced almost the exact same thing, apart from making the mistake of going to a non-cavy-savy emergency vet, paying £120 for a consultation to be adviced to feed late Treacle baby food to get her through the night (no Critical care given or anything) biggest regret I have going to that vet 😞😞

I’m so sorry 😞 xx
 
Guineas can and do eat when they have teeth issues, as long as said teeth issues don't make it impossible to eat. Comet wasn't quite...right. He was still eating and otherwise checked out fine, but his eating was slow (even for him, he wasn't ever a fast eater), and occasionally he'd get that hunched up look about him when he thought nobody was looking. And it was his teeth, he had spurs on his molars.

I'd honestly get a second opinion on your wee one, and if you can get to Simon in Northampton, all the better.
 
Guineas can and do eat when they have teeth issues, as long as said teeth issues don't make it impossible to eat. Comet wasn't quite...right. He was still eating and otherwise checked out fine, but his eating was slow (even for him, he wasn't ever a fast eater), and occasionally he'd get that hunched up look about him when he thought nobody was looking. And it was his teeth, he had spurs on his molars.

I'd honestly get a second opinion on your wee one, and if you can get to Simon in Northampton, all the better.
One of my now passed on pigs still managed grass picked from outside with half length top front teeth
 
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