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Specialist Guinea pig sick - massive weight loss/excessive drinking and wobbly appetite

A

Abbiestewart

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi!
I noticed last week that my Guinea pig didn't seem to be pooping at all pretty much but was happily drinking water and playing. He also seemed like he wanted to eat but couldn't. So I took him to the vet and noticed hed lost alot of weight over just a month. They checked his gut and it was loud and working but they gave him gut stimulants just incase. From what they could see his teeth where fine. He was eagerly taking the syringe every 2 hours and was biting on it and other things in his cage. Still taking loads of water. I seen the vet the next day and his weight was up 30 grams and he was quite content. They said watch him over the weekend and give him his gut stimulants and if he was eating on his own that's good. I noticed he was pooing frequently and eating regularly by himself. Yesterday I was staying out and my mum was watching him. Shes became concerned hes not eating much again or water but hes still active. Shes put out new food and hes went straight for it. Is it possible hes being fussy because it was the exact same food and it was only there from this morning. I noticed he was feeling skinny aswell but not sure. Going to begin syringe feeding him again and a vet appointment tomorrow. I'm very confused as his symptoms are unusual with no obvious cause. Has anyone been in a similar situation? I'm nervous incase they said to put him down due to weight loss but hes still so active that its confusing. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
 
Hi I am no expert at all but I hope you can get to the bottom of it.. no good vet should say he needs to be pts just because he has lost a bit of weight... dont give up and wishing you all the best with the syringe feeding
 
I have now just noticed hes eating bits of hay. Cause we got new hay. Hes nibbling it then taking it away. Then using his hand
 
The2musketeers said:
Could he have a dental problem? Does he get hay 24/7? Veggies? What brand of pellets do you feed him?
Click to expand...
Yeah that's the weird thing. Hes eating plenty of hay. His pellets are twitch by wagg. We had changed his food before this and when we changed back he started eating again. The vet suggested hold back on Veg and fruit this week because of his dodgy stomach
 
Is it possible its psychological? Maybe some stress? He was out of the home a couple weeks ago cause I was on holiday and someone else looked after him for a week and a change to his diet?
 
He seems to be eating but only when its changed every couple of hours
 
Abbiestewart said:
Hi!
I noticed last week that my Guinea pig didn't seem to be pooping at all pretty much but was happily drinking water and playing. He also seemed like he wanted to eat but couldn't. So I took him to the vet and noticed hed lost alot of weight over just a month. They checked his gut and it was loud and working but they gave him gut stimulants just incase. From what they could see his teeth where fine. He was eagerly taking the syringe every 2 hours and was biting on it and other things in his cage. Still taking loads of water. I seen the vet the next day and his weight was up 30 grams and he was quite content. They said watch him over the weekend and give him his gut stimulants and if he was eating on his own that's good. I noticed he was pooing frequently and eating regularly by himself. Yesterday I was staying out and my mum was watching him. Shes became concerned hes not eating much again or water but hes still active. Shes put out new food and hes went straight for it. Is it possible hes being fussy because it was the exact same food and it was only there from this morning. I noticed he was feeling skinny aswell but not sure. Going to begin syringe feeding him again and a vet appointment tomorrow. I'm very confused as his symptoms are unusual with no obvious cause. Has anyone been in a similar situation? I'm nervous incase they said to put him down due to weight loss but hes still so active that its confusing. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
Click to expand...

Hi!

The decision for euthanasia/pts is always the owner's to make. A vet can only recommend. You will have to actually sign a consent form before any vet can put any pet of yours to sleep. ;)

Would your vet consider a blood test to check for diabetes? they are not quite easy to take in guinea pigs, though.
Excessive drinking and weight loss are often connected with kidney problems or diabetes.

Please keep on offering syringe feed and weighing daily at the same time to keep an eye on the food intake insted of the recommended weekly weigh-in and body check.
Weight - Monitoring and Management
Guinea pig body quirks - What is normal and what not?
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

I am linking some medically more experienced members into your thread to see whether they have any ideas where to start looking.
@Jaycey @helen105281 @furryfriends (TEAS) @Abi_nurse
 
Wiebke said:
Hi!

The decision for euthanasia/pts is always the owner's to make. A vet can only recommend. You will have to actually sign a consent form before any vet can put any pet of yours to sleep. ;)

Would your vet consider a blood test to check for diabetes? Excessive drinking and weight loss are often conneected with kidney problems or diabetes.

Please keep on offering syringe feed and weighing daily at the same time to keep an eye on the food intake insted of the recommended weekly weigh-in and body check.
Weight - Monitoring and Management
Guinea pig body quirks - What is normal and what not?
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

I am linking some medically more experienced members into your thread to see whether they have any ideas where to start looking.
@Jaycey @helen105281 @furryfriends (TEAS) @Abi_nurse
Click to expand...

That's very interesting that you say that. I did not sign a consent form for Donald being PTS and the emergency vet did not get me to sign one for bumble a couple of years back. I do not recall signing one for Bea either but it was quite long ago so I cannot say for certain
 
Wiebke said:
Hi!

The decision for euthanasia/pts is always the owner's to make. A vet can only recommend. You will have to actually sign a consent form before any vet can put any pet of yours to sleep. ;)

Would your vet consider a blood test to check for diabetes? they are not quite easy to take in guinea pigs, though.
Excessive drinking and weight loss are often connected with kidney problems or diabetes.

Please keep on offering syringe feed and weighing daily at the same time to keep an eye on the food intake insted of the recommended weekly weigh-in and body check.
Weight - Monitoring and Management
Guinea pig body quirks - What is normal and what not?
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

I am linking some medically more experienced members into your thread to see whether they have any ideas where to start looking.
@Jaycey @helen105281 @furryfriends (TEAS) @Abi_nurse
Click to expand...
Thank you so much! I thought diabetes too. They where concerned about doing the blood test but will probably look into it now considering how hes being.
 
Wiebke said:
Hi!

The decision for euthanasia/pts is always the owner's to make. A vet can only recommend. You will have to actually sign a consent form before any vet can put any pet of yours to sleep. ;)

Would your vet consider a blood test to check for diabetes? they are not quite easy to take in guinea pigs, though.
Excessive drinking and weight loss are often connected with kidney problems or diabetes.

Please keep on offering syringe feed and weighing daily at the same time to keep an eye on the food intake insted of the recommended weekly weigh-in and body check.
Weight - Monitoring and Management
Guinea pig body quirks - What is normal and what not?
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

I am linking some medically more experienced members into your thread to see whether they have any ideas where to start looking.
@Jaycey @helen105281 @furryfriends (TEAS) @Abi_nurse
Click to expand...
Hi I've tried weighing him but they where inaccurate. Could you recommend a scale to buy?
 
Abbiestewart said:
Hi I've tried weighing him but they where inaccurate. Could you recommend a scale to buy?
Click to expand...

Any halfway decent digital kitchen scales from a supermarket will do to track weight changes.
Please read the weight management guide, where there is a chapter on scales and what kind of scale you want for which purpose. ;)

here is our video guide: How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig Safely
 
Lady Kelly said:
That's very interesting that you say that. I did not sign a consent form for Donald being PTS and the emergency vet did not get me to sign one for bumble a couple of years back. I do not recall signing one for Bea either but it was quite long ago so I cannot say for certain
Click to expand...

I certainly have had to sign consent forms in the last year or two, whether it was at my regular vets or at the emergency vets for any piggy that was anaesthesized, which included pts.
 
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