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Help please! We think our piggy is dying :(

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Cozza

Cozza

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We had 3 Swiss Teddy guinea pigs. We lost one to ovarian cancer in February, and another died the next day with no warning. Could she have been pining?
We have one left. She was always the biggest, but she seems to have lost her appetite. We have taken her to the vet who gave us liquid food, which she would not take. The vet couldn't see in her mouth properly. After a couple of weeks nothinh had improved so we took her back. The vet took her in and put her under to look at her teeth. She found burrs on her molars which she filed down. She also trimmed her incisors.
This was 4 days ago and she is still not right. She is so lightweight she is wasting away. Yet she still has energy and runs around. She looks like she wants to eat. She gets excited about food but she seems to have trouble actually taking it in. She used to eat her gerty, hay, carrots, cucumber, grapes, peppers, tomato....but now she barely eats anything.
We don't want her to starve to death. Another thing is that we noticed some blood in her bedding a few weeks ago. The vet thinks she has a mass on her kidney. But if she has a tumour, would this prevent her eating if she actually seems to want to eat? I know they are good at hiding their symptoms, but she seems to want to eat, she is not refusing it, which to me suggests a mechanical rather than physiological problem. Any ideas please?
 
You need to syringe feed her if you can, its not easy but it will keep her alive as her system needs to keep going if she is going to survive, critical care in a syringe with the top cut off or you can mash her pellets up and do the same. Secondly did the vet give you any pain relief like metacam? If she is in discomfort she might not want to eat.
 
Thank you so much. No they did not. Do you think she is still in discomfort? I will ask for some. Our vet is a fairly large practice, but I am always suspicious that some vets are not particularly specialist when it comes to small furries. This may be an unfair accusation, but do you think we should source a small animal specialist?
 
Hi, First of all very sorry for your losses.

It sounds like your piggie still has dental problems, Piggies can often take a while to eat after dental work. Did your vet give you any Metacam (this is an anti inflammatory and a painkiller which will help if their mouth is still sore after dental work) If she is interested in food but cant eat it would be wise to ask the vet for some metacam to begin with. A sore mouth will stop her from trying to eat. Try grating some carrot and something like watermelon (without the seeds) also.

Where do you live, someone may be able to recommend a piggie vet nearby that are skilled in dentals in piggies. I will also point Debbie to this thread she runs a dental sanctuary and knows tons about dental problems and has a fantastic vet available.

As Degu Rock has said you will need to syringe feed, are you using critical care?
 
Cozza said:
Thank you so much. No they did not. Do you think she is still in discomfort? I will ask for some. Our vet is a fairly large practice, but I am always suspicious that some vets are not particularly specialist when it comes to small furries. This may be an unfair accusation, but do you think we should source a small animal specialist?
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Please ask for some metacam, It made the world of difference when our first girl had her first dental in eating again.
 
I would find a better vet, whereabouts are you? Also metacam works wonders if an animals in discomfort and I would have thought your vets would have given you some as standard, I would go back and ask. The pain in her mouth could be stopping her, you need to syringe feed her though to keep her strength up, I mix critical care and I sometimes mix it with pellets to wean them off it when they start to feel better. Your vets should have critical care in if you haven't already.
 
Sorry to hear of your 2 losses & of your remaining piggie being ill too.

Yes, I agree with sport_billy & degu_rock, get some Metacam. Best to get the one for dogs rather than for cats. A lot of vets tend to under dose on this so I would give as my new vet recommended, 0.2 ml twice a day, that's worked well with mine. My previous vet said 2 drops! once a day!

Regarding syringe feeding, some vets supply you with a large syringe that can take up to 15 or 20 ml but it's best to use no bigger than a 1 or 2 ml syringe otherwise you can get a lot of food dripping from their mouth. You can feed either Critical Care, Recovery Plus, a pellet mash or a finely grated veg mix such as carrots, cucumber, pepper etc or even combine the pellets with veg. Try to feed 10 to 20 ml at a time. If you're using the smaller syringes prepare a few at a time or have the mix at hand. Only give a small amount at a time & allow them to eat that before the next amount.

Hopefully your girl will pull through & then it may be best to see about getting another companion for her. If she's older, then consider a neutered boar. It's surprising how they put weight on when they've got company.

Good Luck
 
Thank you so much guys, excellent comments. My daughter and I have just fed her with the Recovery Plus liquid food some success! We swaddled her and she didn't struggle too much. Yes you are right Stewy, the syringe the vet supplied is large and did dribble! We have a smaller one we will use. I will definitely ask the vet for some of the Metacam and Critical Care. The vet did not give us any. They are Anwell Veterinary practice in Coulsdon, Surrey. We have always used them, but sometimes vets seem a little unsure with their diagnoses when it comes to small mammals. They don't always fill me with confidence, it's always "well it could be this, we could try that..." etc. Again that may be unfair, but I just want someone to say, "this is what is wrong and this is what you should do"!
She is a beautiful rewarding pet, as were the other two, and we felt genuinely bereaved when we lost them, and I am talking tears from parents and child alike!
Stewy..regarding your suggestion of a companion, we have ummed and arred about this. Do we risk them not getting on, or do we risk getting one, and the other dies, and end up with the single guinea pig issue again! Could be a vicious circle!
 
Although more vets are becoming experienced with guinea pigs, there is still a huge lack of vets experienced in dental issues. That is why I set up the Sanctuary, as we have a fantastic vet here in Northampton. He is experienced in all things guinea pig, and has worked wonders with piggies with dental issues. I offer temporary and permanent places at the Sanctuary to enable more people to access treatment from my vet, Simon Maddock. Many piggies have come here, spent a few weeks as a temporary resident, and then returned home completely fit and well. You can check out our website here www.teasnorthampton.co.uk Whilst your piggy is eating very little, it is important to keep plenty of food going through the system. Syringe feeding is essential, and you should aim to get about 120 mls in per 24 hours. Some piggies are happy to take fewer and larger feeds, and some prefer little and often. I am happy to give help and advice over the phone and my numbers are on the website.
 
Cozza said:
Stewy..regarding your suggestion of a companion, we have ummed and arred about this. Do we risk them not getting on, or do we risk getting one, and the other dies, and end up with the single guinea pig issue again! Could be a vicious circle!
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I know from experience that this can be a problem. Lots of rescues do dating so you can ask if you can take her with you & try her out with piggies to check on compatibility before taking one or more home. This worked with Minnie who wouldn't bond with our other 3 girls so we took her dating & she came back with a neutered hus-boar who she's living happily with now despite the age difference, she's between 4 & 5 & he's about 1.

I'm certain someone on here will recommend a good rescue in the Coulsdon, Surrey area.
 
I really hope your piggy will be ok. I think a cavy savvy vet is a must. Good luck. :)
 
Cozza said:
Thank you so much guys, excellent comments. My daughter and I have just fed her with the Recovery Plus liquid food some success! We swaddled her and she didn't struggle too much. Yes you are right Stewy, the syringe the vet supplied is large and did dribble! We have a smaller one we will use. I will definitely ask the vet for some of the Metacam and Critical Care. The vet did not give us any. They are Anwell Veterinary practice in Coulsdon, Surrey. We have always used them, but sometimes vets seem a little unsure with their diagnoses when it comes to small mammals. They don't always fill me with confidence, it's always "well it could be this, we could try that..." etc. Again that may be unfair, but I just want someone to say, "this is what is wrong and this is what you should do"!
She is a beautiful rewarding pet, as were the other two, and we felt genuinely bereaved when we lost them, and I am talking tears from parents and child alike!
Stewy..regarding your suggestion of a companion, we have ummed and arred about this. Do we risk them not getting on, or do we risk getting one, and the other dies, and end up with the single guinea pig issue again! Could be a vicious circle!
Click to expand...

Its hard syringe feeding to begin with but it gets easier, some will take a little at a time and some will take a large amount. Its important you keep their systems going :)

How old is your piggy?
 
all your guinea pigs seem to be getting sick I think you should clean out your cage really good check for bugs in your cage or white spots (anomina) that can cause sickness check the kind of bedding your using for saw dust if your using asprin this will probley help a lot for future pigs maybe try new food could be something you fed them I hope you sepperated them to when they got sick :)
 
Piggielover1515 said:
all your guinea pigs seem to be getting sick I think you should clean out your cage really good check for bugs in your cage or white spots (anomina) that can cause sickness check the kind of bedding your using for saw dust if your using asprin this will probley help a lot for future pigs maybe try new food could be something you fed them I hope you sepperated them to when they got sick :)
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Hi thanks but the hutch is extremely clean. My partner is absolutely rigorous and she is very well read on piggy care. We are certain they have been getting the right food and care and they were perfectly healthy for 3 years. If they had an infection then food or dirty cage may have been an issue. But the first had a tumour and the second died with no warning. This one has a probable tumour and dental issues which I don't think have any connection to hygiene or diet. As far as I am aware, tumours in the reproductive area are common. It seems dental issues are common too. They may be sensitive also being a breed. And yes we seperated them when little Bella sick, even though we knew it was a tumour, we didn't want her to get picked on.
 
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Please contact Debbie (furryfriends) by phone - she is the most experienced person you can speak to in terms of caring for a dental piggy, as she has pulled off many miracles for piggies that we close to death's door.
http://www.teasnorthampton.co.uk/
 
I am so very sorry for your losses. I agree with everyone else, syringe feeding does get easier the more you do it and once your piggy realises it's food she's being offered things might also improve. If she doesn't like either critical care of science recover you could try making a mush of her usual dry food - easier if it's something like burgess excel nuggets. I pop some in a cup, add hot water and leave them to go soft, add more water to make a runny consistency and then syringe feed, sometimes just the fact that it tastes familiar is enough to encourage them to accept the syringe. Definitely worth finding a piggy savvy vet
 
Just a tip for syringe feeding and one we found invaluable. Cut the end off a 1ml syringe (making sure the plunger won't come out) this will make the food less likely to squirt out too fast.
I really feel for you, I first joined the forum with a dental piggie that wouldn't eat, so I totally understand how you are feeling at the moment. Sending your piggie lots of healing vibes
 
degu_rock said:
Its hard syringe feeding to begin with but it gets easier, some will take a little at a time and some will take a large amount. Its important you keep their systems going :)

How old is your piggy?
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She is 4. Not that old but maybe these kinds of breeds are more delicate?
 
4 days .....sometimes you have 2 hours to find problem.I have 4 guineas and give food 3 times a day and every guinea pig come to me and take her portion in person - carrot,pepper,parsley etc.If someone didn't come is 100% BIG PROBLEM AND COULD LEAD TO DEATH.
And this is may not enough.They eating like every 30-60 minutes or so,depending on some factors.If not eating - need find problem and feed until gp start eating herself.
 
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I made a smoothie of all her fave stuff with the recovery plus mixed in. Starting to have more success with syringe. I found just squeezing onto her lips made her lick it off. She even licks it off our fingers which is very cute. Have asked vet for the painkillers.
 
Cozza said:
I made a of all her fave stuff with the recovery plus mixed in. Starting to have more success with syringe. I found just squeezing onto her lips made her lick it off. She even licks it off our fingers which is very cute. Have asked vet for the painkillers.
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So pleased to hear your little one is beginning to enjoy her syringe feeds a little more. I think once they realise there is food in the syringe they are happier to take it and a 1ml syringe with the tip removed is definitely the best one to use. I would gradually up the amount of recovery food and slightly decrease the pureed veg you are syringing as she needs to keep her roughage/fibre intake up, which she will get from the recovery. If she refuses this then obviously go back to your original ratio. If she will eat the pureed veg from your fingers you could try putting some on a shallow saucer for her to eat, you can also make a mash of pelleted nuggets I.e. something like burgess if she is used to them, pop some in a cup, add near boiling water and then leave to cool, you may need to add a little cool water as they really soak up the liquid. Once cold you can offer the mash to her, again try a saucer, sometimes I think the nuggets smell more when offered in this way and they can tempt even the most stubborn pig. Good luck and do keep us posted.
 
Sorry to hear your piggie isn't feeling too well! Syringe feeding a reluctant pig can be a nightmare, but it sounds as if you're getting into the swing of things. I would also suggest keeping her cage stocked with hay, nuggets etc so if she does feel like eating by herself, she has plenty of food. Weighing her every day (at the same time) can be invaluable as you will soon be able to tell if she's not getting enough food as her weight will decline. All the best to you and your little one, I hope you can get to the bottom of it!
 
Thank you guys for all your useful messages. Caviesgalore..I had indeed already added in more of the Recovery Plus for the reasons you suggested. I have also put some in a shallow dish but she doesn't eat much. I took her back for a check-up today and picked up some Metacam. When I looked at her tonight she had foul-smelling saliva? coming out of her mouth. Could this be an infection from the dental issues? We are still not convinced that the vet has got to the root of the problem. Despite the fact that she has a swelling in her abdomen that could be making her ill (vet says it could be enlarged kidney or ovarian or kidney tumour), she still seems keen to eat. It looks like a mechanical issue. She will snatch a piece of cucumber and grate her teeth along it but not nibble at it like she used to. If we nibble off tiny bits of cucumber and tomato she will eat them. It is so distressing. It is like she is starving to death and no-one can help! I think I will try contacting one of the people suggested to me earlier on this thread (Debbie at the guinea pig ) sanctuary.
 
I definately would ring Debbie, she is by far the most experienced of all of us when it comes to dental things and sick piggies. Shes a lovely lady and will I'm sure be happy to help.

I know it sounds very harsh but I am unimpressed with your vet, and personally would be looking for another. That doesnt necesarily mean they are a bad vet, i have a lovely vet up the road for my dog but i wouldnt dream of taking my piggies there, they need someone with exotics experience. Did you know guineapigs are classified as an exotic pet, and regular vets recieve little to no training on them.
 
It can take a while before the teeth are 'right' again after a dental - but I think you are right in that your vet are not very knowledgeable about guinea pigs. I would try and find a cavy savvy vet to check the smelly saliva rather than head back to the same place.
 
She definitely needs seeing by a vet who knows what they are doing with teeth. I heartly recommend chatting to Debbie as she knows so much when it comes to dental issues and can give you advice on what to speak to a new vet about. She is very friendly and approachable. Many posters including myself have spent a hour or so on the phone to her regarding dental issues.
Keeping everything crossed for your little one.
 
Sorry to hear about all your piggy traumas and drama :(
I hope your little one keeps fighting and gets better soon!

As for alternative vets I would recommend going to see Ann at the Goddard Vet Group in Ewell who is an excellent piggy vet and not too far from you, I go to her from the Gatwick area and its a 45 min drive for me so should be around the same for you. There is also Seers Croft in Horsham who are highly recommended by others on this forum.
 
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