is it normal for my senior guinea pig to only eat critical care

[violentintrospection]

hello, i have an 8 year old sow.

she eats hay normally and occasional lettuce but mostly likes to eat the critical care, jolly support (another supportive piggie mixture) and Burgess pellets.

I'm wondering if this is normal?

she’s acting normally as of now anyway.

we started her on the critical care mixture when she got diarrhea since she wasnt allowed veggies. her poops are back to normal but we just kept giving her critical care since she likes it so much. she only touches the veggies when there’s no more cc

i found cc to be helpful in maintaining her weight since shes an old timer

we’re supposed to be having a check up vet appointment this week but our only piggie vet in the area got sick (hope she’s doing alright too ). asking here for any advice while we wait for our next appointment.

attaching a pic of her on a skateboard. she’s gen z for real

 

[weepweeps]

So she got diarrhoea and you stopped her veggies and now she has stopped eating hay and veggies?

Maybe you could wean her off of the CC slowly. I’m not sure if CC grinds their teeth down like hay does. So I’d be worried her teeth might get over grown. But if she’s eating hay and CC then if shouldn’t be a problem.

She’s a gorgeous girl. 8 is an amazing age. Just shows how much she’s been cared for.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

Critical care formula replaces mainly the fibrous hay/grass intake, which makes over three quarters of the daily food intake. However, some piggies can come to prefer the taste of it and be reluctant to come off without there being a physical or medical reason for it.

But it could be that her teeth could have become overgrown and may have grown spurs at the back. Can you have a look at her front teeth? This may tell you if there is a potential problem with the grinding teeth at the back of the mouth which have developed against the highly abrasive silica in the grass and hay.
- Incisors are self-sharpening against each other in a balanced dental system. They may look longer to you than they should (especially the lower ones). Healthy incisors are white and have an even horizontal edge.
- If the edge is slanted, this indicates a one-sided overgrowth or a pain issue in the molars and premolars. The problem can also sit at the root of one of the incisors.
- If the edge is jagged and uneven, this is a sign of uneven chewing and often an indication of misalignment or overgrowth at the back.
- A v-shaped edge of the incisors is a sign of restricted mouth movement, generally caused by premolar spurs.
Also feel the upper and lower jawline for any little lumps that are not the same on the other side.

This is not conclusive but it can give you an idea whether you could be dealing with a dental issue or not; especially as there are not many vets in the Philippines that are familiar with guinea pigs.
First Aid: Immediate Care Measures and Non-medication Products

It is not at all uncommon in older guinea pigs that the digestion can become less robust. It is an organ, and the largest organ in guinea pigs, after all.
Caring for Older Piggies and Facing the End - A practical and supportive information collection

 

[violentintrospection]

So she got diarrhoea and you stopped her veggies and now she has stopped eating hay and veggies?

Maybe you could wean her off of the CC slowly. I’m not sure if CC grinds their teeth down like hay does. So I’d be worried her teeth might get over grown. But if she’s eating hay and CC then if shouldn’t be a problem.

She’s a gorgeous girl. 8 is an amazing age. Just shows how much she’s been cared for.

thanks so much!

that's the thing, she is eating hay normally but not veggies. I'm a bit confused bc i know that hay is the most important and veggies is just a secondary food for more vitamins and nutrients. but she's just lukewarm abt veggies and instead prefers cc and hay instead. is that common?

but ill try to wean her off slowly maybe if i lessen it she'll try the veggies again!

her teeth seem fine as well, no overgrown incisors! but ill make sure to ask for an xray to double check

 

[Wiebke]

thanks so much!

that's the thing, she is eating hay normally but not veggies. I'm a bit confused bc i know that hay is the most important and veggies is just a secondary food for more vitamins and nutrients. but she's just lukewarm abt veggies and instead prefers cc and hay instead. is that common?

but ill try to wean her off slowly maybe if i lessen it she'll try the veggies again!

her teeth seem fine as well, no overgrown incisors! but ill make sure to ask for an xray to double check

You may find this guide here helpful for trying to re-introduce veg again. Please be aware that the gut microbiome needs to gradually build up the specialist digestive bacteria over the course of several days in order to avoid further tummy upsets: How to Introduce New or Reintroduce Regular Fresh Food Safely - The Rules

 

[weepweeps]

If her weight is stable and she’s eating hay then I wouldn’t worry too much. At her age she can be picky about veggies.

 

[violentintrospection]

Hi and welcome

Critical care formula replaces mainly the fibrous hay/grass intake, which makes over three quarters of the daily food intake. However, some piggies can come to prefer the taste of it and be reluctant to come off without there being a physical or medical reason for it.

But it could be that her teeth could have become overgrown and may have grown spurs at the back. Can you have a look at her front teeth? This may tell you if there is a potential problem with the grinding teeth at the back of the mouth which have developed against the highly abrasive silica in the grass and hay.
- Incisors are self-sharpening against each other in a balanced dental system. They may look longer to you than they should (especially the lower ones). Healthy incisors are white and have an even horizontal edge.
- If the edge is slanted, this indicates a one-sided overgrowth or a pain issue in the molars and premolars. The problem can also sit at the root of one of the incisors.
- If the edge is jagged and uneven, this is a sign of uneven chewing and often an indication of misalignment or overgrowth at the back.
- A v-shaped edge of the incisors is a sign of restricted mouth movement, generally caused by premolar spurs.
Also feel the upper and lower jawline for any little lumps that are not the same on the other side.

This is not conclusive but it can give you an idea whether you could be dealing with a dental issue or not; especially as there are not many vets in the Philippines that are familiar with guinea pigs.
First Aid: Immediate Care Measures and Non-medication Products

It is not at all uncommon in older guinea pigs that the digestion can become less robust. It is an organ, and the largest organ in guinea pigs, after all.
Caring for Older Piggies and Facing the End - A practical and supportive information collection

thanks so much!

her incisors are normal, no jagged or uneven edge! her teeth arent also long but when we get her checked up, ill be sure to get an xray and teeth check! lost a piggie to that before and I can't bear it happening again

ill keep a close eye on her though, she doesnt finish her food the way she did before (altho her weight is still same ish). she jsut likes to lay on the hay bed and sleep for hours a day. ill make sure to watch her a lot!

 

[Wiebke]

thanks so much!

her incisors are normal, no jagged or uneven edge! her teeth arent also long but when we get her checked up, ill be sure to get an xray and teeth check! lost a piggie to that before and I can't bear it happening again

ill keep a close eye on her though, she doesnt finish her food the way she did before (altho her weight is still same ish). she jsut likes to lay on the hay bed and sleep for hours a day. ill make sure to watch her a lot!

HUGS

Please try not to anxiety-hover. It doesn't help you because the more you look, the more fine details you notice and cannot help but stressing over, the less productive your care becomes. It is normal to worry when a recovery is not quite going to plan but be aware that you stressing out will inevitably transmit to your piggy especially when your hovering is not connected to any positive action. There is a fine but very crucial line between the necessary monitoring and excessive hovering.
Try to send her loving and healing green vibes instead every time you start fretting.
Pet Owners Anxiety - Practical Tips For Sufferers and For Supporters

Looking at the front teeth is just a little safety measure in order to exclude a potential issue but I am sorry that it has obviously woken up old fears rather than allayed them for you.
It is highly unlikely that it is the teeth that are the problem this time in view of her steady weight (meaning that she is eating enough hay) but increased lethargy and that the issue is likely more pain and/or metabolism based and probably somewhere inside the body this time.

There is unfortunately nothing pro-active you can do about at this stage (which is always worst because it makes you feel helpless), so try and leave her be rather than taking too close a look too often and focus on giving gentle, loving support instead. Older piggies do sleep longer and more deeply. Coming out of an acute illness, they often never get quite back to where they before - the same as old humans.

I am holding you and your precious lady in my thoughts.

 

[violentintrospection]

HUGS

Please try not to anxiety-hover. It doesn't help you because the more you look, the more fine details you notice and cannot help but stressing over, the less productive your care becomes. It is normal to worry when a recovery is not quite going to plan but be aware that you stressing out will inevitably transmit to your piggy especially when your hovering is not connected to any positive action. There is a fine but very crucial line between the necessary monitoring and excessive hovering.
Try to send her loving and healing green vibes instead every time you start fretting.
Pet Owners Anxiety - Practical Tips For Sufferers and For Supporters

Looking at the front teeth is just a little safety measure in order to exclude a potential issue but I am sorry that it has obviously woken up old fears rather than allayed them for you.
It is highly unlikely that it is the teeth that are the problem this time in view of her steady weight (meaning that she is eating enough hay) but increased lethargy and that the issue is likely more pain and/or metabolism based and probably somewhere inside the body this time.

There is unfortunately nothing pro-active you can do about at this stage (which is always worst because it makes you feel helpless), so try and leave her be rather than taking too close a look too often and focus on giving gentle, loving support instead. Older piggies do sleep longer and more deeply. Coming out of an acute illness, they often never get quite back to where they before - the same as old humans.

I am holding you and your precious lady in my thoughts.

thank u so much for your thoughtful reply! ill be sure to take it easy and just make everyday a v pleasant and nice experience for her! thank u for all your help and ill update if ever theres new findings!

 

[Wiebke]

thank u so much for your thoughtful reply! ill be sure to take it easy and just make everyday a v pleasant and nice experience for her! thank u for all your help and ill update if ever theres new findings!

My fingers are firmly crossed.

 

[Wiebke]

thank u so much for your thoughtful reply! ill be sure to take it easy and just make everyday a v pleasant and nice experience for her! thank u for all your help and ill update if ever theres new findings!

We are here for ongoing moral support for you as well as for any questions. We can sadly not replace a vet but we do care about the owner's welfare and we offer understanding community support.

 

[Rescued One]

If the piggie is eating straight Critical Care start mixing it with veggie baby food puree to alter the taste, gradually using less CC in the mix and then start adding chopped veg to the baby food (salsa consistency, then larger chunks in a week or so). Then, once up to larger chunks, gradually decrease the baby food and phase out. Worth a try, and the "chunking up" technique is used in humans recovering from inflammatory bowel disease flare-ups, so unlikely to upset piggy digestion