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Is My Guinea Pig Okay?

Good, let us know how she gets on. I noticed her veg in the background, I'm not sure if that is Iceberg lettuce but it's best not to feed her that. Vitamin C rich foods like curly kale, spinach occasionally & broccoli with the addition of herbs like coriander, basil etc will increase her vitamin C uptake. Sweet peppers (Bell pepper/Capsicum) are good for Vitamin C as well. The Guinea Lynx website has a good list & their forum may also be able to give you advice as to your nearest piggy savvy vet :) Guinea Lynx :: Nutrition Charts
 
Poppy'sMum said:
Good, let us know how she gets on. I noticed her veg in the background, I'm not sure if that is Iceberg lettuce but it's best not to feed her that. Vitamin C rich foods like curly kale, spinach occasionally & broccoli with the addition of herbs like coriander, basil etc will increase her vitamin C uptake. Sweet peppers (Bell pepper/Capsicum) are good for Vitamin C as well. The Guinea Lynx website has a good list & their forum may also be able to give you advice as to your nearest piggy savvy vet :) Guinea Lynx :: Nutrition Charts
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Ok on the chart it says pineapple is it fine for me to give her pineapple cut up?
 
Maddie.hogsten said:
I called the vet and I told them what was happening they said it could be vitamin deficiency so I got some drops from the store and she seems to be moving around better then before
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They diagnosed her without seeing her? That's highly unprofessional. I'd give another vets a call and have her seen by a professional.

Have a look at the recommended diet on here for veg :) Does she have regular unlimited supplies of good quality hay and a small amount of nuggets daily?
 
Cavy Kung-Fu said:
They diagnosed her without seeing her? That's highly unprofessional. I'd give another vets a call and have her seen by a professional.

Have a look at the recommended diet on here for veg :) Does she have regular unlimited supplies of good quality hay and a small amount of nuggets daily?
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I'm gonna call today again the vet office isn't open yet. So I'll call them as soon as they open and this is my first guinea pig so I don't have a clue what to do. So I have like bedding not hay and I don't know what nuggets are
 
I hope your little one recovers quickly. As you said she hasn't been having veg or hay, what has she been eating since you've had her?

Realistically most of their diet should be hay, with additional vegetables for vitamin C and other nutrients.

Fingers crossed the vets can get her in today x
 
CharlieH said:
I hope your little one recovers quickly. As you said she hasn't been having veg or hay, what has she been eating since you've had her?

Realistically most of their diet should be hay, with additional vegetables for vitamin C and other nutrients.

Fingers crossed the vets can get her in today x
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I've been giving her like these pellets you get from the pet store for like bunnies, guinea pigs, rats and hamsters
 
I wouldn't give her pineapple it might upset her tummy. Please make sure she has plenty of fresh hay every day, they will eat & sleep in it, that's normal piggy behaviour :)
 
Well I'm having the run around with the vets and no one near me with in a 60 mi radius sees guinea pigs so I don't know what to do :(
 
Maddie.hogsten said:
I've been giving her like these pellets you get from the pet store for like bunnies, guinea pigs, rats and hamsters
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She should really have specific guinea pig pellets. Rabbits, rats and guinea pigs have very different dietary requirements, and pellets should only make up about 5% of their diet. Have a good read at the link above, and make sure you're offering her the right diet. She looks quite ill just now, so she may not be keen to eat.
It's very important that her digestive system keeps going though, or it will shut down. I think you really need expert advice and more importantly, a vet, urgently. @Wiebke
 
Agreed, she really really needs hay and veg, nuggets should only make up a minimal part of the diet.
Keep an eye on her teeth to make sure they haven't overgrown, research her diet and get her to a vet ASAP!
Good luck!

PS. If she's not been getting fresh veg every day, could it be Scurvy related? :hmm:
 
Maddie.hogsten said:
I've been giving her like these pellets you get from the pet store for like bunnies, guinea pigs, rats and hamsters
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Does your pet store have pellets that are for guinea pigs only? ideally all pellets should look the same and not be a mix of different bits.
Rabbits make their own vitamin C in their body while guinea pigs need vitamin C in their pellets in order to avoid scurvy (vitamin C deficiency). They cannot make their own vitamin C and usually end up with malnutrition on guinea pig food. If you feed uninforced pellets and not much veg high in vitamin C, your guinea pig can develop scurvy. However, guinea pigs should have only about 1-2 tablespoons of pellets in a day. It is the smallest part of their diet.
Guinea Lynx :: Scurvy -- Vitamin C Deficiency

What a guinea pig needs to eat is hay, hay, hay - that is what keeps the crucial back teeth ground down and the guts going. it should make most of what a guinea pig eats in a day.
If you have access to fresh grass that is free from dog or fox pee (fresh pee can kill a guinea pig), then you can offer that. Please start slowly with just bvery small portions as too much on an unused tummy can cause diarrhea or bloating (and another vet trip). Fresh grass also contains vitamin C, as do dandelions.

A balanced daily guinea pig veg diet should include:
- a slice of pepper of any colour for vitamin C
- a sprig of coriander or parsley
- a slice of cucumber
- a slice of celery
- a green bean (the pod where the beans themselves sit in)
- a 1 inch strip of spring green or mild cabbage for magnesium and vitamin C
- optional: a strip of lettuce (but not iceberg lettuce)
- optional twice a week just one of these: a slice of banana with skin or a a bit of banana skin on its own; 1-2 grapes, cut in half; a strawberry; a slice of apple or pear; a slice of tomato or one cherry tomato, cut in half.
Please do not feed any other fruits because they are not good for guinea pigs. Do not feed fruit more often because the acid in the fruit can cause nasty lip and mouth infections.
- optional once a week (fattening and not good for the digestion): a chunk of carrot, a slice of sweetcorn, a slice of raw beetroot.
- as a special treat only rarely (too high in calcium for regular food - it can cause bladder stones): a bit of fresh kale or spinach, or a rosette of broccoli.
 
Has she not been having hay? She needs vets and critical care asap as without hay their bodies shut down :(
 
Wheekallweek said:
Agreed, she really really needs hay and veg, nuggets should only make up a minimal part of the diet.
Keep an eye on her teeth to make sure they haven't overgrown, research her diet and get her to a vet ASAP!
Good luck!

PS. If she's not been getting fresh veg every day, could it be Scurvy related? :hmm:
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It could be. I looked up the symptoms of scurvy and it sounds like her basically
 
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