Is My Guinea Pig Sick?

[Roisin]

Yesterday he seemed completely fine and was running around in his pen like normal but this morning he seemed almost depressed. He was sitting in the corner of his house in his pen not moving whilst the other two ran around. Also, at one point I took him inside to try and get him to eat (he hadn't been eating a lot of what I gave him) and he started to roll to one side and get back up again, he did this for a while and then started eating. I have him in a box inside now with straw, water and food and he seems to be eating normally but I can't understand why he would be rolling around and not moving if he's ok. Please help, why might he be acting this way and how can I help him? He seems to be acting normally then all of a sudden lying down with his head to one side and normally, when you tickle his neck he purrs but he hasn't been doing it as often and he feels quite warm. Right now, he just got up, ate then ran and dug under a pile os straw and is eating it.
Also, my mum and dad don't seem to want to take him to the vet because they said when small animals get ill there is little you can do about it but I think that if I find a way to help him they might change their minds.

 

[twiams]

If your worried it's best to take him to the vets, as it could be anything and it's better to be safe than sorry !

Your parents if you are under 16 are required by law to get medical treatment. as shown here .

http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=59259

 

[Twoflower]

There are plenty of ways to help small animals if they get sick.

 

[twiams]

I also just want to point out, the problem with small animals such as guinea pigs, when they get ill they can often go down hill very quickly, especially as they're quite good at hiding signs of illness as in the wild it is seen as a weakness and they'd be eaten, so sometimes you'll find an illness could have been developing for a long time before even a professional could really tell.

Do you have a local vet ? Or are you registered with a vet who is experienced with guinea pigs ?
If not there are many people here on the forum that can recommend one in your area.

Unlike humans, there aren't very many home remedies for guinea pigs, and so it is essential that any sign of illness they get to a vet.

 

[gpmomma]

I also just want to point out, the problem with small animals such as guinea pigs, when they get ill they can often go down hill very quickly, especially as they're quite good at hiding signs of illness as in the wild it is seen as a weakness and they'd be eaten, so sometimes you'll find an illness could have been developing for a long time before even a professional could really tell.

I have a sick piggie who acts like a normal piggie. They can hide illnesses VERY well.

 

[Amanda1801]

I echo what everyone else has said. This guinea pig needs to see a vet. It sounds like he may have an ear infection, or a neurological problem (something going on in his brain), which is causing him to roll around. He could potentially be very poorly.

If your parents aren't willing to go to a vet, maybe show them this thread. If it's an ear infection that is caught and treated early, he could go on to make a full recovery. The longer these things are left, the worse the prognosis, and the more expensive the vet bills!

If you're under 18, your parents are legally responsible for your pets so unfortunately it would be up to them to take them.

 

[Amanda1801]

Any news?