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Looking after friends piggies

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Racheylcg

I'm looking after my friends guinea pigs for 10 days starting 2 days ago. They are 8 and 4, and the 4-year old is fine, eating, drinking, running around her cage.
However, the 8 year-old is getting me worried. Yesterday and Thursday she was fine and ran like the other pig to get her veg. This morning I gave them some veg and while the younger one ran to get it, the older one gave it a half-hearted lick and walked.Its hard to tell but I dont think she is drinking much either. Throughout the day I've been sitting her on the sofa and getting her to drink a bit of water and eat a bit of lettuce, but when I put her back in her cage she just sits in a corner. She also has quite a bit of discharge coming from both her eyes. I obviously cant get her to the vet until Tuesday because of the bank holiday Monday and I cant go to the shops tommorow because they're all shut. I can feed her during the day but I'm very worried about tonight because she wont get fed by me for 12 hours. What should I do?
 
Oh sorry I forgot to say I think she's nibbling at hay but I cant be sure :-\
 
If she isn't eating then I would syringe feed her critical care or pellets. Can you get up in the middle of the night to feed her? Big ask I know but may help her. Sounds like it could be teeth problems. Does her mouth hang slightly open? Discharge from the eyes may indicate an abscess.

Hope she will be ok.

Louise
x
 
We dont have any critical care and the shops are shut :-\ And I dont have any syringes :embarassed: Oh goodness I sshould be better prepared for stuff like this.
I did give her teeth a quick look at earlier and the front ones appear to be ok but the back ones might not be. The thing is she has eaten very small amounts of carrot and parsnips today and didnt seem to be in pain so I dont know if its that.
I could probably feed her pellets off a teaspoon-how do I make them liquid?
 
Mary just mentioned a good idea of grinding pellets up if you are able to do that. Use hot water and let them cool, the back of the tea spoon handle will be fine. Wrap her in a towel to help her feel secure. It's worth a try. Sounds like she hasn't eaten enough today. O0
 
Thanks I'll try that now I just know my friend would'nt forgive me if she died :(
 
Aww it's not your fault if it's teeth problems then your friend should have sorted it before she left them with you. (((hugs)))
 
Thanks loads for that tip she's wolfing it down I think its safe to say she's pretty hungry! Is it alright if I feed her that and some water about 3 or 4 times a day? Will that keep her going until Tuesday?
Thanks loads
 
Oh no I just took her out of the towel I was spoon-feeding her on and there was dirrhoea on it :(Not much but it smelt awful
I'm going to stop giving them greens but will the pellet mash make it worse because it contains lots of water?
 
the pellet mixture shouldn't make it worse, perhaps try some bananna's in the skin. if she has the runs water is important so she doesn't get dehydrated. try feeding her hay and grass and see how she goes. if concerned ring an emergency vet. sending hugs and prayers your way :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: girls send :-* :-* :-*
 
Thanks, I'm even more concerned though because although she still drinks water from the bottle when I'm holding her, she wont eat the mixture anymore and she's quite listless. I dont think she's eaten anything except hay today, I'm so worried :-\ I looked on my vets websites and looked up a few more in the Yellow Pages and I cant find any emergency vets anywhere near where I live.
Also, she doesnt have diarrhea anymore but I dont think she's doing any normal poos either-or urinating :-\
 
are there any rescue places near you? they could put you onto a vet, i am in oz so i am not much help. in health and illness there is a thread called recomended vets perhaps there is a vet near you in there. it sounds like she needs to see a vet asap! hoping you find one. sending hugs and prayers to you and the piggy. :smitten: :smitten: where abouts in the UK do you live maybe someone can help.
 
If I was you, id ring your friend and tell her the situation, if you havent already, if one of my pigs was ill whilst i was away id want to know.. at least then you wont get any come back for not telling her until she gets back..

I really hope shes ok :)
 
I live in Hertfordshire but my parents said that because we cant be sure that she's not eating or drinking (because of times when we're not there) theres no point and anyway because she's very old and theres probably not much they can do. Also we dont know how much she eats or drinks usually and we dont know if she prefers to eat at night, so she could be eating lots and we wouldnt know it.
I dont want to worry my friend just in case its nothing-I dont know if she's normally like this.
Thanks, Rachel
 
guinea pigs can go down hill very fast, if you are unsure whether she is eating, drinking, pooping pee peeing then put her on a towel and feed her seperately and this will give you an idea on how she is going. sending hugs and prayers for her and hoping she picks up. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Good idea Mary. What about the PDSA? Also if you ring some vets up they may have an answer phone with an emergency number to call. :)
 
I think your friend would have to be a bit dim to leave an eight year old piggy and not even consider the idea that she could become ill or die, eight is a really good age.
I went away for four days and left instructions of what to do with my eldest piggy, should he die in my absence, it just made sense.
I would call your friend and tell her/him whats happening, and that you are doing everything possible and will get her to a vet asap, then she/he cant say that you didnt warn her/him.
I dont know what else to suggest though, short of calling your local vet, usually vets have a message on their answer machine to tell you the number/s of the emergency vet services.
Good luck, Ill be thinking of you both and hoping that everything goes well.
xx Steph xx
 
I hope the piggy you are looking after gets better.

She is very old at 8 and i agree it would be unreasonable of your friend to blame you at all if she passes away.

Good luck
 
Racheylcg said:
I dont want to worry my friend just in case its nothing-I dont know if she's normally like this.
Click to expand...

And you wont know if you dont call her and ask her!
If it were my piggy and something happened that could have been prevented or at least assisted, by calling me, then Id be very angry.
If something happens AFTER youve called her then fair enough but I'm sure she would be of the same thought as me..."you should have just called me".
Ring her.
xx Steph xx
 
I would ring her just for advice on how she does behave but does sound like she isn't right and needs a vet.
 
Thanks for all the advise sorry I didnt check my messages
Her phone is off so I have texted her asking what to do
I am still not sure excactly if she's not eating or drinking or pooing or weeing but I dont think she is.
She is unfortunately refusing water and the pellet mash and I am just really hoping that she is eating and drinking without me realising.
The only think that is really concerning us is her eyes, which have lots of white discharge and are almost shut.
Luckily I am almost winning over my family and have agreed to take her to the vet on tuesday if my friend agrees.
However they did say that the vet would probably just tell us that it was old age.
Thank you for all your help
 
try bathing her eyes with a little warm water, and dry them gently.. crusty eyes are not a good sign but just try and keep her comfortable.. is she living with you or at your friends house?

might be an idea if she isnt with oyu, to take her to your house so you can keep an eye on her 24/7..
 
She's at my house, as Louise said earlier in the thread I think she may have teeth problems, that would explain the eye problems, I have looked at her teeth but can only see that the front ones look normal.
I cannot take her to any emergency vet until my friend has answered my text and agreed that she would take it to the vet as the bills could be very costly and to ask if she would agrere to have it put down if the vet agrees so.
I have decided to leave her in her cage for a while as she will be with her friend to reduce stress and she will have food and water if she wants it. In a while we will clean her eyes and her rear end asd she had a bit of diarrhea last night.
 
Thnak goodnes, I think I've figured out why she's not eating :)
When they are at home, they live in a hutch on top of a run during the day and in an indoor cage at night (I know, I know, she should'nt cahnge the temperautre), which mean that grass is probably the main part of their diet. I realised this and rushed out to the garden(yes, braving the snow :) ) and quickly picked a bunch of grass. I let it warm up a bit then gave it to her-and she wolfed it down like a maniac. Hopefully this was one of the main causes and I really hope this has done the trick :) I feel relieved, but also a bit stupid for not having thought of grass when desperately trying to get her to eat all sorts of foods ::)
I think she still might be a bit wobbly on her feet due to age, but I'm really hoping she'll last until we can get her to the vets on Tuesday
 
It sounds like your doing the best you can do and I dont blame you for not going to a vet unless your friend agree's. If she does die please don't feel bad. It isn't your fault. I know its not nice to think about but any animal of any age can get ill all of a sudden. If i go on holiday i plan to leave a care pack with whoever has my pets, with details on feeding cleaning and what happens if the animal falls ill or dies. Its just common sense and your friend should have spoke to you just in case before she went. You have been veyr responsible in dealing with this and are doing the best you can do. keep doing what your doing and try not to worry to much. xxxxx
 
Thanks-I've already written a 2-page imformation sheet and started packing their toys and care-items into a box for when they go to her next week while I go away-sshe didnt even scrawl a quick note on how to look after tehm and all she left was dry food, not veg or bedding. I thinm she's being a bit irresponsible bit if it was the grass problem then it was also my fault because I did know about their living arrangments and I should have thought of that.
 
i dont think its your fault at all. You weren't to know she wouldn't eat much of anything else. All piggies are different and need special care and attention so no its not your fault. And your doing the right thing by leaving her a care sheet, she then might realsie that she done wrong by not doing that for you. I know its not nice to think about but also put down what happens incase of illness/death. I no its horrible but at least if something does go wrong you know what will happen to your piggies. xx
 
Yeah thanks I have I've put my mobile, and also two other numbers in my family, and told her to tell us instantly if she thinks they might be ill. I've also put in my vets number and told her to take them there straight away if they're seriously ill. Taking a hint from my experience I've also put in their personality's and how m,uch they usually eat, so if they are acting abnormally she'll know for sure. However we are only going away for 4 days and my pigs are only 1 so hopefully they'll be alright.
 
they should be fine, enjoy your time away. You can never be to prepared though. Sxx
 
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