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Mash is ill (I NEED HELP)

MashThePiggie

MashThePiggie

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Oct 17, 2018
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Location
Scotland, United Kingdom
My guinea pig (mash) has been seeming to eat normally recently but just yesterday when i was doing my monthly groom i noticed how i could feel some in his bones through his thick hair. And when i looked closer during the day i noticed he's barely eating at all! Just nibbling some bits and leaving it. I need help because he is getting very skinny and I am not so confident with syringe feeding!
 
Welcome to the forum.
If you feed him nuggets you could try tipping the fine powder at the bottom of the bag into an egg cup & mix with boiled but cooled to warm water to make a soft paste'y consistency. He may take it straight off of the spoon?

Syringe feeding is a bit of an art form--little & often seems to be the best, with a smaller syringe & go careful not to get it in his throat or he could aspirate/choke on it.

If you have any supreme recovery herbivore food or oxbow critical care try that.

I would try & get him to a Cavy savvy vet later today though.

He may have a tooth problem/oral thrush/infection/ or even an abscess brewing if its mouth related.
Even feeling under the weather, a UTI/ URI or in pain can stop a Guinea from eating properly & losing his appetite.

Healing vibes for your little man&let us know how you get on.

Xx
 
GPTV said:
Welcome to the forum.
If you feed him nuggets you could try tipping the fine powder at the bottom of the bag into an egg cup & mix with boiled but cooled to warm water to make a soft paste'y consistency. He may take it straight off of the spoon?

Syringe feeding is a bit of an art form--little & often seems to be the best, with a smaller syringe & go careful not to get it in his throat or he could aspirate/choke on it.

If you have any supreme recovery herbivore food or oxbow critical care try that... QUOTE]

Thank you so much for the advise! I will definatley try the nugget thing and i will call the vets tomorrow. I have been gone last weekend so I will ask my friend (who fed Mash while I was gone) if she had seen anything wrong.

Again thank you so much for the advise,

x
Click to expand...
 
Will he eat hay or grass from your hand?

Sometimes soft foods or food cut into fine strips can be easier for them to manage if there's a dental issue. But this is only a short term solution.

It's good you're getting him a vets appointment. Hopefully they'll diagnose & treat him swiftly.
Healing vibes for your little man :nod: xx
 
He does eat a little grass from my hand but I am currently unsure about hay as he is sleeping now so I will try later on.

Thank you for all the advise, I am truly grateful I have discovered this site xx
 
I'm sorry he is poorly. As the others have said he does need to see a vet as soon as possible as there will be a reason he is not eating.
 
MashThePiggie said:
My guinea pig (mash) has been seeming to eat normally recently but just yesterday when i was doing my monthly groom i noticed how i could feel some in his bones through his thick hair. And when i looked closer during the day i noticed he's barely eating at all! Just nibbling some bits and leaving it. I need help because he is getting very skinny and I am not so confident with syringe feeding!
Click to expand...

Hi!

Please book a vet appointment ASAP for the very first appointment slot available!

You need to health check and weigh your guinea pig once weekly in order to catch developing health problems early on; once monthly is not enough. Cheap kitchen scales from a supermarket are perfectly fine for that purpose.
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight
Guinea pig body quirks

If your guinea pig is not eating, this means that it is either in major pain somewhere, is very ill or it is unable to eat and process any food (that includes overgrown back teeth).
Unfortunately there is no other way but you to get down to it and start syringe feeding ASAP. It is mostly a matter of practice, like nail cutting. You only learn how to do it by doing it.
But it can make the difference in keeping your piggy alive long enough for any medication your vet is prescribing to kick in and get to work before it is too late. We all have to jump that hurdle sooner or later. Once you are over it, you can be proud of yourself!
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Administering Medications And Syringe Feed
 
Mash has been getting a little better after the trip to the vets (I don't know what she did, she took him to another room) he is eating a bit more solid food, which the vet said was good. I really need help with syringe feeding though. The vet said ''a little bit very slowly'' but that's not helping me much. I'm a very clumsy person and I dont want to mess up...

Mash is gaining a little, little bit of weight but nothing much, he looks so small! Especialy since he was a little bit overweight before. I am so worried! Can someone please give advice on syringe feeding? It would help loads!

Thank you so much! x
 
MashThePiggie said:
Mash has been getting a little better after the trip to the vets (I don't know what she did, she took him to another room) he is eating a bit more solid food, which the vet said was good. I really need help with syringe feeding though. The vet said ''a little bit very slowly'' but that's not helping me much. I'm a very clumsy person and I dont want to mess up...

Mash is gaining a little, little bit of weight but nothing much, he looks so small! Especialy since he was a little bit overweight before. I am so worried! Can someone please give advice on syringe feeding? It would help loads!

Thank you so much! x
Click to expand...

MashThePiggie said:
Mash has been getting a little better after the trip to the vets (I don't know what she did, she took him to another room) he is eating a bit more solid food, which the vet said was good. I really need help with syringe feeding though. The vet said ''a little bit very slowly'' but that's not helping me much. I'm a very clumsy person and I dont want to mess up...

Mash is gaining a little, little bit of weight but nothing much, he looks so small! Especialy since he was a little bit overweight before. I am so worried! Can someone please give advice on syringe feeding? It would help loads!

Thank you so much! x
Click to expand...

Please read the guides I have linked into your thread yesterday. The are very step by step with illustration and a video. We cannot explain it any better than that. But you have to please really have a look at them!

PS: I am merging your threads. We are asking our members to please stick to one support thread per ongoing case to avoid confusion and misleading/reapeated or contradictory advice.
 
As long as you put the syringe sideways in his mouth it won’t choke him if you put too much in, it will just come out of his mouth. Just make sure you give him time to chew and swallow between squirts. How big it the syringe you are using? I would use a 1mL syringe that way it won’t go in too fast or too much at a time.
 
I can vouch for the helpfulness of the guides- they were a real blessing when I had to syringe feed Jemimah after her op.
I also wrapped her in a towel to help contain her and minimise the wriggling.
It also helped with the mess.
Hope Mash recovers soon.
 

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Merab's Slave said:
I can vouch for the helpfulness of the guides- they were a real blessing when I had to syringe feed Jemimah after her op.
I also wrapped her in a towel to help contain her and minimise the wriggling.
It also helped with the mess.
Hope Mash recovers soon.
Click to expand...
Jemimah looks like Yoda @Merab's Slave

@MashThePiggie When I had to feed Christian after is abscess operation I found the syringe feeding guides very helpful as I had never syringe fed before.

Christian Syringe feeding 4.webpChristian Syringe feeding 1.webpChristian Syringe feeding 2.webpChristian Syringe feeding 3.webp
 
Hi, how did you get on with syringe feeding? Hope mash has picked up :luv:
 
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