My guinea pig isn't walking and is in pain

[Shania]

Okay so its been 3 days since my 2 piggies have not been able to walk. 3 days ago i took them to the vet to get their nails trimmed. They are 3 months old. But since then, they couldnt walk. They were in a lottt of pain while pooping. The thing is, i live on a small island and there is a lack of guinea pig vet (none). I already had 6 vets check them. Some said it was stress, some said it was foot injury. But when i looked for the symptoms, it looked like my piggies have gastrointestinal blockage or bloat. And the only medecine the vet had for piggies were probiotics. Their poop are starting to get to normal. But they are still in a lot of pain and cannot walk. Can someonr pleaseeee helppp meee. Thanks a lottt

 

[Siikibam]

You’re in a tough situation there. Were they given any pain relief? Pain while pooping is also an issue that needs looking at. I think you’ll just have to take them back to the vet. I’ll tag @Wiebke @Piggies&buns @PigglePuggle they can perhaps advise your on what to ask for at the vets. Sorry I can’t give you more info, I hope they start improving soon.

 

[Wiebke]

Okay so its been 3 days since my 2 piggies have not been able to walk. 3 days ago i took them to the vet to get their nails trimmed. They are 3 months old. But since then, they couldnt walk. They were in a lottt of pain while pooping. The thing is, i live on a small island and there is a lack of guinea pig vet (none). I already had 6 vets check them. Some said it was stress, some said it was foot injury. But when i looked for the symptoms, it looked like my piggies have gastrointestinal blockage or bloat. And the only medecine the vet had for piggies were probiotics. Their poop are starting to get to normal. But they are still in a lot of pain and cannot walk. Can someonr pleaseeee helppp meee. Thanks a lottt

Hi!

Most three months olds don't need their nails trimmed yet but at the most the very tip. Has your vet cut into the quick by taking off too much and crippled them that way?

Have your vets checked for potential parasites in the gut? Pain while pooping often comes from a urinary tract infection (they are a bit too young for bladder stones yet). Any pain in the lower body can also cause loss of mobility. Too rough treatment or a traumatic experience at the vets can be upsetting but it is not usually resulting in these symptoms.

Have you been given painkillers (metacam, either cat metacam or three times stronger do metacam; so any vet should have it if under a number of different brand names)?

Here is our information on digestive problems and on guinea pigs with mobility problems:
Digestive Disorders: Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating
Looking after guinea pigs with limited or no mobility
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

 

[DMS260820]

Okay so its been 3 days since my 2 piggies have not been able to walk. 3 days ago i took them to the vet to get their nails trimmed. They are 3 months old. But since then, they couldnt walk. They were in a lottt of pain while pooping. The thing is, i live on a small island and there is a lack of guinea pig vet (none). I already had 6 vets check them. Some said it was stress, some said it was foot injury. But when i looked for the symptoms, it looked like my piggies have gastrointestinal blockage or bloat. And the only medecine the vet had for piggies were probiotics. Their poop are starting to get to normal. But they are still in a lot of pain and cannot walk. Can someonr pleaseeee helppp meee. Thanks a lottt

What are you feeding them? Are they getting vit c in the diet? And hay?

What surface are you keeping them on?

 

[Shania]

H

Hi!

Most three months olds don't need their nails trimmed yet but at the most the very tip. Has your vet cut into the quick by taking off too much and crippled them that way?

Have your vets checked for potential parasites in the gut? Pain while pooping often comes from a urinary tract infection (they are a bit too young for bladder stones yet). Any pain in the lower body can also cause loss of mobility. Too rough treatment or a traumatic experience at the vets can be upsetting but it is not usually resulting in these symptoms.

Have you been given painkillers (metacam, either cat metacam or three times stronger do metacam; so any vet should have it if under a number of different brand names)?

Here is our information on digestive problems and on guinea pigs with mobility problems:
Digestive Disorders: Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating
Looking after guinea pigs with limited or no mobility
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

Hi. the vets didnt check for any of these. And only the end of their nails was trimmed. The vets themselves have noooo knowledge about guinea pigs because on my island, its rare to have these as pets. They didnt check for parasites in the guts... Is there anything i can do. Or any medicime thats safe for them? Also, there is noooo hay in my country. So I'm suspecting my piggies have gastrointestinal blockage because i usually give them few vegies but mostly pellets. So is there anythinv i can do right now to help them? Thanks a lottt for replying. I'm so stressed out rn

 

[Shania]

You’re in a tough situation there. Were they given any pain relief? Pain while pooping is also an issue that needs looking at. I think you’ll just have to take them back to the vet. I’ll tag @Wiebke @Piggies&buns @PigglePuggle they can perhaps advise your on what to ask for at the vets. Sorry I can’t give you more info, I hope they start improving soon.

Hii.. Thanks for replying. I took them to 3 to 4 vets. But because this was stressful for them, i had 2 to come at my house. None of them had any useful info. One said it was stress, the other said it was foot injury ect... They are also annoyed at my mother because we keep calling them. They said to give the pigies time and they will get better. But i dont really believe or trust them since theyy have no experience in guinea pigs. I dont know what to do now.. Also, i think they have gastrointestinal blockage because i live on an island where hay isnt sold for guinea pigs or rabbits. I had to feed them pellets and few vegies. So it might also be bloating. And the vets dont have any guinea pig medicines. They only had probiotics which I'm giving them. Let me know if theres anything i can do to help them pleaseeee.

 

[Shania]

What are you feeding them? Are they getting vit c in the diet? And hay?

What surface are you keeping them on?

Hiii. Nooo. In my country, hay isnt available. Thats the main problem. We dont even have guinea pig vets. I live in mauritius where guinea pigs as pet is quite rare because they are expensive ect... I was feeding them vegies and pellets... The vets dont even know that small hard poop is not healthy. They said it was okay, whhich isnt.. So please is there anything i can do rn?

 

[Shania]

What are you feeding them? Are they getting vit c in the diet? And hay?

What surface are you keeping them on?

Also they sleep and walk on soft blankets in a large enclosure. I'm not sure about the vit c. I give them vegies and pellets because there's no hay in my country. I occasionally guve them dried grass to try tk replace the hay..

 

[Siikibam]

Do horses, cattle, and donkeys etc not eat hay? There must be hay somewhere, maybe a farm or something... They really need hay to help keep their teeth ground down. They’re always growing so need to be maintained by something in hay. You could give them grass, but you have to get them used to it first. Put them on it for 15 mins the first day and slowly up the time they spend on there. But you have to be sure that dogs don’t urinate on there, or that it’s had fertiliser put on there.

You want hard/firm and not soft poo. Pellets shouldn’t be fed too much - only one tablespoon each.

What veg do you feed them?

 

[Shania]

Hii. Can someone explain to me the right way to do a poo soup please and what poops to choose. Both my piggies are sick from probably gastrointestinal blockage and in my country theere is no vets for guinea pigs.... Thanks a lot

 

[Piggies&buns]

You can only make poop soup from poops from a health piggy so if both your piggies are ill then you can’t use it. Purchased probiotics are the only thing you can use, but it isn’t a medicine.
Poop soup is not a medicine in any event. Your piggies need medicine. Without a vet you can’t diagnose the problem so if it were a blockage it is a serious condition, poop soup isn’t going to fix it

 

[Claire W]

I agree. You really do need to see a vet. Poo soup isn’t going to solve the issue and if both your piggies are poorly, you can’t make it anyway

 

[Wiebke]

Hii. Can someone explain to me the right way to do a poo soup please and what poops to choose. Both my piggies are sick from probably gastrointestinal blockage and in my country theere is no vets for guinea pigs.... Thanks a lot

Hi

Poo soup is the transfer of HEALTHY live gut microbiome from a HEALTHY guinea pig. It is NOT a medication and cannot replace any necessary vet treatment. You cannot use it unless you have healthy guinea pigs. It only works with poos that have just come out of the anus. Never use this with poos from an ill guinea pig as you can transfer the illness as well.

Please read the information in these guides here. It is highly unlikely that both piggies are suffering from blockage at the same time as blockages in guinea pigs are rare; they do not suffer from constipation.
Lack of poos in most cases reflects loss of appetite or - if you currently have hot weather - GI stasis (the guts have stopped working) as a result of a heat stroke. You need to step in with round the clock support feeding and watering asap.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre

Digestive Disorders: Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating
Hot Weather Management, Heat Strokes and Fly Strike

Please have them vet checked. This an emergency!

Please keep any questions about the same illness to one single thread. The quality of our answers is only as good as we know the background and circumstances. The more different people are answering bits of it, the more likely you are going to end up

 

[Shania]

Do horses, cattle, and donkeys etc not eat hay? There must be hay somewhere, maybe a farm or something... They really need hay to help keep their teeth ground down. They’re always growing so need to be maintained by something in hay. You could give them grass, but you have to get them used to it first. Put them on it for 15 mins the first day and slowly up the time they spend on there. But you have to be sure that dogs don’t urinate on there, or that it’s had fertiliser put on there.

You want hard/firm and not soft poo. Pellets shouldn’t be fed too much - only one tablespoon each.

What veg do you feed them?

Hi.. Most animals eat grass.. I tried giving them grass and dried grass occassionally. I usually give lettuce and cucumber as vegetables.. But right n9w, is there anything i can do? Will dry grass help them rn?

 

[Shania]

I agree. You really do need to see a vet. Poo soup isn’t going to solve the issue and if both your piggies are poorly, you can’t make it anyway

I did see vets. I went to 6 vets already. But in my country there is none! Who specialises in guinea pigs.
They dont even know thatt these soft small poos are not normal. They said it was normal and it was stress which i disagree on. So right now i dont know what to do because no vets could help

 

[Claire W]

I really don’t know what else to suggest

 

[Shania]

Hi

Poo soup is the transfer of HEALTHY live gut microbiome from a HEALTHY guinea pig. It is NOT a medication and cannot replace any necessary vet treatment. You cannot use it unless you have healthy guinea pigs. It only works with poos that have just come out of the anus. Never use this with poos from an ill guinea pig as you can transfer the illness as well.

Please read the information in these guides here. It is highly unlikely that both piggies are suffering from blockage at the same time as blockages in guinea pigs are rare; they do not suffer from constipation.
Lack of poos in most cases reflects loss of appetite or - if you currently have hot weather - GI stasis (the guts have stopped working) as a result of a heat stroke. You need to step in with round the clock support feeding and watering asap.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre

Digestive Disorders: Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating
Hot Weather Management, Heat Strokes and Fly Strike

Please have them vet checked. This an emergency!

Please keep any questions about the same illness to one single thread. The quality of our answers is only as good as we know the background and circumstances. The more different people are answering bits of it, the more likely you are going to end up

Ok thankss... Yess and also i already checked the vets. There is no experienced vet in my country. I live on a small island thats why.. So idk what to do right now

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hi.. Most animals eat grass.. I tried giving them grass and dried grass occassionally. I usually give lettuce and cucumber as vegetables.. But right n9w, is there anything i can do? Will dry grass help them rn?

I did a quick online search and it does looks like hay is available in Mauritius but obviously you’re better placed to know.

hay needs to make up the largest part of their diet. It’s responsible for keeping their guts working and keeping their teeth worn down. Grass is also good at doing this but you need to build up their time on grass slowly so it doesn’t cause a digestive upset.
They need a wider variety of veg than just lettuce and cucumber. They also need vit c rich veg like coriander or peppers. They should have 50 grams of veg per day, one tablespoon of pellets per day but they mostly need large amounts of hay.

Small soft poops are often caused by not eating enough hay and too much watery veg.
As mentioned on this thread and on your other thread, you need to syringe feed your piggies mushed up pellets to keep their system going during this crisis. They need to have a lot of fibre (which comes in the form of hay) in their diet to settle their guts and keep them functioning properly. You also need a vet to prescribe the correct medicines to treat. Feeding them hay alone now won’t cure an illness but getting enough food into them is essential to stop their guts from shutting down (GI stasis). If your piggies aren’t eating, syringe feeding them is essential to keep them alive. But gi stasis is an emergency and only a vet can really help with the proper medicines

 

[Shania]

I did a quick online search and it does looks like hay is available in Mauritius but obviously you’re better placed to know.

hay needs to make up the largest part of their diet. It’s responsible for keeping their guts working and keeping their teeth worn down. Grass is also good at doing this but you need to build up their time on grass slowly so it doesn’t cause a digestive upset.
They need a wider variety of veg than just lettuce and cucumber. They also need vit c rich veg like coriander or peppers. They should have 50 grams of veg per day, one tablespoon of pellets per day but they mostly need large amounts of hay.

Small soft poops are often caused by not eating enough hay and too much watery veg.
As mentioned on this thread and on your other thread, you need to syringe feed your piggies mushed up pellets to keep their system going during this crisis. They need to have a lot of fibre (which comes in the form of hay) in their diet to settle their guts and keep them functioning properly. You also need a vet to prescribe the correct medicines to treat. Feeding them hay alone now won’t cure an illness but getting enough food into them is essential to stop their guts from shutting down (GI stasis). If your piggies aren’t eating, syringe feeding them is essential to keep them alive. But gi stasis is an emergency and only a vet can really help with the proper medicines

Hii. Thanks for replying.. They are eating normally and pooping a lot. Its just a little soft and they are in pain while pooping. I read that someone said that blockage is unlikely and that it is not constipation is they are pooping. So its probably because they didnt have hay to eat. Is there anything you can advice to me rn? I am adding a little powder probiotics in their food and water. What else can i do? Becauze none of the vets could help me up till now

 

[Shania]

Hii. Thanks for replying.. They are eating normally and pooping a lot. Its just a little soft and they are in pain while pooping. I read that someone said that blockage is unlikely and that it is not constipation is they are pooping. So its probably because they didnt have hay to eat. Is there anything you can advice to me rn? I am adding a little powder probiotics in their food and water. What else can i do? Becauze none of the vets could help me up till now

They also cannot walk!...

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hii. Thanks for replying.. They are eating normally and pooping a lot. Its just a little soft and they are in pain while pooping. I read that someone said that blockage is unlikely and that it is not constipation is they are pooping. So its probably because they didnt have hay to eat. Is there anything you can advice to me rn? I am adding a little powder probiotics in their food and water. What else can i do? Becauze none of the vets could help me up till now

If they are in pain while going to the toilet, then they need a vet for treatment and pain relief - it could be a bladder infection for example.
Probiotics will only go towards settling their guts, it won’t cure anything on its own.
You need to weigh them both to ensure they aren’t losing weight, step in with syringe feeding until you can find a better vet.
We have advised you all we can advise though - your piggies main diet needs to be hay throughout their entire lives and for the more immediate health issues, they need to see a vet to give the diagnosis and the correct prescribed treatments.

They also cannot walk!...

Again, this needs a vet. If they can’t walk then there is something wrong. It’s not something we as an online forum can diagnose

 

[Freya1234]

I can’t add any advice but I am really sorry you are in such a difficult position with no experienced guinea pig vets near you. I hope that you can find a vet that can help you because it does seem like your piggies need to see one. We’d love to see some pictures of your piggies and what are their names?

 

[Shania]

If they are in pain while going to the toilet, then they need a vet for treatment and pain relief - it could be a bladder infection for example.
Probiotics will only go towards settling their guts, it won’t cure anything on its own.
You need to weigh them both to ensure they aren’t losing weight, step in with syringe feeding until you can find a better vet.
We have advised you all we can advise though - your piggies main diet needs to be hay throughout their entire lives and for the more immediate health issues, they need to see a vet to give the diagnosis and the correct prescribed treatments.



Again, this needs a vet. If they can’t walk then there is something wrong. It’s not something we as an online forum can diagnose

Okay thanks. I really dont know what to do anymore. My mum had to contact more than 10 vets and 6 vets looked at my piggies. They themselves cannot diagnose anything from my piggies. My parents went to look for more medicines and pain relief. Hopefully everything will be fine soon. Thanks a lot. Ill try my best

 

[Shania]

I can’t add any advice but I am really sorry you are in such a difficult position with no experienced guinea pig vets near you. I hope that you can find a vet that can help you because it does seem like your piggies need to see one. We’d love to see some pictures of your piggies and what are their names?❤

Their name is fluffy and whiskey

 

[Piggies&buns]

Okay thanks. I really dont know what to do anymore. My mum had to contact more than 10 vets and 6 vets looked at my piggies. They themselves cannot diagnose anything from my piggies. My parents went to look for more medicines and pain relief. Hopefully everything will be fine soon. Thanks a lot. Ill try my best

Your parents can’t give them medicines and pain relief as they don’t know what is wrong with them, and what medicines and pain relief is appropriate and safe.

I am sorry that this is such a difficult situation but without a vet I’m not sure what else you can do.

Have you looked at how to syringe feed them from the guides?

 

[Shania]

This is before they were sick

 

[Shania]

Your parents can’t give them medicines and pain relief as they don’t know what is wrong with them, and what medicines and pain relief is appropriate and safe.

I am sorry that this is such a difficult situation but without a vet I’m not sure what else you can do.

Have you looked at how to syringe feed them from the guides?

I actually looked online for medications and pain relief and they went to look for it at the vets. But the vets dont have any of the medicines for guinea pigs.. They are eating normally so i dont think theres need for syringe feed.

 

[Siikibam]

Ask the vet to give them pain medicine. You want metacam for dogs - correct me if I’m wrong @Piggies&buns

What is causing them pain has to be found but I’d the vets aren’t experienced at all then there’s really nothing that can be done I’m afraid. If they stop pooping altogether and just become lethargic you may have to think about whether their quality of life is there

Another worry is the not being able to walk. How are they getting around? Do you have any scales that you could use to weigh them daily?

 

[Siikibam]

I actually looked online for medications and pain relief and they went to look for it at the vets. But the vets dont have any of the medicines for guinea pigs.. They are eating normally so i dont think theres need for syringe feed.

Not eating hay at all is an issue I’m afraid. And you say their poo is soft. Is it as much as usual or seems less? How do they feel when you touch their rib cage area? Can you feel each individual rib or can you just feel them and there’s a small layer of ‘meat’ on them?

see my post above re pain relief.

 

[Siikibam]

Is there anything you changed before they became ill? Different food, anything at all?

with above re not just giving medicine. It can be very dangerous