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No vet - please help

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ts1

ts1

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I think my darling Barbie is ill.

She is a bit hunched up in her hidey, hasn't been out to eat for at least 3 hours even when I put fresh hay and veggies - this is normally my wheeker when i'm chopping the veg.

Also she is making a continual little chuttering noise.

I don't have a cavvy savvy vet at all, I have spoken to the head of exotics at the vet school before in Thesalonika who also didn't know anyone that practiced in the Athens area.

I have in the past used the vet at the zoo but i've not been overly impressed with his guinea pig knowledge at all.

I have called 2 vets (that I know are not cavvy savvy) and they feel unable to even see her.

Anyone with any idea what I should do? Should I try and find ANY vet that will see her even though they won't be cavvy savvy?
 
Oh no! Sorry to hear this hon, try taking out the hidey and see what she does? My piggies hae days like this too, but they are just being lazy as they all do it at the same time. Has she lost any weight? Any other symptoms, is she pooing ok? xx
 
Are there any large animal vets near you? I've known equine vets treat guinea pigs. Their digestive system in particular is very similar.
 
Do you have any syringes as well as feed to give? You must start syringe feeding soon if shes continues to not eat as their digestive system can shut down quite quick.

Its sounds like a URI to me - from my own experience.
 
ok i removed the hidey and blocked the sleeping area and she moved and lay down in the hay tray. i offered a bit of lettuce and she ate it and then a few bites of hay. do you think I should monitor this a bit longer or get her to a vet?

amanda i'll have a look now.

thanks everybody.
 
Is she still making the noises? I would keep a very close eye on her and her weight and see how it go's, ring a vet (if you can find one for advice) xx
 
yes she is making the noises on and off

i'm trying not to panic.
 
Id personally get a vet whether shes eaten a little or not. Ive made the mistake in the past of doing that and they've got better and then its been too late.

Use the zoo vet, its better than nothing.
 
Get her to a vet. Even a large animal veet with little experience of Guinea pigs is better than nothing. You don't want her to suffer.

It might well be something simple that some antibiotics can clear up but Guineas are really good at hiding illness so she really needs some help.
 
ok she just came out and was trying to either poo or wee and arching her back and chuttering a bit.

i'm calling the zoo vet or if he can't, I have found an equine vet not far that i will call.
 
Sorry hun, but i agree with the others if she is still making the noises :( it sounds like it could be a UTI, is there any blood in her wee? fingers and paws crossed here for her xx
 
Get her to the vet before you end up at an out of hours emergency service, could be stones.

If she isn't eating well ask them to jab her with metaclopramide to stimulate her guts and get her eating, ask for antibioitcs ie baytril and some form of critical care sachets such as Oxbow Fine Grind or Rescue Recovery. Feed every few hours. If on antibiotics try and get some pro biotics such as Fibreplex or Pro C Probiotic. You can also add cranberry juice to her water bottle to help.

At this point any vet will do as they will have an exotics manual on the shelf (I know it sounds silly but they will I've worked with most of them!), then research a pig savy vet for future.
 
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ok i called the equine vet and he knows a vet who has some experience with guinea pigs - i'm waiting for him to call me.

thanks amanda i would have never thought to call a horse vet!

thanks everybody for your help and advice and for just being here.

i'll let you know how we get on.
 
Do you have any probiotics, you will need it for the Baytril, you'll most likely get Baytril I imagine. See you can get critical care if you dont have any.
 
crumpets said:
Get her to the vet before you end up at an out of hours emergency service, could be stones.

If she isn't eating well ask them to jab her with metaclopramide to stimulate her guts and get her eating, ask for antibioitcs ie baytril and some form of critical care sachets such as Oxbow Fine Grind or Rescue Recovery. Feed every few hours. If on antibiotics try and get some pro biotics such as Fibreplex or Pro C Probiotic. You can also add cranberry juice to her water bottle to help.

At this point any vet will do as they will have an exotics manual on the shelf (I know it sounds silly but they will I've worked with most of them!), then research a pig savy vet for future.
Click to expand...

thanks very much for the advice, i'm printing off all this info and the baytril etc to take to the vet with me. waiting for his call still.

actually I had done lots of research in the beginning for a cavvy savvy vet - there isn't one that i've been able to find in Athens. My vet (for my dog) has told me that most greeks wouldn't bother to take a guinea pig to a vet, so I guess they don't have much chance to become cavvy savvy. My vet feels completely unable to see or treat a guinea pig.
 
Hope she will be ok x
 
Get some vit c as well, even if its human dissolvable from the chemist (100mg give 1/10th of a tablet each day), she'll need 20-30mg/ kg each day of illness. You cannot overdose with vit c as its excreted by the kidneys x
 
The horse vet and the vet who knows something about guinea pigs have checked her over. She did a wee on the table and had done poo in her carry box. Both looked absolutely normal.

She had eaten cucumber en route and they told me that guinea pigs don't eat when they are ill?

She didn't make any of the chuttering noise, I guess because she was terrified.

They have advised me to watch and wait and call them again if necessary.

I'm not convinced but honestly I could tell that they were not very interested in my opinion.
 
actually i just want to cry.

shall i put cranberry juice in the water anyway?

i have vit c dissovable, shall i try and syringe some anyway?
 
pop the vit c in her water bottle 200ml 1/10th of a tablet. Add a second water bottle with mixed in cranberry juice diluted (this has useful antibacterial properties)- by using the second if she doesn't like the taste it won't effect her water intake as she can use the first.

You can also use natural diuretics (make her wee more) plantains, yarrow (which is a urinary antiseptic). celery (not in high amounts). Food high in calcium should be avoided such as Chinese cabbage, watercress, kale, dandelions, parsely and spinach.

Eat with her, ie crunch away on a carrot if she enjoys company as she's more likely to want to eat when her companion eats with her.

Don't cry chuck, just monitor her food intake and make sure shes pooing and find a better vet for a second opinion. As long as she is eating and pooing she'll be ok, when you ring a vet ask if they are good with pigs and if they say no ask who they would recommend x
 
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all of the above will help with a urine infection/ stones which it sounds like - a hunched appearance like they are straining to poo. Its worth a try and will make her feel better x
 
Dilute some cranberry juice with water and syringe.
If she continues not to eat enough then you'll need to syringe feed.
Don't cry hun, seperate her from her friends so you can see what she's eaten and whether she poos and urinate.
 
i wonder if you could try and video her when she is making the noise etc, then you can show the vet?

I'm sorry for you hon, it must be so frustrating...
 
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