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Not eating

Lymaine

Lymaine

Junior Guinea Pig
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My 3 year old boy has suddenly started dropping weight. Taken him to the vets.. At first was given loxicom and told to see how he is over weekend. He dropped more weight so took him in again. They’ve sedated him, checked his teeth which are perfect, x-rayed him and found nothing. She thinks he had a sensitive patch in his belly but like I say, x ray showed nothing. He’s still on loxicom and now emeprid and critical care.
He’s excited for food, has a bit then goes back to bed. He normally doesn’t stop till it’s all gone and is always at his hay. I don’t understand and I don’t know why! Any ideas?
 
I’m sorry to hear this.

Please ensure you have switched to daily weight checks and that you are syringe feeding him enough to stop further weight loss.

Mystery weight loss is always very difficult - obviously because you don’t know the reason behind it.
It sounds like you are doing all you can meds wise.

Is he on a good sized dose of pain meds?

Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
 
He is on 0.2ml of loxicom and 1ml of emeprid. I noticed this morning and last night he has crusty eyes so I am going to call them today about antibiotics. Had success with baytril in the past but don’t know if it can be used with the other two meds he is on and I’m concerned about it killing his already very poor appetite.
 
Baytril can be given with the other two medications.

Are you syringe feeding him plenty - at least 60ml
Per day?
Is his weight stable now?

Is he on cat or dog version of loxicom?
Is he getting the loxicom once or twice a day?
0.2ml is a small dose (particularly if it is only being given once a day) so if he appears to be in any pain then do speak to your vet as there is leeway upwards if needed
 
He is still eating his veg so the syringe feeding is just a top up. I don’t know about his weight yet as it was only yesterday he went to vet. He doesn’t appear to be in pain to me. He’s on the cat version.
 
Lymaine said:
He is still eating his veg so the syringe feeding is just a top up. I don’t know about his weight yet as it was only yesterday he went to vet. He doesn’t appear to be in pain to me. He’s on the cat version.
Click to expand...

No I'm afraid that isn’t how syringe feeding works during an episode of illness.
Still eating veg doesn’t count as it isn’t the main food intake and isn’t the fibre his gut needs to prevent stasis and keep his weight stable.
Veg only makes 10-15% of the daily food intake so if he isn’t eating hay at all then he has lost 85% or so of daily food intake - that is why he has been losing weight. Your syringe feeding is therefore needed to replace that 85% be has lost and that is why top ups are not usedul
During a critical period

Syringe feeding is replacing hay intake when they aren’t eating at all or enough for themselves. It is vital they get enough to replace the hay - Hay is three quarters of the daily food intake.

Top up syringe feeds are only used when they have almost adequate hay intake and are pretty much recovered from the illness.

The weight checks are ideally done every morning before the first syringe feed of the day. It is your guide as to how many syringe feeds you need to give.
As he was weighed yesterday, then you weigh him again today and compare it to yesterday.
If his weight is stable each morning - then he had the right amount of syringe feed the day before and you can continue with that amount today (with a review again the next day).
If he has lost weight in the morning, then he needs to be syringe feed more in the coming 24 hours.

As i say, syringe feeding needs to be 60ml per 24 hours but it could take as much as 100ml per day to keep his weight stable. 40ml is the absolute minimum for survival in a piggy who isn’t eating hay for themselves.
It depends how much he takes per sitting as to how many sittings you need to do - he could need to be fed every 2 hours for example to get the 60ml into him per day.

Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
 
You need to try to get 60ml into him in each 24 hour period (as I say - it could be more) during the times you can feed him. So if he will take 10ml at each feed then do six feeds a day - a couple of feeds before you go and then more between when you get home and go to bed.
 
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