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Not Wanting Food Or Water, Listless, Diarrhoea, Facing Corner

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kaja979

kaja979

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Hi, my little girl piggie Florrie is 18 months old, she lives with Winston a neutered boar. Both have lost a lot of weight over the past 48 hours and whilst appearing interested in food, putting it in their mouths and nibbling at it, they havent actually been eating. Her bottom was dirty and she was suffering from diarrhoea so I seperated them to monitor their eating/pooing activity and hand fed them mushed pellets until I could get them to the vet this morning.

The vet gave both a gut stimulant injection with oral antibiotics and recovery to be administered at home. Winston is sucking the food out of the syringe happily and he is pooing, they still dont look 100% right (longer and thinner) but I'm pleased he appears to have perked up.

Florrie really doesnt like the handfeeding but I'm concious she REALLY needs to be getting it down her. She is a very poorly piggie, very very lethargic, facing the corner, listless and just not her normal noisey boisterous self :( I'm so scared I'm going to lose her and I will do absolutely anything to save her. I would be very grateful if someone could let me know how much of the recovery she should really be eating and how often, should I be doing it through the night? ive been getting about 6ml into her every 3 hours made up as per pack instructions (appears very runny) she dribbles a lot out but IS making an effort to chew and swallow. She has done a poo after both hand feeds which was semi-solid (stuck to her bum) She is on 0.3ml of antibiotic daily, does this appear to be the right amount? it seems a tiny amount?

Thanks for trading and thank you in advance for your help x
 
This is my spooky pair only a week ago xx2014-10-17_22.02.11.webp
 
I usually aim for around 15ml every 3-4 hours, but it really varies by piggy. If she won't sit for that long, then go for a lower amount more frequently. If she is not eating at all for herself then you will need continue with this throughout the night. Don't forget to syringe some water in between the Recovery too. You could also try to soak some nuggets with hot water so that they turn to a mush, and see if you have any more luck with that. The Recovery should resemble a paste - it should be as thick as possible, while still being able to slowly express it from a 1ml syringe. Here's our hand-feeding guide: http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/complete-hand-feeding-guide.115359/

Did the vet prescribe probiotics?

I'm sorry that she is so poorly. I'm keeping my fingers firmly crossed for her.
 
Thanks for your reply, No probiotics or vit C, just recovery and antibiotics, should I ask the vet for this tomorrow?

She gets disressed after about 5-6ml so perhaps I should try more than 3 hourly. She isn't eating any solids on her own,
 
kaja979 said:
Thanks for your reply, No probiotics or vit C, just recovery and antibiotics, should I ask the vet for this tomorrow?

She gets disressed after about 5-6ml so perhaps I should try more than 3 hourly. She isn't eating any solids on her own,
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I would certainly ask for probiotics. Antibiotics can be quite harsh on their tummies, and your little one is obviously suffering enough with this as it is. Fibreplex is a good probiotic, but there are also several others. Do you have Recovery or Recovery Plus sachets? Recovery Plus contains vitamin c, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to speak to your vet about this tomorrow too.

I know its very distressing for us and piggies when syringe feeding, but she needs to keep her strength up to fight whatever it is that has caused this. Keep persevering - try giving little but more often. Also weigh her daily and keep a record.

You're doing your absolute best for her.
 
Keep on with what you are doing. I've been here too and it's awful but they lose so much fluid when they have runny poo and they really need as much energy as they can to fight off the illness.

Probiotics and vitamin C help as poorly piggies struggle to keep their good gut bacteria especially on antibiotics and an ill piggies need even more vitamin C than healthy ones.

You are doing your very best, I really hope she pulls through....
 
Thanks both for the replies, it's just recovery so I will ask about probiotic and vit c tomorrow. Winston literally sits on his hind legs and sucks it out of the syringe lol, Florrie thrashes around like I'm tryin to strangle her, wipes her dribbly mouth over me, spits it out, and yelps... To be fair she has always been a diva! I'm going to try the little and often approach. Do u think the vet should administer the gut stimulant again?
 
kaja979 said:
Thanks both for the replies, it's just recovery so I will ask about probiotic and vit c tomorrow. Winston literally sits on his hind legs and sucks it out of the syringe lol, Florrie thrashes around like I'm tryin to strangle her, wipes her dribbly mouth over me, spits it out, and yelps... To be fair she has always been a diva! I'm going to try the little and often approach. Do you think the vet should administer the gut stimulant again?
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ohhh I'm so sorry! i have no advice but sending good thoughts your way for your precious piggies!
 
I don't think it would do any harm if the vet agrees..... My lad was so poorly that he had to stay in at the vets and have a drip and feeding. Hand feeding just wasn't doing enough for him but hopefully your girl is doing better. If she's got enough attitude to fight you then at least she's still got some fight in her :)
 
Having almost lost my piggy a week ago to diarrohea, I know how serious it can be. My piggy was kept in at the vets, given sub cut fluids (By injection) & given a food called Emeraid. I really recommend this, they only need 10ml 3 times a day, it is very high in calories & much easier to administer than Critical care/Recovery etc. You need to give her small feeds during the night as well, the most she will take every 2-3 hours. I'm not sure what antibiotic she is on, but mine was given Flagyl (Metronidazole) & that also helped her a lot. She should be on Emeprid & Zantac, the vet should have sent you home with some, these are gut stimulants to ensure the gut keeps moving.You could make these suggestions to your vet, but if she was my piggy I would be asking them to admit her tomorrow & give her fluids & food there x
 
@Poppy'sMum we had the same problem with Suilven and similar treatment but unfortunately not so successful :( An inpatient stay at the vet's might be a good option. It's so hard to nurse them intensively enough at home when they are that poorly.
 
I don't hold out much hope of them keeping her in. But I am seeing a diff vet tomoz who is more experienced with piggies. I will request the vit c, pro biotic and gut stimulant. And also question the recovery food. Thank you all so much for your care and advice. I really want my gurl to make it, she's such a happy little thing normally. It's heart breaking
 
I can't really add much to what has been said above but I think fluids and fibre are key. I would see what the vet says about extra gut stimulants as you don't want things to move through too fast and make the diarrhoea worse.
 
Thanks, I've just really struggled to get 4ml into her, her eyes look sunk and her face is so thin. I don't want to lose hope but I'm trying to be realistic. She's just wanting to stay in her pigloo and cuddle winston
 
Hugs hugs. It's awful to feel so helpless but take some strength in the fact you are doing everything you can and she knows she is loved by both you and Winston.

Hoping for a happy ending for you but either way I know how you feel. x
 
Hi, thank you for your thoughts, had a difficult nite, the poor girl just looks so very tired. I got up and fed her a couple of mls of recovery every 2-3 hours, it was hard work but I kept at it. We took her to the vets this morning and she's on a drip and he's doing everything he can, we have an appointment for Winston in 3 hours so I think there's a chance the vet might ask us what we want to do next. I want to keep fighting but I can't watch my little girl suffer , the vet is a big guinea pig fan so I will ask his opinion. I want to be with her but I think the vet already thinks we are loons! You are all so lovely.
 
Sorry for late reply, I was just grabbing 3 hours of much needed sleep while I could as I don't know what tonight brings!
 
Well good news is Winston is eating hay on his own, so I'm really hoping this means he is on the mend! He's just very quiet but tbh he hates not being with his Florrie! I'm just about to take him to vets and see how florrie is getting on (she's the white pig) fingers, toes and paws crossed for some divine intervention x
 
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