• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Peanut's Lump

Peanut's still not eating for himself, day 3 off Baytril, 10 day post op. I cut the feeds down to 3 yesterday hoping he would eat more for himself but he's lost 30gms at todays weigh in so I've put him up to 4 today.
He's seen 3 vets since the operation.
He's on Metacam, syringed food (recovery and mushed pellets), Catease, Ranitidine, Fiberplex and pro c in syringed water (he's not using the bottle either).
I've tried all his favourite foods.
What am I missing, doing wrong? Anyone any suggestions? The vets can only offer more expensive blood tests which will take a week to 10 days to get results.
Do guinea pigs get depression?
 
My god @piggieminder, I’d missed all this as not on for a while, I’m so sorry hadn’t realised what a nightmare you’d all been having :hug:
Sounds like you’re doing everything you can but hopefully someone else can help with ideas. Really hope you can find out whats going on, poor Peanut and you xx
I definitely believe piggies can get depression, even more clear to me after Jess lost Rupert and was so miserable.
Come on gorgeous Peanut xx
 
Thank you @alpacasqueak
It's just like he's depressed, staying in his bed, not eating and hardly reacting to anything that goes on around him. It's so hard to witness. I'm just going to rebuild the loft in their cage and put everything back how it was, see if that helps. We thought it was better for him not to have the ramp post op but now he's healed up it can't do any harm.
 
I’m so sorry, must be so hard for you. Pedro was the same and it gets you so down feeling useless. Despite trying everything!
Yeah I’d do the same, hopefully will spark a bit of interest and get him moving around to explore a bit. And having a nibble on the way would be good too Peanut! :nod: Hope he perks up a bit when you’ve done it xx
 
Come on Peanut.
One of my piggies was definitely depressed following surgery and took a long time to recover.
Sending massive healing vibes and hugs.xx
 
Oh dear poor Peanut, and poor you- it definitely sounds like you and the vets are doing everything you can for him... hope he turns a corner soon and gets back to his usual self x
 
Thnks everyone, yes it's so hard when you don't know what to try next.
I've rebuilt the loft and put the cage back the way it should be, even if it makes no difference to Peanut Spike's happier, he just ran up and down the ramp 3 times!
 
Last edited:
Bless him, think it’s really hard for cagemates when their bud’s not happy too so at least he’s having some happy jogs :D:love: x
 
Everything crossed for peanut 🤞hope he becomes himself again. Don’t blame yourself, you did the right thing taking him.

Sending healing vibes ❤️
 
Nutty's looking much brighter, not quite his normal self but getting there. I'm top up feeding twice a day to stop his weight dropping any further and he's eating hay and some veg for himself. He's gone off some of the things he liked and won't eat pellets yet but it's a start. Still daily weighing, we stopped the Metacam yesterday and he seems not to be missing it. He's a bit stiff but I guess he's lost muscle tone while being so imobile. Hopefully he will be back to normal soon, I feel so relieved to see him like this, now to get Spike completely over his URI!
 
Nutty's looking much brighter, not quite his normal self but getting there. I'm top up feeding twice a day to stop his weight dropping any further and he's eating hay and some veg for himself. He's gone off some of the things he liked and won't eat pellets yet but it's a start. Still daily weighing, we stopped the Metacam yesterday and he seems not to be missing it. He's a bit stiff but I guess he's lost muscle tone while being so imobile. Hopefully he will be back to normal soon, I feel so relieved to see him like this, now to get Spike completely over his URI!
Hope both your boys are on the mend @piggieminder , sorry I've not been keeping up with all the poorly piggy progress but the unexpected hamster caught me off guard a little! Come on Peanut and Spike, please get well! X
 
Thank you @Merab's Slave exactly what I have done in the past with piggies, unfortunately Peanut looks at both like they are poison and Spike gobbles the oats. Spike doesn't need to put on any weight, quite the opposite, even being ill doesn't curb his appetite :nod::no:
 
Peanut's still here although without the help and support of the Forum I don't think he would be. Thank you everyone and especially @Wiebke for all the support guides. He's holding his weight at 100gm less than pre op on 3 support feeds a day. He will eat grass at a pinch at a time and a bit of dandelion or sow thistle but no nuggets, hay or veg. I tried to drop the support feeds to 2 a day but he did another alarming 40gm drop in 24hrs so back to 3. He's recovering slowly and is much brighter than he was so hopefully the old Peanut will be back with us soon. I'm not giving up yet.
 
Peanut's still here although without the help and support of the Forum I don't think he would be. Thank you everyone and especially @Wiebke for all the support guides. He's holding his weight at 100gm less than pre op on 3 support feeds a day. He will eat grass at a pinch at a time and a bit of dandelion or sow thistle but no nuggets, hay or veg. I tried to drop the support feeds to 2 a day but he did another alarming 40gm drop in 24hrs so back to 3. He's recovering slowly and is much brighter than he was so hopefully the old Peanut will be back with us soon. I'm not giving up yet.

Hang on in there! Have you tried serving his pellets mushed up and see whether he is able to eat them on his own?

All the best!
 
I tried mushed up pellets and grated carrot but he's not interested. The vet says his teeth are fine, his slow recovery is a mystery as the operation wound has healed beautifully and there's no swelling.
 
He won't have anything without a struggle and a funny face. I have to laugh or I'd cry (done both) the face is nose in the air, pursed lips and circled head, for those old enough think Kenneth Willianms. :))
 
Come on Peanut - you can get better.
Little Micah says he wasn’t well after his op but he was good at eating his mashed banana with Critical Care and then some yummy grated sweet potato. It helped him so he hopes Peanut will get better soon too
 
Back
Top