• 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

Pig Is Really Ill!

Status
Not open for further replies.
Perfectpets11

Perfectpets11

Teenage Guinea Pig
Joined
Apr 11, 2014
Messages
902
Reaction score
315
Points
465
Location
Uk
Hi. I'm really upset about my Guinea pig Chico. As you may know he has been diagnosed with three bladder stones however we had to return the the best tonight. He won't eat. No matter what I try and give him he won't eat. He just keeps loosing weight. First thought for me was malocclusion but I was wrong. He and his friend have been at the vets all day today. The vet gave us two X Rays of his body. His stones were in his bladder still which was good. He put him under to examine his molars only to find not much wrong. His mouth was apparently full of the syringe food and there was no sign of malocclusion. However the vet did take off a small piece that was unusual so I have that. Everything else the vet said was fine. tonight I brought him in and he looked sick of his life. He sat in his little bed against the back not moving. I put grass in as well as some pepper but he didn't want it. I'm really upset. The vet said to come back in a few days if he doesn't pick up and he will have to be put to sleep. I am heartbroken! How can I encourage him to eat? The vet said he doesn't want to operate on him since he's so light. He weighs 700g and is classed as anorexic. I have been giving him 0.2ml of loxicom, a good dose of oats In water as well as crushed pellets. He gets 0.2ml of baytril every few days. I really want some advice. What can I do? Personally, I don't think he's in that "state" yet to be put down. He seems completely heathy and he would be if he would eat! What can I do? x
 
Perhaps the loxicom is part of the problem, like most painkilers it can upset the tummy and the appitite
 
I can respond more a bit later when home. One thought though is the Baytril as it can suppress the appetite. I would be loathe to say stop the Loxicom as bladder stones can be very painful. Is he not tempted by anything? What Loxicom dose is he on? Did the vet detect any gas on the x-ray?
 
Sorry just seen the dose. Is that 0.2ml once day? If so that seems very low so it could be a pain response.
 
0.2ml of baytril every few days won't do anything, they need to be given daily, preferably twice daily because of their fast metabolism. With baytril they also need a probiotic like fibreplex because it can upset the stomach. My guinea pig was prescribed 0.32ml twice a day for 10 days and she weighed 700g. It may be an infection and your piggy needs stronger, daily antibiotic.
Good luck. I really really hope your little one Is ok!
 
Last edited:
The vet said he didn't suspect any infection so we should stop the baytril for a while. Would you guys recommend increasing the loxicom dosage? Would that dose twice a day be better? Tonight we had a very slight improvement. I put down some oats and he ate them all. He seemed to really enjoy them. He also took some water from the syringe to. I just need to build him up a bit but how else can I do this? He only has a few days before the vets will be calling up on him? x
 
Give him 3 x 1ml of gripe water in case it's tummy related, then try and feed him an hour later. It might not work, but you have nothing to lose. Good luck, I'm rooting for him xx
I have to add, BonBon didn't do well on Loxicom either, so I took her off. The gripe is doing the job she needed. x
 
Bumble has recently had 2 operations to remove stones - they do need removing - what does he weigh - Bumble when weighing 1.05 kilos (1005 gms ) was on 0.2 metacam twice a day for pain - if in pain they wont eat.
 
He needs building up a bit for his operation really :( Whereabouts in the UK are you? We might be able to recommend a cavy-savvy vet to do the op x
 
What Loxicom is it Dogs or Cats?
 
I would agree that he needs surgery but needs building up first. I think his lack of appetite is probably pain related. I would increase the loxicom, and will check doses for you in a few mins. I would add some fibreplex, usually one click of syringe 3x a day- this will help his tummy. Stopping baytil will help his appetite, espexially if no infection is evident. Oats are good for building up a piggy thats eating- but when the appetite is very low, the oats are probably filling him up and making him not hungry. I would try get him to eat hay/mushed pellets/small amounts of veg instead. Only syringe cc if he is swallowing it- no more than 0.1ml in the mouth at a time to prevent aspiration. Is his tummy enlarged and sound hollow when tapped? If so i would give him 3ml
Of gripewater- this will get rid of gas and make him more likely to eat.
 
Thank you @Adelle. I saw fibreplex today in the vets but he never prescribed it. I knew what it was used for but just guessed it mustn't have been necessary. We were feeding him barley water which was supposed to help his bladder. x
 
Yeah it is. We have never tried him with the mush, just the water which he seems to like. x
Poppy'sMum said:
When you say barley water it is made from pearl barley cooked as per instructions? Will he eat the mush once it's cooled?
Click to expand...
 
Fibreplex is for rabbits but works great in guineas too- theres nothing specific to rabbits in it really, just herbivores in general. I use cat loxicom, and the highest dose for that which i used post spay op, is 6 units (kg marks on loxicom syringe), split into 3 units twice daily. Cat loxicom is 0.4mg/ml, which worked out at 0.24mg a day at most for a guinea. The dog loxicom is 1.5mg/ml , so highest dose is 0.24mg which is 1.25 units (kg on loxicom syringe) maximum a day. Are u using this syringe or a normal 1ml syringe?

It looks to me that he is already maxed out on loxicom, but i would confirm this with your vet. Tell him u need to manage his pain if u have any chance of getting him
To eat. He may advise a different dose or a different pain killer.
 
We have a syringe in ml and one in kg. so stick with the same dose of loxicom (0.2ml once a day) and get access to gripe water and fibreplex. x
 
Also critical care is a great appetite stimulant, so if u can get that into him safely them do so.. His guts need to keep moving and it will encourage him to start eating more on his own. Critical care is a life saver in these situations.
 
Perfectpets11 said:
We have a syringe in ml and one in kg. so stick with the same dose of loxicom (0.2ml once a day) and get access to gripe water and fibreplex. x
Click to expand...


Only give gripe water if he seems bloated.. It wont do him any harm if he doesnt need it but its less stress for him to not give if he doesnt need it. 1 click fibreplex 3 times a day- its a 15ml syringe (large) with a cog like thing that u twist up to the dose u want, then push the plunger which stops moving when it hits the cog. I wouldnt syringe the full click at one go as its a large volume and comes out quite forcefully. If he likes the taste, simply squirt the one click onto a small plate and let him
Eat it. If not, only turn the cog 1/4 of the way and syringe that 4 times until u have given a full click.
 
Thank you @Adelle I will keep everyone updated! x
Adelle said:
Only give gripe water if he seems bloated.. It wont do him any harm if he doesnt need it but its less stress for him to not give if he doesnt need it. 1 click fibreplex 3 times a day- its a 15ml syringe (large) with a cog like thing that you twist up to the dose you want, then push the plunger which stops moving when it hits the cog. I wouldnt syringe the full click at one go as its a large volume and comes out quite forcefully. If he likes the taste, simply squirt the one click onto a small plate and let him
Eat it. If not, only turn the cog 1/4 of the way and syringe that 4 times until you have given a full click.
Click to expand...
 
He passed away this morning. I'm heartbroken. Can't stop crying! x
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top