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Pig-sitting For Poorly Piggie

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Forever Evan

Forever Evan

Junior Guinea Pig
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I have decided to watch over a beloved piggie while my friend is away on vacation for 10 days. She hasn't been eating well and has also stopped drinking. I gave them our Critical Care mix that we had left from Evan for her until they leave, and intend to syringe feed her while they are away, and hope and hope that she will come around and be ok. She isn't a stress piggie - she loves traveling and although I know she will feel some stress leaving her home and her parents, she knows we love her. We have taken care of her quite a few times.

Do you have any advice for additional ways we can love on her and make sure we are giving her the best care possible? She has been to the vet and is on meds for a UTI. Do you have any advice for additional foods that may help her mend quickly if that is what her path is? I want to make sure to give her the utmost care and love while she is with us.

We will also be pig-sitting for Sundae, a rather handsome fellow who also has our hearts. 5 guineas for 10 days. Heaven. :luv:

It's now that I see how much love Evan gave us, so that we, now, can give that love back to other guineas who need us. It's so comforting to have people who understand. Thank you.
 
Has the vet prescribed any pain relief do you know? like Metacam? If she has a UTI I would make sure she has plenty of fluids to help flush it through. If she is not drinking you will need to give these slowly by syringe, she could have them at the same time as the critical care. Has the vet ruled out a bladder stone? it sounds like she is in a lot of pain if she has stopped eating.
 
Her mama can't afford x-rays, so if we can't get her back with the CC feeds I don't know what else to do. No pain relief has been prescribed. I have some Metacam left from Evan but feel off using it for a piggie it wasn't prescribed for.
 
Would it be possible for you to speak to their vet and explain you have Metacam and would you be able to give it? A pig in pain won't eat.
 
I'm pig-sitting Snowflake now and am feeding her 3 times a day with the Critical Care food. I have her for 10 days. She is not eating anything else and hasn't pooped since we got her yesterday. She isn't drinking either, so I'm syringe feeding her water as well. I offer her favorites while feeding her and she seems interested, but won't actually eat anything. Her urine is still red. She is on meds that her mom received before we got her. I'm just worried... She is still weighing at 2 lbs. which is what she came to us weighing. What do you suggest I syringe her as far as water?

SF.webp

BC3.webp Love, Caramel and Butterscotch (we love our friend Snowflake and want to keep her alive!)
 
just syringe her as much water as she will take comfortably. the critical care will obviously be providing some aswell.

it sounds like she needs some more help - metacam (she will probably already be on this) and a gut stimulant perhaps aswell.

it's good news that her weight is being kept stable for now with your help, but red urine is obviously worrying. what tests has she had so far to determine the cause of her problems?

watch for signs of dehydration. even with the critical care and syringed water, being poorly may mean she needs even more fluids. this is alot more than people realise and more than can be syringed really. the vets can give a much larger amount via other methods.

she looks such a sweet little piggy :luv:
 
I would speak to her vet, did you say on your other thread that it was the same vet you use? If she is not eating at all for herself it needs investigating and she needs to be syringe fed round the clock with the critical care including through the night. I think you have already seen our syringe feeding guide? If she is not on pain relief it could explain why she won't eat so a vet visit is a must as soon as possible.
 
:DSending big healing vibes and wheeks to Snowflake. Hoping she gets better soon. :tu:
 
Defo get her to the vets, even in the photo she looks live quite a pooly pig , personaly I wouldn't give her metercam
is may irritate her tummy, just give her watery syringe past ,
don't try and force any more than 3 syringes , as her tummy may be sore , not that any more than 3 is necessary . 30ml of
Feed will sustain a pig indefinable!,

But defo see vet ASAP
 
You will need to be looking at getting around 90ml of syringe food in per 24 hour period. It does sound a lot, but little and often, it soon adds up.

You are best off using a 1ml syringe with the tip cut off. That way, you can be sure of the amount you are getting in - she should be able to hold a ml in her mouth.

I would not be syringing extra water in. The syringe food you are getting in will contain enough water to keep her hydrated and if you are syringing stuff in, you might as well be getting in nutrients to boost her strength.

Sounds like gut motility drugs would be very useful, as would a review of her current situation.
 
Forever Evan said:
I'm pig-sitting Snowflake now and am feeding her 3 times a day with the Critical Care food. I have her for 10 days. She is not eating anything else and hasn't pooped since we got her yesterday. She isn't drinking either, so I'm syringe feeding her water as well. I offer her favorites while feeding her and she seems interested, but won't actually eat anything. Her urine is still red. She is on meds that her mom received before we got her. I'm just worried... She is still weighing at 2 lbs. which is what she came to us weighing. What do you suggest I syringe her as far as water?

View attachment 31646

View attachment 31647 Love, Caramel and Butterscotch (we love our friend Snowflake and want to keep her alive!)
Click to expand...

Please have her seen and re-assessed by her vet if there is no improvement and/or a deterioration over any length of time. How long has she been on medication for UTI? Has she got painkillers?

You certainly need to continue to syringe feed and water her as long as she is not suffienctly eating by herself to keep her weight up.

PS: I have merged your threads. If possible, please keep all information to one pertinent thread per case. The more we know and refer to what has gone before, the better advice you will get.
 
Thanks everyone. She has started eating some on her own, but only romaine. But that's her favorite. I was wondering what is the best medication to treat UTI's in guineas. The one she is on doesn't seem to be doing much for her and it's breaking my heart. She is on Enrofloxacin. She was prescribed the meds on 7/2 with a 10 day dose, and that runs out tomorrow. I have asked her owner if I may take her back to the vet for more meds and another consult, but I haven't heard from her yet. The vet she saw has no appts. for 2 weeks and the vet we share is out of town until the 29th of July. SO I may just take her to the only emergency vet I know of who is cavy savvy. My friend is out of town until the 17th, so obviously the meds she is on won't last that long.

She hasn't lost any weight (she is still right at 2 pounds) but she is clearly not feeling well. :(
 
The med you have is Baytril I think so if the vet would consider Septrin it tends to be more effective for a UTI. Pain relief is important too. If she is only eating romaine you will need to keep up the syringe feeding. I can answer more later on when I am not on my phone.
 
I am continuing and have never stopped syringe feeding. She has been eating well, both romaine and her CC food, but nothing else. She is so interested in her favorite foods, but won't actually eat them. I took her back to the vet her mom allowed me to yesterday (although I don't think she is a proper piggie vet) who prescribed a new antibiotic and also did finally prescribe an anti-inflammatory for pain. She started eating better after the first 2 doses, so I'm hopeful that this RX is better than the first one. Her pees are still pink but not as bright. She had a bit of timothy hay pellets this morning which she hasn't touched since we got her on Tuesday.

But still, no poop.

I understand the severity, but I am not her momma.

Thank you for all of your advice. This forum really is amazing.
 
All the very best. Fingers crossed for Snowflake. x
 
glad she has some pain relief. i think her owner needs to look into asking the vets if a payment plan can be sorted out for the xrays and anything else she needs. you are doing such a wonderful job and she's so lucky to have you. i secretly don't want you to have to give her back :(
 
That's great the pain relief seems to have kicked in a bit, the lack of poo is a worry but likely due to her not eating her usual amount of food. If the situation continues the vet will need to prescribe some gut stimulants and I would also recommend gentle massage preferably by sitting her on something that vibrates. It is important to ensure there is not a blockage before starting any gut stimulants or massage though. Do you know the name of the antibiotic you have been given?
 
Snowflake's dad is on his way to pick her up and put her down to her forever sleep. It is so sad. I couldn't save her, but I gave it all a mighty effort. She stopped eating completely today and won't even sit up or hold her head up. I love her like my own and will miss her dearly! Vet thinks it is either a blockage or stones, either caught too late or misdiagnosed by a vet who shouldn't say she knows about guineas. So heartbreaking.
 
poor snowflake :(

could you advise snowflakes dad on a good vet to have her put to sleep at? just because if the others they have used have not been great, they may not even put her to sleep correctly and this would be tragic :( x
 
Oh that's so sad. If you are happy with your vet you could ask him to take her there? He is doing the right thing for her.
 
Arr how sad :( It's always heartbreaking when we lose a pet or someone, you did your best by her.

This happened with my guinea, he was taken to 4 different vets, one for an health check where his weigh loss was mentioned by my son, the vet shrugged it off, then about 2 - 3 weeks later he started getting impaction, I won't go into it fully, but we ended up having to have him pts.. due to misdiagnoses and vets wanting him to wait almost a week for an op to have two stones removed.

I hope non of my guinea's were hurt/suffered when being pts... some comments I've seen have made me feel a bit sad and guilty.

Since Sheamus and his misdiagnoses etc. I've been paranoid, cautious, angry, upset because I had a bond with Sheamus, but.. I know having him pts was the right thing to do by him. Same thing happened with a sow we had, taken to the vets because she was bloated, wasn't looked at properly, she ended up being pts 4 months later, we had only had her for that length of time as well.
 
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