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Piggie slow and tired.

@the3piggies

@the3piggies

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Mar 5, 2021
Messages
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Location
Massachusetts
Hi all! I recently adopted Mazie and she was always very shy and not super active, but then she started to get more used to me and her home, and today shes been really inactive and slow, she seems tired and almost sad? She’s always run to her hideout when someone besides me gets near her cage, and gets a bit startled when someone pets her or tries to pick her up, but today it seems like she doesn’t even want to do that. When I take her out of her cage and put her on my bed she’s a little more active but for the most part just sits there. She’s also seemed to lay down a little more so than usual. She seems to be gaining a bit of weight but she’s also very young and growing I assume. As I’m typing she’s laying on my chest with her head down and her eyes closed. She never sleeps on me. Anyone have any ideas on what it could be?
 
livpyman said:
Hi all! I recently adopted Mazie and she was always very shy and not super active, but then she started to get more used to me and her home, and today shes been really inactive and slow, she seems tired and almost sad? She’s always run to her hideout when someone besides me gets near her cage, and gets a bit startled when someone pets her or tries to pick her up, but today it seems like she doesn’t even want to do that. When I take her out of her cage and put her on my bed she’s a little more active but for the most part just sits there. She’s also seemed to lay down a little more so than usual. She seems to be gaining a bit of weight but she’s also very young and growing I assume. As I’m typing she’s laying on my chest with her head down and her eyes closed. She never sleeps on me. Anyone have any ideas on what it could be?
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Hi!

Please see a vet as soon as you can. Lethargy in guinea pigs is always very concerning.

Take the time to read the information in this guide here, including support feeding and when you need to stop if a piggy is no longer able to take on food. Does her gut still gurgle when you hold your ear against it? Are her lips and ears bluish (if they are normally pink)?
Emergency Resources and Critical Illness Care - Contents list and subforum link
 
Wiebke said:
Hi!

Please see a vet as soon as you can. Lethargy in guinea pigs is always very concerning.

Take the time to read the information in this guide here, including support feeding and when you need to stop if a piggy is no longer able to take on food. Does her gut still gurgle when you hold your ear against it? Are her lips and ears bluish (if they are normally pink)?
Emergency Resources and Critical Illness Care - Contents list and subforum link
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Hi!

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I will bring her to the vet tomorrow. I will check her gut, but her lips and ears are normal color! I was thinking she may be lonely (I have just her) and I went to get her a friend today but the piggies there had already been taken :( I’m going back on Sunday to the pet store, but in the meantime I will bring her to the vet!
Thanks!
 
Wiebke said:
Hi!

Please see a vet as soon as you can. Lethargy in guinea pigs is always very concerning.

Take the time to read the information in this guide here, including support feeding and when you need to stop if a piggy is no longer able to take on food. Does her gut still gurgle when you hold your ear against it? Are her lips and ears bluish (if they are normally pink)?
Emergency Resources and Critical Illness Care - Contents list and subforum link
Click to expand...

Hi! So I tried to listen to her belly and I couldn’t really hear any gurgling but would it be loud? Her heartbeat is very loud so it was hard to make out any noise from her stomach.
 
livpyman said:
Hi! So I tried to listen to her belly and I couldn’t really hear any gurgling but would it be loud? Her heartbeat is very loud so it was hard to make out any noise from her stomach.
Click to expand...

Hi again! I tried again and I heard a very soft gurgling so I think we’re okay in terms of that. I called a vet and I’m bringing her in in the morning.
 
livpyman said:
Hi again! I tried again and I heard a very soft gurgling so I think we’re okay in terms of that. I called a vet and I’m bringing her in in the morning.
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All the best!

Please step in with feeding support ASAP. Your home care is as important as any medical care to get a piggy through a crisis. Unlike cats or dogs, guinea pigs cannot fast or their guts will slow down and eventually stop working.
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
 
Wiebke said:
All the best!

Please step in with feeding support ASAP. Your home care is as important as any medical care to get a piggy through a crisis. Unlike cats or dogs, guinea pigs cannot fast or their guts will slow down and eventually stop working.
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
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Got it. I visited the vet today but they ended up being not a great vet so we’re going to a different one tomorrow. They did give her a feeding mix + syringe to feed her. I spoke with a vet virtually and they said she prob has a respiratory infection and a GI. She is pulling through and hopefully she will get better soon & we will get her a new friend :)
 
Hope the next vet can give a clearer diagnosis.
This must be quite stressful for you.
Holding you in my thoughts
 
livpyman said:
Got it. I visited the vet today but they ended up being not a great vet so we’re going to a different one tomorrow. They did give her a feeding mix + syringe to feed her. I spoke with a vet virtually and they said she prob has a respiratory infection and a GI. She is pulling through and hopefully she will get better soon & we will get her a new friend :)
Click to expand...

Finges firmly crossed!
 
Hello everyone. This is just an update on what happened with Mazie. Last night, I was not home but my dad was, and Mazie passed away =((. The vet told us that everything was fine but clearly everything was not fine. It was very sad, but we decided to get two piggies today. They are very healthy and much more active than Mazie was. I will never forget her and her memory will always be with us ♥. She is in a better place now and thankfully no longer in pain. We are burying her tonight and my new piggies are very happy. She was sick from the beginning but since that was my first time as a piggy owner, I didn't realize. I am getting a drawing done of her and I will hang it up. I will always remember her. She will be happy in heaven ❤. Thank you all for all of your help especially @Wiebke! <3
 
Hi everyone,
Unfortunately, Mazie passed away. I posted an update, for those who are interested. Thank you for all of your support and advice <3
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I’m so sorry that you have lost your girl.
Please feel free to post a tribute to her in the Rainbow Bridge section of the forum.
Sleep tight Mazie
 
livpyman said:
Hello everyone. This is just an update on what happened with Mazie. Last night, I was not home but my dad was, and Mazie passed away =((. The vet told us that everything was fine but clearly everything was not fine. It was very sad, but we decided to get two piggies today. They are very healthy and much more active than Mazie was. I will never forget her and her memory will always be with us ♥. She is in a better place now and thankfully no longer in pain. We are burying her tonight and my new piggies are very happy. She was sick from the beginning but since that was my first time as a piggy owner, I didn't realize. I am getting a drawing done of her and I will hang it up. I will always remember her. She will be happy in heaven ❤. Thank you all for all of your help especially @Wiebke! <3
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I am very sorry that my concerns have come true. RIP Mazie

But I am glad that my information has been helpful, even if it was not enough to save Mazie. Please always treat lethargy and loss of appetite as an emergency symptom and look for a vet more experienced with guinea pigs in your area if possible. Save up on a monthly or weekly basis for vet care and emergencies. Guinea pigs are small animals with a fast metabolism that can often not wait for days; they are also classed as exotics with the other small rodents and do generally not feature large on a general vet's curriculum despite being a common pet.

As you are continuing with guinea pigs, you may find our New Owners guide collection very helpful. In it you can find information on the most commonly asked questions and areas of concern, daily care and what is normal and what not, learn about guinea pig prey animal instincts and understanding their behaviour (including a little course in guinea pig whispering) as well as spotting early signs of illness and what to do in an emergency. You may want to bookmark the link, browse, read and re-read at need as you will take different things from the guides at different levels of experience. It is one of the currently most extensive and comprehensive information collections. the guide format allows us to update and extend at need, unlike with a book: Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides
 
Wiebke said:
I am very sorry that my concerns have come true. RIP Mazie

But I am glad that my information has been helpful, even if it was not enough to save Mazie. Please always treat lethargy and loss of appetite as an emergency symptom and look for a vet more experienced with guinea pigs in your area if possible. Save up on a monthly or weekly basis for vet care and emergencies. Guinea pigs are small animals with a fast metabolism that can often not wait for days; they are also classed as exotics with the other small rodents and do generally not feature large on a general vet's curriculum despite being a common pet.

As you are continuing with guinea pigs, you may find our New Owners guide collection very helpful. In it you can find information on the most commonly asked questions and areas of concern, daily care and what is normal and what not, learn about guinea pig prey animal instincts and understanding their behaviour (including a little course in guinea pig whispering) as well as spotting early signs of illness and what to do in an emergency. You may want to bookmark the link, browse, read and re-read at need as you will take different things from the guides at different levels of experience. It is one of the currently most extensive and comprehensive information collections. the guide format allows us to update and extend at need, unlike with a book: Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides
Click to expand...
Thank you so much! Yes, we are already looking for vets in my area that have lots of experience with exotics for the new piggies. There are a few that have been recommended to us and we are going to look into any that we may or may not choose to use a lot more than we did last time so in case of emergency, we will be prepared! Again, thank you so much for all your help. This experience was obviously devastating but we definitely learned a lot. I'm glad to be more educated & experienced now. Thanks so much for everything you've done. Mazie is thankful for your condolences <3. RIP Mazie.
 
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