• 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

Piggy Not Eating Well

WhinnyPig

WhinnyPig

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jul 8, 2012
Messages
311
Reaction score
189
Points
340
Location
Mass, USA
my piggy Wiley has been eating poorly :( took her to vets yesterday as she had refused hay and pellets but ate some veggies. Also not drinking well. They found nothing wrong other than she is old (5y10m)!gave her fluids and started on critical care which she loves and high vitamin c veggies. She ate a few bites of hay this am and had some water. Vet couldn't say a prognosis just said she'd die if she didn't eat and drink (duh!). Has anyone had a piggy come back from this?! She is still very energetic, squeaks to be fed and is feisty. She attacks the critical care and veggies with gusto I can't imagine she is on her way out....
 
Are you weighing her daily? Is she struggling with any particular food (is it easier for her if it’s cut into strips?) is she drooling, is she dropping food? Is she ok or just depressed?
 
I see that you are in the US and I know guinea pig vets can be limited there but is there another vet you can see? Something is going on and maybe she needs some tests or an x-ray. There could be a pain response.
 
Keep up the syringe feeding and watering and weigh daily to monitor the food intake.
Often there is a pain issue somewhere; it can also be a dental problem.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
 
Thanks for the input. I took her to an exotics vet who sees piggies but not my usual vet. I will be calling my vet tomorrow as she was not available yesterday. I wasn't satisfied with the "old age" thing as she is acting very hungry she just won't eat hay or pellets. She just drops them out of her mouth or won't take them. There is also dark urine in the cage today which concerns me. I just switch to white bedding instead of brown as my other pig had a uti and I wanted to be able to catch it sooner in the future...so I am concerned. She loves the critical care and has been able to eat greens as well. I've been feeding parsley and kale. She continues to beg for food, she squeaks more than usual for food and scarfs down the critical care like mad.
 
it maybe worth the vet looking at the molar teeth.syringe water from a one mls syringe very slowly and in 0.2 mls in one mouthful.then you can monitor how much water you are giving orally. this should improve your piggies urine.:hug:
 
I agree with the teeth idea too...vet insisted they were fine but it's hard for me to fathom that my starving pig is not eating bc she's old, there must be something else wrong!
 
That sounds like teeth are a possibility. What hay do you have? You could try softer meadow/ orchard hay until you get it sorted?
 
I have tried 3 types of hay with very little success :( I'm hoping my regular vet can find something wrong! I will update tomorrow!
 
What a cutie! I would be wondering about dental pain if she is otherwise bright and has no other obvious issues (and she certainly looks bright in the picture!) Can you feel for any lumps or bumps along her jawline? Sometimes abscesses can present this way, with painful chewing even if the teeth do not look overgrown yet (they will overgrow with time, but the pain can sometimes come before the obvious overgrowth.) The fact that she wants to eat and is scarfing down the Critical Care makes me really suspicious that it's something to do with her mouth or teeth, as guinea pigs who are sick often don't want food... those who want food but can't eat it seems more like a tooth/mouth issue. I agree that age is not a sufficient diagnosis... elderly pigs don't just decide to starve themselves to death without an underlying reason. Keep up the critical care feeds and hopefully the usual vet will be able to find the problem! Please keep us posted!
 
Well she was a lot less excited about eating the critical care at lunch today. She did have some veggies and a few bites of hay. Went to the preferred vet, she has gained .14 lbs since Saturday. Could not find a thing wrong with her but vet is concerned and didn't think it was her age. Tomorrow she goes back for blood panel and unfortunately will have to go under anesthesia. Please send Wiley prayers and good jingles
 
Well she Got her X-ray today and will receive blood work back tomorrow. She has a pretty bad impaction in the intestines, vet sent the images to an exotic animal radiologist to review. They started her on some meds and we are continuing the critical care. She has begun eating a little more hay and drinking some water on her own so that is positive!
 
Update on Wiley: she seems poorly again, hardly eating and looking very dull, her poop is quite soft. I'm feeding her a more liquidy critical care for the fluids per the vet and she's eating some greens. I will be calling the vet again in the AM. My poor piggy I am very worried.
 
Is she on any pain relief? Do you know what her other meds are?
 
It's a motility medication I don't think it provides pain relief :( she is acting like an uncomfortable pig she is so dull I was even able to touch her feet and she didn't pull away
 
Oh bless her. If you can get an appointment ask about pain relief. It sounds like the gut stimulants are helping but she is uncomfortable.
 
I feel terribly for her. I just spoke to the emergency vets office which is close to two hours from me. They basically said it's up to me whether i bring her in today or wait for my regular vet tomorrow. I'm torn as to what to do :(
 
Yes as far as I know. They are the only ones in my state I can find open on sundays and willing to see a guinea pig.
 
If she is miserable I would take her even if it is just to get pain relief.
 
Ok I will be out of work in a few hours and can take her straight away. Luckily I have washed her carrier blankets yesterday so it will be a quick pack up and go. My poor girl I feel terribly for her :( she has been through so much the past week
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top