Poorly Pringles :-(

[Pringles&nachos]

Hi, I have 2 guinea pigs. One called Pringles and one called nachos. Pringles has always lived with his brother chocolate but unfortunately he died last week :-( Pringles was fine but pining for a friend, so I took him to the farm and bonded him with nachos. They seemed to be getting on fine.

Since Thursday (the day we got nachos) I've noticed hair loss on Pringles and he has become very very thin. I've had him at the vets and he weighs only 290g :-( I've been advised to keep them sepwrate for 48 hours, then take Pringles back to the vet tomorrow to get him checked again and re-weighed. If he has gained weight there is a high chance it's been nachos bullying him - if he hasn't then what will that mean?

The vet has put his hair loss down to mites. She thinks nachos has had theM, despite him not having hair loss) so I've treated him with one spot.

Do you guys have any other ideas what could be wrong with him. I'm hoping it something simple because I couldn't cope with losing another one of my babies :-(

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! Which mites product are you using? Beaphar is not strong enough; it is only geared toward the prevention of mites, but really effective for the treatment of. If your vet is treating with xeno, then that is fine. Pringles will need at least two more rounds in about 10-14 days intervals (in order to catch any emerging eggs) and you will also have to treat Nacho to prevent him coming down with them, too. Mites typically hit when the immune system is lowered in the wake of stress (like the loss of a companion and bonding with a new companion) or illness.

How much weight has Pringles lost exactly and how many days after the bereavement have you got Nacho? The weight loss can also be in the wake of his bereavement. It can have many causes, simply depression, stress or some underlying issue other than bullying. Would you mind telling us what Chocolate died of?

I would strongly recommend to get some digital scales and a suitable dish from the supermarket and to weigh your boys once weekly if they are healthy and daily if they are not.

How are the boys getting on? It would be good to feed them pellets and veg at least twice daily in separate bowls spaced at least a body length apart and to only feed as much as they can eat in one go, so you can minimise food hogging. also make sure that the boys have got a hidey each, preferably with two exits right now. How much space have they got? How are Pringles poos looking and how many is he making?

I would recommend that you start topping up Pringles with hand feed and water, and also give him extra vitamin C to help prop up his immune system as well as keeping the guts going.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/complete-hand-feeding-guide.115359/
http://www.guinealynx.info/mites.html
http://www.guinealynx.info/mites.html

 

[Pringles&nachos]

Hi, chocolate died of either sudden drop of temperature (it dropped 22 degrees C in 2 days) or heart attack off the fireworks.

He died on the monday and we got Pringles on the thursday. It was Thursday all the changes happened. That's why I'm putting it down to getting nachos.

I've had him back at the vets, after 2 days of separation and hand feeding him and giving him water through a syringe - and he has lost half a gram in weight. So that eliminates the bullying. He has ate loads and his poo is normal (he poos loads too) so the vets think it might be dental. He said to keep an eye on him for the next few weeks and go in every other day and get him weighed. If he still doesn't gain then they will look at doing work with his teeth.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for that information. In that case, we can exclude an infectious issue.

@rosie and bramble: you know of a piggy savvy vet who can handle dentals, I think, as you have a dental baby in rescue?

Whether it is dental problems or another issue, please top your boy up with hand feed 2-3 times daily, as much as he will take to help get the weight back up and prevent it from dropping further. The sooner you can have him sorted by an experienced vet, the better.

Big changes in temperatures can cause loss of appetite, which you may only have noticed a bit later unless you were weighing daily, but in your case, it would have been compounded by the bereavement and the arrival of a new companion.

I hope that your remaining boys are either indoors or better protected? If you want tips for winter-proofing a hutch, please open a thread in the housing section, so members with experience in that area can help you on that score.

 

[Pringles&nachos]

Thank you for that information. In that case, we can exclude an infectious issue.

@rosie and bramble: you know of a piggy savvy vet who can handle dentals, I think, as you have a dental baby in rescue?

Whether it is dental problems or another issue, please top your boy up with hand feed 2-3 times daily, as much as he will take to help get the weight back up and prevent it from dropping further. The sooner you can have him sorted by an experienced vet, the better.

Big changes in temperatures can cause loss of appetite, which you may only have noticed a bit later unless you were weighing daily, but in your case, it would have been compounded by the bereavement and the arrival of a new companion.

I hope that your remaining boys are either indoors or better protected? If you want tips for winter-proofing a hutch, please open a thread in the housing section, so members with experience in that area can help you on that score.

Hi, I have moved them into the shed, made them beds out of shoe boxes and stuffed the hutch with blankets and extra straw. I've filled their beds with bedding that you get from the shops, as well as newspaper. I have added an igloo into their hutch and filled that with hay :-)

I've also coated the bottom of he hutch with heat packs. And I have filled socks with rice, and I heat them up every night before I go to bed :-)

I can't bring them in the house :-( I wish I could, but the place is not big enough :-(

 

[rosie and bramble]

We don't have any good vets I've found that do denials unfortunately this is why my baby piggie is going down to TEAS.
The nearest good vets to Sunderland is Judith Brown at First Vets, they have a few branches. There is also Deborah Stafford at Gilmoor vets in Gilesgate.

Could I ask @Pringles&nachos are you the same lady who posted on Blaydon Bunnies Chit Chat ?

 

[TamTam]

I never realised having a piggy could be so worrying.
You sound on the ball and I will keep you all in my thoughts for a speedy recovery xx

the names Pringles and Nachos, beyond adorable x

 

[Pringles&nachos]

We don't have any good vets I've found that do denials unfortunately this is why my baby piggie is going down to TEAS.
The nearest good vets to Sunderland is Judith Brown at First Vets, they have a few branches. There is also Deborah Stafford at Gilmoor vets in Gilesgate.

Could I ask @Pringles&nachos are you the same lady who posted on Blaydon Bunnies Chit Chat ?

Yeah, I am :-)

 

[rosie and bramble]

You see, if you had followed the advice i gave you about adopting from a rescue then the reason for your guinea pig losing weight would have been more easily understood.
You also wouldnt have had the problem with mites.
I dont feel i can offer you any other advice as you dont take it on board.
Your comment about rescues need to do checks and your guinea cant wait that long rang alarm bells to me.

 

[Pringles&nachos]

You see, if you had followed the advice i gave you about adopting from a rescue then the reason for your guinea pig losing weight would have been more easily understood.
You also wouldnt have had the problem with mites.
I dont feel i can offer you any other advice as you dont take it on board.
Your comment about rescues need to do checks and your guinea cant wait that long rang alarm bells to me.

How dare you judge me because of the decisions I made. I got a one from a farm because I felt pringles was pining, and the waiting of the checks to go through would have made his lonliness even worse. I don't have any other reason for not using an adoption place other than that. So let those alarm bells ring, they are ringing for nothing.

We are a family who love furry little animals. We have 2 rabbits as well as 2 guinea pigs, and I do everything I can to make sure they are kept happy. My children all love them, and they get enough love from us all.

To be honest, I can do without advise like yours if you're going to be so judgementle if it isn't followed.

 

[Jerrybelly]

Can I please remind members that we pride ourselves on being a friendly, non-judgmental forum. Any offensive posts will be removed.

I would be grateful if we could all remain civil

 

[Pringles&nachos]

Thank you Jerrybelly. Because I didn't follow her advise she has taken offence right to that :-(

 

[rosie and bramble]

Why ask advise then go and do the opposite, what is the point in asking ?

I have not said you do not look after your animals or care for them. People like you I will never understand ! You do not deserve the time and effort people put in to giving you advise like many others did and you ignore it.
Pointless and annoying

 

[Jerrybelly]

I think this thread has now run its course, so I am closing it. If you have any questions, feel free to pm me.