Possible Bloating - First Time Owner

[meltokio]

I'm a little concerned with my new guinea pig Honey. I first noticed her tummy was quite round about a week ago, but as she's had a healthy appetite and has gotten into the feeding routine by wheeking loudly around meal time, I assumed she was just full after gobbling down her veggies lol However, yesterday morning she didn't make any noise during breakfast and didn't rush to her bowl like she normally does. She did eventually clean her bowl, and even wheeked come dinner time. However a couple hours after dinner while I was giving her favorite romaine lettuce treats during lap time she didn't seem too interested. I felt her stomach and it was a bit round and tight. I did some research and realized while I only feed a little bit of broccoli maybe once a week, I've been feeding her too much spinach as I wasn't aware it wasn't an everyday food. Usually I'd do 1/3 spinach, 1/3 Romaine, and 1/3 something like cilantro, bell pepper, brussel sprouts, etc

I called the vet in my area and after explaining my concerns they advised to bring her in if she stops eating. They couldn't tell me whether or not gas drops could be used as a precautionary measure.

Would some Ovol or Little Remedies gas drops be appropriate in this situation as long as she keeps eating? Or would that hurt her if she's not actually bloated?

 

[meltokio]

After more research it seems spinach is more likely to cause bladder stones than bloating...

 

[Wiebke]

Hi!

Please take the time to read our bloating guide link below with all the practical information, which you will find very helpful. Take your piggy off any fresh food asap and, if necessary, support feed with a hay fibre based product in order to allow the overgrowth of the wrong kind of digestive bacteria to die down (dysbiosis).
Digestive Disorders: Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links
Weight - Monitoring and Management

Be aware that severe bloat can kill and should be always seen very promptly; it comes on very suddenly out of the blue.
We do not recommend feeding sprouts on a regular basis, even though the sulfur content in the new varieties is a lot lower than it used to be.

As a UK member I am not familiar with those brands you have mentioned. We do not recommend to home treat on spec but then we can be assured that our guinea pigs can get seen promptly as an emergency over here. While out-of-hours cover is very expensive, there is a 24/7 vet service available.

PS: How long have you had Honey, how old is she and where does she come from? Is she a single or does she live with a companion?
Depending on the circumstances, she could be pregnant. In order to rule this in or out, I need more information.
Pregnancy, Mother & Baby Care Guides

 

[meltokio]

PS: How long have you had Honey, how old is she and where does she come from? Is she a single or does she live with a companion?
Depending on the circumstances, she could be pregnant. In order to rule this in or out, I need more information.

I've had Honey a little under a month, I got her from a pet store on May 21st. I contacted them to see if they had any idea how old she was, and they said they don't keep records on age for small pets. They guessed around 3-4 weeks. She's a single for the time being only because she was the last out of 3 girls that were taken home that day (her two sisters were bought together by someone else) I plan to bring in another female as soon as the new cage I ordered arrives as I read that it's good to quarantine the new piggie in it's own cage for health reasons before introducing them.

I'll do my reading on the links you provided. I'll include a photo of her in a little bit so you can get a better look at her sides/belly. The pellets I'm currently feeding her is high in Alfalfa, so should I look into a hay-based pellet option for now?
My vet doesn't have an opening until Monday, though they offer emergency visits for $100. Do you suggest an emergency visit?

 

[meltokio]

I'll include a photo of her in a little bit so you can get a better look at her sides/belly.

 

[Wiebke]

I've had Honey a little under a month, I got her from a pet store on May 21st. I contacted them to see if they had any idea how old she was, and they said they don't keep records on age for small pets. They guessed around 3-4 weeks. She's a single for the time being only because she was the last out of 3 girls that were taken home that day (her two sisters were bought together by someone else) I plan to bring in another female as soon as the new cage I ordered arrives as I read that it's good to quarantine the new piggie in it's own cage for health reasons before introducing them.

I'll do my reading on the links you provided. I'll include a photo of her in a little bit so you can get a better look at her sides/belly. The pellets I'm currently feeding her is high in Alfalfa, so should I look into a hay-based pellet option for now?
My vet doesn't have an opening until Monday, though they offer emergency visits for $100. Do you suggest an emergency visit?

Hi

It is impossible for me to tell whether she is bloated or pregnant from a picture without a hands-on examination.

However, she doesn't look really badly bloated to me (not like a piggy with severe bloat would look) but it is entirely possible that you could be dealing with a pet shop pregnancy if you accept that the staff has not the first idea about guinea pig biology or is aware that the size of babies can vary a lot and that she has either got a single pup or still a little way to go; she would however be a very small mother having to give birth to normal sized babies.

You can either see a vet or have to sit it out over the coming weeks. However, if your girl is not well, then please have her vet checked. You can reclaim any vet cost that result from a pet shop pregnancy from the shop; it is part of your customer rights for having been sold damaged ware. Unfortunately , your 1 month US cover for new pet owner health complaints is running out this weekend, so you won't be able to claim for any bloating.
Just refuse to hand your girl over; it is a nasty trick to make you relinquish your customer rights. We have included a guide on customer rights in different countries and how they are handled in our comprehensive pregnancy information link, which we have specifically written for people in your situation.

Please read through the information links. You may want to bookmark the emergency care link anyway, and likely the pregnancy one, too.

Here is the link to our general New Owners information resource; it is quite extensive but covers all the areas we get the most questions and concerns about in a practical and precise (as much as possible) way. You will find lots of really helpful and fascinating stuff in there; especially in view of the time difference!
Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

 

[meltokio]

Thank you so much for all your good information. It's a lot to take in but it's good to know I have it for when I need it. I'll make a vet appointment for the soonest opening and keep a close eye on her in case of an emergency.

 

[Siikibam]

Please be aware that at her age, companionship is extremely more important than anything else. So any piggy you get will not need to be quarantined. You’ll just have to deal with anything that comes in. Could you try and contact some rescues and see if they have any girls you could pair her up with? And did you double check that she is a she when you brought her home? That could be something you can ask the vet to do. We always recommend that you get new piggies (that are not from a reputable rescue) checked out by the vet a week after they come home.

The other thing is diet. They don’t need alfalfa anything once they’ve been weaned. You can switch to any grass based pellets. She can have maximum two tablespoons until she’s four months. Then it drops to one tablespoon.

I hope you can get her a friend and get her to the vet very soon.
Guinea Lynx :: US Guinea Pig Rescue and Shelter Organizations
New Owners' Most Helpful How-To Guides and Information