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Really need some help.

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Beautifulmess

Adult Guinea Pig
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I think it's too early to ring Paul and my boyfriend isn't free until Friday evening to take Africa to him.

I've just checked Africa because he was being a bit quiet and although he'd started gaining weight on his own, today he didn't seem to want to eat much, same as yesterday, even though he's gained.

I checked his bum as usual and his pellets are all wet and mushy. I then noticed he had something weird across his chest (underneigh), along his entire rib cage he has this fatty lump, it's flattish and wide, pretty much covering his ripcage and about a cm out maybe. :S He seems okay breathing and was just munching on hay, his pellets have been watery for about 2 days and I just thought it was because my boyfriend fed him too much round lettuce (he didn't know it can cause problems).

:( I'm scared.
 
It doesn't hurt when I press it and feels like a pouch of water or something, like it's very soft, you can feel it's not normal from the bottom but as you feel further up it blends into the normal skin again, it seems very big, good few CM upwards and at least 2-3 across.

He's still drinking and grazing on hay, getting excited by veg altho he barely eats any, his pellets do go down, his bum is wet and the poos are mash, I've checked his igloo to clean out every day and it's always got what look like cow pats in it. NOT water, just very mushed, like he stood on it a few too many times. the poos like this started yesterday or possibly Monday but not before. He's eating pellets and drinking right now.
 
The lump sounds like an abscess from your description. It may or may not be connected to the soft poo. Just feed hay, pellets and water - no veg until the poos are right again as his gut needs to stablise first. Have you got probiotics at home? There are threads on here about diarrhoea - maybe worth a look.

You can phone the vets for advice but they will probably say to bring him in, I know this is a problem for you.
 
It's not a problem, as my boyfriend could pay but I'm pretty sure my vet has NO idea about pigs, she said his teeth were fine and they had grown over his tongue so I don't trust them. I've learnt how to check them myself so I know when he needs to go to Paul's now. My boyfriend thinks we can talk him to Pauls either Friday late or Sunday evening.

See I have other commiments Friday, my mom depends on me for her shopping, I have also started walking another dog for The Cinnamon Trust, the lady told me she keeps getting walkers who just walk the dog for 15 minutes and then never come back, he's very old but I loved walking him for over 45 minutes! I also have work Sunday if I can get over my health problems and then we're picking up a sofa from Cannock >.<!

Ok, I'll stop with the veg, I did have probiotic but took it back to pets@home because Paul said there was no need for it, I do trust him. I'm going to ring Paul at 10 and see what he says.

I hope it's just an absess, he's always had problems with his breathing, it first started with hayfever, then the vet thought he had a chest infection so gave him baytill but even tho his chest is clear he still wheezes.
 
I think Daniel noticed it last night but assumed he'd just put on weight, need to teach that boy some things haha... I felt it this morning so it's not been there before then. It's a noticable difference in a very quick time due to him being skinny anyways. He was 850g few weeks ago, shot down to 740 and is climbing by himself back up again, he's 770g atm.
 
I'm glad you have someone you can trust to look at your pigs - nothing can beat a hands exam - preferably by a piggy savvy vet as they can give you the correct medication. I'm afraid I don't know Paul - I assume he's rather good with piggies.

Best of luck, please keep us informed.

suzy x
 
Paul suggested taking his diet back to how it was before I changed the hay and pellets. To keep to high fibre foods like cabbage, carrots and celery. Then to ring him tonight, he has to see Africa about the lump but I'm to update him tonight about it. It's gotten bigger.

I won't be able to get out until my boyfriend comes home (and he isn't even meant to be seeing me today either) but he has the money and I don't and he has the car to get to our pets@home, if it's worth giving him probiotic, I won't mind buying it again.

can anyone give me more high fibre food ideas? He dislikes broccoli.
 
how often have you been going see paul ?

as with him having teeth problems you need to take him every 2-3 wks max, as it could be all related to his teeth! cant eat 100% so gut slows down, poop becomes mushy because he cant eat 100% which also leads to him becoming run down which makes him prone to infections!

its important he still gets checked even if he is eating and gainning weight

if he gets run down he could also get mites flare up again and fungals
 
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I can only go as often as Paul allows me too, and Paul doesn't seem to think his teeth are that bad, if I honestly had someone closer, even a decent vet then I'd go weekly but even with the lump he didn't even suggest we travel down. Even when I offer the days... I understand what your saying but unless I push myself on Paul, he doesn't seem to think Africa's that bad. I told him I could go down Friday, Saturday or Sunday evening, he told me to ring him back this evening, if we do go down i'll push him to check the teeth again but its all I can do. :(

I'm trying my best I'm afraid. He gets cleaned out daily, I check his teeth myself and they seem fine, level and not over his tongue, I know I'm not an expert but sometimes I ring up and feel like he's getting annoyed with me, last time we went down *** his teeth grew over his tongue he kinda sighed when i asked... I like him and do trust his views but I am not a person to push myself on other people. Everytime we go he says out of 10, 10 being the worse, Africa is 2 at the most for everything, teeth, skin, weight... so what more can I do? :s
 
I've just rang around the stafford vets and found one on Wolverhampton road that is piggy savy, from knowing how to check their teeth (with fingers and not sticks) to the receptionist knowing all about what they should weigh, female and male, what the lumps were called. I feel quite okay right now, appointment tonight at 6:40. It's only 9.75 for the consultation, thats quite excellent for a vets. xx
 
I hope this other vets can help you.

I may be going way out on a limb here, but I am wondering if oedema (fluid retention) explains the soft mass, given the size and location of it and given the recent mite problem. That is what came to my mind first, and is based on what I have learned from CCT.

I would expect the new vets to at least use a needle to aspirate the lump to check the contents.
 
I do hope so, I'm quickly losing faith, he's still got a good life, he's eating, sqweeking and everything pretty normal, he's in no pain, he just is never 100%. He's basically a part of my life that excists a few years ago and in myhead, losing him, means losing the past, leo, the times when i was 'fixing' myself mentally, when i finally got over illnesses and got my life straight, it's all slipping away already so he seems to be the only thing i have the reminds me that this time last year i was completely healthy and such heh. Plus leo... he's leos best friend, even if leo is gone. my first 2 guinea pigs. >.<
 
I do understand where you are coming from. I always thought losing Charlie would be the hardest thing I've ever had to cope with, before I lost him I imagined I'd be losing the one soul that was there for me as I was recovering. Losing him was hard, yes, but I actually find he is just as present in spirit, I feel him around and imagine him sat on my shoulder, there for me just as much as he ever was when he was alive.

They never leave us, their bodies wear out, yes, but their souls, never. I don't believe for a second that their souls leave us. Just something to think about. xx
 
I can only go as often as Paul allows me too, and Paul doesn't seem to think his teeth are that bad, if I honestly had someone closer, even a decent vet then I'd go weekly but even with the lump he didn't even suggest we travel down. Even when I offer the days... I understand what your saying but unless I push myself on Paul, he doesn't seem to think Africa's that bad. I told him I could go down Friday, Saturday or Sunday evening, he told me to ring him back this evening, if we do go down i'll push him to check the teeth again but its all I can do. :(

I'm trying my best I'm afraid. He gets cleaned out daily, I check his teeth myself and they seem fine, level and not over his tongue, I know I'm not an expert but sometimes I ring up and feel like he's getting annoyed with me, last time we went down *** his teeth grew over his tongue he kinda sighed when i asked... I like him and do trust his views but I am not a person to push myself on other people. Everytime we go he says out of 10, 10 being the worse, Africa is 2 at the most for everything, teeth, skin, weight... so what more can I do? :s

dont worry hun thats just pauls humor :)) he loves guineas and loves to help them and really doesnt mind seening them:)
 
Are you sure? I know he's dry and I get on with him quite well, I espcially like how much he adores Corly but sometimes i feel like I'm getting to him >.< anyhow, he is far so if this vet is decent, it would be better for me (not relying on Daniel all the time) *** if heaven forbit we broke up, I'm f..... :) lol
 
let me know how you go on with the vets has its closer to me! think they do rabbit teeth to with out GA find out for me? if its the right vets i was told about x
 
Parkhouse Vets on Wolverhampton Road in Stafford? Single Vet called Ben, owns his own guinea pigs apprantly and does a lot of piggy teeth cutting says the receptionist. I'm still going to take him to Pauls when i talk to him tonight I think anyways... just incase he's naff (the vet) lol
 
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