Scent gland infection and stressed piggy

[Spikie]

Hi all

One of our piggies has, what the vets suspect to be, a scent gland infection. So the piggy is on oral antibiotics for a week (fair enough).

He's understandably a little stressed and down, but on top of that we have had to relocate him with his brother while work is done to their room.

We have watched him eat some hay, and watched him eat some salad. I haven't seen him drink (though I'm not watching him every second) and when I bring the water bottle to him (he is sat in his tunnel) he doesn't try and drink and shys away from it.

Could you advise me please. I can syringe feed him water and we have some supplements I can add, but it would obviously stress him out more. How long can he go without drinking before it is dangerous? The room is cool and he is just sat. He was drinking yesterday and for all I know he is drinking now and I'm just not seeing it.

What would you suggest?

 

[Jerrybelly]

Some guinea pigs drink very little water anyway, so it is not immediately cause for concern. You can offer him slices of cucumber to increase his water intake, and when you feed him his veg don't dry it down after you have washed it.

Does he usually drink a lot of water?

 

[Spikie]

Thanks

Oddly I've just walked to the shop and bought a cucumber

Neither piggy would take it (though they both ate the grass I picked for them), so I left it under their noses. Just gone back and the healthy piggy has eaten his, but the poorly piggy hasn't. Hopefully the drilling and noise will stop soon and they will calm down.

He doesn't drink a huge amount, and the vet yesterday said he was ok for hydration, so I imagine he will be fine for a while yet. But I'll keep my eye on him.