• 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

Sick piggy - not eating/drinking, puffy, hunched over - any idea?

PoptartShop

PoptartShop

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Dec 9, 2016
Messages
459
Reaction score
528
Points
430
Location
MD, USA
Hi guys. Haven't posted in awhile, life got crazy, but one of my piggies, Maple, isn't doing so well. Her cagemate is fine though, she's been very supportive of her & I can tell she's concerned. <3

DISCLAIMER - I AM taking her to the vet tonight, we have an appt.

But in the meantime, anyone think they know what's going on? Never dealt with this before. Maple is about 3yrs old.

Earlier this week, Maple started to avoid eating. She wouldn't really eat her veggies, hay, pellets etc. (BTW I use Oxbow brand for everything, hay, pellets etc.). Not as active either. Kinda just sits in the corner.
Very unlike her. She also isn't pooping or peeing. Well, she did poop a little yesterday. Got two NORMAL pellets out of her...otherwise her poop was pretty tiny. I checked her there too & she doesn't seem to have any impaction.

Puffed up too (like they are when they eat). Now she won't eat anything. I feel like she kinda looks at the food, then she just refuses it. She will eat a tiny tiny bit of hay here & there, but that's it. :(

Since she wasn't eating/drinking on her own, I got Oxbow Critical Care, which I've been feeding to her through a syringe, also giving her water too. She eats it fine, no teeth issues (I checked her teeth). She also doesn't mind if I touch her stomach, no squeaking/squealing or discomfort it seems. When I hold her, she still squeaks happily like she always has.

She is in good spirits, & can walk OK, but I am very concerned. No idea what could've caused this or what it is...so I know I'm going to the vet tonight, but I do wanna see if any of you can give me some ideas of what it may be? Thank you so much.
 

Attachments

  • 80993477_556816744872905_7324017252364189696_n.webp
    80993477_556816744872905_7324017252364189696_n.webp
    54 KB · Views: 7
  • 81078370_1924655617670093_5860570269386539008_n.webp
    81078370_1924655617670093_5860570269386539008_n.webp
    53.2 KB · Views: 8
  • 81819480_1000171593690592_6063869316527292416_n.webp
    81819480_1000171593690592_6063869316527292416_n.webp
    41.1 KB · Views: 9
  • 81468755_674818606385008_915752302420164608_n.webp
    81468755_674818606385008_915752302420164608_n.webp
    37.7 KB · Views: 9
Being puffed up can signify pain. Piggies will hide their pain, so she won’t necessarily show it to you when you pick her up. Her teeth may still be the issue - it’s not possible for anybody other than a vet to confirm all is well - all teeth, including molars, need to be checked by the vet.
Lack of poop signifies lack of food intake.
If she isn’t eating for herself, how often are you syringe feeding her?
Have you been weighing her regularly? If not, please weigh her daily so you ensure you are syringe feeding her enough
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
 
Last edited:
PoptartShop said:
Hi guys. Haven't posted in awhile, life got crazy, but one of my piggies, Maple, isn't doing so well. Her cagemate is fine though, she's been very supportive of her & I can tell she's concerned. <3

DISCLAIMER - I AM taking her to the vet tonight, we have an appt.

But in the meantime, anyone think they know what's going on? Never dealt with this before. Maple is about 3yrs old.

Earlier this week, Maple started to avoid eating. She wouldn't really eat her veggies, hay, pellets etc. (BTW I use Oxbow brand for everything, hay, pellets etc.). Not as active either. Kinda just sits in the corner.
Very unlike her. She also isn't pooping or peeing. Well, she did poop a little yesterday. Got two NORMAL pellets out of her...otherwise her poop was pretty tiny. I checked her there too & she doesn't seem to have any impaction.

Puffed up too (like they are when they eat). Now she won't eat anything. I feel like she kinda looks at the food, then she just refuses it. She will eat a tiny tiny bit of hay here & there, but that's it. :(

Since she wasn't eating/drinking on her own, I got Oxbow Critical Care, which I've been feeding to her through a syringe, also giving her water too. She eats it fine, no teeth issues (I checked her teeth). She also doesn't mind if I touch her stomach, no squeaking/squealing or discomfort it seems. When I hold her, she still squeaks happily like she always has.

She is in good spirits, & can walk OK, but I am very concerned. No idea what could've caused this or what it is...so I know I'm going to the vet tonight, but I do wanna see if any of you can give me some ideas of what it may be? Thank you so much.
Click to expand...
Maple is a beautiful girl. Similar to my Poppy who I lost in 2016. I hope you find out what's wrong with her x
 
Piggies&buns said:
Being puffed up can signify pain. Piggies will hide their pain, so she won’t necessarily show it to you when you pick her up. Her teeth may still be the issue - it’s not possible for anybody other than a vet to confirm all is well - all teeth, including molars, need to be checked by the vet.
Lack of poop signifies lack of food intake.
If she isn’t eating for herself, how often are you syringe feeding her?
Have you been weighing her regularly? If not, please weigh her daily so you ensure you are syringe feeding her enough
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Click to expand...

Thank you. I've been feeding her the CC every two hours since she's not eating/drinking on her own. I've split it up into multiple feedings. I'm at work so I can't feed her every two hours today, but I gave her more this morning. She hasn't lost weight though.

I know, I'm dying for 6:45pm (vet appt) to get here (only 10AM here) so I can figure out what's going on. I will keep you posted.

@Piggylove82 thank you. :(
 
PoptartShop said:
Thank you. I've been feeding her the CC every two hours since she's not eating/drinking on her own. I've split it up into multiple feedings. I'm at work so I can't feed her every two hours today, but I gave her more this morning. She hasn't lost weight though.

I know, I'm dying for 6:45pm (vet appt) to get here (only 10AM here) so I can figure out what's going on. I will keep you posted.

@Piggylove82 thank you. :(
Click to expand...

That’s good that she hasn’t lost weight. You could leave some mushed up pellets/cc in a bowl for her while you aren’t there as she may lick at it.
Hopefully the vet can get to the bottom of the problem. I hope she makes a good recovery. Let us know how you get on later
 
Piggies&buns said:
That’s good that she hasn’t lost weight. You could leave some mushed up pellets/cc in a bowl for her while you aren’t there as she may lick at it.
Hopefully the vet can get to the bottom of the problem. I hope she makes a good recovery. Let us know how you get on later
Click to expand...
I haven't been on TGPF for very long. But every time someone posts about a poorly or sick guinea pig, I feel I'm waiting with baited breath to find out what happens. I keep checking my phone to see if the situation(s) has/have been updated. Not sure how I'm gonna manage when I'm back at work and not able to check my phone as often 🤷🏻‍♀️
 
My dad just went & checked on her for me (since I'm at work). I am super thankful, because I can't get her off my mind.

She was in the hay box, she didn't actually eat any but she was trying to...she was definitely a bit more active. I haven't seen her try to go near the hay in a few days. She was digging around in it but not eating.

I am hoping that it's just her molars/back teeth or something causing all of this. The front teeth that I can see seemed fine, but still, obviously the vet will examine her more thoroughly. I will definitely keep everyone posted tonight after our vet visit. Thanks for the support it means a lot.
 
PoptartShop said:
My dad just went & checked on her for me (since I'm at work). I am super thankful, because I can't get her off my mind.

She was in the hay box, she didn't actually eat any but she was trying to...she was definitely a bit more active. I haven't seen her try to go near the hay in a few days. She was digging around in it but not eating.

I am hoping that it's just her molars/back teeth or something causing all of this. The front teeth that I can see seemed fine, but still, obviously the vet will examine her more thoroughly. I will definitely keep everyone posted tonight after our vet visit. Thanks for the support it means a lot.
Click to expand...
:D
Hope she's okay!
 
Hopefully the vet will be able to carry out a hands on examination to find any tender areas and check her teeth for you with a scope. It’s always a worry when you don’t know what the problem is. I do so wish they could tell us.
 
Sorry I’m late. It’s been a long night. I’m a mess.

We were at the vet for awhile. They checked her teeth with the scope & her teeth were all fine. Checked her bladder & stomach, gave her a thorough physical exam. Felt her all around. Checked for impaction, none. She was really good at the vets despite being poked and prodded. She weighs 1.9lbs so she did lose a little weight.

However, turns out she has gastric stasis. My biggest fear. They took xrays & the good news is there’s no blockage, but her stomach is bigger than it should be. She’s full of air. I saw it on the X-rays & it shocked me. Not sure what caused it, they said she could’ve eaten something & it didn’t agree with her, could be anything, and she got sick. So here’s what has to be done:

Benebac every 24hrs
IV fluids every 24hrs (50ml)
I’m also allowed to give her children’s gas drops twice a day (.1ml)
Baytril every 12hrs
Critical Care every 2-3hrs

They said this can be fatal, so I’m really scared. They said she should feel relief within a few days if all goes well. I hope so. But I am doing everything I can for her & I hope she pulls through this. I’m not gonna get much sleep tonight at all. :(
 
i have had 2 or 3 piggies with bloat.usually a gut stimulant is given.eg metaclopromide,cisapride,ranitidine.....not sure if this is available at present time,been withdrawn for human treatment in the uk.it maybe worth asking your vet for some ,as it will help to get the guts working.health and illness person will be along later.just sending my support and hope your piggie gets better soon.
 
PoptartShop said:
Sorry I’m late. It’s been a long night. I’m a mess.

We were at the vet for awhile. They checked her teeth with the scope & her teeth were all fine. Checked her bladder & stomach, gave her a thorough physical exam. Felt her all around. Checked for impaction, none. She was really good at the vets despite being poked and prodded. She weighs 1.9lbs so she did lose a little weight.

However, turns out she has gastric stasis. My biggest fear. They took xrays & the good news is there’s no blockage, but her stomach is bigger than it should be. She’s full of air. I saw it on the X-rays & it shocked me. Not sure what caused it, they said she could’ve eaten something & it didn’t agree with her, could be anything, and she got sick. So here’s what has to be done:

Benebac every 24hrs
IV fluids every 24hrs (50ml)
I’m also allowed to give her children’s gas drops twice a day (.1ml)
Baytril every 12hrs
Critical Care every 2-3hrs

They said this can be fatal, so I’m really scared. They said she should feel relief within a few days if all goes well. I hope so. But I am doing everything I can for her & I hope she pulls through this. I’m not gonna get much sleep tonight at all. :(
Click to expand...
Aww , poor piggie , my bun was almost in stasis , it's scary !
Hope he's okay ! 💗 ☺ 💗 😊
 
Good job you got her checked over. Gut stimulants aren’t always prescribed if there’s a very large amount of gas, but it’s good to keep on with regular small CC feeds. Avoid all fresh foods (grass, veg, fruit) and persist with gentle tummy massage to help try to disperse the gas a bit. When Ralph had bloat we only had stimulants after the initial crisis had passed.
the bloat guide is very helpful
 
Thanks everyone. :( Yeah they didn't give me gut stimulants.
I have been giving her the children's mylocin which I hope will help her a bit.

Doing everything I can. Still no poop or pee, but I know it isn't going to happen immediately.
She is at work with me today. I had no choice but to bring her. She's under my desk in her carrier, I made it nice & cozy for her. I fed her twice already this morning (2hrs apart) & will feed her again during my lunch. I think she's pretty sick of the CC but I am giving her whatever she will take. :(

I just hope I don't lose her.
 
PoptartShop said:
Thanks everyone. :( Yeah they didn't give me gut stimulants.
I have been giving her the children's mylocin which I hope will help her a bit.

Doing everything I can. Still no poop or pee, but I know it isn't going to happen immediately.
She is at work with me today. I had no choice but to bring her. She's under my desk in her carrier, I made it nice & cozy for her. I fed her twice already this morning (2hrs apart) & will feed her again during my lunch. I think she's pretty sick of the CC but I am giving her whatever she will take. :(

I just hope I don't lose her.
Click to expand...
To take her to work with you. That's real pet commitment ❤️. Well done you! Hope your love and the meds get her well again soon x
 
Update.

I called the vet earlier because she's still not pooping or peeing. Not much improvement. I fed her at lunchtime a bit ago & she took a lot of the CC, water, & some more of the children's mylocin but she's still bloated. :( I feel so bad.

So, the vet wants me to bring her in after work tonight. They want to see if they can get some of the air out by putting a tube down there.
They also want to prescribe her with some gut stimulators (glad you guys suggested that!). I hope this helps her. I just want her to get relief.

Will keep everyone posted. Thanks again for all the support. Maple is holding strong.
 
Healing wheeks and the best of luck, acute bloat and gut stasis can sadly appear out of nowhere and be very difficult to resolve... sounds like your vet is taking this seriously though which is the main thing, hope the treatments are successful and the bloat passes and the poops start coming x
 
Hi everyone. I’m crying my eyes out as I type this, but Maple didn’t make it. 😥:(

I went to feed her again around 4pm and she didn’t really take any of the CC. Which was unlike her. She was also starting to make a noise like she was in pain (like a snorting kinda sound), & breathing harder. I immediately rushed to the vet & I held Maple in my lap the whole time I was driving because she wasn’t doing well & she was being so cuddly, I couldn’t just leave her in the carrier I had to hold her. I got there, got her right on the exam table & the vets immediately tried to get the tube into her stomach to get the air out...5 people there were rooting for her. But we could tell she was fighting for her life...then we just lost her. They tried CPR & oxygen but she never came back. Seeing her lifeless on the table was something I’ll never forget. I’m so upset & heartbroken but I know that I did everything I could for her. The vet did too. Even taking her to work with me today (I work in a law firm, so it wasn’t the easiest thing!), as hard as it was I did, & I was with her the entire day. Didn’t leave her side. I spent my lunch break feeding her the CC & just holding her. I was there for her. I loved her so much.

The vet gave me a few options, I decided to get her pawprint done & it will be on a plaque with her name on it and the date I got her til now (12-6-16).

I’m sorry for such a sad update, it was very hard not bringing her home tonight. Her sister Maisie knows something’s wrong, but I will keep an eye on her. I know she doesn’t understand why her sister isn’t here. I put a toilet paper roll Maple had in the carrier today (they were her favorite things) & I put it in the cage with Maisie, I also put the blanket Maple was in today while I held her, in the cage so she can smell it & know her sister is near. They were joined together at the hip.

I’m just so sad. ;( She was strong though. And thanks everyone for all the kind words. I’m thankful to be part of such a caring community. You guys have been so helpful during this hard time.

Some photos. Last night cuddles, a picture of her in the car today (where I fed her on my lunch break) & her sister & her last night at the vet (brought Maisie for support), & of course a picture of them together because you can tell how close they were. A bond never to be broken.
 

Attachments

  • C41B373C-CF3B-45D0-9DA1-A9413DC78C55.webp
    C41B373C-CF3B-45D0-9DA1-A9413DC78C55.webp
    52.4 KB · Views: 5
  • E1F8FDB2-78A6-44A7-ABDC-44273815D2BA.webp
    E1F8FDB2-78A6-44A7-ABDC-44273815D2BA.webp
    59.9 KB · Views: 6
  • 94F855D4-4C50-4902-9257-1972C276B311.webp
    94F855D4-4C50-4902-9257-1972C276B311.webp
    75.7 KB · Views: 5
  • 70520EE8-7AEC-4520-829C-6D681CA2DEB8.webp
    70520EE8-7AEC-4520-829C-6D681CA2DEB8.webp
    68.1 KB · Views: 6
PoptartShop said:
Hi everyone. I’m crying my eyes out as I type this, but Maple didn’t make it. 😥:(

I went to feed her again around 4pm and she didn’t really take any of the CC. Which was unlike her. She was also starting to make a noise like she was in pain (like a snorting kinda sound), & breathing harder. I immediately rushed to the vet & I held Maple in my lap the whole time I was driving because she wasn’t doing well & she was being so cuddly, I couldn’t just leave her in the carrier I had to hold her. I got there, got her right on the exam table & the vets immediately tried to get the tube into her stomach to get the air out...5 people there were rooting for her. But we could tell she was fighting for her life...then we just lost her. They tried CPR & oxygen but she never came back. Seeing her lifeless on the table was something I’ll never forget. I’m so upset & heartbroken but I know that I did everything I could for her. The vet did too. Even taking her to work with me today (I work in a law firm, so it wasn’t the easiest thing!), as hard as it was I did, & I was with her the entire day. Didn’t leave her side. I spent my lunch break feeding her the CC & just holding her. I was there for her. I loved her so much.

The vet gave me a few options, I decided to get her pawprint done & it will be on a plaque with her name on it and the date I got her til now (12-6-16).

I’m sorry for such a sad update, it was very hard not bringing her home tonight. Her sister Maisie knows something’s wrong, but I will keep an eye on her. I know she doesn’t understand why her sister isn’t here. I put a toilet paper roll Maple had in the carrier today (they were her favorite things) & I put it in the cage with Maisie, I also put the blanket Maple was in today while I held her, in the cage so she can smell it & know her sister is near. They were joined together at the hip.

I’m just so sad. ;( She was strong though. And thanks everyone for all the kind words. I’m thankful to be part of such a caring community. You guys have been so helpful during this hard time.

Some photos. Last night cuddles, a picture of her in the car today (where I fed her on my lunch break) & her sister & her last night at the vet (brought Maisie for support), & of course a picture of them together because you can tell how close they were. A bond never to be broken.
Click to expand...
I'm so sorry. She was beautiful 💕 xx. You did everything you could, but that doesn't make it any less heart breaking for you. Love to you and Maisie, across the miles, at this sad time xx
 
So sorry for your lost. As I have learnt recently, guinea pig doesn’t respond well to medication as compared to other pets. You’ve done everything you could and I’m sure your piggy knows that too. Take care of yourself x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top