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Sores around mouth.

koolkathan

koolkathan

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi there, I just need some advice please.

So, Firstly, Sorry I haven't been really active, I've been caring about my guinea's more than anything, so I took Stan to the vets today, because of the sores around his mouth, of which around a year ago one of the vets told me to use hibiscrub. Turns out this has been making it worse, and actually it isn't cheilitis, its something begining with a 'Momo?' and its due to humidity, especially when he lays in his hay and wee. But that's all I can remember, baring in mind she was italian, but knew about her guinea pigs, she gave me Baytril.

But, shes told me that for a week, he is only to have Pellets and Hay, daily cleaning (Which I already do.), change to fleece bedding with puppy pads underneath, but no vegtables or anything for a week, only dry food. Which is confusing me as I thought they was to have vegetable or fruit daily because they can't make their own vitamin C.
 
Her treatment plan sounds good to be honest.
All guinea pig pellets contain Vitamin C and whilst additional Vit C in the form of fresh veggies is good, it isn't necessary every day, and for a week he will certainly be fine.

It sounds like her idea is to remove all sources of damp around his mouth (fresh veg) and humidity in the cage, which combined with the antibiotics will hopefully help.
 
Thank you :)

The only thing is, I need to find a fleece bedding that I can get tomorrow, I've found pet blankets, but unsure what to look for, I typed in 'Guinea pig Fleece bedding' and because I have prime that helps, but it is very limited to what I can get.
 
Sorry I keep mine on newspaper, a thick layer of shredded paper & hay.
But here's an old thread that may be of use to you?
fleece bedding

Or this
A Detailed Guide For Fleece Bedding

I think primark & B&M are some favourite shops for other members cheap fleece.
I agree with Swissgreys a week shouldn't make any difference to them with no veg, but will hopefully reduce the moisture/humidity content in his cage. A good quality pellet will have all he needs nutritionally. & provide unlimited hay/water as I'm sure you're aware :)

Make sure you wash the fleece 3x with no fabric conditioner before you use it for the first time, or the filler/fabric conditioner will make the water sit on top of the fleece fibres instead of wicking through beneath into the puppy pads.
(you don't need to dry the fleece between the washes-only after the final one ;) )

If you have any old towels, then use them instead of fleece if you don't want to spend loads of money on fleece. Just wash the towels 3x before use too.

Is the hibiscrub maybe too weak or strong in dilution, which has resulted in no real improvement?

Xx
 
Last edited:
koolkathan said:
Hi there, I just need some advice please.

So, Firstly, Sorry I haven't been really active, I've been caring about my guinea's more than anything, so I took Stan to the vets today, because of the sores around his mouth, of which around a year ago one of the vets told me to use hibiscrub. Turns out this has been making it worse, and actually it isn't cheilitis, its something begining with a 'Momo?' and its due to humidity, especially when he lays in his hay and wee. But that's all I can remember, baring in mind she was italian, but knew about her guinea pigs, she gave me Baytril.

But, shes told me that for a week, he is only to have Pellets and Hay, daily cleaning (Which I already do.), change to fleece bedding with puppy pads underneath, but no vegtables or anything for a week, only dry food. Which is confusing me as I thought they was to have vegetable or fruit daily because they can't make their own vitamin C.
Click to expand...

Please keep in mind that the reason why guinea pigs never had the need to make their own vitamin C is because grass is actually very high in vitamin C - and this goes for hay, too. If your guinea pig is eating over 80% of it's food intake in hay, then it is not in any danger of suffering from scruvy/vitamin C deficiency. Also keep in mind that most pellets are vitamin C reinforced, too.
But if you are worried you can feed vitamin C additionally.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

All the best!
 
If you need to keep him dry vetbed wouls be the best bedding particularly where he lays. You can probably get it on prime, if not Pets at Home sells it (at a high price!) if you are in the UK.
 
koolkathan said:
Thank you :)

The only thing is, I need to find a fleece bedding that I can get tomorrow, I've found pet blankets, but unsure what to look for, I typed in 'Guinea pig Fleece bedding' and because I have prime that helps, but it is very limited to what I can get.
Click to expand...

If you can't get some vetbed for dogs from a pet shop or online with next day delivery, get some puppy pads and buy a cheap acrylic or polyester bedspread from a place like Primark. You will have to pre-wash any fleece as the softener in it is sealing the surface.
A Detailed Guide For Fleece Bedding
 
So I've managed to order some 1 meter fleece, I've ordered two lots of it, hopefully that shall arrive friday. For now I'm going to use puppy pads and a old towel.

Hopefully this should be okay?

How many times would you reccomend to wash the fleece when it arrives? It's just a normal polyester fleece (hopefully that's okay)
 
koolkathan said:
So I've managed to order some 1 meter fleece, I've ordered two lots of it, hopefully that shall arrive friday. For now I'm going to use puppy pads and a old towel.

Hopefully this should be okay?

How many times would you reccomend to wash the fleece when it arrives? It's just a normal polyester fleece (hopefully that's okay)
Click to expand...

Wash it at least twice to remove any softener. Please be aware that not all fleece is the same and that some may never work well.
Generally micro, polar or antipill fleece is the most effective. As cotton towels actually soak up the fluid and do not pass it onto the layer below quickly, you will need to replace them once or twice daily.
 
Wiebke said:
Wash it at least twice to remove any softener. Please be aware that not all fleece is the same and that some may never work well.
Generally micro, polar or antipill fleece is the most effective. As cotton towels actually soak up the fluid and do not pass it onto the layer below quickly, you will need to replace them once or twice daily.
Click to expand...

I just looked, and the fleece I have ordered is a anti pill polar fleece :)
 
So just giving an update, stan absolutely hates the baytril. He would rather chuck it all over me than have to have it himself. Apart from that he seems really happy on the pellets and hay, apart from he keeps looking around and wheeking for vegetables.

Altough when ollie in a separate cage has vegetables in the morning, well I wouldn't like to be on the receiving end of the look he gets of stan haha.
 
Swissgreys said:
I have heard of a couple of Forum piggies that like Baytril but they were definitely the minority.
Here is our Ruby pulling her Baytril face:
Click to expand...

She doesn't look impressed bless her! Just like stan! But I have to give him 0.5ml of it, as soon as he sniffs it coming hes yanking his head away.
 
Just a little update, when he was at the vets he weighed 1290. He now is coming in at 1225. Within one day.

He also hates not having vegetables, I know it's for the best for him, but hes wheeking away when I feed the other guinea pig veggies, but when I put the pellets in, he hasn't touched them, and chews on his hay, hes really quiet and seems really down. It's making me feel bad. I know it's for his own good. But I dont want to make him depressed or anything.
 
So, I'm struggling on only giving him hay and pellets until tuesday, hes lost some more weight and he now weighs 1200. I dont know what to do. He isn't touching the pellets and barely touches the hay and wheels all the time for vegetables. And then if he doesn't get any he sulks all day and doesn't touch anything as if he thinks hes done bad.
 
So, took him back to the vets.

Hes still got to be on the antibiotics for a week but now 0.4ml twice a day. But the only thing is I'm going away on friday, so I'm having to write a list for the pet sitter. Then a week on tuesday he needs his Probiotics. Of which I cant remember the name. And he will need 0.1ml three times a day.
 
Are you able to put Stan into a different room while you give your other piggies their veggies? Also you could give Stan some exciting hay, such as oat hay or readigrass at veggie time so that he has something to look forward to.
 
Lily & Rose said:
Are you able to put Stan into a different room while you give your other piggies their veggies? Also you could give Stan some exciting hay, such as oat hay or readigrass at veggie time so that he has something to look forward to.
Click to expand...

Nope, it's not possible to do that. He has the most exciting hay that is near me. Which is the Burgess one. The vet said he has to have soft hay. Which burgess is perfect. So she said.
 
If he is still consistently loosing weight then you may need to step in with syringe feeding to give him some additional support.
Some piggies loose their appetite when they are on antibiotics, so need a bit of assistance.
 
Swissgreys said:
If he is still consistently loosing weight then you may need to step in with syringe feeding to give him some additional support.
Some piggies loose their appetite when they are on antibiotics, so need a bit of assistance.
Click to expand...

If you sont mind me asking, how do you syringe feed him? With what?

Thank you
 
koolkathan said:
If you sont mind me asking, how do you syringe feed him? With what?

Thank you
Click to expand...
I am so sorry - I was rushing and forgot to post the link!@
Here is a guide to syringe feeding:
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

You should be able to get the supplies needed from your vet. You don't need an appointment to pick up non prescription supplies.
When my guinea pigs are on antibiotics I weigh them daily at the same time.
If they are loosing weight I start syringe feeding, and depending on the weight loss I usually aim for 7 - 10mls of syringe feed at least 4 - 5 times a day.
 
So. An update.

We was doing good and well, but honestly this keeps on happening and apparently my vets have told me its because of his saliva. As it keeps kn getting into his folds in his mouth causing his sides of his mouth to scab and crust up.

He has gave me baytril again. But he is losing weight. On the 6th he was 1200g and now he is 1095g.

I have a guinea pig encyclopedia and in it is a section of guinea pig problems and treatments. And it says for the crust you can use something called Gentian Voilet?

Can you use this?

It says in the book as it's used for babies it is perfectly safe to dab it on with a cotton bud? It will turn the guineas mouth purple. But will fade after treatment?
 
He seems normal today, still sores around his mouth.

The vet told me to pick at them. But he makes a horrible squeal if I do. He is on baytril still. But going to weigh him later.
 
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