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syringe feeding not going well:(

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lily 74

lily 74

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I feel like I am fighting a losing battle with the syringe feeding, I have been feeding him every few hours with pellets softened down and with water from the syringe.

It is a real struggle to get him to eat and swallow it not that he is struggling but he is to weak to take it and I feel like I am force feeding him and harming him:(

How many 1cc syringe fulls should I be giving him every 3-4 hours? and how much water in the syringe I feel like I am either giving him too much or not enough :(
 
Aw i'm sorry your poor boy is struggling to eat. I don't know if you are doing this already, but sometimes gently wrapping them in a towel can help, or as you say he is not struggling maybe put him on a cushion or cosie on your lap, to make him feel comfy.
When my boy wasnt eating the vet advised to feed him 2mls of liquid feed every two hours. Which i think maybe two of the 1cc syringes. Have you cut the end of the syringe off? It makes it much easier to feed without it.
Hope this helps, someone may come along with some better advice. Hope he feels better soon
xx
 
yes I wrap him up, and will try to feed two syringe feeds if I can but I feel like I am distressing him as he is so weak:(

I presume that means every 2 hours all through the night as well?
 
No you don't need to do it through the night, just a feed before you go to bed. and again first thing.
If you cant do two syringes dont worry as long has he gets something regularly x
 
thank you at least I know I am not over doing it:( poor thing just feels so boney:(
 
I know its heartbreaking when they get like that. I really hope he picks up soon! Has the vet given you a probiotic to give him? It can sometimes help kick start there digestive systems and help a little with their appetite.
 
Saysie said:
I know its heartbreaking when they get like that. I really hope he picks up soon! Has the vet given you a probiotic to give him? It can sometimes help kick start there digestive systems and help a little with their appetite.
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The vet I took him to was awful, he wanted to put patch under GA because he said his teeth at the back were holding his tounge down. I thought he wouldn't get through a GA and took him to a rodentologist who siad his back teeth were fine.

The vet said nothing about probiotics or much info about feeding him:( can you get probiotics over the counter?
 
If he isn't eating anything for himself, you need to get a lot more than 2 mls in at a time. Aim for between 15 and 20 mls per sitting.

I don't wrap my pigs to syringe feed them. I stand them on my lap facing towards the right, as I am right handed. I grasp the head with my left hand and guide the syringe into the mouth. I find cutting the end off the 1 ml syringe helps.

He may be weak as he isn't getting enough food, so you need to be quite firm in how you hold him and get the food in. Generally, once they have had a few mls they tend to be a lot more agreeable to taking syringe food.

What exactly did the rodentologist do, or did he say everything was ok?
 
lily 74 said:
The vet I took him to was awful, he wanted to put patch under GA because he said his teeth at the back were holding his tounge down. I thought he wouldn't get through a GA and took him to a rodentologist who siad his back teeth were fine.

The vet said nothing about probiotics or much info about feeding him:( can you get probiotics over the counter?
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Oh no, very conflicting information! What else did the rodentolgist say?

I just did a quick google and this is a link of where you can buy Fibreplex (this is what I have used) online, however I am not qualified to say that this is what he definetly needs and might be worthwhile to contact your vet or rodentologist for advice before buying.
http://www.vetuk.co.uk/rabbit-suppl...ibreplex-for-rabbits-and-small-rodents-p-1180
 
She looked him over and said he as dehydrated , he took some more water. She felt his stomach, listened to his lungs/heart and said his heart sounded strong and no lumps anywhere.

This gave me hope but he has just been getting weaker, and I have lost faith in the vets after what happened:(

Thanks I will look that up:))
 
I can't offer much advice other than what has already been said but I hope he picks up soon! Sending you hugs as I know what you are going through, I've been hand feeding my Tobi since Sunday. At one point I thought more of it was going on me than in him but it's got easier the more he has had. Love and piggy hugs from Lucy, Tobi and Alfie!
 
You really must get more syringe food into him. Make it fairly runny as you will then be getting quite a lot of water into him too. How much does he weigh? It is possible to keep a guinea pig going on syringe food alone but you need to get at least 120mls in per day.
 
Am I understanding this right? The rodentologist said his teeth were fine? So why isn't he eating then? I'm not convinced.

The vet said the teeth were trapping his tongue? What did the vet use to look in his mouth? In fact what did the rodentologist use?
 
I have been giving him as much as I can though the syringe but he isn't swallowing i very well I have been following the feeding method but he isn't bothering to swallow it and it just wells in his mouth I have been trying to get it in but don't want to risk getting it into his lungs if I syringe in too much and he doesn't swallow it:(

my scales arn't working for some reason ,need to get some more tomorrow the vet didn't even weigh him and that is the first thing they should do surely?
 
The rodentologist used a special tool to open his mouth wide, she trimmed his front bottom teeth as they were long.

I have been to the vets when I noticed he was off his food, he looked in his mouth with a torch like thing and said it was his back teeth, examined his stomach and that was it. Didn't ask me any questions I had to tell him!

I was told by this forum that a GA was dangerous and unnesscary for gp's so I went to a rodentologist I have done everything possible to get to the root of why he is so ill and no one is giving me any answers!

I have fed him regularly with the syringe as much as he would take at a time
 
Try making the syringe food with warm water. That seems to make it more palatable. Start with the water almost hot (it will cool down a bit as you make up the mixture).

It may be worth giving him some dioralyte. You can either syringe it separately, or just make some up and use it as the water for making the syringe food.
 
I have just gone up to check on patch as I do every hour or so and I am devastated he has passed away8... I feel awful for trying to feed him now as he wasn't taking it earlier




I did everything I physically could to help Patch8...8... and I have trusted the professionals, and now I feel like it is all my fault!
 
Keep trying to get as much syringe food in as possible. They do seem to prefer it warm. I think you need to get another vet to take s look. Phone a few first and ask what experience they have with guinea pig teeth. I never say never with regard to GA but in most cases it isn't necessary.
 
Oh hun, I'm so sorry. Huge hugs. You've worked really hard for him so please don't blame yourself. Unfortunately they can't tell us what is wrong. xx
 
oh I'm so sorry hun, how sad after all your efforts and hard work, you must be devastated
 
yes very:(

The worse thing is the feeling of guilt feeding him earlier he didn't really want it but I thought he needed it to survive:(

when I found him he still had mashed food in his mouth so he hadn't eaten it and I feel like it's my fault he died:(8...

his cage mate is in perfect health so it was nothing I was feeding etc that lead to the start of his illness and I don't know how old patch was:(
 
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oh love I'm so sorry about Patch, we all go through this guilt process, i totally understand about the food still in mouth thing, i have had this twice, BUT you must remember that you were syringing food into him for a very good reason, please dont beat yourself up, again i am so sorry, Patch is at peace now x
 
doglovinpiggylover said:
oh love I'm so sorry about Patch, we all go through this guilt process, i totally understand about the food still in mouth thing, i have had this twice, BUT you must remember that you were syringing food into him for a very good reason, please dont beat yourself up, again i am so sorry, Patch is at peace now x
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Thank you for your kind words, to hear that you have been through the same makes me feel better it makes me realise I was just trying to help him and get enough food into him and that I'm not an expert:(

x
 
So very sorry to hear of your dear piggy passing......
 
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