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Urgent - Need Some Help!

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LB14

LB14

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***URGENT HELP PLEASE*** - I've had a friend of mine contact me. Long and short is she is a local fruit n veg supplier and she had a customer tell her about his guinea pigs and asked if I could get in touch to help him out. What I've found out is guy got 2, told they were male, one delivered pups on the 16th april. One of the pups is smaller and is at the moment very weak. He took it to the vet who from what I can gather is NOT piggy savvy, and vet wanted to put it to sleep. He said he would syringe feed it himself. I've asked if mum pushes the pup away, he said sometimes pup is washed by mum, other times runs away. So its not 100% clear if the pup IS feeding from mum. He just said it is not pooing, but "like jelly stringy thing". I've offered to go see the guy to check on the piggies. Would I be able to help?!
 
Mum pig will start weaning the babies from three weeks, discouraging them from feeding from her. The little ones should also be eating pretty much what mum has, hay, pellets etc. Is he weighing them all regularly? He could try giving the smallest baby 1 to 1 time with mum a few times a day, see if baby is getting fed by her. I don't like the sound of the poops. Hopefully one of the regular health and illness advisors will pick up on year thread soon.
 
I dont know anymore than what I've posted sorry :( I've said I'll go see him once my other half is back and weigh them etc and hopefully be able to see for myself if the little one is as poorly as he thinks. I think the worry is, the little one is deteriorating from what he's said and I'd like to think I can help SOMEHOW but not sure how without having them all here with me and giving round the clock if needed :/
 
Not good :( I said to him I have gut stimulants here but not sure I would be keen on administering it to an infant given that I'm not a vet and I would not be able to consult one to ask if it was possible and how much dose if so
 
See what you find when you get there. Very sadly, it does sometimes happen that smallest baby does not make it. I hope you can help! You could try mushed up pellets on a spoon if that might be easier, see if baby will eat them? So sorry, I am not expert at using a syringe:no:, but know there are some helpful guides on here.
 
If it came to it would it be beneficial to remove the little one and try feeding on its own to try get something into the stomach. I'm good with syringe feeding, spoon feeding etc just not sure what to do :(
 
Think that would be well worth a try! At least you would know little thing was getting some grub.
 
That was my thoughts but I wasn't sure if it would be damaging to remove it from mum at this age. Wee soul is only 2 weeks. I know about mushed up pellets etc but what about a milk substance?
 
I have heard someone mention stale whole meal bread cubes soaked in full fat Goats milk is ok to give. The little ones suck the milk off the cubes.
 
I don't know anything about babies, I just wanted to post and say I hope you manage to help the baby.
 
I am very sorry; it sounds like the poor little pup is running on empty and - considering that it is only very little - it may die.

Please do NOT syringe feed; the danger that any food can go down the wrong way and kill a baby through an infection in the lungs is just too high.
Here is the currently best collection of tips that are proven to work for hand feeding pups: http://www.guinea-pig-information.co.uk/guinea-pig-health/hand-rearing/

Please weigh the pup daily. If you hand rear, you need to do so a little every hour round the clock, especially if it is touch and go. By now, it should be able to eat adult food on its own, so the fact that it can't and isn't is indeed very worrying. There is a likelohood that something major is wrong with it. Can you bring the baby home with you and keep it somewhere warm (but not hot)?

Here are our general tips on baby care and when you need to separate any male pups to prevent the next round of accidents. Please be aware that sows come into season within hours of giving birth, so unless the male was removed asap, there is a good chance that mum is already pregnant again. :(
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/after-birth-and-baby-care.109389/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/separating-baby-boars-and-rehoming-babies.109391/ (with sexing link)
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/pregnancy-and-nursing-diet.109377/
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/pregnancy-guide.109375/
 
Ok. I went to visit the guy and gave him every amount of info etc I could :( The pup IS lively. The vet gave them some powdered formula for dogs? And they are to syringe feed it that. I explained about the pellets mushed up etc and encouraging little one to eat that. The diet was all over the place - lots of apple, fruit, veg etc just everything. So I explained about the diet ratio etc and done the best I can. The pup is a boy, and he IS very small...

I weighed him and he is 41grams :'( To be fair, the owners themselves seem to really want to try. They were told they had 2 boys, and turned out one gave birth. Both parents are young - I'd say about 6-8 months. The dad was separated instantly.

The baby is small, wobbly on its legs, and yet is TRYING and is very vocal so I feel he MAY be out of the woods. I offered to take the baby and feed him here if possible but I also said I'd rather because mum is ok with him, he stay where it is best and they seek the advice of MY vet as they stated their vet seemed very disinterested and just wanted to put baby to sleep.

Sorry for the ramble, obviously I don't know these people from adam and I'm just trying to help out how best I can. I've added him on facebook and he's promised to keep me up to date.
 
I'm hoping wee baby survives. He is TINY, really really small with big long legs lol. But he was so vocal when I held him. Really really wheeking away and the head was up looking around everywhere like he was looking for his mum :luv:
 
I'd love a happy ending for them as they were obviously duped and landed with a pregnant piggy so weren't to know. But the family seem lovely and are very genuine in their desire to see him pull through. So nice to see for a change instead of the folk I've encountered who just want shot and don't take care of the pet x
 
LB14 said:
I'm hoping wee baby survives. He is TINY, really really small with big long legs lol. But he was so vocal when I held him. Really really wheeking away and the head was up looking around everywhere like he was looking for his mum :luv:
Click to expand...

41g is about a low birth weight as possible; it means that the boy has just about got enough food to stay alive but not enough to grow. Syringing a small baby like that can be fatal. Have you been able to explain that?
 
This is 2 weeks old @Wiebke unfortunately :( The pups were born 16th April. I explained that and everything else that I could while I was there.
The siblings were bigger and healthier looking, this little soul was TINY. I explained he is dangerously underweight and that he NEEDS as much help as possible. His little mouth just amazed me because it was so so small, I had a check and his teeth seem present and normal, he also demonstrated this by grinding them at me as I'd obviously annoyed him a little checking him over.
 
Hi, to help this little one it is vital that they mush some fresh poo from its mum in to the food at every feed to help its gut flora develop & its digestion & nutrient absorption. The best formula to use is plain Complan from the chemist, 1 level teaspoon mixed with five teaspoons cooled boiled water. Goats milk will do for now (with mushed poo) & if baby can feed himself it can used to thoroughly soak wholemeal bread or weetbix. For a liquid feed, an eye dropper is better for tiny babies & a few drops of fresh water should be offered between meals. Warm food is often taken more readily. Hope this may be of help.
 
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