So, I have a guinea pig named Caramel, and she is 5 and will be 6 in about 2 or 3 months. (Nobody knows her real birthday.) She seems to be going through pain lately, and I hate to see her like this. She has been sort of hopping, sort of limping on her back legs instead of walking on them, and you can tell she doesn't want to put any weight on them. On top of that, her poo has been sticking to her bum, and I literally have to pry it out myself (YUCK!). Her poo's also been mushier than usual, but it's not exactly diarrhea. And it's sometimes a little stringy too. I have a vet very closeby. Should I get her checked out? Is this very common with guinea pigs? Should I say my final goodbyes? Please help me! Thanks! I appreciate the help!
Please have any guinea pig in pain and with digestive trouble checked out by a vet promptly! If it is something treatable, then you can give your girl a good, pain-free old age and let her enjoy her life a bit longer. If it is not treatable, you can at least spare her any further suffering, which is the one precious gift we can give a beloved pet, as heart-breaking as it is. (I've just had to make that decision with one of mine yesterday.
![sad :( :(](https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f622.png)
) But please - as hard as it is to confront your own fears - make sure that she is not kept suffering!
As this seems to have gone on for a few days, please make sure tomorrow that you can have her seen asap, ideally on the same day.
Until then, please take her off all fresh veg, start weighing her daily at the same time, and if she has lost or is losing more than 50g/2 oz step in with syringe feeding. Pain is a real appetite killer in guinea pigs, but to stay alive, they need to be kept eating.
Here is our detailed illustrated step-by-step guide:
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
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