Why isn't hungry Bodger eating his food?

[Fay1302]

I have twin brother guinea pigs who have always lived separate due to a violent relationship. They will be 4 years old in October.

I have always bought the same make nuggets since they were born. Bodger has decided he no longer wants to eat the nuggets even though he is hungry and goes crazy at the rattle of a plastic bag. I have tried a diff type of guinea pig food but he doesn't want that either. He is still asking for food but doesn't want what he gets.

I was worried there could be a problem with his teeth but he is happy to eat the chocolate treats and hard fruit shaped treats. He eats his lettuce but is not eating as much hay as normal or drinking water like a fish like he used to.

Do I have anything to worry about? Apart from food and drink he seems ok in himself but I can't help feeling something is wrong Badger is absolutely fine.

Should I book an appointment at the vets? Please help I'm worried xx

 

[carrot_and_parsnip]

Hello, I would book an appointment at the vets, try and get him in first thing tomorrow morning. How long has he been like this?
Is he pooping okay? The important thing is that he keeps his bowel movements and doesn't develop stasis. If he isn't pooping properly I'd be tempted to phone the vets tonight as they can give medication to get the bowels moving.

Also do you weigh him regularly? If so, has he lost weight?

It could well be dental, Thumper wouldn't eat hay, or soft foods, but happily munched on a carrot when he had dental probs!
I hope Bodger is okay and all goes well at the vets xox

 

[sport_billy]

Hey, totally agree with Carrot & Parsnip's advice. Best to get Bodger checked over at the vets.

 

[Fay1302]

He's been this way for about a week and a half. I know this sounds daft but we had a hamster staying over in the same room last week so thought that might be disturbing him!

Now you mention it, he does seem to be pooping less? I don't know if he's lost weight, he doesn't look thin ill or anything but he looks a diff shape. Like normally he looks like a big round blob but now he looks back heavy and thinner round the neck.

I'm going to book a vets appointment. I didn't know if I was worrying about nothing but better safe than sorry! Thank you xx

 

[carrot_and_parsnip]

How's Bodger today? Did you get to the vet? Hope all is well xox

 

[mikulinek]

How is Bodger today?

From what you've described, I'd say he has a dental issue but, of course, I would consult my vet first.

When Biscuit had overly long teeth, he drank a lot of water to fill himself up but couldn't eat hay or pellets. He could still eat treats and fruit/veg (although we no longer feed chocloate drops etc. but that's another thread...) but couldn't eat hay very much.

The only thing that really grinds down a piggy's back teeth is hay so they can still nibble soft things but this won't help the problem. If it is his teeth, he will need them doing ASAP before his eating begins to affect his gut.

Best of luck and healing vibes from us

 

[Wiebke]

How is Badger? Are you weighing him daily, as he doesn't seem to eat enough (pooping less is a surefire sign). I hope that the vet can find the cause.

 

[Fay1302]

Thanks for all the thought and well wishes

Bodger has been to the vets today who confirmed there was nothing wrong with his teeth, although weirdly I was hoping it would be as we would know how to sort it.

She has given us some kind of vitamin drink for him to take and advised us to try wetting his food before he ate it. He really isn't himself and I don't really feel that much better about things We are to go back in 3 days if no better.

I just want to run an idea by you all though.... I always buy the same nuggets Burgess Excel. On buying a new pack I noticed the shape was slightly different. I wondering if they have changed the recipe and Bodger doesn't like it? Although Badger stills wolfs his down and when I tried to another food he didn't like that either. What do you think? I am grasping at straws? I found some stray pellets from an old pack and he seemed to enjoy them but soon got fed up and went and lay down.

I don't know what to do for best x

 

[Fay1302]

PS. I don't have any scales but after holding him today he has definitely lost weight. His poo is still pellet shaped but it is dry and light brown and smaller and thinner than normal. The vet said this was better than being mushy and that she couldn't feel any bumps inside him but that his tummy felt empty x

 

[katiepops]

Please get some scales, kitchen scale from Argos are about £10, it's the best way to get early warning signs if a piggy is unwell, weigh every week, you're looking for patterns of weight loss or a rapid drop by 50 grams or more. If you can tell a piggy has lost weight just by holding them than that is a significant amount.
I would guess from what you've described your piggy needs a gut stimulant. This needs to be done quickly, the longer a piggy stops eating and pooing the harder to get them going again. It could be a mild case of bloat if he's still ok in himself. My Gerry has a similar problem, still wants to eat but loses his appetite really quickly. He's had this a couple of times and no cause has been found.
The first signs of him being off his food I take him to the vet and he has 0.7ml of Emeprid followed by 0.7ml of Zantac 15 minutes later. He has this twice a day and is back to normal in 24 - 48 hours.
Where are you based? Perhaps a member can recommend a cavy savy vet. I'm not convinced about the wetting the food advice tbh.
P.S. I wouldn't recommed the chocolate treats, there's plenty of veggies and little pieces of fruit which are much better treats.

 

[Fay1302]

Just thought I would follow up on Bodger's condition in case anyone else goes through a similar thing.

Last night I left him with some wet crushed up nuggets and one of the sachets in his water bottle. Before bed he wouldnt go near the food or the drink (!) and I was really worried in case he got dehydrated.

Got up this morning and both the drink and the food had gone! :-) Was so pleased!
Left him some more broken wet nuggets this morning and again gone when I got home from work :-)

Still ignoring dry nuggets but so pleased he's eating and drinking again. Not sure what this means, possibly bloating as suggested or maybe still a possibility of dental ****? Also, poo is still light brown and dry so need to keep an eye on that.

If anyone does know a good vet in the South/East Manchester area then I am always looking for somewhere good to take them so please let me know.

The medicine is called Protexin Bio Lapis.

Thank you x