Bullying Older pig losing health fast because of pigmate! - Guinea Pig Cages, Care, Store, Photos of Guinea Pigs and More Forum!

**krystia** · #1 10-31-09, 12:22 am

Our oldest pig out of four (one older boy living with a 1 year old boy, then 2 one year oldish girls living in another room) has been losing health fast. I've been on vacation for a month and left my family with detailed care instructions for the pigs (I'm the usual cavy caretaker). While I was gone, the younger boy kept stealing the older one's food so much that the older lost a lot of weight. Even my rather oblivious family noticed this, and they divided the boys' cage several days before I got back because the local vet told them to do this. Note that our vet isn't a cavy specialist. The older has gained a little bit of weight back, but he seems lethargic and apathetic to his normal veggies. The pig in question is around five-six years old, but he had a hard first four years of life (pet store cage, bad food, little to no veggies, ect) so I think he's getting to the elder years.

The only vet who knows anything about cavies is several hours away and very hard to see. We've searched for months and only have the one doctor who once told me to put powder on a pig with lice (not that knowledgable).

Their cage is only 2x5, which is big enough for two living together but only leaves 2x2.5 each when separated. Building another cage isn't an option for a few weeks, though if needed I plan on doing this. I don't feel right leaving them with a divider in their cage, but the older pig seems so frail I hesitate to put them back together with expert advice. Which is why I came here: to seek advice from other cavy owners. Help?

**Dichotomy83** · #2 10-31-09, 12:41 am

If at all possible, and I were in your shoes, I think I would try to find a knowledgeable second opinion from a cavy savvy vet. Might mean using a bit of gas and an expense...but I would feel too emotionally attached and would have to at least try to get him properly diagnosed.

If he's not eating, are you supplementing him? He might be getting elderly, but old pigs deserve gentle attentive care, too.

**krystia** · #3 10-31-09, 01:11 am

She is often booked full (she's a small animal doctor in a big city) but I'll call in the morning to see when I can drive in after work. I just got home a day ago, so I haven't tried supplimenting him yet. I've never done it before but it sounds simple enough. I am very attached to him (of course!) but it's hard to know what to do when a good vet is hard to find. Thank you for your advice and I'll keep it in mind.

**NicholsS10** · #4 10-31-09, 01:41 am

Until you can get him into the cavy savvy vet, I would definitely keep them separated. You said it yourself, with the cage now divided, he's put SOME weight back on. Even though a 2 by 2.5 is too small for a single cavy in the long run, for a short period of time it's okay to do, ESPECIALLY if it is essential the health of one of your cavies. I would try (when you have the opportunity) to hand feed him (during some one on one lap time) his favorite vegetables to see if it's his appetite or the bullying.

One of my girls was getting bullied so bad that if the bully didn't finish her vegetable during lap time and I got the one who was being bullied out for lap time, she wouldn't finish the bully's vegetable! She would only eat a different one, and my pigs swap vegetables all the time. She was probably scared the the bulling pig would get mad at her.

Good Luck with your bully situation and your older pig... I know that it can be very stressful.

**Wheekie** · #5 10-31-09, 02:00 am

One of my girls was getting bullied so bad that if the bully didn't finish her vegetable during lap time and I got the one who was being bullied out for lap time, she wouldn't finish the bully's vegetable! She would only eat a different one, and my pigs swap vegetables all the time. She was probably scared the the bulling pig would get mad at her.

Awww! Poor Baby! That's so sad and sweet at the same time!

**krystia** · #6 10-31-09, 02:31 pm

Okay now I'm worried... I weighed him this morning and he's c.665grams. That seems rather low even for his age. I don't have any syringes or Critical Care (I wish I would have planned ahead before I left for my trip, but they seemed fine and I was too overconfident with their health...) so I made a pellet(oxbow)/veggie mash and am trying to gently spoon it into his mouth. The good vet is booked until around Friday, so that's the soonest I can take him in. Maybe I should have posted this in the Medical section, because that scale number really freaks me out.

**Hawise** · #7 10-31-09, 02:44 pm

Hi Krystia

The serynge can be found in most pharmacies, and it's easier as you can "force feed" your piggy like this. Of course, if he's already eating out of the spoon, then that's great.

I am having the same problem. My pig has lost a lot of weight very quickly. The vet thinks it's due to the pain from an ear infection which means he's not hungry.

Good luck and keep us posted.

**Toadies** · #8 10-31-09, 02:50 pm

Kristia, even if you can't get an appt, you could pick up some Critical Care and syringes from your vet. I'd be really pushy about the appt though and, if not successful, find another vet. If this one knows GPs, he/she should realize that you can't wait until Friday. Or, is there any way to get past the front desk? Sometimes the receptionist is clueless as to the severity of the situation. Put on your Queen of Mean and GO GIRL! (I mean be feisty) Keep us posted.

**krystia** · #9 10-31-09, 06:25 pm

Okay, I'm going to call the nearby (not so great) vet first thing on Monday when they open to get a same-day appointment. For the better vet, I'll try and do the same thing (and I'll argue for a sooner appointment than Friday!). That way he'll see the first vet as soon as possible, and then the better one whenever he can. Some professional advice is better than none, I think.

I fed him some pellet slush (oxbow pellets + water) through a syringe, and he tried to eat it. After I put him in his cage he went straight for his food dish and tried to eat some of his pellets (I filled the bowl half with regular pellets and half with smushed pellets just in case). He kept looking like he was trying to eat, moving his jaw and everything, but nothing was disappearing from the dish. It seemed like he couldn't get it in his mouth for some reason. I put some of the pellet slush (minus a bit of water) on a flat surface in his cage so he could try and eat that. He's now furiously trying to gobble it up, and it seems to be working if only slightly, so I left him with it and will check on him again in a few minutes. It seems like he has an appetite though, so it's a big improvement from before I tried the hand-feeding. Hopefully this will work until Monday. It might be a teeth problem, just from the way he's vainly trying to eat the other foods and ignoring his veggies altogether.

**krystia** · #10 10-31-09, 06:36 pm

update: The flat-surface slush did get him to eat about three pellets worth of oxbow pellets, which is an improvement from before but still worrisome. I'll leave it in there for him and try and hand feed him again tonight. (Sorry for the new post, but ten minutes had already passed from my last post and I couldn't edit it)

**foggycreekcavy** · #11 11-01-09, 03:30 pm

It doesn't sound like he's getting enough to eat. I urge you to pick up a syringe or two as quickly as you can (you can get them at drug stores). Have you read the handfeeding guide at Guinea Lynx yet? It shows how much to handfeed your pig to help maintain their weight until you can get veterinary attention.

**krystia** · #12 11-02-09, 10:24 pm

I brought him to the vet today. He had a tooth growth over his tongue that was trapping it and keeping him from eating. The vet trimmed his teeth and now he's back home feeling much better. They gave me Critical Care and vitamin C liquid (for a syringe) to give him until he's eating solid food again. Thank you everyone! Ty and I are both very happy for your help.