Sick: loose stool and not drinking water right

[momma_and_katie]

My piggy momma has acted fine except the water barely goes down, when i put her on the bottle, she will take a few sips and move on, otherwise I take one of those medicine shot things for babies and I fill it up with water and do that atleast 2 times a day. And she has been having pretty loose stools, not water tendicy but not the normal pellet shaped ones. I have yet to find a cavy savy vet near me, I am currently unemployed and have no transportation, i can barrow money from my parents for her as i live with them. I am going out tommarrow. Do i need to take this as emergency and take her asap or make a appointment?

If i can wait then what can i do in the mean time to get her to drink water and help with the stools?

[blackarrow]

I don't know what you mean about the medicine shot with water. Can you explain?

My piggies hardly drink from their bottle at all - they get so much moisture from their lettuces it isn't an issue. As long as they're urinating, they're getting enough liquid, whether it's from their water bottle or not. Is your piggie not urinating?

[momma_and_katie]

Well she does urinate but the vegis ive cut out for the day, i read that that could be the reason for it so i took it away for the day and she still hasnt touched it. I put new water in it everyday, maybe my water doesnt taste right? maybe i should buy bottled water. I dont know. But the medicine giver thinggy.. heres a pic of it : its not the exact one but its close enough. i dont like force her to take it i only do a lil bit at a time.

[blackarrow]

You mean, you didn't think she was drinking enough out of a bottle, so you're squirting water down her mouth, and aren't letting her have vegetables?

That just can't be good for her!

You've seen that she knows how to drink out of the bottle - I think you should let her be the judge of whether or not she needs a drink, absent some reason to believe she's seriously ill - I do wonder if the softness of her stool is indicating she's getting too MUCH water through this dropper.

[clotho]

Have you read through this link about diarrhea? http://www.guinealynx.info/diarrhea.html

You are correct that sometimes loose stools can be caused by too many veggies. Are you giving her unlimited timothy hay? Hay is the most important thing she needs to be eating plenty of.

If she does not improve rapidly, you definitely need to take her to the vet. Diarrhea can be life threatening.

[Ly&Pigs]

A vet visit is in order ASAP. You are doing the right thing by decreasing/stopping veggies for the moment but make sure to increase hay.

Often when pigs have soft or watery stools, decreasing or stopping veggies for a couple of days and increasing hay will help.

[momma_and_katie]

Well I did 2 things today.

1st - went and got her baby , which she has played with ever other day. its a female so they should be good. she is super happy. there on my bed playing around right now and having a great time.

2nd-took her to the vet. The vet said she was eating to many vegs. But for the time being im keeping the vegs in so that her baby can eat. She is drinking the water now a bit more than she used to. I do give them unlimited amount of timothy hay. I bought a HUGE bag of it. :D

But both of them are happy. and the baby was making happy guinea piggy sounds when her and her momma were brought together. So yea I decided to give the woman who had them the money for her and she gave me the rest of her bedding and food and hay. :) but things are looking well for my piggys :)


oh btw the babies name is lucy. she is so darlin ill post a pic of her soon!