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Behavior Squeaking like he's in pain?

AshiixRainbow

Active Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Apr 22, 2012
Messages
24
It's been happening for awhile now. He seems completely fine but everynow and then he'll squeak very loudly. It's not continuous, just one loud squeak like he got hurt or something. And his breathing doesn't sound blocked but it sounds a bit heavy. His drinking seems fine and he eats all the hay and food I give him. I'm getting a bit worried and hope someone can help. >n<
 
Is it when he is urinating or pooping? That is one of the many signs of bladder stones. I am NOT saying he has bladder stones, but it's something to monitor!
 
Our pigs squeak when they are hungry which is most of the time. Also they tend to squeak when they are talking to each other in another cage.
 
Is it when he is urinating or pooping? That is one of the many signs of bladder stones. I am NOT saying he has bladder stones, but it's something to monitor!

I'll monitor him from now on. I'm not sure if it is but when I went to check him last night some poo came out as I picked him up. Usually he doesn't do that so it might be that. I'll take him to the vet just to make sure everything is alright .n. I hope everything with him will be alright.
 
Our pigs squeak when they are hungry which is most of the time. Also they tend to squeak when they are talking to each other in another cage.

Phillip isn't near any other piggies right now. His cage and his moms got separated awhile back so they're on the opposite side of the room. And it's not a constant squeak squeak it's just one loud squeak.
 
Is it anything like this? I know you said one loud squeak but thought you could compare! (broken link removed)
 
Is it anything like this? I know you said one loud squeak but thought you could compare! (broken link removed)

That's it.. It's not continuous like that but a loud squeak like in the begining of that.. And he'll be whining like that at night when he's in his hut..
 
See if you can see him when he's squeaking. If it's a UTI or a stone (more likely a stone), he'll raise his rear end slightly. You can also make sure he's on light colored bedding and watch to see if his urine is tinged pink, but even if it's not, that's no guarantee that he doesn't have a stone.

If it were my pig, I'd be calling tomorrow to get him in to a good exotic vet. Squeaking as you describe it is most often caused by a stone. But aside from being painful, stones can work their way down into the urethra (the opening from the bladder) to the outside and totally block the flow of urine. That's a medical emergency requiring immediate surgery, no matter what time of the day or night it is. Females can sometimes pass stones through the urethra, which is shorter and stretchier than a male's, but males almost never are able to pass them.

How old is he? And what exactly are you feeding him, and how much of it?
 
See if you can see him when he's squeaking. If it's a UTI or a stone (more likely a stone), he'll raise his rear end slightly. You can also make sure he's on light colored bedding and watch to see if his urine is tinged pink, but even if it's not, that's no guarantee that he doesn't have a stone.

If it were my pig, I'd be calling tomorrow to get him in to a good exotic vet. Squeaking as you describe it is most often caused by a stone. But aside from being painful, stones can work their way down into the urethra (the opening from the bladder) to the outside and totally block the flow of urine. That's a medical emergency requiring immediate surgery, no matter what time of the day or night it is. Females can sometimes pass stones through the urethra, which is short and stretchier than a male's, but males almost never are able to pass them.

How old is he? And what exactly are you feeding him, and how much of it?

He's about 2 years old. I've given him carrots, timothy hay, and wild harvest guinea pig food. I gave him grapes and strawberries but i don't know if he's eaten them or just buried them in his cage. And i will be calling a vet tomorrow to make an appointment for him.
 
Does that food have coloured bits in it? Or seeds?
 
Those are alfalfa pellets, which are very high in calcium, and shouldn't be given to pigs over six months old (except for pregnant and nursing sows). Additionally, those colored bits are not good for him. He needs a good quality pellet made of timothy hay -- Oxbow, KMS Hayloft and Sweet Meadow Farms all make very good quality pellets.

I'm betting on a urinary tract stone. Don't bother going to a dog-and-cat vet -- they know almost nothing about guinea pigs, and you need one experience with rodents for the surgery.
 
Those are alfalfa pellets, which are very high in calcium, and shouldn't be given to pigs over six months old (except for pregnant and nursing sows). Additionally, those colored bits are not good for him. He needs a good quality pellet made of timothy hay -- Oxbow, KMS Hayloft and Sweet Meadow Farms all make very good quality pellets.

I'm betting on a urinary tract stone. Don't bother going to a dog-and-cat vet -- they know almost nothing about guinea pigs, and you need one experience with rodents for the surgery.

I'm going to change their food as soon as I can. We've been getting this type of food for years and havn't had a problem with it till now.
Might you know how much the surgery would cost? .n.
 
I'm going to change their food as soon as I can. We've been getting this type of food for years and havn't had a problem with it till now.
Might you know how much the surgery would cost? .n.

Cost is usually dependent on the vet and the area you live in. I'm sure someone else can give you a range but I would assume at least several hundred $$$. I haven't had to have this procedure done (although I might be looking at it soon) so I can't say better than that. You will probably have to do some diagnostics before hand such as radiographs or ultrasound to confirm that there are indeed stones and their location, as they can be in a few places.

@Melissa123. Thanks for that video btw. My female piggy who also has possible stones sort of makes that noise when you pick her up (not the weird deeper noise though). I've been having a hard time figuring out if she's in pain or if that's just her; she's always been weird about me picking her up since I adopted her and I honestly can't remember if she's always done that or just after her initial visit to the vet for bloody urine. She's been in and had xrays done but they weren't definitive for stones. However, I saw some blood during floor time the other day but I'm not 100% sure which piggy it was from. Assuming it was her given her history, so she'll be going in again this week.
 
It takes years for stones to develop, so the fact that you haven't had trouble until now isn't unusual.

The cost of the surgery varies widely, both from area to area within the country, and even in one city. One of my sows had a stone removed several months ago, and I had quotes from $400 - $2200. I went with the $400 one because the staff at the $2200 one said he was really good, when I told them I couldn't afford their services. The best thing to do is to call around and ask for the price of a cystotomy.

Where are you (city and state, not address)? Someone may be able to recommend a particularly good vet.
 
I'm going to change their food as soon as I can. We've been getting this type of food for years and havn't had a problem with it till now.
Might you know how much the surgery would cost? .n.
It varies with every place you go, but my vet only charges $480 for my one of my boys. There is an amazing ER vet (Also takes regular appointments) that was going to charge 1,300! Also the x-rays can be expensive too (100+) but it will need to be done if a stone is suspected. It depends on how well your piggy is health wise, and who is doing it. Make sure your vet has tons of experience with this surgery- it can go very wrong when an inexperienced vet does this and will most likely have a very bad outcome.

I know you said you feed a brand that is not recommended, but what else are you feeding? Treat and veggies wise?
 
I've given them Bonanza treat sticks *just started giving them this. Only Rainbow and Phillip have gotten them* Rainbow seems fine and Phillip is the one that keeps yelping.Timothy hay with sweet potatos in it. And give them fresh strawberries and grapes and carrots. That's all i can think of. I have 6 guinea pigs all together. Six cause we brought home two pregnant piggies and we didn't know untill the they started showing. They all eat the brand that isn't recommended and Phillip is the only one that is showing signs of the bladder stones.
 
Yeah...I'll bet they have urinary tract stones. Do not give treat sticks, they are full of fat and sugar and are terrible for pigs. Are carrots, grapes, and strawberries the only fresh foods they get?! I give my pigs red & green leaf lettuce, bell pepper, cilantro, and curly endive daily, and that's really what they need. The veggies/fruits you are giving them are full of sugar. You need to make a huge change in their diet immediately...

This is a great fruit/veggie chart: https://www.guineapigcages.com/foru...y-nutrition-charts-poisonous-plants-list.html

Pigs should be given 1 cup of veggies each, daily, fruit only 1-2 times a week.
 
Yeah...I'll bet they have urinary tract stones. Do not give treat sticks, they are full of fat and sugar and are terrible for pigs. Are carrots, grapes, and strawberries the only fresh foods they get?! I give my pigs red & green leaf lettuce, bell pepper, cilantro, and curly endive daily, and that's really what they need. The veggies/fruits you are giving them are full of sugar. You need to make a huge change in their diet immediately...

This is a great fruit/veggie chart: https://www.guineapigcages.com/foru...y-nutrition-charts-poisonous-plants-list.html

Pigs should be given 1 cup of veggies each, daily, fruit only 1-2 times a week.


I don't have access to alot of foods on that chart. And I've been using that chart. Most of the guinea pigs I have aren't even with me right now. Phillip and Rainbow are the only ones that have been getting the treat sticks. Rainbow seems fine and Phillip is getting checked out Friday. He may or may not have stones.
 
Where are you that you don't have access to vegetables?
 
Where are you that you don't have access to vegetables?

What I meant was I don't have a lot of the vegetables at home. I'm not explaining the whole situation but I couldn't stay at home and so the place I'm at, I'm not letting them spend the money on me. I do have money but it's getting used for Phillips doctor apt. I've been trying to get what I can when I can. So I don't have everything right now. I've just been listening to my mom about what to feed them and apparently that was wrong.. Which i shouldn't expect any less from her. And that's why I'm here to learn better what's good for them and what isn't.
 
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