Where People & Piggies Thrive

Newbie or Guinea Guru? Popcorn in!

Register for free to enjoy the full benefits.
Find out more about the NEW, drastically improved site and forum!

Register
  • ONE THREAD per pig please!
    We really want your pig's history all in one place to help you. Please don't start a new thread for a new issue. Just reply to your old one. We can edit the title for you if needed.

Conditions Is anything wrong with my cavy?

MSRix

Active Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 19, 2010
Posts
36
Joined
Mar 19, 2010
Messages
36
One of my guinea pigs might have a condition that I can't quite identify. She drops chunks from her mouth when eating a carrot, a piece of bell pepper, or a long dandelion stem but does fine with grass, hay, or pellets. Her appetite has decreased and she stopped gaining weight, though doesn't appear to be losing it, either. She brings food to her pigloo and seems to forget about it a few seconds later. She was never overly active in the first place, but now she became even more timid, refuses exploring, and doesn't even snip at my hand when having her nails clipped (never missed a chance before!). All things considered she might be sick, except she looks very normal - she gets great food, her fur shines, motorics seems great, eyes are clear, and she doesn't seem to suffer. I'd say she is getting into her golden age, but we got her from a pet store (yeah, I know better now) half a year ago.

What can be wrong? Could she be, I dunno, just bored?
 

Silverbeat

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jan 6, 2008
Posts
846
Joined
Jan 6, 2008
Messages
846
Decreasing appetite and activity is a sign of illness, she should see a vet.
 

Sirene

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Feb 10, 2010
Posts
1,141
Joined
Feb 10, 2010
Messages
1,141
Have you had her teeth checked? It sounds like it could be early-stage malcocclusion, especially where you say that little pieces of certain foods are dropping out of her mouth:
https://www.guinealynx.info/malocclusion.html
 

MSRix

Active Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 19, 2010
Posts
36
Joined
Mar 19, 2010
Messages
36
Decreasing appetite and activity is a sign of illness, she should see a vet.
There is nothing wrong with trying to figure out what the problem might be (if there is indeed a problem) before spending half a day and a visit fee. I'd do same for myself. The cavy's like that for half a month, maybe longer, with no signs of deterioration or illness, so it is clearly not an emergency.

Have you had her teeth checked? It sounds like it could be early-stage malcocclusion, especially where you say that little pieces of certain foods are dropping out of her mouth:
https://www.guinealynx.info/malocclusion.html
Thanks. I suspected that much, though she doesn't have any signs listed in the article besides dropping food. GuineaLynx is my primary online resource so I've read it before coming here.
 

pinky

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Posts
10,837
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Messages
10,837
It does sound like she's having discomfort in her mouth. It could also be something like an abscessed tooth. I would also suggest a vet visit.
 

blackarrow

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Posts
1,719
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Messages
1,719
There is nothing wrong with trying to figure out what the problem might be (if there is indeed a problem) before spending half a day and a visit fee. I'd do same for myself. The cavy's like that for half a month, maybe longer, with no signs of deterioration or illness, so it is clearly not an emergency.

Well, you'd know if you were having pain. You don't know if your guinea pig is. I also figure it's safe to assume you're not an animal under, say, three pounds. What is a problem for an animal that small may not be one for you. It sounds like you have not been weighing her. It's very important that you keep careful track of her weight, especially since you suspect she might be ill.

It doesn't imply an emergency visit to suggest you take your pig to the vet.
 

MSRix

Active Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 19, 2010
Posts
36
Joined
Mar 19, 2010
Messages
36
Well, you'd know if you were having pain. You don't know if your guinea pig is. I also figure it's safe to assume you're not an animal under, say, three pounds. What is a problem for an animal that small may not be one for you.

It doesn't imply an emergency visit to suggest you take your pig to the vet.
Thanks for nothing. The humor is really uncalled for, nor it is helpful or appreciated. Neither is a "see a vet" advice, unless it implies "right now". It might be a safe thing to suggest assuming I have unlimited wealth and time at my disposal, but I don't. The visit fee alone is about $50-100 in this area, and if NJ vets are anything like human doctors they'll pad the bill north of $300 regardless of the pet's condition. If I have an idea of what the problem might be, however, I'd spare a lot of that padding.
 

Sirene

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Feb 10, 2010
Posts
1,141
Joined
Feb 10, 2010
Messages
1,141
Thanks for nothing. The humor is really uncalled for, nor it is helpful or appreciated. Neither is a "see a vet" advice, unless it implies "right now". It might be a safe thing to suggest assuming I have unlimited wealth and time at my disposal, but I don't. The visit fee alone is about $50-100 in this area, and if NJ vets are anything like human doctors they'll pad the bill north of $300 regardless of the pet's condition. If I have an idea of what the problem might be, however, I'd spare a lot of that padding.

I really don't think it's meant to be funny. Mysterious symptoms should always warrant a vet visit, and small, fragile creatures like guinea pigs can go downhill very quickly. As none of us (including you) can diagnose your pig, this really is your best option. If she was my pig, I'd take her to the vet and have him look at her mouth (and check everything else, obviously). I'm sorry your vet fees seem high to you - they seem normal to me - but unfortunately that's the risk you take when you get a pet.
 

blackarrow

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Posts
1,719
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Messages
1,719
Thanks for nothing. The humor is really uncalled for, nor it is helpful or appreciated. Neither is a "see a vet" advice, unless it implies "right now". It might be a safe thing to suggest assuming I have unlimited wealth and time at my disposal, but I don't. The visit fee alone is about $50-100 in this area, and if NJ vets are anything like human doctors they'll pad the bill north of $300 regardless of the pet's condition. If I have an idea of what the problem might be, however, I'd spare a lot of that padding.

Actually, "see a vet" is advice, since you said nothing to demonstrate you seem inclined to do it. No one's said you shouldn't get an idea of what the problem might be in advance, and several people have suggested what it might be. You, however, seem intent on diagnosing your pig yourself.

I wasn't being humorous when I was suggesting comparing how you'd take care of yourself isn't applicable to how you should take care of a creature of less than three pounds.

I'm sorry you're intent on ignoring the advice to actually WEIGH your guinea pig so that you actually KNOW whether or not she's losing weight and whether or not you ARE experiencing an emergent situation with her. If you can't actually handle actual advice, perhaps you shouldn't ask.
 

Paula

Pigaholic Extraordinaire
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jun 12, 2007
Posts
6,024
Joined
Jun 12, 2007
Messages
6,024
Yeah, vets are expensive. Unfortunately when you don't know what's wrong with your pet, it's sometimes the only reasonable option to identify the problem and also possible solutions.

No one's suggested or as far as I can tell, assumed, you have unlimited wealth at your disposal, but it is a reasonable assumption that you've chosen to have this pet and therefore surely at some point you've given some thought to the notion that she might at some point in her life need care you can't provide, and that you might therefore need to seek the advice and assistance of a qualified veterinarian. There's nothing unreasonable about that and there's no reason for the attitude that it's rude or uncalled for to suggest such.

It sounds to me like your pig might be having teeth problems, no doubt about it. Unfortunately the suggestions we can make are limited and the wisest course of action is to take her in. And as I see it, you DO have an idea what the problem is, so you would indeed be able to spare yourself the "padding."

Teeth issues are one of the most common in pigs. Any cavy savvy vet will be able to help and that should be your next step. Unfortunately that's really the extent of the advice you're going to be able to get on an internet forum, no matter how knowledgeable the members might be.
 

skinnypigs

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Posts
697
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Messages
697
Seeing a vet is decent advice. You must be concerned with how your pig is and it sounds like she has had a bunch of mood/behavioural changes which have caused alarm and for you to take notice.
Your vet would be able to say whether it is her teeth, they can look far back into her mouth and check out her molars. If it is her teeth there is nothing you can do for her without a vets assistance.
I know you said you got her 6 months or so ago, was she a baby when you got her?
I would be concerned if a young pig wasn't eating as much as usual and isn't very active.
 

rabbitsncavyluv

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Nov 11, 2004
Posts
5,863
Joined
Nov 11, 2004
Messages
5,863
What the heck?

Waiting half a month with a sick pig usually results in a dead pig. Esp if they are not eating and you are not inclined to handfeed let alone drive to a vet.

Ditto on the teeth issues.
 

MSRix

Active Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 19, 2010
Posts
36
Joined
Mar 19, 2010
Messages
36
Who said I don't weigh them? I do, and she never lost as much as half an ounce. Who said she doesn't eat? She just cleaned a whole bunch of cilantro and started on hay. She doesn't seem any deader - or lighter, or sicker - than she was two weeks ago.

Even though the whole "health problem" likely exist in my imagination only, I planned to visit the vet anyway - all I wanted is to check the doctor against "creative billing". Since most of you obviously don't have a clue and all you care about is to sound more concerned than the other guy, I'm outta this place.
 

skinnypigs

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Posts
697
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Messages
697
Of course everyone would sound concerned for your pig.
Why post if you're going to be angry with every suggestion/opinion people have.
When you post, you get replies, if you didn't want to listen to anything people had to say then don't ask.
 

rabbitsncavyluv

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Nov 11, 2004
Posts
5,863
Joined
Nov 11, 2004
Messages
5,863
Medical care is not cheap in general and it is really offensive to say all vets or doctors 'pad' the bill. Procedures, drugs, staff salary, etc is expensive on its own and they have their own costs to pay.

You seem more concerned with money than her health which is what is concerning us.

You never mentioned that you weighed her - just that she was having trouble eating some hard foods, had decreased appetite and was lethargic which is concerning in its own right.

Golden age is around 6 years old. I doubt she is that old. Chalking it up to old age and not doing anything is scary esp. when even if she is old, she may have treatable health issues like heart, dental, bladder stone, maloclussion, etc. that upon treatment, she could live another year or three.
 

Domino & Bedhead

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
May 15, 2010
Posts
370
Joined
May 15, 2010
Messages
370
Please get her into the vet as soon as you can. It definitely sounds like her teeth and by the time we notice, things can go wrong very quickly because they hide things well.
 

blackarrow

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Posts
1,719
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Messages
1,719
Her appetite has decreased and she stopped gaining weight, though doesn't appear to be losing it, either.

Who said I don't weigh them? I do, and she never lost as much as half an ounce.

Then it's surprising that you don't know for sure whether she is losing weight and only can say that it appears she is not.

Sure sounds like she has a mouth/tooth problem to me.
 

Ly&Pigs

Cavy Champion, Previous Forum Moderator
Cavy Slave
Joined
Dec 5, 2004
Posts
20,516
Joined
Dec 5, 2004
Messages
20,516
Please make note of the fact that there are no vets on this site. The medically knowledgeable members can suggest things it *might* be but it's no substitute for vet care or advice. Even if we did have vets on the forum, they would not be able to tell what is wrong with a pig online. This is something all members need to remember every time they ask "what's wrong with my pig" or "is my pig sick".
 

princesspoppy

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Posts
762
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
762
Perfect example of why we should have a piggy bank. A few $$$ a week adds up in case our furry friends needs a vet.
 

guineapig67

Well-known Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jun 8, 2010
Posts
348
Joined
Jun 8, 2010
Messages
348
I would take her to the vet. A Illness won't treat its self on its own, and it won't go away that way. Not taking her to the vet sooner can make it more expensive. By taking your pig now, saves you a TON of money. $50 isn't bad compared to the $500 vet bill because you waited to long and her teeth decay.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.

Similar threads

ChewChew
Replies
4
Views
378
arne93
A
GuineaPigParent36
Replies
2
Views
265
GuineaPigParent36
GuineaPigParent36
LostPeopleOfEarth158
Replies
2
Views
385
LostPeopleOfEarth158
LostPeopleOfEarth158
D
Replies
1
Views
245
bpatters
bpatters
Top