babycakes
Active Member
Cavy Slave
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2011
- Posts
- 22
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2011
- Messages
- 22
Hi, I have two guinea pigs, Oreo and Twix. This morning, both of them were fine, popcorning and wheeking as usual. I came home today around 10 PM and Oreo was no where to be seen. I found her sleeping in her pigloo so I thought nothing of it at first. However, when I brought their veggies, I found it strange that Oreo wasn't running out immediately to greet me. Instead, she remained in her pigloo. Even while I was cleaning the cage, she didn't move at all. I finally moved the pigloo aside and found Oreo lying there, pretty much motionless. I totally knew something was wrong when she let me pet her whole body (she only likes getting petted on her head). She was breathing quickly and seemed like she wanted to stand up but couldn't. I tried giving her some apple and cilantro (her favorite foods) but she ignored them.
I immediately took her to a local emergency pet clinic. They said she was "stable" and referred me to an ER specifically for exotic pets. We drove there and the vet told us the exact same thing. She told me that she was stable and her vitals were perfect...no abnormal breathing, discharge, etc. The doctor gave me some critical care to feed Oreo but she told me there was really nothing else that she could do...all her physical signs were normal. I, however, don't think lying motionless is normal. Nor is refusing food or water.
Is there anything else I can do? Could it just be something like a stomach ache? Should I keep her seperated from my other pig? I'm so lost and confused right now...I feel so helpless. PLEASE, if you have any advice/experience with similar symptoms, please help me out
Background info: Oreo is about 6 months old. She had two cases of upper respiratory infections which I effectively treated with Bactrim and Baytril, but she has been in perfect health for the past 3.5 months. She is very playful and friendly, but sometimes can act really dominant. Oreo loves eating and is quite a pig...which explains her slight overweight-ness. I do weigh the pigs weekly...her weight has not decreased. They live in a 2 x 3 C&C cage with a 1 x 2 loft. All fleece bedding which I change weekly. I feed them Kleenmama Timothy Pellets and supply them with unlimited Kleemama timothy hay.
The only thing I changed recently was their hay. I usually gave them 3rd cut timothy hay but KM ran out so I replaced it with 2nd cut hay a few days ago. I definitely noticed it was much pokier and there was a lot more flowers/stems. Could this be the culprit? Oh, and my other pig, Twix, is fine...eating hay happily at the moment...so I don't think it's an infection?
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE. I would appreciate any advice.
I immediately took her to a local emergency pet clinic. They said she was "stable" and referred me to an ER specifically for exotic pets. We drove there and the vet told us the exact same thing. She told me that she was stable and her vitals were perfect...no abnormal breathing, discharge, etc. The doctor gave me some critical care to feed Oreo but she told me there was really nothing else that she could do...all her physical signs were normal. I, however, don't think lying motionless is normal. Nor is refusing food or water.
Is there anything else I can do? Could it just be something like a stomach ache? Should I keep her seperated from my other pig? I'm so lost and confused right now...I feel so helpless. PLEASE, if you have any advice/experience with similar symptoms, please help me out
Background info: Oreo is about 6 months old. She had two cases of upper respiratory infections which I effectively treated with Bactrim and Baytril, but she has been in perfect health for the past 3.5 months. She is very playful and friendly, but sometimes can act really dominant. Oreo loves eating and is quite a pig...which explains her slight overweight-ness. I do weigh the pigs weekly...her weight has not decreased. They live in a 2 x 3 C&C cage with a 1 x 2 loft. All fleece bedding which I change weekly. I feed them Kleenmama Timothy Pellets and supply them with unlimited Kleemama timothy hay.
The only thing I changed recently was their hay. I usually gave them 3rd cut timothy hay but KM ran out so I replaced it with 2nd cut hay a few days ago. I definitely noticed it was much pokier and there was a lot more flowers/stems. Could this be the culprit? Oh, and my other pig, Twix, is fine...eating hay happily at the moment...so I don't think it's an infection?
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE. I would appreciate any advice.
