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Conditions Am I being unfair to him by keeping him alive?

Gigabyte

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GB has been real sick for quite some time, since November. He went through three weeks of GI stasis and has never been good at keeping weight on anyway. But now, we moved suddenly (we're moving back because it seems to be the cause of issues).

But the point is...he always has one issue or another. It's cost me $500+ for vet appointments with specialists and they have found nothing but motility issues. I have been spending 16hrs a day caring for him, coaxing him to eat. I have Critical Care but he hates it. He'll only eat hay and veggies occasionally, and he doesn't drink enough. And he has times when he gets real gassy and painful and needs drops for gas and pain meds. I have never invested so much time, care, emotional attachment, and money into a pet. I'm exhausted.

I guess I will decide once he gets home to and moved to a C&C cage, but we won't know anything about if there's a tumor or anything if we don't do a surgery I can't afford. I love him, but I think I'm being cruel to him. He's my best bud.

I think if he is okay after all, he needs a cagemate, because with me working fulltime soon and going to vet tech school, he is gonna get lonely. But that's when I can afford another and he's okay, if it happens.

What are your opinions on this whole deal? Most of the time where we were he was okay enough, running around during floor time and right before we moved, he started popcorning too.
:(
What do you all think about his life quality and all that? He is not getting floortime here because it's gross, but he gets 2hrs at least at our home. But he's still gassy. Any ideas or suggestions to improve life quality?
 

pinky

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What exactly does he eat each day? It could be his diet. If you give us a detailed list of what he eats each day and how much, we might be able to suggest a diet modification to help him out. If he's in a small cage, he might not be getting enough exercise.
 

pandaloki

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If you think that you really can't look after him because of studies and his sickness, you could ask around shelters or post ads looking for people who could look after him while you're gone. With proper background check of course. A cage mate would be awesome! That would also depend if you're ready for another pig which would mean bigger housing and possibly more vet bills. Hope he gets better! :)
 

Gigabyte

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Cage is way TOO SMALL! It's a Super Pet my first home type of deal. :/ He's moving to a 2x3 C&C cage soon I hope. I will make it bigger if he gets a cage mate.

Anyway, his diet is...
-Unlimited Oxbox Western Timothy Hay
-Unlimited water, filtered and bottled
-Oxbow pellets mixed with Kaytee Complete Timothy to transition (1/4 cup offered but not eaten)
-Small baby carrot for an afternoon snack
-Spring mix veggies (baby romaine and some purple lettuce, plus spinach) 1/2 cup
-The occasional apple slice every week.
-Every other day, a small cucumber slice
-One raisin at night because he demands it

I think it's too much junk food. He just lives for that raisin every night. Last time I forgot, he peed in his dish. I swear that's why he did.
 
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Paula

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The raisins might be contributing, significantly, to the problem. Stop feeding them, they really aren't appropriate and might be a contributor to kidney problems (though doubtful) and gastrointestinal upset. There are plenty of other treat foods that can be offered without the potential risks.

I'd also stop the apple and carrot until his condition is more stable, and cut out the cucumber altogether.
 

kourt1313

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Everything I've heard and read says raisins are a no no (not sure how accurate that is though). I'm with Paula, definitely get rid of those.
 

Gigabyte

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Okay, does anyone know a different nightly treat he might look forward to? I will throw the raisins in the trash and not buy anymore.
 

Senamian

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Raisins have preservatives and are super sugary :) have you tried something like a sweet veggie? not sure what... try a green/red pepper, celery, cilantro.... -thinking-
 

Gigabyte

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He seems to hate peppers but I can try again. I will try cilantro.

My proposed menu is

Sunday AM
- One inch piece of zucchini (1/5 chunk)
- 1/4 cup of spring mix lettuce mix with spinach
- Half cherry tomato

Sunday PM
-1/8th bell pepper
- Half cup of spring mix
-Cilantro (how much should I give?)
-Regular pellets (he has them 24/7 to gain back weight)

Monday AM
- 1/4 cup spring mix
- Cilantro
- 2 pieces of basil

Monday PM
- Cilantro
- 1/2 cherry tomato
- 1/4 spring mix

Tuesday AM
- Very small handful of grass
- 1/8th Bell pepper
- 1/8 cup lettuce

Tuesday PM
- 1/2 cherry tomato
- Slice of apple (Green or macintosh?)
- 1/8 Spring mix
- 1/2 inch chunk of zucchini

Wednesday AM
- 2 pieces of basil
- 3 small snap peas
- small handful of spring mix

Wednesday PM
-1/3 cherry tomato
- 1/8th Bell pepper
- Small handful of spring mix
- a few pieces of cilantro

Thursday AM
- Slice of apple
- 1/4 spring mix
- 1/2 inch chunk of zucchini

Thursday PM
- Cilantro (some bits)
- 1/2 cherry tomato
- 1/4 cup spring mix
- small baby carrot

Friday AM
- Clementine peel - 1/4
- Snap peas - 3
- 1/8th cup of spring mix

Friday PM
- Cilantro
- 2 pieces of basil
- 1/2 cherry tomato

Saturday AM
- 1/8th cup spring mix
- Small baby carrot
- 1/8th bell pepper
- 2 snap peas

Saturday PM
- Zucchini chunk 1/2 inch
- 2 pieces of basil
- 1/8th cup spring mix

How's that? New foods will be added very slowly, to not upset anything.
 

Senamian

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cilantro is usually 6-10 pieces per cavy, if I'm right. :)

Can I suggest you give him a handful of hay daily? If you have a farm nearby that'll sell you some, fresh is better but store bought is alright... this'll help his teeth :) I have macintosh apples for my girls. They usually get a slice each. Well...Creature gets half her piece and Panda steals the other half :|
 

Gigabyte

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There's no farms nearby at the moment. But I'll drag out my old aerogarden see if it decides to work again. Those aerogardens are expensive to maintain but I did get it for the pig. Last time I tried to use it, I managed to not grow tomatoes. They suggested the seeds for my aerogard en but apparently it wasn't suited for it. BOO!

I'm looking forward to extra veggies though. I need to eat more of them anyway.
 

Senamian

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yikes! lol. and exactly...if the guinea won't eat it maybe you will lol
 

Gigabyte

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Yeah, lol. I live on the college diet of crappy cheap fast food, ramen, and whatever's easy. Time to actually eat my veggies for once! I love veggies, I'm just...very poor at the moment. Once I get the money, I will contact my local Cavy Care Inc GP shelter and ask if I can foster a pig to see if he and my GB get along. If not, there will be more to choose from. They have around a 100+.
 

bpatters

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Ditto ditching the cucumber completely. Mine love it, but I've got one that gets gassy from it immediately, so I've just quit serving it altogether.

The diet looks ok, after his tummy gets straightened out, but those weekly planned menus are way too complicated for me.

I find it easier to keep red or green leaf lettuce, bell peppers, and tomatoes in the fridge all the time. My two always get those (and you don't need to cut the cherry tomatoes in pieces, just give him the whole thing). After that, it's whatever I've got in the fridge -- I keep some of these all the time, and just feed two or three of whatever's there: celery leaves, endive, cilantro, summer squash, baby carrots, green beans. They get a bit of other greens if I've got them -- kale, spinach, etc., but not much.
 

janinehunt

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Perhaps a silly question, but how does one know if a guinea pig is gassy? Does one hear him breaking wind or does he look bloated?... Good luck with your piggy.
 

pinky

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Perhaps a silly question, but how does one know if a guinea pig is gassy? Does one hear him breaking wind or does he look bloated?... Good luck with your piggy.

They get bloated, stop pooping and their digestive tract starts shutting down. It's very serious and they can die from bloat. If you thump their stomach, it sounds hollow.
 

pinky

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Hay is the most important part of their diet.
 

Gigabyte

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They get bloated tummies, their belly hangs down and their spine sticks out. They appear to be in pain and lethargic. Mine gets this way and won't eat. I have to massage his tummy.
 

Gigabyte

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We have come home to the house GB loves. He knows he's home! So he's playing a bit. It's nice to see him happy.
Does anyone have ideas or changes for the menu? I am heading out to shop for veggies very soon.
 

Zuidy

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Raddicchio is a fav.
 
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