Sick Please Help - Piggie Breathing Problems & More

Take him to the vet. A pig with respiratory noises and weight loss is sick, and unless you want to lose him, you need to get him to medical help.

Thank you. So it's nothing to do with the sudden housing change?

No, it has nothing to do with the change in housing.

You may want to supplement him with critical care or a pellet mash if he isn't eating as much. He needs to maintain his weight, and keep him warm. Give him a cozy or something.

madelineelaine said:

You may want to supplement him with critical care or a pellet mash if he isn't eating as much. He needs to maintain his weight, and keep him warm. Give him a cozy or something.

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He is in his cozy right now ^.^ He's eating his veggies and pellets, but barely eating the hay which is very weird - usually he loves it which is why I am worried.

He really needs the hay to keep his gut moving. Have you tried offering fresh grass?

I gave him some grass last night and he's eaten the majority of it, but still no hay and even left most of his veggies. Ive just given him some cucumber and he's eating that.
His breathing has cleared up but it seems to be on and off. Would seeing a vet when his.breathing cleared up not be useful? Should I see a vet about his eating habits?

i would see the vet just to be sure sounds iffy!! But if he has had lots of access to fresh grass maybe he is turning his nose up to the hay? If the vet turn up to be fine, I would say try if you can to mix some of the fresh grass with the hay and see if he will eat more hay that way.

Broccoli's breathing is better, it seems to have changed overnight. He is warm again, but still limits what he eats. He's eaten some hay and fresh grass overnight, lost about 25g weight over 2 days. He still eats his pellets and most, not all of his veggies.

How can I get him to eat hay? I'm think I will book an appointment for the vet. Ideas?

leopardjunkie said:

But if he has had lots of access to fresh grass maybe he is turning his nose up to the hay? If the vet turn up to be fine, I would say try if you can to mix some of the fresh grass with the hay and see if he will eat more hay that way.

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He's not had a lot of access to fresh grass - mostly just hay. He stopped eating much hay on the day he came indoors - he came in afternoon, and the next morning barely any hay had been eaten.

Guinea pigs are prey animals so they try and hide illnesses. Once they show symptoms, they aren't able to hide them any longer so vet care is urgent. URIs can be life threatening, so I'd seek medical care as soon as possible. He's probably sick enough that he doesn't feel much like eating.

pinky said:

Guinea pigs are prey animals so they try and hide illnesses. Once they show symptoms, they aren't able to hide them any longer so vet care is urgent. URIs can be life threatening, so I'd seek medical care as soon as possible. He's probably sick enough that he doesn't feel much like eating.

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I completely agree with this. The earlier a URI is treated the more chance the pig has of surviving.

Okay, vet appointment being booked. I don't know how he could have got a URI though

CathiiPiggie said:

Okay, vet appointment being booked. I don't know how he could have got a URI though

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Fingers crossed he won't have, but it will put your mind at ease for your vet to confirm.

Thanks for the help.
Would it not be wise to clean his boar parts while he is not 100% well? He seems a bit impacted.

Broccoli had a trip to the vets today. He has an infection in his mouth and has been given antibiotics - Marbocyl 5mg tablets, 1/2 a tablet daily which should sort the infection out.

I'm so thankful it wasn't anything more serious. I'll keep you updated!

Urgent - Guinea Pig Not Eating

I have been giving him the antibiotic tablets as the vet instructed, but he has been eating even less. He is now just under 900g. The hay is still not being eaten so his digestive system and teeth are probably not in good condition, he has stopped eating pellets and veggies. I just fed him some grass - he looks like he wants to eat it but can't. When I got some down him, it was in his mouth for a while and it took him a long time to swallow. Around his mouth is wet, like he has been drooling. His eyes are slightly drooping too. When out of his cage on floor time, he still loves to run around.

I just saw him pick up a dandilion, but he gave up eating it soon after.

What can I do? Can I syringe feed him or give him extra water through a syringe? Should I continue the antibiotics?

Drooling & wanting to eat but not being able to are classic signs of Malocclusion - overgrown teeth.
There should be improvement after 5 days of antibiotics, I would switch to something else while you get the teeth checked which you need to do now.
Make sure the vet has good experience in dental issues in guinea pigs. The infection in the mouth may have been caused by overgrown teeth all along, as the molars can grow into the tongue.
https://www.guinealynx.info/malocclusion.html

Yes you do need to hand feed around the clock for a chance of survival if the pig isn't eating enough on it's own.
https://www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html