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Sick Help Urgent What Is Wrong With My Piggy?!?!

Piggymomy

Piggymomy

Active Member
Cavy Slave
Joined
Jan 6, 2013
Messages
24
Hello. I am in dire need of help. It is an emergency. As of late i have been unable to afford pet care and I need to know how to help my poor guinea pig. A couple days ago I noticed that his pellets and water were untouched so I put some hay and lettuce in his cage and he didn't run to eat them like he usually does, he just left them there and refused to eat. Now he is shaky and it seems like it pains him to move. I tried to force the water bottle tip into his mouth and make him drink but it seemed like he either didn't want water or he couldn't open his mouth. I also noticed within the past day or so he was developed a slight wheeze and a discharge out of his nose but no discharge from his eyes. He's having a hard time breathing as well. He also doesn't seem to be defecating at all. Please please help me help him. Is there anything I can do?

Nicole
 
This sound like a URI (Upper Respitory Infection) and you need to take your guinea pig to a cavy savvy vet ASAP. Try and wipe the crust off his nose, try and feed him as much as you can and try to get him to drink. Also, seperate him from any other piggies you have as it can be contagious and URI s are very serious. Make sure he has plenty of timothy hay. I hope he gets better as the vet will probably give you anibiotics for him. Hope i helped :)
 
It sounds like a bad URI, upper respiratory infection. URI's are lethal if left untreated & you need to get him to a cavy savvy vet now.

There is nothing you can do on your own, and your pig is truly suffering.
Many vets accept payment plans, but if you have to pawn every piece of jewelry or valuable item you have & purchase them back later, do it.
If you truly cannot provide this pig with vet care, you need to surrender him to a good rescue for a chance to save his life. Never own an animal without a good vet fund & especially if you don't always have a stable income.

You also need to handfeed him Oxbow critical care or pellet mash every few hours around the clock if he's not eating. They go downhill extremely quickly without food & water.
https://www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html
 
Definitely should go to the vet ASAP. Like everyone else already said it sounds like a URI but even if it isn't you still need to take him to an exotic vet since he isn't eating or drinking water.
 
Currently it is four forty-seven in the morning and I am still a minor. I can only go to the vet in the morning. If he is having trouble breathing and has lost a lot of weight do you think he will be okay until the morning?
 
It's hard to say really. I would just keep an eye on him and try to get him to eat something, and as soon as the vet opens call them. I'm pretty sure most vets have emergency lines, so i would look that up and try calling one.
 
Guinea pigs can not survive without food or water- its bad for their digestive system. If you can, mash up his pellets and try and feed it to him, if that doesnt work, give him his favourite food or treats. You just got to try and get him to eat, How is he now? Is anything getting worse? I hope you piggie will be okay <3
 
Once the pig has visibly lost weight, and is unable to hide the symptoms the illness is very progressed.
We have no way of knowing if he'll make it another couple of hours unfortunately, especially without food & water.
I really cannot stress the importance of hand feeding enough at this time, it's critical for his survival.

This is why you need to weigh your pigs weekly, weightloss is the first sign of an illness.
The earlier you spot it, the higher the chance of recovery. If he makes it to the vet, you'll need to weigh him daily during his recovery.
https://www.guinealynx.info/weigh.html
 
I tried to mash up his pellets and put them in his mouth but I don't have a syringe or anything and he wouldn't take them. I really really really hope he will be okay but its been a couple days I've noticed he hasn't eaten and a day or two since he drank anything. I think I managed to force him to drink, but he tries to get away from me now when I try to get him from his cage. He's really wobbly/shaky. I'm freaking out just a little bit. I really hope he survives. My poor baby.
 
I really hope he's going to be okay, please keep us updated. <3 Again, I really think you should try calling an emergency vet.
 
Im trying to find a vet right now.
 
Is he eating any hay? Try and give him that, along with little bits veggies. Hay will make sure his digestive system is working :) Poor piggy, make sure he is as comfortable as he can be <3
 
He isn't eating his hay or the little bit of apple (his favorite) I put in his cage. I covered his cage with a blanket because it seems to distress him when I try to hold him, so I draped it over to try and make the inside a little bit warmer for him. I also put this honey stick thing that looks like it was rolled in bird seed but its something different (he loves them) and he sniffed it and walked away.
 
Do you guys know if the Banfield pet hospitals in the petsmarts see guinea pigs?
 
Oh dear :( You really need to get him to the vets now, have you found anyone yet? <3
 
Piggymomy said:
Do you guys know if the Banfield pet hospitals in the petsmarts see guinea pigs?
Click to expand...

I don't live in America, but i'm sure the vet in the petshop would treat the animals they sell in the shop. Its the same here, but its Pets at Home :)
 
I wouldn't trust a petsmart vet. As far as I know they're not cavy savvy, seeing as how petsmarts sell sick piggies ALL the time.
 
They open at ten in the morning so I might have to take him there if I can't find anyone that has an ER in my area. So far the search has turned up one other place but they are closed on sundays and don't see emergencies.
 
True, my piggies came from an adoption centre in a petshop but the other piggies being sold were in tiny wooden pens :(
 
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