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Weight Loss Weight loss/ Small poops/ Eating less hay

Sfluffkin

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Hi everyone.
One of my piggie eating less hay since Friday, its been 2 days already and his poops are small than normal. I went to the vet last Wednesday because of his sneezing. The vet gave him antihistamine for 5 days. The vet gave ivermectin too because of fungal issues. He is eating his veges and pellets but less hay (still eating hay but small amounts). He drinks less water too. I’m not sure what’s going on :( What should I do to get him to eat more hay? I weighed him too everyday and he lost 60grams until today
 

bpatters

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The antihistamine could be affecting him.

Was this an exotic vet? Guinea pigs are not usually given antihistamines.

I'd take him off of the medicine and see if his appetite hay improves. If not, I'd start feeding him critical care, and get him to a good exotic vet to see what's going on.
 

Sfluffkin

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The antihistamine could be affecting him.

Was this an exotic vet? Guinea pigs are not usually given antihistamines.

I'd take him off of the medicine and see if his appetite hay improves. If not, I'd start feeding him critical care, and get him to a good exotic vet to see what's going on.

Yes it is an exotic vet. But they gave antibiotics too just in case if the flu still there. They suspected he has rhinitis. But I’m worried since I saw his weird poops and how less he is eating hay
 

bpatters

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Antibiotics often cause digestive upsets. I'd even say they usually cause them.

I'd get some Bene-Bac and give it 60-90 minutes after each dose of antibiotic. And I'd get some Critical Care and supplement him until he's off the antibiotic and starts eating normally. The rule of thumb for CC is that for a pig that's eating nothing at all, you give 100 cc. per day for every kilogram that the pig weighs, spread out into 6-8 feedings per day. Adjust up or down according to the pig's weight, and down according to how much of his normal food he's eating.

Since you pig is still eating, you can also cut down on the number of feedings. I'd give him CC 2-3 times per day.
 

Sfluffkin

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Thank youu! I gave him critical care today his poop looks much better but he still eating less hay. Maybe I will make appointment with vet tomorrow.
 

bpatters

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Do what you like, but a vet visit is probably not necessary. I can count on my hands the number of guinea pigs I've known of that did NOT have poop problems with antibiotics. As long as he's eating and food is moving through his gut, he's doing OK. If he stops pooping, or if it turns to diarrhea, that's the time for a vet. Just keep supplementing him so he doesn't lose weight.
 

Sfluffkin

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I think I got paranoid abit. I just gave him antihistamine according to what the vet prescribed. Not yet give antibiotics. Not sure what is the reason he eating less hay. I weigh him every day, and goes down bit by bit. And now lose 60 grams. Today I gave him critical care and weighed him in the evening he increase by 20 grams then at night I weighed again it went down 10 grams
 

bpatters

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As I said earlier, the antihistamine can affect his behavior, including eating, because it is partially sedating.

Weigh once in the morning, preferably before breakfast. That's when you're weighing the most pig and the least food and poop. If you weigh after he's eaten, you have no idea how much he weighs unless you weighed the food beforehand.
 

Sfluffkin

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As I said earlier, the antihistamine can affect his behavior, including eating, because it is partially sedating.

Weigh once in the morning, preferably before breakfast. That's when you're weighing the most pig and the least food and poop. If you weigh after he's eaten, you have no idea how much he weighs unless you weighed the food beforehand.

Ok, I went to the vet today. They told me to give my piggy antibiotics. His lungs everything is clear but not his nose. Any tips or advice about antibiotics? I read that it can give piggies side effects and need to take probiotics together with antibiotics. But I can’t find any probiotics since all sold out at the petshop. So I just ordered online and need to wait for 2-3 days to arrive.
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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Ok, I went to the vet today. They told me to give my piggy antibiotics. His lungs everything is clear but not his nose. Any tips or advice about antibiotics? I read that it can give piggies side effects and need to take probiotics together with antibiotics. But I can’t find any probiotics since all sold out at the petshop. So I just ordered online and need to wait for 2-3 days to arrive.

In a pinch, you can use human acidophilus capsules. What I've done in the past is taken one full capsule and dissolved it in HOT water. Break the capsule open and pour the contents in about 10ml of water, don't dissolve the capsule whole. It will require a bunch of stirring, dissolve it as best you can. This, for me, made about 5-6 1 ml syringes, which must be kept refrigerated after mixing and given 1-2 hours after each antibiotic dose.

If your pig won't eat on his own, hand feeding is essential. You should get Critical Care either from your vet or from Amazon, probably best and quickest from your vet. A pellet slurry can be used in place of Critical Care if you can't get it, but Critical Care is by far the best nutritional value for your pig.
 

Sfluffkin

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In a pinch, you can use human acidophilus capsules. What I've done in the past is taken one full capsule and dissolved it in HOT water. Break the capsule open and pour the contents in about 10ml of water, don't dissolve the capsule whole. It will require a bunch of stirring, dissolve it as best you can. This, for me, made about 5-6 1 ml syringes, which must be kept refrigerated after mixing and given 1-2 hours after each antibiotic dose.

If your pig won't eat on his own, hand feeding is essential. You should get Critical Care either from your vet or from Amazon, probably best and quickest from your vet. A pellet slurry can be used in place of Critical Care if you can't get it, but Critical Care is by far the best nutritional value for your pig.

I see. Will try to find that tomorrow. Its hard to move around since we’ve been restricted in movement cause of pandemics 😫 Is it ok to make ‘poop soup’ and give it to piggy? loll.
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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I see. Will try to find that tomorrow. Its hard to move around since we’ve been restricted in movement cause of pandemics  Is it ok to make ‘poop soup’ and give it to piggy? loll.

Yes, poop soup from a healthy pig is absolutely ok, and in one case I had it proved to be more effective than the acidophilus. It HAS to be from a healthy pig, you can't just recycle poop from the same pig because the essential gut bacteria isn't there from the ill pig.
 

Sfluffkin

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Ok, thank you so much for info and help! ��
 

peanny77

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I have a question about the pellet slurry, how long can it be stored after being made? When I had to hand feed one of the pigs, I often stored it for 24 hours in the fridge, was that ok?
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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I have a question about the pellet slurry, how long can it be stored after being made? When I had to hand feed one of the pigs, I often stored it for 24 hours in the fridge, was that ok?

I've never done it that way, but I would assume it would be ok for a short time. As long as you warmed it back up before feeding.

I'd always made mine fresh and allowed it to soak in boiling water.
 

bpatters

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I kept mine for up to 24 hours.
 

peanny77

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I've never done it that way, but I would assume it would be ok for a short time. As long as you warmed it back up before feeding.

I'd always made mine fresh and allowed it to soak in boiling water.
Oh no, I just left it outside for it to warm up and feed it to her right away! Was that harmful to her? @bpatters ,did you keep it in the fridge?
 

bpatters

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Yes, I did. And then warmed it a bit in the microwave. I also usually added a little more water, because the longer it sits, the thicker it gets.
 
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