Not Eating Need help for piggy post operative care

[EdoTensei]

Need help and tips about post operative care. One week ago my guinea pig (male) had a surgery for removing big cyst/tumor on his left breast. The surgery went well but the post surgery isn't great. My piggy now barely eats and drinks, he lost significant amount of weight and lost some of his hair. I try to hand feed him but he resists, back's off and squeals. Before the surgery he weighted around 1.2kg, after one or two days he weighted 1kg and now he weights around 850gr. I don't know what to do. Where I live there isn't specific vet's that specialize in guinea pig's, and there is almost zero-to-none medication for them. After the surgery the vet gave him vitamin C and some antibiotic in form of injection but nothing more. The hair he loss is on his chin, below his mouth, and on the abdomen where his breasts are(also his lower legs). Another thing is his poop is very little, compared to before. He doesn't even like his favorite food, eats only once or twice a day and in very little amounts. Every time I try to handfeed him he spits the food, and turn's his back on me. The piggy is almost 6 years old. Are the above symptoms "normal" after that kind of surgery? Will he recover and go back to normal, as he was before? Any help is appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

[Rywen]

I'm sorry your piggie isn't recovering from his surgery. That isn't normal, especially a week after. He needs to see the vet again, it sounds like he may have a post op infection and/or some other medical issues (the hair loss is strange, does he have a fungal infection?) and needs medication. You really need to force feed him even if he struggles, I had to burrito wrap Penny in a dish towel with just her head sticking out and hold her against my chest in order to force feed her. There are some force feeding tips on guinealynx.com (https://www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html) . What are you hand feeding him? Hopefully you have critical care or are using a pellet mash. Also make sure you are syringe feeding him water if he isn't drinking on his own. Al;so, if the vet isn't cavy savvy I suggest printing the dangerous medications list from guinealynx and taking it with you so you can make sure the vet prescribes something safe. Good luck, I hope he feels better!

 

[EdoTensei]

I'm sorry your piggie isn't recovering from his surgery. That isn't normal, especially a week after. He needs to see the vet again, it sounds like he may have a post op infection and/or some other medical issues (the hair loss is strange, does he have a fungal infection?) and needs medication. You really need to force feed him even if he struggles, I had to burrito wrap Penny in a dish towel with just her head sticking out and hold her against my chest in order to force feed her. There are some force feeding tips on guinealynx.com (https://www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html) . What are you hand feeding him? Hopefully you have critical care or are using a pellet mash. Also make sure you are syringe feeding him water if he isn't drinking on his own. Al;so, if the vet isn't cavy savvy I suggest printing the dangerous medications list from guinealynx and taking it with you so you can make sure the vet prescribes something safe. Good luck, I hope he feels better!

I don't think it has fungal infection, but where his hair falls it started to look like this with spots like in chess(black-grayish/white).But there are nor calluses or spurs.

I'm trying to give him lettuce, tomato, cucumber... Don't know if I should change these foods? Also I'm giving him water with syringe but he spits it... and don't want to force him too much 'cause I'm afraid of choking him. Also don't have neither critical care nor pellet mash here... Are there any alternatives? Thank you for your answer!

 

[Rywen]

If you have pellets grind them up a bit and mix them with water and feed him those (pellet mash/slurry). Will he eat his hay at all? That does look like a fungal infection, check it against this: https://www.guinealynx.info/fungus.html . He really needs to see the vet.

 

[EdoTensei]

If you have pellets grind them up a bit and mix them with water and feed him those (pellet mash/slurry). Will he eat his hay at all? That does look like a fungal infection, check it against this: https://www.guinealynx.info/fungus.html . He really needs to see the vet.

Ok, I will do that. Yesterday he started to eat lettuce a bit and also his guinea pig food(those mixed seeds,vitamins,corn etc..). Today I measured him and he bumped to 870gr.

Here is a couple of pictures of him:

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Here is the hair loss problem...
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[Princess_Piggie]

Food with seeds, corn and other coloured bits in are not suitable for guinea pigs. You need a plain, hay based pellet such as Oxbow or KMS.