Sick Guinea Pig Acting Suddenly Sick?

[Brittany Burdo]

I've had this female guinea pig, Bugsy, for about a year or so now. I got her from my sister making an impulse-buy at an animal shelter. Seriously, we walked in, and in less than 5 minutes we were taking her home. I started taking care of her not long after my sister's purchase. But besides that, I noticed that she had some sort of lump on her rear, not long after I started taking care of her. Since my mother doesn't think it's necessary to take rodents to vets, I have not gotten her checked out since I got her. I'm aware that it's hard to pick up symptoms of illness in guinea pigs in the early stages, though, so I try to keep my eye on them.
But recently, she hasn't really been eating all that much, and as I got home, I saw that she was laying in her igloo, flat and puffy as a pancake and shuddering. When I pick her up, she's slightly less content than she usually is. But perhaps the only contentedness I see in her eyes when I handle her is fear. It doesn't seem that way, though. There's a vibration in or near her spine that I noticed. Even before she has started to go on a seemingly downward slope, she has always shuddered when I handled her. It feels more like she's vibrating, and when she did it, it obviously was not comfortable for her to do. Currently, she feels moist and clammy.
What should I do? It is 9:00 PM, currently. I can't really take her to a vet or anything. I have a feeling I might find her to be dead in the morning, which is depressing... but that's just me. What do these symptoms sound like to you guys?

 

[Rywen]

It sounds like she is very sick and needs a vet right away. She may have a fever, which is causing the shuddering. Keep her warm, wrap her up in a towel or piece of fleece. If she isn't eating you will need to hand feed her. But don't force feed her if she isn't pooping. Please read the info on force feeding on guinealynx.com, if you don't have critical care you can mash up some pellets with some water and feed her that. https://www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html

 

[bpatters]

The only thing I can recommend is that you see if you can find a rescue that will take her and get her the vet care she needs. I realize that your mother is the one who doesn't believe in vet care, but it's not fair to an animal to have it and not take care of its medical needs. Maybe you can find a group somewhere near you that will tend to her.

 

[Brittany Burdo]

The only thing I can recommend is that you see if you can find a rescue that will take her and get her the vet care she needs. I realize that your mother is the one who doesn't believe in vet care, but it's not fair to an animal to have it and not take care of its medical needs. Maybe you can find a group somewhere near you that will tend to her.

A "rescue"? What do you mean by that?
It is pretty late, sadly, and my parents do not seem to care enough to get out of bed to deal with this situation. I'm all on my own. Do you think she would be fine until the morning? I'm not saying that I'm willing to roll the dice with this one. This is a life in my hands here. I'm willing to do all I can.

 

[Brittany Burdo]

It sounds like she is very sick and needs a vet right away. She may have a fever, which is causing the shuddering. Keep her warm, wrap her up in a towel or piece of fleece. If she isn't eating you will need to hand feed her. But don't force feed her if she isn't pooping. Please read the info on force feeding on guinealynx.com, if you don't have critical care you can mash up some pellets with some water and feed her that. https://www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html

I remember my mother having to do this with my sister's sick guinea pig... he didn't make it. I hope I can do things right this time.

 

[lost_lover]

In addition to everyone else's advice you can also try steaming up the bathroom with a super hot shower and see if that makes it less uncomfortable for her to breath. Don't put her in the shower or anything like that, just the steamy room.

Although my Truffle ended up not making it until the morning the emergency exotic vet I was on the phone with that night suggested it. He really appeared worlds more comfortable breathing with the steam.

Once these little guys get sick it progresses very rapidly. Search online for rescues in the area who may be willing to take her and give her the needed vet care. You will then be ready to call as soon as they are open in the morning.

Also, I understand your mother not seeing a point in taking her in for check-ups. Everyone I know thinks I am nuts for doing it. She might have a different opinion about taking a ill/suffering guinea pig to the vet though.

 

[Brittany Burdo]

In addition to everyone else's advice you can also try steaming up the bathroom with a super hot shower and see if that makes it less uncomfortable for her to breath. Don't put her in the shower or anything like that, just the steamy room.

Although my Truffle ended up not making it until the morning the emergency exotic vet I was on the phone with that night suggested it. He really appeared worlds more comfortable breathing with the steam.

Once these little guys get sick it progresses very rapidly. Search online for rescues in the area who may be willing to take her and give her the needed vet care. You will then be ready to call as soon as they are open in the morning.

Also, I understand your mother not seeing a point in taking her in for check-ups. Everyone I know thinks I am nuts for doing it. She might have a different opinion about taking a ill/suffering guinea pig to the vet though.

That sounds like it would work great. How long do you think I should leave her in the steamy room, if I do it?
And thankfully, yes, my mother said she's willing to take her to the vet in the morning. I don't think you're nuts for doing it. If I were independent, I would probably do it as often as possible! What IS a rescue, anyway?

 

[lost_lover]

When I did it my boyfriend (I tried but was pretty emotionally distraught at the time) stayed in the bathroom for like 30 minutes at a time with him. It ended up being a respiratory infection so he would clean up his nose since he could actually breath out some mucus. I wouldn't leave her in there unattended, she might over heat.

 

[lost_lover]

Oh I forgot to answer about the rescue. It is similar to a shelter but privately ran, there are ones that only have guinea pigs. If they have the recourses these rescues will often take in ill pets, get them healthy and them adopt them out.

 

[Brittany Burdo]

When I did it my boyfriend (I tried but was pretty emotionally distraught at the time) stayed in the bathroom for like 30 minutes at a time with him. It ended up being a respiratory infection so he would clean up his nose since he could actually breath out some mucus. I wouldn't leave her in there unattended, she might over heat.

I don't want to risk waking my parents without good reason... that would probably be a wonderful way to warm a feverish piggy up, but do you think it would be equally beneficial for a guinea pig without breathing problems? Maybe I could do the same with my sink in my bathroom...
So far, I have turned the ceiling fan off in my room and turned my own rotating fan towards my bed, away from Bugsy. Here in Nevada, it's hellish without some bit of circulation, so I kinda can't avoid that.

 

[lost_lover]

Sorry I went to sleep, not sure how the night ended up going.