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Not Eating Wont take force-fed foods?

juliacavies

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First, let me say this. I'm pretty sure my girl has developed a URI. We've been gone for two weeks and she's been in boarding and I'm pretty sure it came from stress. Also, I desperately want to get her to the vet tonight, but my parents are away until like 9:30 PM or so and I'm not sure how willing they'll be to help me rush her to an emergency vet that's pretty far away, but I'm going to try my hardest to convince them.
Now, the problem -
I decided I had to start force feeding my pig because she totally stopped eating and drinking. She wouldn't take even her favorite veggies and fruits.
First I took a sugar snap pea, her favorite, and cut it into teeny tiny itty bitty pieces. I put her on my lap and after about eight million tries managed to get one in there. Everything I've read said that once it's in their mouth it'll either fall out or they'll eat it. But neither of those things happened. It just stayed in there. I thought having her on my lap was stressing her out, so I put her back in her cage for a while so she'd maybe eat it. I took her out about 15 minutes later and the darn thing was still in there. I opened her mouth a little and it fell out. I tried some canned pumpkin and syringed a tiny bit into her mouth, and that sort of worked but she still didn't take all of it until I gave her a bit of water. Then I quit the pumpkin and just gave her water, which she had no problem with at all. Then I tried pumpkin mixed with water and she took some, but after just a bit she stopped chewing and swallowing it.

My question is, why is she having such a hard time eating it? She's showing other signs of a URI which is why I think it's that and not a tooth problem, but could she have both a URI and a tooth problem? I just lost my other pig only a month ago and I don't think I can handle losing her, too.
 

bpatters

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First of all, she doesn't have a URI from stress. If she has a URI, it's because she has a bacterial infection. Stress may make it worse, but it won't cause it.

Second, you need to get the pumpkin far enough back in her mouth so that she has no option other than to chew and swallow it. And if you're going to force feed her, it needs to be Critical Care or a pellet slurry rather than pumpkin. A bit of pumpkin to encourage her to eat is fine. Having that be the only thing on the force-fed menu is not.

How long has it been since she stopped eating and drinking?

Have you read this? https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/115000-Handfeeding-a-guinea-pig
 

juliacavies

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thanks for responding.
Unfortunately I don't have access to critical care - no stores near me sell it and the only option would be to order it online, where it wouldn't come for a couple days.
I've tried making the pellet slurry but I can't get it thin enough to go in the syringe. I got it in once but it wouldn't come out easily and then all came out at once so I don't think it would be safe to try to feed her without risking choking her. Is there anything else that I could give?
She hasn't eaten on her own for two days, but I know she's getting at least some from the hand feeding sessions.
 

CavyMama

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If it isn't thin enough keep adding water to it until it's the consistency of baby food. Make sure the pellets are mashed enough by first soaking them in warm water to soften them. Keep adding water and mashing the pellets until you get to the baby food consistency.
 

spy9doc

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One other thought: What type of syringe are you using? A regular medical syringe is just too small to be able to use it to feed a slurry. Go to a pet store and buy a "small animal feeding syringe" (preferably 20-30ml in size) which will making feeding Critical Care or a pellet slurry MUCH easier. @CavyMama knows her stuff......try it her way.

I keep Critical Care on hand just for these situations. IMHO, there is just nothing better for total nutrition. One can order it through Amazon and it will be delivered promptly......even better if you happen to have Amazon Prime.
 

juliacavies

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thank you all so much for responding with suggestions.
She unfortunately didn't make it.
I wasn't allowed to take her that night and so I stayed up at night feeding her in hopes she'd be okay to go to the vet tomorrow. She lived through the night but was looking really bad and I knew she wouldn't survive the stress of going to the vet and I didn't want her to die scared and uncomfortable in a car. I really wish it had all happened differently - if my parents wouldn't have been gone all day we could have taken her then but they were and I just feel so bad.
Again, thank you all so much - I really appreciate the help.
 

spy9doc

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I'm so sorry you had to go through this! Keep your heart open. I'm sure that there is another cavy out there who needs your love.
 
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