Can a GP be allergic to hay?

[akgoaliemom]

Odd question, I know, but is it possible?

One of my boys, Gus, came out to greet me Friday morning with "sleepy" eyes. I figured he must have been sleeping prior to my coming to see them. Unfortunately, he spent all day with "sleepy" eyes. By Friday evening, he was a little lethargic and not doing his wheeking when I showed up with their salad bowl. Today, it's even worse. His eyes are not even at half-mast.

Only 2 things changed last week - both on Thursday.

First, I had put a new hay in their home. They'd previously been munching on packaged timothy from the petstore where I got them. However, because my daughter takes horse-riding lessons, her instructor offered me free hay from her feed room for my GP's. I bagged some up and brought it home. It wasn't dusty or dirty or moldy (she stores her hay VERY well) and smelled great. It's a 2004 first cut timothy/brome mixture from a local farm here in Alaska. The leaves are quite a bit thinner than the timothy bag that I purchase that comes from Washington.

Second, they starting getting orange bell pepper added to their romaine lettuce.

I'm thinking it might be the hay. I removed it and completely cleaned out the cage to see if there was any change. Poor Fuzz doesn't know what's wrong with his buddy and won't leave his side in the loft (only a towel liner and a fleece sleeping bag, but that's where they get their salad).

Gus is not eating quite as well, and is still lethargic (as compared to his regular energy level). Could it be that new hay?

I've read that illnesses might not show symptoms until some time after they strike, so this may be a moot point with the hay. I can't get Gus to a vet until Monday as we have no emergency care in my area - it's limited to dogs/cats/horses.

Thoughts? Help?

 

[My Baby Mu]

It could have been the pepper too. I would mush up some food and add a little bit of water then feed it to him with a syringe. Until the vet. I really don't know though about it.

That would be so cute with Fuzz staying right next to Gus's side.

 

[rabbitsncavyluv]

Dusty hay can bother them. I don't know about allergies, and doubt they'd cause them to go off their food, but it sounds like they may have caught URIs. Are they maintaining weight? You may need to hand feed and get them ABs.

 

[dagwellismypigy]

YOu said you got him from a petstore in your other post. Petstores are notorious for selling sick pigs. It sounds like a URI, not hay allergies.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

I am thinking URI too. Allergies usually don't make anyone really lethargic. Please take your pig to a vet for a good checkup.

 

[rabbitsncavyluv]

Ditto. Didn't know you just got them from a pet store. They need to see a vet. I highly doubt it's truly allergies.

 

[Slap Maxwell]

Sounds like he needs to go to the vet ASAP. Lethargy is VERY problamatic. You need to make sure he keeps eating.

 

[akgoaliemom]

Sounds like he needs to go to the vet ASAP. Lethargy is VERY problamatic. You need to make sure he keeps eating.

Well, he chowed on the peppers and lettuce this evening and is even nibbling at the pellets and downing some hay. I have yet to see him hit the water bottle, though, and that probably concerns me the most.

I will be pig-watching through the evening.