Please Help

[genacatherine]

My Daughter wanted to bring home the class pet guinea pig Monday because it was dying and she did not want it to die alone. The teacher was certain that she wouldn't live through the night and agreed. She couldn't move, she couldn't lift her chin off the floor, was shedding large quantities of hair, and she only weighs 12oz (one year old). I couldn't understand why she was dying and started force feeding her vit. C water and Yogurt. She has improved immensely over the past two days and can move around and get to her water bottle.

My concern is that she doesn't seem to be ABLE to eat. She will nibble at things, but then it will usually wind up falling out of her mouth. She tried to eat some timothy hay, but couldn't "cut" the blade. I held one end and she sort of shredded it, knawed it for a few seconds, and then it fell back out. I am worried that something may be wrong with her teeth that she can't eat. Her bottom front teeth are chisle angled towards the inside of her mouth, but her top front teeth are FLAT. Actually, they are almost curved in the middle. But she does not seem to be slobbering. If someone can look at the picture below and let me know if this could be her problem I would really appreciate it.

I also have a moral delimma because if she does recover fully, I cannot in good conscience send her back to the classroom...the teacher was all too willing to let her die without trying anything. So I am resigned to stealing her from a neglectful "home". But I can't keep her - my son has been tested and verified as allergic to Guinea Pigs. This is making me nuts - I want to help her, but don't know what to do. Any suggestions, or resources in the Tulsa, OK area, would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[pennick]

I feel very bad. Unfortunately by you bringing home this piggy it is now your responsibility for its health. I would bring her to the vet immediately. Any reason as to why you haven't done this already?

 

[RubyPiggie2]

You might want to find an exotic animal vet and take her there. They'll possibly trim her teeth, get her a fecal examination, a full health check. A great way to find a vet is here: www.aemv.org
I think that's the site.
For the good home, you could ask some members on this board, GuineaLynx *www.guinealynx.com* or just put her on Petfinder. (www.petfinder.com)
Good luck! She looks beautiful.

 

[RubyPiggie2]

Here's the Oklahomo area of exotic vets:
(broken link removed)
I don't know if there are any near you though. Tulsa, right?

 

[Ketus15]

Many times the problem can be with the back teeth as well. Here is some information: https://www.guinealynx.com/teeth.html

Can you see her tounge moving? Sometimes guinea pigs back teeth become overgrown and actually trap the tounge, making her unable to eat. This requires a vet to file them back down. A vet will need to place a special scope into the pigs mouth to see those very back teeth.

Is she pooping?

Here is some great information about hand feeding:
https://www.guinealynx.com/handfeeding.html

One year old is far too young for a guinea pig! She's not just getting old, and she deserves care. My personal suggestion is to get her well first, and worry about who will care for her later.

Good luck.

 

[Marlania]

It's good to see this pig is doing better. I would definitely swing by the vet, as there's probably more to this problem that meets the eye. I definitely wouldn't let the pig go back to the classroom because it seems that, overall, classroom pets just aren't a good idea. It's hard to teach kids about responsibility to a pet when they're already being neglected in the classroom. Your daughter has a big heart for wanting to get the pig help.

 

[pookczek]

Genacatherine, I think that it's wonderful that you and your daughter took it upon yourselves to help out that cute piggie. Yeah, you!!! Praise your daughter for realizing that the piggie needed help (and scold her teacher for being apathetic).

Yes, I agree with Pennick, Ruby, and Marlenia that you need to take her to an exotic vet. You're doing the right thing!! BIG HUG!!!

 

[Ketus15]

Here are some vets in your neighborhood. Call and ask if they have an experience with guinea pigs:

[font=Arial, sans-serif](broken link removed)
8134 S. Harvard Ave.
Tulsa, OK

(broken link removed)
4750 S. Union Ave.
Tulsa, OK

(broken link removed)
6702 S. Lewis Ave. #D
Tulsa, OK

(broken link removed)
9968 E. 21st St.
Tulsa, OK

[/font][font=Arial, sans-serif](broken link removed)
7220 E. 41st St.
Tulsa, OK

(broken link removed)
3146 S. Mingo Rd.
Tulsa, OK

(broken link removed)
12440 E. 31st St.
Tulsa, OK

[/font]

 

[RubyPiggie2]

Thanks Ketus! Lot more helpful than me.

OK, Piglets_Angel, don't get all over her about it. She probably didn't know that this pig needed a vet pronto. She took this guinea pig out of the kindness of her heart, and has been nursing her back to health. Your post was rude to genacatherine.
Guinea pigs CAN be a classroom pet, if properly treated for. My mom's work has a classroom pet. Sure, he stays in a "store bought cage", but goes home every day and stays in a large playpen for the rest of the day. The children are not allowed to touch him unless the teacher is holding him. She gives him a clean cage, veggies *I'm just about to give her a veggie chart, she's concerned about him lacking vitamin C*, hay, fresh water, all the good stuff. She can't really make a large cage. There aren't many classrooms that take awesome care of their cavies, but then again there aren't many people who take awesome care of their cavies. There's pet stores that contribute to that problem. So don't say that classrooms treat their pigs like crap.
Also, she lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Not likely you'll be getting her
I could take her, but I live in St.Louis, Missouri. That's what, 8-10 hours away?

 

[Ketus15]

Here is a guinea pig rescue in Tulsa, they should be able to help you re-home this guinea pig and give you some advice:

Guinea Pig Rescue & Adoptions
Brandi
Work - (918)272-5986
Home - (918)857-7164

 

[Ketus15]

I apologize for the multiple posts, I'm just trying to put up information as I get it.

About the 'stealing': Since the teacher was convinced that the pig was not going to live the night, perhaps a "little white lie" would be appropriate in this case. Tell the teacher that she's "Gone on to a better place" (Meaning a better home!).

 

[Ketus15]

Thanks Ketus! Lot more helpful than me.

OK, Piglets_Angel,...

No problem. You're very helpful, Ruby!

Did Piglet remove her post? I'm sure if it was a little strong its because she's upset. I'm sorry if any of my posts are a little strong, this is just such a heart renching thread!!

 

[RubyPiggie2]

Yeah, I guess so, she did.
Piglet_Angel, maybe you didn't mean to sound rude or anything, but it seemed like you were yelling. Sorry if you think I'm angry at you, I'm not.

 

[*Piglets-Angel*]

Yes, I deleted my post, I can get rude when a piggie is dying dont get mad at me, I just care about these guys so much its hard not to explode, though im not mad at you genacatherine you guys did an awesome thing taking home that guinea pig, forgive me for being so rude.

 

[genacatherine]

Oh my gosh! Thank you all so much - my head is swimming. I am reading as fast as I can!

So...just so I would know where to begin, are her top teeth supposed to be flat from a profile view? I thought maybe they should be chisle shaped like the bottom. Having never owned one I don't know what is normal, and I haven't been able to locate a picture.

Once again - thank you.

 

[pookczek]

About the 'stealing': Since the teacher was convinced that the pig was not going to live the night, perhaps a "little white lie" would be appropriate in this case. Tell the teacher that she's "Gone on to a better place" (Meaning a better home!).

You know, it's not a white lie when it's the truth. The beauty of phrasing it that "she's gone to a better place" is that it can be interpreted as dying or going to a better home.

 

[VoodooJoint]

Her front teeth look fine. I suspect it's her molars that are the problem. The sooner they are looked at and treated the better. They will not be able to fix themselves.

I'm willing to bet this piggie rarely, or never, saw hay in that classroom so her molars never got worn down.

 

[Denise]

genacatherine, you are a wonderful person (and so is your daughter) for taking in a severely neglected pig. I think you should be commended for your actions. I think a vet visit is a definite must to ensure the pig's continued recovery. You may want to consider contacting the school principal regarding this obvious neglect. I cannot imagine what she is teaching her children about compasion for other living things with an animal is such distress. If the principal does nothing, I would think about contacting the local Animal Protective League. I would under no circumstances give the teacher the pig back and would not lie or even stretch the truth about where it is now or where it will be going. SHAME ON HER!!!!!

 

[Ketus15]

Is there any news?