new pig does not like veggies!
Just finished a feeding. It went well, he fought some, but is getting better with it. I also got 30ml water in him because it seems he hasn't done well with that today, either.Hopefully, he will poop soon. God, I hope so! Poop, Junior, Poop! Comeon, baby!
Well, just checked his cage and found 3 very small poops. I hope he starts eating soon! He also had a cagemate at the store, so maybe that is another cause of stress. He still does not feel bloated, thank god! When will he eat?????? I think he is eating some hay, I put it in his house for him.
No he isn't, which is why I am really worried about his not eating. My vet could not find any infection. He thinks it is severe stress right now. He has absolutely no interest in food at all, and only nibbles occaisionally on a piece of grass. I almost feel like we are fighting a losing battle sometimes. I would feel better if he showed a little interest in his food. I give him benebac every day, and fluids and his feedings. If he could live on benebac and paper towels, he would be all set! He loves them both! Do most pigs recover from severe stress like this? I sure hope so. I really don't want to lose him!
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Tracis
- Let Sleeping Pigs Lie
You have had Junior for a little over a week, right?
He may be having a difficult time settling in, combined with all the other things going on. Also, some pigs are more shy than others.
You are right - pigs are social creatures and having a companion would be very beneficial. Have you considered eating a meal sitting next to him? It may help him to realize that he's not completely alone, and it is safe to eat.
I have a girl that is very shy. She spent nearly a year hiding behind her cagemate before she decided that it was safe to take a treat from my hand all by herself. I hope that this is not the case with Junior.
Did you ever get an x-ray?
He may be having a difficult time settling in, combined with all the other things going on. Also, some pigs are more shy than others.
You are right - pigs are social creatures and having a companion would be very beneficial. Have you considered eating a meal sitting next to him? It may help him to realize that he's not completely alone, and it is safe to eat.
I have a girl that is very shy. She spent nearly a year hiding behind her cagemate before she decided that it was safe to take a treat from my hand all by herself. I hope that this is not the case with Junior.
Did you ever get an x-ray?
I have a 2yr old male that will be his companion, if he survives this.
We did not get an xray as my vet did not reccomend one at that time. I purchased him on 12/4, brought him back on 12/9 for medical treatment and picked him up on 12/11 to take him to my vet. So, he has been under stress due to all those changes, also.
He has a f/u on Monday at my vet. I would think he would eat by now, but maybe it is going to take him a bit longer(I hope). Keep praying for him, please. He needs all the help he can get right now!
We did not get an xray as my vet did not reccomend one at that time. I purchased him on 12/4, brought him back on 12/9 for medical treatment and picked him up on 12/11 to take him to my vet. So, he has been under stress due to all those changes, also.
He has a f/u on Monday at my vet. I would think he would eat by now, but maybe it is going to take him a bit longer(I hope). Keep praying for him, please. He needs all the help he can get right now!
Still no poops!!! I want to cry right now! I work tonight,too, and have been getting 2-3 hours sleep a day all week. I have some Metoclopramide 1mg/ml elixir. Should I try this? I am scared to try it in case it does not help. What about olive oil to try to move things along? Please help!!!!!
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Tracis
- Let Sleeping Pigs Lie
I'm sorry for your stressful situation. I wish I could be more helpful, but I'm not an expert.
Does he feel bloated or blocked to you?
The impaction page from the Care Guide ( http://www.guinealynx.info/impaction.html ) states that the gastric transition time for a cavy usually takes about 20 hours (from start to finish), and sometimes can take as long as 30 hours. If Junior started eating (via syringe) late yesterday, hopefully you will see something later today.
You would definitely get more responses if this thread were located in the Medical section of the forum. I hope a moderator can move it for you.
Does he feel bloated or blocked to you?
The impaction page from the Care Guide ( http://www.guinealynx.info/impaction.html ) states that the gastric transition time for a cavy usually takes about 20 hours (from start to finish), and sometimes can take as long as 30 hours. If Junior started eating (via syringe) late yesterday, hopefully you will see something later today.
You would definitely get more responses if this thread were located in the Medical section of the forum. I hope a moderator can move it for you.
Would someone please move this to the medical thread? When I started this, it wasn't nearly as bad as it has gotten. Good news again- 18 poops last night!!!!! I am very happy again. For every step forward, he seems to step back one, too. I have not tried the
metoclopramide. I guess I just panicked. Last night he ate 2-3 more pellets while I had him out. He is taking his feedings much better. Today I am very hopeful. He still looks good, amazingly, and has basically maintained his weight. If he ate pellets last night, it was only a few, not enough to notice. He also is sniffing his veggies! He ate a bit of carrot. So far carrot is the only thing he even tries. He made me so nervous last night!
metoclopramide. I guess I just panicked. Last night he ate 2-3 more pellets while I had him out. He is taking his feedings much better. Today I am very hopeful. He still looks good, amazingly, and has basically maintained his weight. If he ate pellets last night, it was only a few, not enough to notice. He also is sniffing his veggies! He ate a bit of carrot. So far carrot is the only thing he even tries. He made me so nervous last night!
He does not feel bloated or blocked at all to me. He started the CC late Wed. night, but just did not poop all day yesterday for some reason. He ended up going alot last night,and has done a few today, too. They are still on the small side and dry quickly. They are slightly wet when they first come out. He fought his feeding this morning something terrible. It was like the first day all over again. He also fought his fluids. Has anyone seen a few poops strung together? He had 3 long thin poops strung together just now. He is drinking some and I am giving him fluids via eye dropper, too. When I have him on the table before his feedings, he sniffs everything and is very curious, which is good. He sits like a lump when he is in his cage, though. I wish he would come out once in a while. Maybe in time, he will. I can take pet him now and he will coo a bit, which is good. He is slowly making progress, but not as quickly as I would like to see. Could he need something to boost his appetite?
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Mum
- I GAVE, dammit!
Does he still have lice?
If so, run out and get some Advantage (the plain type, not the other stuff). This will treat the lice very quickly and efficiently. Keep up with the ivermectin treatments for the mites he's bound to have. (Check the dosing instructions on this site before you apply the Advantage).
Stringy poops are a sign of gastric upset. You need to be feeding him his critical care in a 1cc syringe with the tip cut off. He'll need at least 50ccs in a 24 hours period - and many will take up to 100ccs.
You're weighing daily, right?
If so, run out and get some Advantage (the plain type, not the other stuff). This will treat the lice very quickly and efficiently. Keep up with the ivermectin treatments for the mites he's bound to have. (Check the dosing instructions on this site before you apply the Advantage).
Stringy poops are a sign of gastric upset. You need to be feeding him his critical care in a 1cc syringe with the tip cut off. He'll need at least 50ccs in a 24 hours period - and many will take up to 100ccs.
You're weighing daily, right?
I am using a 20cc syringe so I don't have to keep refilling it. He is not easy to hang on to, and having to put him down every time would be difficult. I can try it, though. I am weighing him 2x daily, am and pm. He fluctuates within 1 ounce, but otherwise maintains.
Vet said ivermectin would treat lice as well as mites, and he goes on Monday for a 2nd dose and a recheck. He still has no appetite, but will nibble on timothy hay and a bit of carrot. What will help gastric upset? He still is not bloated at all, and does not appear tender in the abdomen. He gets about 36cc's of critical care dailyper vet's orders, and that is very difficult to get in him as he fights it terrible. I also am trying to push fluids, but that is tough also. I wish he was a cooperative patient. Maybe his feed needs to be increased, but I would like to cure his gastric upset, or the increased feed may make him uncomfortable. I don't visibly see the lice, and he isn't scratching much.
Vet said ivermectin would treat lice as well as mites, and he goes on Monday for a 2nd dose and a recheck. He still has no appetite, but will nibble on timothy hay and a bit of carrot. What will help gastric upset? He still is not bloated at all, and does not appear tender in the abdomen. He gets about 36cc's of critical care dailyper vet's orders, and that is very difficult to get in him as he fights it terrible. I also am trying to push fluids, but that is tough also. I wish he was a cooperative patient. Maybe his feed needs to be increased, but I would like to cure his gastric upset, or the increased feed may make him uncomfortable. I don't visibly see the lice, and he isn't scratching much.
I will try the 1cc for now, with the tip cut off. I will try to get a 3 or 6cc syringe at the vet. Do they usuall y have the catheter tips for them?
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Talishan
- You can quote me
They come that way ... they look just like the middle syringe in the photo. They're a solid piece of plastic. 'Catheter tip' just means that the tip is kinda long and narrow, vs. short and stubby (designed for different purposes).
You won't have to add or attach anything.
You won't have to add or attach anything.
As I am sitting here, Junior is eating a carrot!!! He also ate some hay and 2-3 pellets on his own, too! Maybe his gastric upset is clearing up on it's own? I am very proud of his progress!!!! The only thing is to get him to eat, I take his house out for a very short time(10-15 min.), and as soon as he is done I put it back, even if it is only 2 or 3 minutes. I don't want to stress him any more, but this seems to be the only thing that encourages him to eat at all in his cage. I hope I don't have to do it for long, maybe a few days. 23 poops overnight, a bit bigger than they have been, but still 2 strung together. That is better than before. He is seeming a bit more comfortable around us, too. CC feeding last night was awful again. He fought so much I needed help, and even then it was very hard! He sure has a strong head and neck for a pig that has barely eaten! I have not weighed him yet today. Will post his progress later.
Junior's weight is slightly down again, but still within an ounce. It took an hour to feed him this morning, it is getting so hard, as he must be the most difficult piggie there is to syringe feed! I am really having a hard time with him! He only ate less than 1/4 of his carrot, but at least he ate some.
I hope he starts eating normally soon. I can't wait until we are done with the dreaded feedings! Other than that, he is doing well. I held him for a while after I fed him, and he licked my arm for quite a while! It was cute, and I was impressed that he just sat there without trying to bolt!
I hope he starts eating normally soon. I can't wait until we are done with the dreaded feedings! Other than that, he is doing well. I held him for a while after I fed him, and he licked my arm for quite a while! It was cute, and I was impressed that he just sat there without trying to bolt!
You are lucky to be getting guinea pig kisses from Junior. Come on Junior, show us how you can poop. My one girl made 35 poops in less than 1/2 hour one time. Of course she is over 3 lbs., but still, you should be doing some serious pooping.
You could also try putting some pellets in the pigloo with him. I find my guinea pigs like the idea of "eating in bed."
You could also try putting some pellets in the pigloo with him. I find my guinea pigs like the idea of "eating in bed."
I'm new to the forum, but thought I'd share my experience with Critical Care.
When my piggie was on it a few months ago, the vet said some pigs would happily eat it without being force-fed, so after a couple days of syringe feeding, we mixed up a thick pasty blob of Critical Care -- think mashed potato consistency -- and dropped it on top of Kyle's food bowl. He nibbled at it the first time we tried, and the whole blob dried up so I could pick it out easily the next day. The second day, he ate almost the whole thing! You might try it, especially since it doesn't sound like Junior recognizes vegetables as food.
Good luck getting that baby healthy again!
When my piggie was on it a few months ago, the vet said some pigs would happily eat it without being force-fed, so after a couple days of syringe feeding, we mixed up a thick pasty blob of Critical Care -- think mashed potato consistency -- and dropped it on top of Kyle's food bowl. He nibbled at it the first time we tried, and the whole blob dried up so I could pick it out easily the next day. The second day, he ate almost the whole thing! You might try it, especially since it doesn't sound like Junior recognizes vegetables as food.
Good luck getting that baby healthy again!