Help...what would you do.
I have a just 3 years old male, Teddy, who has been through a lot since last Wed when he was diagnosed with a URI. The baytril caused loss of appetite... started hand feeding critical care on Friday.... stopped oral ABs Saturday. Took him back to the vet Monday. Lungs sounded better...vet prescribed nasal ABs...give for 7 days. He perked back up Tuesday and Wednesday. Then stressed out when I went to give him his drops Thursday morning...loss of appetite by that evening. Fed critical care that night. Little bit of an appetite next morning...but for the most part not eating much.
Took him to his follow up appointment yesterday. Vet said lungs were clear and his nose was sounding better. GI system still active. When I told her what had happened Thursday morning and how he was acting at the vet she said he was over stressed and to stop giving the nose drops and give him some time to relax...not to hand feed either for a day and see if he destresses.
He did poop loose stools on the way home. He ate some pellets and little bit of hay and drank some water when we got home. But today he munched on a piece of bell pepper but didn't finish it and has just been hunched in his house.
At times he kind of twitches like he is falling asleep and starts to lay over then sits back up.
Does it seem like he is giving up? Do I leave him alone the rest of the day and night or should I hand feed him critical care? What would you do?
Took him to his follow up appointment yesterday. Vet said lungs were clear and his nose was sounding better. GI system still active. When I told her what had happened Thursday morning and how he was acting at the vet she said he was over stressed and to stop giving the nose drops and give him some time to relax...not to hand feed either for a day and see if he destresses.
He did poop loose stools on the way home. He ate some pellets and little bit of hay and drank some water when we got home. But today he munched on a piece of bell pepper but didn't finish it and has just been hunched in his house.
At times he kind of twitches like he is falling asleep and starts to lay over then sits back up.
Does it seem like he is giving up? Do I leave him alone the rest of the day and night or should I hand feed him critical care? What would you do?
-
- And got the T-shirt
Are you seeing an exotic vet? Because I wouldn't trust any vet that told me not to hand-feed a pig that's not eating. They're wired to need food moving through their gut at all times, and painful, even fatal complications can happen if they don't.
I would definitely hand feed him (see https://www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html). I would also get some infant simethicone and give him 3-4 doses per day, 1/4 of the infant dose.
If he's hunched up, he's probably in pain for some reason. Or else he's just sick. Is there an emergency vet anywhere close to you that knows anything about guinea pigs?
I would definitely hand feed him (see https://www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html). I would also get some infant simethicone and give him 3-4 doses per day, 1/4 of the infant dose.
If he's hunched up, he's probably in pain for some reason. Or else he's just sick. Is there an emergency vet anywhere close to you that knows anything about guinea pigs?
-
- And got the T-shirt
The rule of thumb for hand-feeding pigs is that a pig who's eating nothing on its own needs 100+ cc of Critical Care for every kilogram it weighs, every day, broken into 6-8 feedings around the clock. You adjust down or up if the pig weighs more or less than one kilogram, and adjust down for however much other food its eating.
You do need to find a good exotic vet.
You do need to find a good exotic vet.
Yes, I researched all of that about feeding when I was given critical care on Friday.
Unfortunately there are not any just exotic vets close to me. I have to rely on vets that see cavy's.
The vet I have been taking him to is really good and came highly recommended by other vets in the area for cavy's. I trust her.
Unfortunately there are not any just exotic vets close to me. I have to rely on vets that see cavy's.
The vet I have been taking him to is really good and came highly recommended by other vets in the area for cavy's. I trust her.