I think PetSmart sold me a very little baby cavy

Aradiantlight · Post » Mon Mar 12, 2018 5:46 am

Hi guys 3 days ago my Hermione passed away after 4 years of much love. I have another new guy that I've had for almost 2 months. He is huge, and very healthy but since Hermione passed I figured I better get him a little guy to be buddies with. I went to PetSmart for bedding (I normally go to a small family owned shop an hour away) but I was short on time and couldn't make the drive. Anyway my little jack was sitting there and came up to my hand when I pressed it on the glass. I just couldn't pass him up. I brought him home and gave him 24 hours alone just to make sure he was acting right. I put him in his the cage with Ringo and they are getting along fine but jack doesn't seem to know how to eat pellets. He eats the hell out of the hay and is drinking and pooping. But the pellets he twirls in his mouth then spits back in the bowl and runs off. I noticed how much smaller he was than my Ringo when I brought him home within an hour our so. I measured him and he is only 5 inches and weighs 2 ounces. I've also noticed he has a marble sized lump under his neck. It's stayed the same size and doesn't seem to hurt him. But PetSmart won't pay for his vet bills unless I return him and I can't do that. I'm unsure what to do. The closest exotics vet is 2 hours away and I don't have 300 for exam and meds right now.

Post » Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:07 am

If there is a lump on his neck, it is possible it is Cervical Lymphadenitis (CL) or "Lumps" which absolutely require veterinary treatment. At the very least, evaluation to find out what the lump is.
https://www.guinealynx.info/lumps.html

Two ounces is extremely small. You probably need a product like Critical Care to feed him if he is only eating hay (he will learn to eat pellets).

You bought a very young, probably sick pig. You need a vet.

I am sorry about Hermione.

GrannyJu1 · Post » Mon Mar 12, 2018 9:30 am

I'm very sorry about Hermione's passing. Rest in peace, little one. You are loved and missed.

With 2 new little ones, you'll soon be smiling, between thoughts of sadness. I have to agree with Lynx: you do need to see an exotics vet, if only to set your mind at rest. I recently purchased 2 little babies and although they are from different litters, they do share at least one common relative, and they, too, have small lumps under their chin. I took them to the vet for their first checkup and when I asked about those, she explained that the lumps are simply where two bones meet. They will grow out of this soon. Set your mind at rest - take them to the vet. And don't forget to weigh both at least weekly. If it was me, I'd weigh the newest one that is so small, daily.

Aradiantlight · Post » Mon Mar 12, 2018 3:14 pm

I found a vet that was closer that has experience with Piggy's who will work with me. He can't see him until Friday though. Can I buy critical care at a store? With Hermione her vet told me to wet pellets and syringe feed her if she was still chewing. Is this an option for this little guy? He is so sweet he gives kisses and loves snuggle time. He is popcorning and running around fine. I haven't bought from PetSmart since I was a little girl because of this.im worried if they take him to their vet they will kill him or switch him out on me. They said they will return him and take him today and put my name on him and notify me when he is healthy. I can't do that especially if it is something like an abscess that just needs some antibiotics. Any suggestions until I can get him somewhere I trust?

bpatters · Post » Mon Mar 12, 2018 3:20 pm

I definitely wouldn't take him to PetSmart -- their vets have an awful reputation.

You can buy Critical Care in some places, or order it online. You can also use a pellet slurry.

Abscesses in guinea pigs usually need draining as well as antibiotics. Guinea pig pus is very thick and cheesy, and it's hard/impossible for antibiotics to completely clear up a big pocket of pus.

However, there's no guarantee that what your pig has is an abscess. It may, as Lynx said, be CL. If so, the organism that causes that is very contagious, and the lesions sometimes rupture and get the gunk all over the place.

Are you in Washington state or D.C.? I think I'd try to find a vet who could see him before Friday.

Aradiantlight · Post » Mon Mar 12, 2018 3:31 pm

Washington state I called the vet hospital here in Lakewood yesterday and spoke to the vet. He said he wasn't an exotics but there was a hospital in Bothell and Des Moines that specialized. Bothell is almost 3 hours out and they want all the cash up front and won't do a payment arrangement for me. The one in des Moines said I could come in Friday morning and he would examine him and work with me on payment. That's still an hour away but the only other option is another hospital that doesn't have an exotics and they tell me on the phone as long as he is acting fine and eating to wait to take him to a specialist.

bpatters · Post » Mon Mar 12, 2018 3:45 pm

I'd wait on an exotic vet.

Google "exotic vets tacoma washington" without the quotes -- you'll find a bunch of hits.

Aradiantlight · Post » Mon Mar 12, 2018 4:00 pm

I already did that and most of them are closed or there isn't even an exotics vet there anymore. Seattle is just as far as Bothell in the end. That's why I ended up just calling the local hospital yesterday and they told me of the 3 they knew that would treat guinea pigs.

Post » Mon Mar 12, 2018 8:52 pm

I was very interested in GrannyJu1's comment:

. . . I recently purchased 2 little babies and although they are from different litters, they do share at least one common relative, and they, too, have small lumps under their chin. I took them to the vet for their first checkup and when I asked about those, she explained that the lumps are simply where two bones meet. They will grow out of this soon. . .

Is the lump soft and squishy? What size?

It would be a great relief if it was not an abscess.

GrannyJu1 · Post » Tue Mar 13, 2018 8:41 am

The lumps I found are in about the same place on both babies: under the chin on the right side. They are hard and don't move. They're small enough to feel but not see. I don't think they are abscess at all.

Aradiantlight · Post » Tue Mar 13, 2018 6:38 pm

Hey guys I managed to get little jack seen by an exotics vet this morning. The vet seems to think his cyst is nothing to worry about and his body will absorb it. He doesn't believe it is an abscess and told me to continue checking the size of it daily just to make sure it doesn't grow. Overall he said he is tiny they sold me a week to two week old piggy. He suggested pellet slurries and the critical care for him until I see him eating. Which today after the long drive I noticed he finally started eating pellets. He spits them out a few times but he picks them up again and eats them. I assume this is to soften them. Jack has gained 2 and a half ounces in the last 2 days and is currently very happy cuddling mr.ringo Starr. This has been the first time ever owning boars and I am extreamly happy that they accept and love one another. It seems that they will have a long happy life together. :) I will be keeping updates of little Jack's weight and progress. I wanted baby piggies but I never thought I'd get sold one as tiny as my little guy. I would really like to file a complaint against PetSmart for this anyone know who I could contact?

bpatters · Post » Tue Mar 13, 2018 6:58 pm

It seems that they will have a long happy life together. :)

You might want to look up Feylin's Boars Behaving Badly threads before you get too rhapsodic over how well they're getting along. They're babies. You ain't seen nothin' yet -- wait until puberty hits and you have to deal with boar glue in unexpected places.