URGENT Very Sick Guinea Pig

[chicknmania]

I have a feeling we are probably too late, but what can this be? We have a female GP about 3 or 4 y.o. A week or so, our other female, about
2 y.o., who was this one's baby, died. She had been quiet for a few days but showed no other symptoms. Now Spud is showing neuro symptoms,
wants to eat, but can't. She lists to one side when she walks, and has mild spasms sometimes. I am going to take her to the vet probably when they
open but looks like it might be too late. We have a male GP (Spud's other baby) in a separate cage. I would like to protect him if this contagious,
so we'd like to find out. Anyone have an idea?

 

[geeber]

I'm so sorry about spud.

If she is shuddering & cannot eat it may be time to let her pass. It might be the most humane thing to do. We had to put our boy down a few months ago b/c he could not use his back end.
Please keep in mind that guinea pigs usually have about a 5 yr life span. That is very normal.
Give Spud lots of hugs & hang in there.

Edited to add: This could be a vitamin deficiency as they cannot produce their own vitamin C. Lots of fresh produce can be supplemented.

 

[jerseygirl1]

5 Years? Wow, what a short lifespan, but I'm sure yours had a great one - I am sorry for his/her suffering......

 

[chicknmania]

Thanks, we thought about the vitamin deficiency. The Gp's belong to my girls, who are young adults now
so don't have as much time for them as they used to, but still, they take pretty good care of them, just
don't handle them as much. They have been trying to give more veggies and fruits since the first one died.
I am mainly concerned about something contagious, which might involve the third one, and of course I hate to see
Spuddie suffer. I wondered about salt deficiency as we have never been able to get ours to lick those salt wheels,
and gave up for a while. If I take her to the vet, I fully expect to be prepared to put her down.

Just feel sorry
for my youngest, off to school without really getting to say goodbye.

 

[chicknmania]

My youngest just texted me from school wanting to know how Spud is.
She has an appt at the vets this afternoon, but I would guess it's best
to leave her alone til then, I would think it would stress her out to have
me peeking at her all the time. So idk if she's even still alive....

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I hope she makes it until the vet appointment.

What have you been feeding them? What food do they get every day, in what amounts, including the name of any commercial food you are feeding?

 

[Ema]

guinea pigs are not like rabbits, they do not lick salt wheels. a guinea pigs lifespan is 4-5 years sometimes this can be more or less depending on their level of activity.

Guinea pigs need a good alfalfa pellet, meant for guinea pigs, rabbit food is harmful to them. Also, any food that has nuts and corn etc in it is not recommended because their kidneys cannot actually process that stuff.

guinea pigs require vitamin C supplements, Usually 1/4 piece of vitamin C tablet unless the guinea pig gets a fully balanced diet.

ours are fed a strictly alfalfa pellet, hay which is required 24/7, they get lettuce leaves every day, or spinach, or parsley, I switch between the three for variety, about half a carrot once or twice a week, and apples 4 to 5 times per week. Mine do not like other vegies or fruits. Broccoli in large amounts is harmful to them.

You mentioned babies, how long ago did your guinea pig give birth?

this site will likely have some answers for you while you wait to get the piggie to the vet

http://cavyspirit.com/

good luck

 

[chicknmania]

Thanks. She died this morning..

. She gave birth two or three years ago, I'd have to look
at my journal to know for sure. So she was around three or four years old, anyway, when she died, maybe more. I really think she languished after Lacie, her daughter, died...she just never perked up again and although she was eating,was very quiet. There may have been other contributing factors but I think that was a big one. We still have Toffee, the male, and at this point it is the other possible contributingfactors that concern me. He is in a separate cage and seems normal, although he was quiet after Lacie died, he perked up again. I am worried about something being contagious. Thanks for the link, we'll look at it. They had lots of veggies and fruit in their diet, but no vit c supplement, other than that. . i don't want to text my youngest to give her the bad news...guess I'll wait til she gets home.

 

[chicknmania]

Quote:
They were eating guinea pig pellets from the feed store, and/ or occasionally deluxe gp food, I can't remember the brand name, but the kind you can get at any pet store, or most grocery stores; it wasn't an off brand or anything though. Plus leaf lettuce, carrots, clover or grass in the summer, apples, grass or alfalfa hay, sometimes parsley or spinach, strawberries, melon, celery. I know that they are not supposed to have iceberg lettuce or the hard to digest vegetables like broccoli or cabbage, so they didnt get those. Amounts? A small handfull of pellets, food, or hay...we rotated the hay and veggies and fruit..small portions of the fruit and veggies, like a slice of apple or two, and/or one baby carrot or two, per gp, per day, maybe a leaf of lettuce...just kind of depends on what we have available, and what their interests are. .

 

[Silkie Sue]

i'm so sorry for your loss :
how do they get so deep into our hearts???

the happiness they provide us is worth the pain even though it doesn't feel like it right now