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Starting Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 10/24/2010 5:20:01 AM
Posts: 1,
Visits: 1
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| I tried sevral things and my guinea pig won't eat or drink anything.
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Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/29/2013 3:34:58 PM
Posts: 125,
Visits: 237
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The cause of this may be Anorexia.
Anorexia is extremely serious and requires veterinary diagnosis and treatment. A new pig you have just brought home that is not eating may have a respiratory or bacterial infection.
In addition, a pet that is losing weight (or if a young guinea pig failing to gain) is also at great risk. Guinea pigs are especially vulnerable because of their need for vitamin C.
Symptoms:
* Refusal to eat or drink
* No feces, not urinating
* Weight loss
Causes:
* Changes in diet
* Wide temperature swings
* Poisoning
* Water deprivation
* Loss of a mate
* An aggressive cage mate
* Problems with feeders or sipper tubes
* Food changes (too hard, unpalatable food, or a poor diet)
* Dental malocclusion
* Pain
* Obesity
* Oral lacerations
* Infectious diseases
* Metabolic disorders such as Vitamin C deficiency or renal failure
Treatment:
If the vet determines there is no bloat or blockage of the intestinal tract, hand feeding can keep your guinea pig alive.
It could also be Scurvy.
The average piggy needs between 10 and 30 mg/kg daily to be healthy.
Pregnant, young, and ill guinea pigs need more vitamin C than the average guinea pig.
Symptoms:
* Lethargy, hunched posture, weakness, unwillingness to move
* Hopping, enlarged or stiff limb joints
* Weight loss
* Refusal to eat
* Diarrhea
* Discharge coming out of eye or nose
* Rough coat
* Tenderness to touch (may cry out in pain if restrained)
Recovery from deficiency usually requires a week of treatment.
* Give 50mg/kg once a day or
* Give 25mg/kg twice a day
If you want to make sure your pig is getting enough vitamin C, you can give a supplement.
Chewable flavoured C can be found in 100 mg tablets which when quartered will add 25 mg to a guinea pig's intake. Avoid multivitamins!
Do not add vitamin C or vita-drops to drinking water! Besides not knowing how much they're getting, when added to water exposed to air, half its strength will vanish within a day. Also, they taste nasty and may make the guinea pig stop drinking.
I wish you and your guinea pig luck!
Come visit my bunnies!
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Average Member
Group: Peer Moderators
Last Login: Yesterday @ 11:10:20 PM
Posts: 584,
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I agree that adding vitamins to the water is a bad idea. I use Oxbow chewable vitamin C. Guinea pigs get additional vitamins from fruits and vegetables.
JOSHUA
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Junior Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 3/29/2013 3:34:58 PM
Posts: 125,
Visits: 237
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I forgot to mention if your guinea pig is kept outside, that they may stop eating and a discharge may start coming from their nares. So if he is outdoors, bring him in!
Come visit my bunnies!
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