Poorly guinea pig

[The Highway Man]

I have a couple of guinea pigs, male and female. I've gone out this morning to feed them and the female is panting heavily with laboured breathing and is off her food which in itself is very unusual as she normally shoulder charges her hutch mates out of the way on a morning feed. I've checked her eyes and ears and they are clean with no mucus. I'm at work at the moment and it's going to be a day or 2 before I can get anywhere near a vets to get her checked over. Any ideas?

[Muncle Trogg]

Has the male been neutered?

Could well be that the female is preggers. It's the whole reason we made sure that we got 2 females!

[The Highway Man]

No chance of being preggers, poor fella had his nuts removed when he was a piglet. They're brother and sister from the same litter and have been together since they were born. They are just over 4 years old.

[bexVN]

Sadly I'm afraid if you don't get her to a vet today she will prob not survive another 2 days, apart from making sure she is eating, drinking and not too hot or cold there is not much else you can do (at least I can't think of anything )

[The Highway Man]

I've managed to get away from work and get her looked at. She's been diagnosed with pneumonia. She's got anti biotics and anti inflammatory medicine to see if that works. If not she's getting put to sleep on Tuesday so fingers crossed.

[BlackVanDyke]

poor piggie!

Might help her out a bit to have a stay in an oxygen tank if the vet has one?

A friend who fosters kittens bought a second-hand oxygen concentrator and made her own as the tiny ones get ill very easily.

Wish her feeling better soon; that or a swift and gentle journey to the hereafter.

[The Highway Man]

Sadly, she didn't make it, she didn't have enough strength to fight the infection.



RIP Bella 2007 -2011.

[BlackVanDyke]

Aww, I'm sorry.

Keep an eye on the boy pig, they don't always do too well on their own, he'll be lonely.

Guineapigs are such fab little animals but they do tend to be a bit fragile...

[The Highway Man]

They shared the hutch with a barking mad blue dutch doe who mothers them. The 2 guineas spent the night indoors. When I put the boar back in with the rabbit this morning, she was all over him washing him, so I think he'll be fine. He'll pine a little for his sister which is only understandable as they spent every minute together since they were born.

[bexVN]

Sorry too hear that she didn't make it , there was little else you could do for her unfortunately.

[Superficial]

Quinny said:

Sorry to hear about little piggy

That's part of the trouble with GP's the fact that they go down hill very quickly when all is not well...

This, very hardy little things but once they get ill so hard to bring them back. So sorry for your loss.

[The Highway Man]

Thanks for your messages guys, it's greatly appreciated. The wife and little lad have said their goodbyes and she's been laid to rest.

[Zeemax_Mini]

I've had 3 pairs of guineas in the past, and when one's died the other has followed shortly after. When the most recent one had a partner who died, we put a rolled up pair of socks into the hutch - he took it food from the bowl and cuddled up with it at night, and lasted ages before he eventually died of old age...might be worth a go!

Dom

[The Highway Man]

Like I said previously, he shares the hutch with a rabbit, they are very close. He cuddles into her of a night and she mothers him and washes him. He never pulls away when she's cleaning him, so I assume he likes it.

[Willy Nilly]

The Highway Man said:

Like I said previously, he shares the hutch with a rabbit, they are very close. He cuddles into her of a night and she mothers him and washes him. He never pulls away when she's cleaning him, so I assume he likes it.

I'm pretty sure that you're not supposed to keep wabbits and guinea pigs in the same hutch/run. The rabbits bully them or something.

Guinea pigs are ace and if my nieces don't have some I will call social services

[The Highway Man]

I've read that, but I've never had a problem, not with these:



or their predecessors.



They all lived together quite happily. Admittedly, both rabbits have been does who have never mated so they mother the guineas.

[Zeemax_Mini]

Ah sorry had missed that - much better that the guinea's got a friend, even if they're not "meant" to be friends! Just give him/her lots of cuddles and fingers crossed it'll be fine!

Dom