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Mumsnet does not check the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you're worried about the health of your pet, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Mumsnet does not check the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you're worried about the health of your pet, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Small pets

poorly pig

20 replies

ChunkyMcBitch · 13/11/2016 19:28

One of our piggies has taken a turn for the worse this afternoon, off her food and drink, inactive, and no poo or wee. We picked her up and she made awful noises, then began coughing and squirting frothy goo from her nose - her chin and chest were soaking. No vets available until tomorrow. She has now stopped yelping, coughing and frothing but is very subdued and wont eat or drink. Is there anything we can do until we see the vet or is it just a waiting game? 15 yo DD is distraught, we have spent the past five hours sat cuddling Peanut and wiping her nose. Other piggy is shouting loudly wondering where her play mate is but we separated immediately in case whatever she has is infectious.
Any advice or help would be great, thanks

OP posts:

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PurpleDaisies · 13/11/2016 19:33

Oh poor piggy! Do you have any syringe food you can make her eat? It's really important to keep her bowels moving. If not you can crush up some pellets and make a paste with warm water. Keep her warm and comfortable.

It sounds like a chest infection-do you have any leftover antibiotics from any previous infections etc?

Good luck to your piggy-it's horrible when they're ill.

PurpleDaisies · 13/11/2016 19:35

If you can get hold of an emergency vet for a chat, that would be a good plan-the lack of poo/wee is a bad sign.

ChunkyMcBitch · 13/11/2016 19:38

She has never been ill before - she's only 2 and a half so wasn't expecting anything like this just yet. She has just taken some small pieces of cucumber, but I will definitely give the pellet paste a go. Thank you!

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GinPleaseOrTen · 13/11/2016 19:41

How old is said piglet? Could you stomach tube it with some milk from the sow? Alternatively, it may be beneficial to tube it with something that might rehydrate it - lectade if it's available?

GinPleaseOrTen · 13/11/2016 19:42

Sorry, read piggie as piglet! The above suggestion is probably not going to be much help.

PurpleDaisies · 13/11/2016 19:43

Unfortunately chest infections and guineas are a really bad mix-definitely vet ASAP.

Guinea pig's digestive systems stop working if they don't eat for too long so it's a good idea to keep a bag something like oxbow critical care in the cupboard just in case you need to force feed them-it's not as bag as it sounds. You make up a paste using the powder and squirt it into the piggy's mouth.

BratFarrarsPony · 13/11/2016 19:44

it is not a guinea pig it is a PIG.
Are there really no emergency vets OP?

PurpleDaisies · 13/11/2016 19:46

Apologies I assumed guinea pig because of being on small pets board.

I know nothing about piglets.

ChunkyMcBitch · 13/11/2016 19:50

Sorry for the confusion, she is a guinea pig.

And we live very rurally pony, to get her to the nearest emergency vet will take 90 minutes' drive. Do you think it is worth causing her the upset?

Thanks to everyone else for their help (even the pig and sow one )

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BratFarrarsPony · 13/11/2016 19:54

oh I thought it was a real pig....
I am sure she will pull through.

PurpleDaisies · 13/11/2016 19:54

And we live very rurally pony, to get her to the nearest emergency vet will take 90 minutes' drive. Do you think it is worth causing her the upset?

Can you ring them and ask for advice? From your description it sounds like she's very unwell.

Pyrrha · 13/11/2016 19:55

I'd take her to the vet is at all possible. My beloved Squidge died from a chest infection; I noticed a snotty nose one evening, took him to the vet at 8:30 in the morning and he had deteriorated so fast he had to be put to sleep. If it's an outdoor piggy then definitely keep her very warm and indoors tonight. And keep trying to feed, maybe mashed up banana?

ChunkyMcBitch · 13/11/2016 19:55

Thank you, Ill try and ring them now.

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 13/11/2016 20:00

Poor guinea - TBH she doesn't sound like she'll survive the night, once they go they tend to go quickly

Not eating or drinking, not peeing or poohing are all really serious signs.
The noises, the frothy snot ................

Is the wetness on her chin from the nose or d'you think she's just not been able to move herself, poor soul, and wee'd on herself.

You can try and syringe feed her to give her some hydration (sloppy pellets in water mash) and just feed her very slowly so she doesn't choke,
You need to put the syringe (Calpol syringe or athe end of a teaspoon) just behind her teeth and let her chew it so she swallows, or you rn the risk of it going down her windpipe.
Taking the cucumber is good, she'll get fluid from that.

Keep her warm give her a cosy hay filled box and maybe have her cagemate nearby for company but not in with her.

See what tomorrow bring you ...

GinPleaseOrTen · 13/11/2016 20:05

I'm glad it's a guinea pig, rather than a farmyard pig! However I really hope your guinea pig makes a swift recovery - definitely worth calling the vet for advice, in my experience they're usually very willing to help over the phone.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 13/11/2016 20:06

Its a tough call but the vet will likely PTS or try antibiotics,fluids,painkillers (not pleasant, we took our GP3 , he had sub-cutaneous saline, he didn't like it)

If you think she's on the road to The Bridge, hand on heart, let her have peace tonight, and let her just slip away. The journey to the vets, the treatment, its stressful.

Once they go floppy and rubbery it's better just to cuddle and comfort them, let their last hours be calm (they are pretty well out of it by this stage)

And before anyone says I'm a mean old bag who won't take her piggies to the vet, not true, it's just that when they go within hours, they aren't lingering suffering.
Its part of the sad things about guinea-pigs, you don't get long to turn them around.

ChunkyMcBitch · 14/11/2016 01:13

Well Peanut just passed to Rainbow Bridge about an hour ago. Me and DD sat and held her all evening, stroked her, loved her and made her as comfortable as possible. Absolutely gutted right now.

Thank you for all of your help and advice

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PurpleDaisies · 14/11/2016 07:35

That's such sad news. Sorry for your loss.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 14/11/2016 21:22

Bye Bye Peanut.
But being cuddled and soothed by your owners is probably the nicest way for a piggie to shrug off this mortal coil.
Sad for the owner though.
You and your DD must be in bits

Cuddles to her cagemate, lots of treats and attention , she'll be looking for Peanut.

RandomMess · 14/11/2016 21:28

So sorry for you loss, there is little that could have been done

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