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Small pets

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Original poster

I think my Guinea Pig might be blind

19 replies

MissStrawberry · 09/09/2013 20:37

Yesterday I was putting hay in their hutch, I have a boy and girl, and BoyPiggy walked all the way over to the entrance and then fell out . They are both pretty nervy but I have noticed him coming closer and not running off as much as normal so I am wondering now if he can't see me . When he fell out I had to grab him quick and put him back in upside down as I knew we'd never catch him if he ran off and their was a good chance GirlCat would attack him.

What do I do?

OP posts:

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 09/09/2013 20:54

Aw it is worrying when things happen with guinea-pigs, they are such vunerable little animals.

How old are your pigs?
Is it just Boy Pig that you have noticed isn't behaving as you'd expect?

Is it just a recent thing?
GPs can lose their sight like any other animal.
One cause could be diabetes which is common with GPs. Has he been drinking more? Has he lost weight?

If you wace your hands near his eyes does he flinch or move? Difficult with a nervy GP because they'll flinch instinctively.

Can you put a barrier up when you open his cage to prevent him falling out - he'll do himself an injury.

Is he a pinkeyed? I've read on some sites that their sight is the same as a darkeyed pig. I had 2 Himmy sows and their sight definately wasn;t but they were born that way. (My baby pig is red eyed but AFAIK he's ok)

Have his eyes been weepy or sunken? Injury can affect eyes or problems with teeth.

A vet would do a blood test from the claw quick or ask you for a pee sample.

Original poster

MissStrawberry · 09/09/2013 21:06

He is roughly 5 years old. We got him from the rescue centre. Nothing else appears different other than the not running off quite as much. I will do some checks on him tomorrow. GirlPiggy has red eyes but always had and BoyPiggy's eyes are very dark. If he is blind what does it mean for him? .

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 09/09/2013 21:34

5 yo is GP middle/old age really. (If you take the average as being 5-8 lifespan)

They use more of their senses like sense of smell and hearing. When you think about it, most of the time they prefer to hide away in the dark. If I leave the lid up on my boys haybox, they burrow into the hay. I suppose they feel vunerable out in the 'open'.

If his eyesight has deteriorated then keep things safe for him. Make sure there's a protective barrier- even if you have to put something in front of the hutch.
Don't move his food plates too much (I move my pigs house around because I like to confuse them and keep their tiny brains sharp. But if one of my pigs couldn't see well, I wouldn't) .Though their sense of smell should find it.

The not running off-he might just be feeling his age. If he's otherwise healthy and eating, maybe he's just slowing down.

It might be worth having a vet/rodentologist check up to see if there's anything that could be the cause. They can test his reactions and maybe see what a wee sample shows up?

Original poster

MissStrawberry · 09/09/2013 21:41

Breakfast, hay and tea is always placed in the same place, as is their water bottle, den to hide under and their bed to sleep in. They haven't been outside to play for a couple of weeks as it has been too cold and wet for them. I will be keeping a vet close eye on him. Poor kids won't cope with losing another animal. We lost our cat in May .

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 09/09/2013 22:07

IKWYM.

We lost our little pig (GP2) in July and got a piglet as a cagemate for GP1 (who'll be 3yo next month)

GP1 alternates between looking all ratty faced and piglettly / middleaged and world weary.
He's lost a bit of weight over the summer (which TBH he could have done with losing, he's usually a bit of a chubster) and I was worried in case the piglet (who's now about 14 weeks old) was getting the upper hand. But GP1 is still first to the food and when they are eating grass he never stops chomping.
I reckon he just seems a bit quiet compared to GP3.

Yesterday he had a weepy eye (huge hayseed) and we cleaned it a few times. (He was very judgey). I woke today and thought "Oh heck, what will I find? "

Turns out his eye was 99% better. But I might book him with the Rodentologist and have his teeth checked.

I know he'll go one day, but yes , I'm dreading it. (More so for DD sake, He's her pig. GP3 is meant to be mine but he's DDs pig too)

FernieB · 10/09/2013 06:20

My boys have never seemed to have great eyesight. I have one pinkeyed and one dark and there doesn't seem to be much difference. At 5 years old if he's eating well and seems happy I'd leave him to it.

Original poster

MissStrawberry · 10/09/2013 11:43

I have been out to see them and offered GirlPiggy some carrot. Not interested and BoyPiggy didn't want to come out from under his den. I will check again in a bit.

I am scared to ask the life span for a GP..

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guineapiglet · 10/09/2013 12:43

Hi there, wondered how he is doing today. Try offering him something tempting like grass or dandelions, cucumber etc. Keep checking on him to make sure he is eating and drinking.. We had a blind girl ( albino) who had an amazing sense of smell, and managed very well following the others about, - but as Fernie say's their eyesight is not great anyway. It might be old age and decrepitude. You must make sure he is eating though as guineas do need to eat pretty much non stop. 5 is a good age for a guinea, this is a funny time of year for them as it is getting colder and chillier at night, damp etc, so make sure he is as snug as possible. :)

Original poster

MissStrawberry · 10/09/2013 13:40

Having had chance to check on him yet as had to go and pick up my child from school, sick. I luckily had been shopping already so have some cucumber and broccoli for their tea so hopefully that will tempt him out.

The children keep asking me how long we will have them for. I tell them I don't know.

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Original poster

MissStrawberry · 10/09/2013 13:41

Forgot to say they have a lovely cosy bed.

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Original poster

MissStrawberry · 11/09/2013 08:24

Just back from OOH vet.

RIP BoyPiggy .

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guineapiglet · 11/09/2013 08:33

Oh no - I am so sorry to hear your news.. - sending you kind thoughts, and especially for your children who will be very sad. It did not sound good from what you described, they go downhill so very quickly and once they stop eating, it is very quick. At least he was peaceful at home in his snuggly bed, and it sounds like he was much loved and cared for.

Your remaining one will pine and also be very sad - so you will have to give her plenty of love and attention, and, when the time is right for your family, decide whether to get her a companion, or let her be the last spoilt and cossetted one of the family - you may think about bringing your girlie inside so she can be with you all.

:( :(

Original poster

MissStrawberry · 11/09/2013 08:41

We found him very quiet this morning so I phoned vet and took him up. She examined him and said he was very poorly and I had to sign for him to be put to sleep. I felt like I signed his death warrant but I also know it was the kindest thing to do. He was eating okay at teatime and then this morning..

We won't be getting GirlPiggy a friend as she is 6 and the vet said it wouldn't be a good idea. Once DH is back with DS in a few minutes I will ask him to take BoyPiggy from the cage so I can remake it up for GirlPiggy and she is coming in now. It has got very cold very quickly (though not what BoyPiggy was ill from) so she needs to come in.

He had a problem with this brain .

We brought him home exactly 4 years ago today.

Thank you for your kind thoughts. My poor children. One told as he walked to school, one other has to be in school all day and one at home with me as was sick yesterday. I am going to bake with him and make my famous cheer up cake.

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guineapiglet · 11/09/2013 08:47

Aaw bless him, it did sound like he was a bit disorientated, a similiar type thing happened to a couple of mine. Keep an eye on the remaining girl.

IF you are having a little funeral for boypig, get the kids to write a little poem, or do a drawing of him, something precious about him to them - we marked all ours with a heavy pebble from the beach. Make sure he is buried nice and deep too. It is awful for children as they love their pets so much, but also an important way for them to learn about and understand death, and what it means to love something.

70 has a beautiful poem about the Rainbow Bridge, but I cant find the link, it helps explain to children ( and us) about loving and losing something precious, and also that the love we had for our loved ones ise always with us.

fortifiedwithtea · 11/09/2013 09:32

So sorry to hear your news .

This might sound silly but if you can, let Girlpig have a goodbye sniff of Boypig. She needs to say goodbye too. We did this when our Old Boy lost his brother, though it was heartbreaking seeing him nuzzling him to stand up (I think), then he licked his face and bum (probably to see if brother had eaten anything poisonous to avoid) did a huge pee and walked away. But at least he understood what had happened to his bro.

RIP Boypig A sad day for you all

Original poster

MissStrawberry · 11/09/2013 10:47

Pathetic as I am I could not cope with picking up his body so I will suggest DH does that sad job when he is home.

Just been out and bought GirlPiggy some treats. She is hiding under her den at the moment.

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 11/09/2013 13:24

(Just read this)

Such [sad[ news, but Strawberry you could NOT have known that the problem was with his brain. Don't imagine for one moment that you missed something or could've done different.

Your GP boy was on the older/middleaged side and as you say he was still eating.
They can go downhill phenomenally quickly. I lost my GP2 in July and he went in a matter of 2 days. He saw a vet at noon and died that evening (He would've died anyway, there was nothing they could've done)

YY to let your Girl Guinea see the body. We put our GP2 in the Pighouse with GP1 overnight. Then GP1 knew we hadn't sneaked his boy away.

They are still 'them' when they die, it's just their little earth body (I told myself as I picked the floppy little body)

In your shoes and given the age of the remaining piggie, give her lots of attention and interaction. Indoors she'll have the general house noise going on.
I've had some sows years ago and they can be quite territorial TBH. Unless you want to set up a new cycle of pigs then this girl might prefer a quiet life.
Only time will tell. In a couple of weeks she might let you know otherwise?

. To the Bridge BoyPig.

FernieB · 11/09/2013 13:25

So sorry to hear about Boypig - at least he was safe and warm and didn't suffer. Glad that Girlpig is moving inside as she'll be missing him so being able to hear everyone will be company for her.

Hope the kids are okay and enjoy your Cheer Up Cake.

Original poster

MissStrawberry · 11/09/2013 13:34

She is doing what she always does when inside. Hiding under the den bit! DS2 keeps going to look at BoyPiggy's body. I am worrying about my eldest as he was told when on the way to school and therefore alone and there a few mean kids in his class who will use this opportunity to be unkind to him .

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