Elderly guinea - scarcely eating. What to do?

[gospa]

Much loved guinea is 7, nearer 8. Just over the last couple of days he has just about stopped eating. He doesn’t seem to be pooing either. He has been prone to impaction in his old age - but although DD (14) tried as before yesterday there wasn’t much to clear.

DD and I would much rather that the guinea went peacefully at home but of course we don’t want him to suffer. Should we take him to the vet or are we ‘just’ seeing the signs that the end is very near?

Sorry OP they dont last very long if they stop eating.
Sounds like impaction
I would take him to Vet so that he doesnt suffer

Poor lad , they do go downhill when they stop eating though.

A Vet visit would be prudent to check his teeth but in the meantime you can feed him with Critical Care if you have it or his guinea pig pellets mixed to a loose slop with water , use the end of a teaspoon to pop a tiny bit behind his teeth if you don't have a syringe .

Chop up some veg like cucumber and maybe grate some carrot to make sure he has fibre and fluid .

He might just slip away in is sleep which is nicer but if he doesn;t rally round then it really is kinder on him to make the decision.
Last year our boar (neutered so no impaction risk) was unwell, we did the feeding and giving him herbs liquidised in water . Vit C in water
He seemed to rally a bit and was eating , then he went downhill ( he was rolling rather than walking so I think he was showing signs of scurvey looking back )

We had to make the painful decision to have him PTS but I had a night of cuddling him for 8 hours thinking he was going to 'go' with every weird movement .
Next morning he was in his cage with his wifey (still alive but not in any fit state ) so early morning emergency visit to he vet .
It doesn't get easier

Your vet might suggest a subcutaneous saline injection to hydrate and Vit C . There's a Fibre Gel in a big syringe to get the guts moving too. It's when their guts stop they can just shut down, they get gut staisis and organ failure
Your pig is a good age , boars are lovely !

Thank you. Guinea is managing a little cucumber, a few leaves and this morning went and had a munch on the ‘rodent grass’ that is usually a daily treat but we’ve now left in his hutch. I think we are on a watchful wait for now.

If we do need to make the vet trip we will PTS as he is a good age and I suspect anything the vet did would result in us being back in the same position in a very short time. DD (on the autistic spectrum) couldn’t cope with that - me neither really. It is the sixth small furry (first guinea) we have had reaching the end - and it doesn’t get any easier.

Just to say that DD’s guinea was put to sleep this afternoon. The vet thought he possibly had a tumour and the prognosis was not going to be good given his age and the fact he’d stopped eating. She was surprised he’d kept going for these 4 days. I’m glad that even today when DD cuddled him for the last time he still managed a few blades of grass. He was a super pig! DD was a star today as well - lots of tears but she knew she wanted to do the right thing for her lovely piggy.

Sorry to hear this Gospa. But you both chose to end his life in the kindest way- and it sounds like he had a lovely life.

Thanks scabby. Guinea had trained us to the point that in the winter I was growing 3 trays of rodent grass indoors so that there was always one ready to meet his voracious appetite! We have lovely close up photos of his face surrounded by a forest of grass!

Very to hear of a little piggie shrugging off this mortal coil ,
But he had a good long life and just as importantly a good death.

Your DD will hopefully take comfort in the knowledge that you did the best thing for the little boy .

Guinea-pigs are eating'n'poohing machines and once they stop eating it's like the "Game Over" sign .

Sometimes there is anything wrong, it's just their time (but they don't half pick their moments !. We were doing the same this time last year with our boar , DD was very resolved . I was a snotty mess !)

Sometimes there is anything wrong should be isn't ,

Ours stopped eating because he had an issue with his teeth/jaw so couldnt eat