I've had my guinea pig, Bella, for about 3 years now. She got sick about a month ago(losing weight, less muscle,etc…), but got quite better with me giving her more vitamin C. then one day I came home and found her laying on her side unable to get up. I know she hadn't gotten better all the way from before, but I figured she was getting old. I'm not sure about her real age since I got her from a pet store(adopted). all the things I've thought she might have had were:scurvy, malocclusion, and anorexia. I'm not real sure of them and I was wondering if it could be old age. what are the signs and what can I do to help her? Her symptoms are runny nose, a little bit of eye discharge(definitely not a lot), weight lose, and weak muscles(unable to pick her self up sometimes) and she seems to want to eat but not nearly as much. also, she doesn't want her favorite food…carrots. one more thing is she doesn't make any noises, but little noises that kind of sounds like l chewing and grunting at the same time (they are so faint I can hardly tell). I've given her apple sauce, her own real pellet food mushed with water, water, orange, and a few greens. She is putting on some weight and I'm feeling some more hope for her(she is also pooping more which she hadn't done now that she's sick; I figured it was from not eating). Please help me figure out what's wrong. thanks!

My guinea pig, Spice, is pretty old – going on 8 years – and lately she hasn't been herself. She's seemed really tired lately, and after I got back from a 5 day vacation I found she could not move her back legs well so she can barely get around her cage. she can't even support herself enough to stand up, and there's also some crustiness around her eyes. she does have a very good appetite, though, and if we place food near her where she can get to it easily, she eats it up.
I think she might have scurvy since the eye discharge and the lethargy and unwillingness to move are all symptoms of that. I have been giving her Vitamin C, but I worry that I haven't given her enough. Any suggestions you have on what to do or an alternate diagnosis would be welcome!

Oh and btw I do want to take her in to the vet to maybe get a Vitamin C shot since I have heard those help….but my parents do not want to spend money on a vet visit for a guinea pig so if I can help her without a vet visit that would be preferable.

I love Spice, I have had her since I was 8 and I am now 16…..i don't know if I'm ready for her to go just yet!

I hope she feels better.
But she may just be getting old. 8 years is a long time for a guinea pig so you took care of her pretty well. You're not supposed to put vitamin c in their water becauuse it has other stuff in them other than just vitamin c and could be toxic to your guinea pig.

Do you give her veggies? Guinea pigs need at least 1 cup of veggies every day. you should give her 1/8 of a green bell pepper in addition to dark leafy greens to make sure she gets enough vitamin c. For now you can also give her oxbow vitamin c tablets. you should not use vitamin drops.
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Seriously I can't see where you have gone wrong. I own and breed guinea pigs and hope all of them live as long as yours. you need to congratulate yourself on getting her to such a ripe old age. 8 years is above the common average and sadly far far longer than many get. being as she has lived so long I doubt that you have overlooked any nutritional needs as this would have been an issue a long time ago. I totally understand your not ready to loose her yet but at some point this will happen to all of us, I could only hope if I was a Guinea Pig someone like you would pick me. there really is no foundation for anyone to say you should not use this or that as if she was suffering as a result of vitamin supplementation or lack of dietary additions she would have passed on long ago. you have shared half your lifetime with her and if she does pass on she will do so knowing you loved her.

hi,i had a guinea pig go through that once,i got to it too late,i went to the pharmacist and asked him if they had poly-vi-sol,thats a pediatric vitamin c liquid they give to babies and children,i got a bottle and gave my piggie a drop or two every day through the dropper in the bottle,it worked for a while,but the piggie was to ill and i lost her.the piggie i have now gets water soluable drops in her water.you can mix the drops in her food too.try giving your piggie a small orange slice,mine loves this,she also likes watermelon,and bananas.

Hey! <3

Okay first off, i doubt she has scurvy because you are giving her veggies. take her to the vet as a guinea pig can spiral downhill very quickly. there's obviously something wrong, but the question is "what?"

As for the vitamin C drops, you should not use them, because:
-The only supplement a healthy cavy needs is Vitamin C. The vitamin drops that you buy at the pet store contain additional vitamins and minerals which can potentially be toxic to them.

-Vitamin C deteriorates rapidly in WATER and in LIGHT.

-Cavies drink varying amounts of water. there is no way to know how much Vitamin C your cavy is actually getting.

-Adult cavies need 30-50 mg per day of C. The drops make the water taste bad, thereby discouraging many cavies from drinking water—not good!

Although everyone says not to use them, you set a perfect example of a guinea pig living 8 healthy damn years with them, as many people say their pigs do. i think you should try vitamin C drops, NOT multivitamin drops. just pure vitamin c drops- and continue giving veggies!

in essence, i doubt its anything that you did wrong to make ur pig sick. things happen, she's old, she's going to get sick eventually : .. you've given her a happy life, and just posting this shows you care. i hope all turns out well and she's okay! guinea pigs can live up to 12 years (though its rare..) so keep hoping!!!!!!! x]

Bella (my guinea pig) has lost a lot of weight. her symptoms are nose and eye discharge, weight lose, constipation, and she seems to lose balance every time I put her down (by falling down on one side). I CAN"T take her to the vet. my mom says it's too much money, and that we can use things that will treat her at home.(I have an orange because I thought she had scurvy). I need to diagnose her that way I can treat her. At first I thought it was scurvy or malocclusion, but now I'm not so sure. she is about 4 years old, but I can't be sure since I got her from a pet store and adopted her. do you have any idea what is wrong with her? Please help.

also, I always gave her some baby carrots every night before I went to bed that way she could have a midnight snack. she never goes to sleep without them. Now that she's sick, she doesn't eat anything. what I'm needing is some ways to feed her that won't hurt her.

I agree with kathy….
the poor animal is suffering, you should not have gotten the animal if you could not afford vet bills. the poor thing is suffering. give her to someone that can take care of her properly. or put her up on petfinder.com but quickly! the poor thing is dying!!

I am so sorry:(. that is very sad and I can definitely feel how much you love her. looking back at your other questions, it seems she has been sick for over a month. Have you tried calling a vet and asking questions? A sympathetic one may give you information as to what is happening and maybe some ways to treat it at home. I don't know what else to say, but I think that calling and asking questions would be the best way. Make sure that you call an exotics vet.

Once again, I'm sorry. that is very sad and there is nothing that you or your mom can do. if you don't have enough money, you don't have enough money. Try doing a super-fundraiser for her. Go door to door in your neighborhood(but stay safe) and tell people what is happening and that you cannot take her to the vet. some people might be really generous in helping.

You other people need to tone it down a bit. if they are on a fixed budget, no one can do anything. Guinea pigs getting sick is uncommon if they are cared for well, and I'm sure this would be as unexpected as a child getting cancer, but it does happen.

Make your guinea pig as comfortable as possible. Clean it's eyes and nose often, wash her bottom and try to get her to go. Try hand feeding her. look for a bottle formula for kittens. that is what is recommended for baby guinea pigs, so at least it will give her nutrients, then feed it to her with something that you can squeeze into her mouth.

Give the animal to someone who WILL take her to the vet. Yell at your mom that she is unfair she takes YOU to the doctor when you are sick and that is WAY more money than a vet visit. either that or put the poor thing down. she is dying and you and your mom are letting her die in a very slow and painful way. tell your mom not to buy any more animals until she grows up and is responsible enough to take it to the vet. Its HER fault NOT yours you are just a kid.

You NEED to take her to the vet. I'm sorry that your mom won't let you – but you need to get her to the vet ASAP. do you have someone who can take her there? they often allow you to have payment plans. if you cannot find someone or the finanical means to do so, as sad as this is, you will HAVE to rehome her to someone who can take her to the vet, QUICKLY, if you want her to live. if it's scurvy, an orange will NOT treat it. if anything, it will give her mouth sores. I would also stop feeding her baby carrots, and limit to one a day – the high levels of oxalic acid in them can bind with calcium to cause stones.

Loss of balance can indicate an ear infection. Constipation/no feces could indicate anorexia, which is very dangerous. (Anorexia in Guinea Pigs is not eating) it could also indicate bloat. Nose and eye discharge is an indication of a URI. All are fatal if not treated by a cavy-savvy vet.

She NEEDS to have something in her stomach if she hasn't eaten in 6-12 hours. do you have Critical Care onhand? if not, make a pellet mash and syringe feed it to her. I've gotten free syringes at CVS pharmacy. guinealynx.info/handfeeding.h…

A link to find a cavy-savvy vet –
guinealynx.info/vet.html

Your mom is wrong. except for scurvy, most illnesses (and from the symptoms, the one your Guinea Pig has) cannot be treated by anything at home without a cavy-savvy vet. Scurvy (which it does NOT sound like your Guinea Pig has) can be treated by Vitamin C supplements.

Please get her to the vet asap!