My guinea pig is sick: not eating, losing weight, crusty eyes. What to do?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
I have guinea pig and it is not eating or drinking has crusty eyes and has lost a ton of weight and is not moving around very much.we were given critcal health feed to.feed him with a syringe but hw cant seem to swallow it what should i do
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on November 4th, 2016
He needs to be seen as soon as possible by your local veterinarian. Unfortunately the signs you are describing are quite severe and concerning and possibly a gastrointestinal inflammation/infection is present. I would recommend an immediate check up, radiographs, antibiotics and supportive treatment (fluidtherapy) are required.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on May 12th, 2019
Thanks for reaching out about Peanut Butter and including photos. The ocular discharge and crusts are possibly an ocular infection, foreign body in the eye, corneal scratch or other concern. Dental disease (cheek teeth) can place internal pressure on the lacrimal duct and compromise tear flow. Since eating less, could be painful and a veterinary visit is recommended to assist with a diagnostic/treatment plan. You can try offering water and a food slurry via a syringe. Good luck.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Health & Wellbeing
Today I saw my guinea pig and under his eye seemed to be bulging or puffy. I picked him up and he was much lighter than usual. He is still eating and drinking. He had no problem eating lettuce, but with strawberries, carrots, and regular food he w
Thank you for using Boop by Petco! Weight loss can be caused by overgrown teeth, and thus difficulty eating/chewing. However, other, nonspecific signs such as pain, can also cause reluctance to eat. Bandit may have an eye infection or corneal ulcer, which is causing him some discomfort. I recommend having him seen by a vet, who can file his teeth if necessary, and determine exactly what is going on with his eye. I hope this helps and that all is well!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My guniea pig had been having a wet bottom for a few days and her appetite has been off but she still drinks a lot of water and poops normal. What do I do and what does this mean?
These signs, quite severe in guinea pigs) could be compatible with an inflammation infection of the gastrointestinal system and surrounding organs (like pancreas and liver). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics and possibly further investigations (like fecal analysis) may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
his eye has white stuff in it and he isnt eating and drinking normally and he is losing hair
Thanks for reaching out about Peanut Butter and including photos. The ocular discharge and crusts are possibly an ocular infection, foreign body in the eye, corneal scratch or other concern. Dental disease (cheek teeth) can place internal pressure on the lacrimal duct and compromise tear flow. Since eating less, could be painful and a veterinary visit is recommended to assist with a diagnostic/treatment plan. You can try offering water and a food slurry via a syringe. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
My 4 yr old Male Guinea pig is eating well but has lost so much weight was a big chunky boy in 3 weeks hes tiny runny eyes but eating drinking well , he doesn't move unless for food
Weight loss, this can be caused by many things. Visit your veterinarian as soon as possible so Donald can have an examination. Causes of weight loss include dental problems, liver or kidney diseases, intestinal disease, endocrine disease, infection and toxins — just to name a few. Your veterinarian, using his or her skills of examination and possibly some tests, can best tell what is wrong with your guinea pig.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hi my short haired guinea pig Pepe is 7yrs old and hasn't really ate or drank anything all day today and is usually a VORACIOUS eater! He is pooping fine though. He was eating fine yesterday but was looking a little haggard. I know he is getting old
Unfortunately lack of appetite is usually the first sign of most illnesses, as this is pretty much the only sign it's not possible to know what is causing this. You should take him to the vet today though, as this is very abnormal for a guinea pig to stop eating.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My guinea pig has crusty eyes, fluffier fur, and he’s barely drinking and eating. He isn’t running away from me when I go to touch him which is odd. I think he has a cold, is this correct? I’ve been sitting him on my lap and giving him water through
That this point in time, he has to see a vet. He sounds very sick, and this cannot be treated at home. I would be afraid this could be deadly without veterinary care. If paying for a vet is an issue, you can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/ I hope this helps.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I think my guinea pig is sick he hasnt been eating and has been hiding in his home he, if he dose eat he makes a grunting noise and his eyes were a little crusty yesterday i took him outside the other day because i read they like that but im not sure
Thanks for reaching out about Cheech. A veterinary visit is highly recommended, ASAP. Grunting noises could be pain or a respiratory infection. During the veterinary visit, examination of cheek teeth is recommended, as this is a common prevention of appetite. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Training & Behavior
What can I do my guinea pig is really still it’s alive but it’s barely drinking water and almost not eating she has a little of diarea.
I am sorry to hear about your guinea pig. It sounds like she definitely needs veterinary attention. There could be many different causes for her symptoms, ranging from infections, GI stasis, and dental issues. I would get her to the vet as soon as possible. In the meantime you can soak some guinea pig pelleted food in water and blenderize it, then use an eye dropper or syringe without a needle to try to feed Caramel to provide some calories.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
my now ex husband hit my guinea because "he bit him" and now he is chipper and always hiding. also has crusty and gook in his eyes that cause them to close. I have been doing warm compression to get his eyes open. But his whole attitude has changed
If your guinea pig was hit and now appears sick or injured it may be due to an injury from the hit, or may be caused by another issue such as infection or illness. If the discharge is bad enough that it is causing the eyes to crust shut and Kovu doesn't want to eat or drink on his own, he does need to be seen by a vet to determine the underlying cause and get treatment - he may require antibiotics or other medications to help him overcome the issue. if you're having trouble affording care, this site may help give you some tips and ideas about how to make it more affordable so that Kovu can get the help he needs: http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hi all. I just got a new guinea pig. She’s around 7 months. When I got her, it seemed like there was no problems at all. I immediately introduced her to my other pig, Peppa. They bonded immediately and stayed in the same cage since. The cage fits the
Thanks for reaching out about Periwinkle and including photos. Try cleaning the eye area with a soft moistened cloth. If appears white/creamy or persists, a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Continue to monitor appetite. Good luck.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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