My guinea pig has diarrhea and refuses to eat. What should I do?

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.

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.

She should be examined by your veterinarian, or a vet experienced in treating pocket pets, to diagnose illness or injury. Guinea pigs can develop tumors, infections ​of the feet, urinary tract infections or even diabetes. Gastrointestinal upset should also be ruled out. Clean and sanitize her cage, bowls and toys. Discard old chew toys. Fill with fresh, clean bedding and keep Lil Bit as warm and stress free as possible until she sees the vet.

Check her teeth if she will allow. They could be overgrown or misaligned which could affect her appetite. If they look normal, have her examined by your veterinarian to diagnose illness or injury. Clean and sanitize her cage, use fresh bedding and provide plenty of fresh hay and water. Don't forget her Vitamin C supplement.

A [guinea pig](https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-you-need-to-know-about-your-new-guinea-pig) that is not eating or drinking needs to be seen by an exotics species veterinarian ASAP. Your guinea pig is at risk of developing (or may already have) a medical condition called Gastrointestinal Stasis (GIS). Without treatment, this can be a fatal condition. GIS is a common condition in guinea pigs and rabbits. Gastrointestinal stasis occurs when the normal emptying of the stomach and passage of food through the intestinal tract slows or stops. Food, fur, and other ingesta then accumulates in the stomach. Without sufficient water intake, the stomach contents become dehydrated, making passage of the contents even more difficult. Anything that causes your guinea pig not to eat/drink, such as disease, dental disease, pain, stress, or starvation, can lead to gastrointestinal stasis. Be sure to have your vet check your guinea pig's teeth for overgrowth or misalignment. A guinea pig's teeth are

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.

A diet change or addition of new fruits/veggies or treats can affect the stool in guinea pigs. A veterinarian can run tests to rule out gastrointestinal parasites or a bacterial overgrowth and perform a physical exam to make sure that your guinea pigs are not dehydrated, are in good body condition, do not have maloccluded teeth, etc. However in the meantime I would recommend ordering Oxbow critical care overnight from Amazon.com or finding it possibly at a local pet store, mixing with water and syringe feeding plus offering it in a bowl in addition to their regular chow for ay least 3 days. If you don't see an improvement in the stool, I'd recommend calling around for lower cost options such as veterinary care from a local ASPCA, etc.

Thank you for using Boop by Petco! Issues with teeth are very common in guinea pigs, and do frequently result in issues eating. Dyba may have an issue with his facial nerves or muscles, making it difficult to bite/chew food. Loss of appetite can be caused by many intestinal conditions, but less specific conditions as well, such as cancer or infections. I recommend having Dyba seen by another vet, you may want to look into having him seen by someone who specializes in small mammals or pocket pets. In the meantime, you can try moistening his pellets to make them easier to eat. I hope this helps and that all is well!

Make sure they check all of his teeth. The teeth can overgrown to the point that they can’t eat. If he hasn’t eaten for a while the intestines will stop moving and they will need medications for pain and also some to try and get them to start moving again. Hope they figure it out for you. Good luck

Have her physically examined by your veterinarian. Her teeth should be checked for overgrowth or misalignment. If necessary, your vet can trim them. There may also be infection or inflammation that could be affecting her appetite. This may require antibiotics or anti-inflammatories which your vet can dispense. If the teeth are fine, there may be another underlying condition which could be diagnosed with additional diagnostics.