Why is my guinea pig not eating, limping, and breathing heavy?

I'm sorry to hear that Ben is so sick! Unfortunately, from what you describe it sounds like he is in very serious condition - these symptoms are signs of very severe illness that could be caused by almost anything. I would be concerned that he may die soon without immediate treatment, so I would recommend taking him to the vet right away to find out what's wrong and see if anything can be done to help him.

Thanks for reaching out about Rocky. The described noise is likely a respiratory infection and he is feeling poor enough to stop eating. He needs to see a veterinarian to aid in diagnosis and treatment of the problem. Antibiotics are probably needed at the minimum. As this sounds serious, the sooner the better chance for recovery. Good luck.

This sign might be compatible with a chronic respiratory tract inflammation/infection, even though is quite vague at this stage. My suggestion would be to just monitor him in case you notice any other sign (lethargy, inappetence, coughing, sneezing, any evident discharge from nose and so on). 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.

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.

Hi and thank you for your question. Sorry to hear about Baxter. The timing (wrt getting him a friend) sounds coincidental, as one day is too short for most infectious disease to incubate. I'm afraid there is no over-the-counter medicine that I can recommend. It sounds like he has a respiratory infection, perhaps pneumonia, and this requires veterinary treatment ASAP. I know there are funding options that will allow you to pay for the treatment at a later date, I would suggest that you ask your vet about this. I agree that delaying it by 2 weeks is not an option. Regards

Hi, and thanks for your question. This is a quite generic but concerning presentation. Differentials are many, from gastrointestinal diseases (infection/inflammations often dietary related) to any disease that can spread systemically (causing lethargy for example) like infection, and anything that can cause pain/discomfort. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. 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. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

I'm so sorry that Cam is sick. I sincerely apologize that no one has responded to your question and it has been 4 days. I hope he has survived. Some things that could cause those signs are nutritional deficiency (like vitamin C), liver shunt, ear infection, head trauma, and even parasites (like mites). What you are describing almost sounds like seizures. True seizures are rare in guinea pigs although possible. If your guinea pig cries out, falls to one side, and starts twitching, it is most likely infected with a skin parasite known as guinea pig mange (Trixicara cavis). The seizure-like behavior is due to the intense itching sensation caused by the mites burrowing through the skin. The mites are microscopic and you would not be able to see them with your eyes. He needs to be seen by a vet because those mites (if he does have them ) are easy to treat with the proper medication. I hope this helps. Best wishes!