My guinea pig is sick: not eating, losing weight, crusty eyes. What to do?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! 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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.