My guinea pig won't eat, lost weight, and vet found no dental issue.

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!

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

Good morning! Yes, that sounds like a worry for sure, although I'm glad he did eat some food overnight. The wet patch could be drool; perhaps he is having trouble with his teeth? It was a smart idea to weigh him, and this proves that he is likely dehydrated, having lost a fair bit of weight overnight. Would you be able to find a vet that is comfortable working with guinea pigs today? It sounds like Buzz needs an exam, to sort out what is going on. Good luck!

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.

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 constantly growing. He or she must chew constantly to keep them trimmed. If not they can quickly become overgrown which will affect the appetite. Until you can get to your veterinarian for treatment, it is important to encourage your guinea pig to eat and drink. Some guinea pigs will readily drink fruit-flavored electrolyte replacement solutions, such as PediaLyte or Gatorade, from a syringe. Offer your guinea pig a [balanced diet](https://www.petcoach.co/article/things-to-know-about-feeding-your-guinea-pig) including a large selection of fresh greens such as cilantro, romaine lettuce, parsley, carrot tops, dandelion greens, spinach, collard greens and good-quality grass hay. Don't forget to supplement with [Vitamin C](https://www.petcoach.co/article/guinea-pig-vitamin-c-requirements). Your vet may recommend syringe-feeding a special herbivore diet, such as [Oxbow Critical Care](https://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/our-products/professional-line/critical-care), or you can mix ground up pellets with fresh greens, vegetable baby foods, water, or juice to form a gruel. Introduce the syringe tip into the mouth behind the front incisors and depress the plunger slowly, giving your guinea pig time to swallow. If your guinea pig is still mobile, encourage exercise for at least 10–15 minutes every 6–8 hours, as activity promotes gastric motility.

Thanks for reaching out about Milo. There are many possible causes of weight loss in guinea pigs including dental disease, metabolic disorders (liver, renal), urinary disease (urinary tract infections, bladder stones), nutritional deficiencies (vitamin C is common) and others. Many of these can also cause gastrointestinal upset, therefore treating the GI disorder is not the primary problem. It is recommended you seek a veterinary visit with one with experience in small exotic companion mammals. You can try the website for the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians (AEMV.org). Try offering softer food for now. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Lucy. Dental disease (cheek teeth) are fairly common in guinea pigs, as their teeth grow throughout life. Infections, inflammation, scurvy, can all be causes. Dental disease can be infections or inflammation, and therefore painful. If it hurt to chew, and hay requires more chewing, then she might be shying away from hay. A veterinary visit is recommended to check, more important if you think she is loosing weight. Good luck.