Guinea pig not grooming herself

[ArklePig]

Hello,

Looking for some help/advice please.

Nóinín isn't herself, she is eating and drinking but over the last couple of days she seems to have stopped grooming herself. She also looks like she's currently in heat but I'm worried she's not in heat and there's some sort of infection as there seem to be similar symptoms. Vet booked for tomorrow which I'm not particularly happy about but was the soonest we could get. I've just weighed her also and she's 859 grams. For completeness she lives with her sister, gets fresh veg twice a day, constant hay, and is fed science selective nuggets.

Just wondering if anyone has any similar experience and advice. Google is saying anything from depression to arthritis and everything in between.

 

[Aperchristmas]

Sadly I have no advice to give as you're right, it could be all manner of things. I just didn't want to read and run. Fingers crossed for both of you and I hope the vet finds a fixable answer for you.

 

[ArklePig]

Thanks @Apercrumbie. I haven't taken my eyes off her all day really and she did actually go into her hidey for a groom after her dinner, but it doesn't seem to have been effective. So I'm hoping that's a good sign that she's trying at least!
She's well in herself anyway, she wheeked the house down at 7pm veggie time on the dot and I've seen some popcorning. Thanks for your response

 

[Baywonder]

Sorry I don't have an experience of this or any advice @ArklePig - but I do hope your vet is able to shed some light on this for you. X

 

[Highmileagecob]

Do you think the heat may have something to do with it? The eating and drinking is a good sign, but they can be quite delicate little creatures - I used to keep them years ago.

 

[SO1]

Don't have any experience with GP but do you think it could be heat exhaustion?

 

[ArklePig]

I guess heat is possible, but they've been in the living room which I have been keeping cool over the last week by leaving the blinds down and opening the windows a bit in the evening when the heat has died. It's the coolest room in the house. So I wasn't overly concerned about this.

The vet seems to think that as she is eating, drinking, and attempting grooming their is nothing majorly wrong and he suspects teeth issues as sometimes this can affect their ability to be effective at grooming. She's going back in on Wednesday where they will be able to get a proper look at her teeth under sedation as she's a wiggly girl when you're poking around her mouth.

Thanks all for your suggestions

Edited to add photo tax

 

[SO1]

Hopefully your house is cooler than mine as with curtains shut it is still 30C.

Glad she is ok.

I guess heat is possible, but they've been in the living room which I have been keeping cool over the last week by leaving the blinds down and opening the windows a bit in the evening when the heat has died. It's the coolest room in the house. So I wasn't overly concerned about this.

The vet seems to think that as she is eating, drinking, and attempting grooming their is nothing majorly wrong and he suspects teeth issues as sometimes this can affect their ability to be effective at grooming. She's going back in on Wednesday where they will be able to get a proper look at her teeth under sedation as she's a wiggly girl when you're poking around her mouth.

Thanks all for your suggestions

Edited to add photo tax

 

[ArklePig]

I couldn't cope with that! My living room has stayed a cool 21 degrees. It's actually made me slightly worried for the winter and if I'll be able to heat it up as we only moved in in March, but I guess that's a worry for another day!

 

[Aperchristmas]

What a gorgeous little piggle, fingers crossed she picks up.

 

[scats]

What a gorgeous piggie. It’s such a worry when they aren’t right.

My boys have coped surprisingly well in the heat. They’ve had shade at all times and ice blocks wrapped in towels which they’ve loved lying on.

 

[ArklePig]

Mine love an ice block too they popcorn for it ? such adorable little creatures, I just wish they were a bit more obvious when they weren't right.

 

[Carmen6]

Mine have been flat out and very quiet for days (3 girls, aged 5+). They're in a bedroom with their own fan.

So quiet that I don't get mugged when they see me, or wheaked at when they hear me in the bathroom. It's unsettling, but I guess they're not liking the heat.

I hope your little girl is well, OP.

 

[Aperchristmas]

What does popcorn mean? Is it the lovely burring sound they make?

 

[ester]

It’s when they boing around

 

[Aperchristmas]

It’s when they boing around

Thank you, I've never come across the term before!

 

[ArklePig]

Just incase anyone comes across this in the future searching for an answer, she has had a thorough going over today and it's mites. She's had a dose of ivermectin and is going back for another dose in two weeks. She should be totally fine.

 

[JGC]

Good news!

 

[ester]

Ahh easily sorted! Some do ivermectin them regularly but I’ve never had a problem with mites so haven’t myself.

I didn’t have anything to add other than if you pick up there’s something wrong there usually is

 

[ArklePig]

I've never done it either Ester, with pigs I usually take the line of leave well enough alone!

No idea where the mites came from but the vet said they can sometimes lay dormant and flare up, or they can be brought in by hay/grass. We decided not to put her through a skin scraping to find out which type (having had a skin scraping myself recently no way was she having one when not clinically necessary!) so instead we've just treated her, and will hot washed all bedding, and steam and clean their home. And got a new batch of hay of course just incase. First time seeing today's particular vet and I'll be back, she was very very thorough.

Pigs are such a worry aren't they, in my experience by the time they're at the vet they're nearly on the way out so I had her dead and buried in my head.

 

[scats]

I had one outbreak of mites once. It seemed to coincide with a bag of hay from a different pet shop. Glad it’s something that can be easily sorted.

 

[ArklePig]

Just a happy animal update from me for once, Noinin had her check up yesterday and is all clear and the two of them are in great form.