[Gpdd] [HEALTH] Help with Guinnea Pig not eating or drinking

[ME]

Pigs may decrease or stop eating and drinking when taking meds.   
Because of this, I always start weighing pigs on meds twice a day and  
start supplementing if they've lost as little as 30 grams (1 ounce)  
or appear to be a bit tired or groggy.  If I'm just supplementing, I  
only feed about 10 minutes, 2-3 times a day ... it often kick starts  
their own eating.  When I'm supplementing, I just hand feed dry  
pellets (push the pellets to the back of the mouth or they tend to  
spit them out) and give a bit of water.

If a pig loses more than 100 grams, then I get more aggressive with  
hand feeding ... 20-30 minutes, 3-7 times a day, depending on how  
much they need to at least maintain their current weight ... though  
if they've lost quite a bit of weight, I do attempt to get them to  
gain weight.  I start with hand feeding pellets.  If they cannot eat  
those, I make my own mash using their pellets.  I have a coffee  
grinder that I only use for their pellets.  I mix it with water and  
put in a bit of canned pumpkin to help it stick together.  I used to  
use Critical Care, but I've found that my pigs generally get tired of  
it after awhile and don't want to eat it.  So far, I've never had one  
refuse my mash, unless they are too weak to chew it.  When they  
become that weak, I give them canned pumpkin, since they can just  
swallow that without any chewing at all.

I hand feed with 1 ml syringes, usually between 0.1-0.3 ml at a  
time ... though I've had a few pigs that have taken up to 1 ml at a  
time, most prefer a smaller amount.  With the mash, I cut off the tip  
at an angle, so I leave just a bit of the lip so the plunger won't  
slip out.  I feed them sitting back in a recliner (if I'm calm and  
comfortable, they have a good chance of being calm and comfortable),  
setting them on a towel on my chest.  I feed at a comfortable pace  
for the pig and give cuddles and nose rubs and scratches (whatever  
that particular pig likes best)  while they're chewing.  I try to  
keep feeding time an enjoyable bonding time.  The first time, I may  
do a little bit of forcing, but I still try to keep everything  
calm ... if it is a bit difficult, I keep it short (but the next  
feeding is at a shorter interval).  Usually, after a few feedings, I  
only have to coax them to take the syringe (I may nudge their mouth  
toward the syringe with my thumb and keep the palm of my hand behind  
their head to keep it steady, but I don't squeeze).  I find that  
short feeding sessions (10-20 minutes) more often (2-3 hours apart)  
over a longer period of time (5 a.m. - 10 p.m.) are better, if  
possible ... though if it's not possible, 30 minute sessions 3-4  
times a day can maintain a minimum for awhile.  Most of the time,  
I've found that trying to feed more than 30 minutes at a time is not  
effective (sometimes even 30 minutes is too much) ... the pig gets  
bloated and doesn't move around much ... and attitude suffers.   
Shorter periods of time keeps some food in their system and keeps  
them alert ... and encourages them to eat (if they can eat on their  
own).

I have one who I've been supplementing since November ... much of the  
time she's been on Trimethoprim (antibiotic) (0.75 ml 2X) ... since  
the beginning of December she's been taking 1 ml cranberry juice up  
to 5X a day (bladder infection and stone removal surgery ... still  
not sure about the success of the surgery ... we may need to take  
another xray).  She doesn't particularly like the Trimethoprim, but  
she'll be coaxed by nose rubs and knows she'll get cheek scratches  
and body rubs after she finishes her meds.  Granted, all the rubs  
takes longer than her taking her meds, but she has a much better  
attitude about everything.  She actually started looking forward to  
our times together after a couple weeks, though at first she  
resisted.  Now I'm trying to wean her off the feedings (I think she's  
ready to eat all on her own) ... still giving her the cranberry, but  
only feeding a few pellets (she never needed the mash or even more  
than 10 minutes of feeding ... I'm so glad of that).