Barry Jenkins, AKA BJ

[janlovingcavies]

So glad he is holding his own. Maybe try him with grass or something he likes as I think at first he disliked lettuce. Hoping he improves soon and is back to normal. Sending healing vibes.

[pigjes]

I agree, I would try different vegs to spike the interest in food again.

[renonvsparky]

BJ has always been somewhat picky when it comes to veggies. I don't think he was fed veggies by his previous owner. He was eating some parsley when this ordeal started, but then he started peeing white colored urine which dried into a white powder. I cut back on it to avoid problems with his bladder. He'll eat some carrot too, but I don't want to give him too much of that either because of the sugar.

I can make up what he doesn't eat in veggies with the critical care, so I'm not as worried about him eating them as I am the hay. I'd feel much better if he'd eat that. That's the staple of his diet. There's no grass right now and the store has been out of the wheat grass. I'm keeping my eyes peeled for when they get it in and then I'll pick him up some. He's always liked that.

[renonvsparky]

Final dose of metoclopramide given. BJ's droppings are returning to normal. Still a little mushy, but more firm than they were yesterday. He's eating more pellets and drinking his water. Not eating hay like I want him to, but he's been picking at it here and there. Got him some wheat grass. I wound up going to Whole Foods and paying $6 for a small container of it. I don't mind the expense because he's more than worth it, but I was disappointed that he only ate a couple of blades of it. Scruffy and Mr Bubbles both ate it when they were sick, but BJ doesn't seem to be overly interested in it. It won't go to waste though.

I've noticed that BJ is quite a bit more perky when I feed him. He's curious about the syringes and bowls that I use. I use one for the critical care and the other has extra water to give him, for rinsing the critical care off the end of the syringe and for adding to the critical care if it gets too thick. I use the extra syringe for that. He also sniffs around and nibbles on them. Once, he even managed to nudge the bowl of water onto the floor!

Other things he does is give me guinea pig kisses. Now, I have gotten adept at getting the critical care into his mouth without making a mess on his face, but there's always that little bit on his chin. He doesn't mind sharing that with me when he's giving kisses, so I end up having to wash it out of my beard. I don't mind, though. He sniffs and nibbles on my shirt, hands, arms and and other part of me he can get to. I'm glad he's starting to turn the corner. I won't go as far as to say he's out of the woods, but today was encouraging. Mr Bubbles did his best eating once his last dose of metoclopramide syrup was administered. Let's hope BJ does the same.

[pigjes]

Hahahah, sloppy piggie kisses! I have had to feed Binky green oats to keep his fiber going since we arrived. He started eating a tiny bit of hay since a while, but not nearly enough to keep his gut going well. Green oats saved his life!

[Sef]

Very encouraging news, and I love that he likes to share his Critical Care with you! Very generous little guy, I'd say.

Keep up the good work, both of you! Fingers firmly crossed here that he's 100% back to his old self very soon.

[janlovingcavies]

So glad he loves you enough to share his food. If you have a clean coffee grinder you could grind some hay and add to his C&C for the fibre. Hoping he continues to improve!

[pigjes]

A trick I can share: I always use homemade veggie juice to add to CC. I use a different one daily, mix it with my mixer, let it set for a few minutes, and use the thin top liquid only. This keeps them keen on force-feeding. I his case, it might even trigger a lust for new vegs, especially if you use vegs that smell a bit harder, like celery, for example.

[renonvsparky]

Still no appetite 18 hours after the final dose of metoclopramide. He's got solid and mushy droppings. He eats the mushy ones. My theory is that the mushy ones are cecal and he craves them for their probiotic value. They sure smell. Not sure if the fact that they're so mushy is good or bad. I'm continuing his critical care schedule. I actually enjoy the one on one time with BJ. He's such a great guinea pig. He can be so loving and sweet. I'll keep hand feeding him for as long as it takes. I like the idea of using vegetable juice to mix critical care with. I'm sure it has the added benefit of more nutrients, which can only help.

[Sef]

Have you tried poop soup? It can also be beneficial in helping to get the gut's bacteria back in balance. Sounds nasty, but you can just take a few fresh cecal poops from one of the others and mix it with a little water to either syringe feed as-is or mix with a small amount of CC.

You can also add a little Acidophilus to the Critical Care. It used to have that as an ingredient at one time.

Yes, good suggestion pigjes!

[renonvsparky]

He's already eating his really mushy cecal droppings and leaving the normal ones. I have wheat grass that I keep on the feeding table and he's eating some of that between syringes. I'm starting to think that there is something wrong with his teeth. Every once in awhile, he acts like he's having trouble chewing. It's like what he's eating is stuck under his tounge or something. I think I'm going to go ahead and have the vet check his teeth just to be on the safe side. That probably won't be until Thursday.

[renonvsparky]

I've had a headache all day. I get them sometimes because of a really bad concussion I got in a car wreck several years ago. That's ok though. Me and the big guy are suffering together.

[Sef]

Oh there he is! He is so gorgeous.

I guess I was thinking there may not be enough "good" bacteria in the gut right now if he's still making somewhat mushy poops, and therefore his own cecals may be a little lacking, but the CC may be causing looser stools than normal, too. How thin or thick do you make it?

Teeth are something I'd check out next, given what you're describing with his chewing. I remember an exotics vet once telling me that a large percentage of GI issues are actually related to something with the teeth. BJ could well have an overgrown molar that is partially entrapping his tongue or causing pain/inflammation.

I'm sorry about your headache. Feel better!

[janlovingcavies]

Feel better both of you. Two invalids laying on the couch! Is BJ white and cream as I always thought he was all white.

Thinking of you both. Jill has soft poops too and has had a sample sent off to be tested. Hoping for good news! Keep us posted!

[pigjes]

Rest well, and keep us updated, please!