Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

Malinka giving up?

0 views
Skip to first unread message

Michel Oosterbeek

unread,
Sep 9, 2008, 2:34:06 AM9/9/08
to
A few months ago, Malinka lost both his girlfriends, with whom he's been
living together for almost his entire life (4 years). We immediately got
him 2 new girls, and for about 2 - 3 months everything seemed fine. But
now he getting into trouble. He's eating less then what we're used to
see him do, and he's just quietly sitting there in a corner of his
little house.
We took him to the vet, and she noticed that his molars were grown to
large (starting to bridge). So she shortened them. Things should be back
OK now, his teeth are fine again. But still he eats less every day. His
molares were shortened last friday. Surely he can't still be bothered by
this, can he?
We're getting very worried, he's the last guy from our "first
generation". So losing him would be extra hard. It just seems like he's
giving up...

Newsgroup

unread,
Sep 9, 2008, 5:19:51 AM9/9/08
to
I hope he is ok.....sometimes they do withdraw a little. One of mine in
particular from time to time goes quiet, sits at the back of her box and
doesn't eat much, then it seems to be just fine.
Best wishes for Malinka......kelvyn.

Michel Oosterbeek

unread,
Sep 9, 2008, 8:14:09 AM9/9/08
to

Yesterday we started giving some painkillers (based on herbs). The vet
told us that after correcting the molars the mouth of the piggy can be a
little soar. It takes about a day before these herbal painmeds reach
maximum effect, so right about now Malinka should feel better. When I
got home for my lunchbreak he seemed fitter, and he even asked for a
treat. He hasn't done that for days! So I'm slightly hopefull again.

Michel

--
Wanna see my piggies?
Visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/dr_whoop/sets/72157605973287223/

shoopkitten

unread,
Sep 10, 2008, 3:41:22 PM9/10/08
to

I'm so sorry about your piggy. I hope Malinka gets better soon. Will
wood chews and harder treats keep their molars from getting over
grown? I'm a fairly new piggy parent so I wasn't even aware this could
happen. Have you ever used colloidal silver with your piggies? Its a
natural antibiotic, we used it on a hamster with a nose abscess after
we popped it (very icky) and it worked so well!

Michel Oosterbeek

unread,
Sep 10, 2008, 4:02:53 PM9/10/08
to

Usually chewing should keep the molars from overgrowing. However, a
misaligned jaw, or (like with Malinka) old age can cause the molars to
overgrow. We once had a piggy who had this same problem on a very young
age. With him it was caused by a blundering vet who failed to see a
wound in the piggy's mouth. Fortunately we found a very skillful vet
shortly after that, and she noticed the wound right away. And yes that
wound was in fact treated with colloidal silver - with succes.
Malinka is simply getting older, and we have to realize that we need to
help him with some things. Right now we're worried that he's not eating
enough. However, his weight is still OK, and stable. We're watching him
very closely...

kelvyn

unread,
Sep 10, 2008, 4:14:21 PM9/10/08
to
That's a good idea from 'shoopkitten' regards providing hard wood
chews.....I have always given my pigs "wheat" which of course is very
hard,and they like it and there have never been any problems with teeth.
kelvyn.

kelvyn

unread,
Sep 16, 2008, 6:43:39 PM9/16/08
to
how is Malinka? any news?
kelvyn

Michel Oosterbeek

unread,
Sep 17, 2008, 3:27:51 AM9/17/08
to

> how is Malinka? any news?

He's eating, but not enough. We noticed he was loosing weight. So now we
give him extra food through a syringe (the stuff is called "Recovery".
He's also on pain-meds since yesterday, and that seems to do the trick:
he started eating better.

He's sceduled for another visit to the vet this saturday (a teeth
check). We're keeping a close eye on him!

Michel Oosterbeek

unread,
Sep 18, 2008, 2:42:08 AM9/18/08
to
The visit to the vet has been moved forward to Friday.
Right now he won't eat pellets anymore, but he does eat his hay, and
strange enough, he can't get enough of chicory - his favorite vegetable.
Fortunately we provide him with recovery, and yesterday we even noticed
he gained a little weight. I can't leave work today, but tomorrow I can
leave earlier --> to the vet.

Michel Oosterbeek

unread,
Sep 18, 2008, 6:08:33 AM9/18/08
to

My wife let me know she could take the afternoon off. So I guess our
little guy has an appointment for today. Most likely his molars need
"maintenance". After that, with proper care he should recover.

While there, he will also get a checkup to see if his health is OK in
general. He's 4 years old now, so there's no harm doing an extra
health-check, right? :)

Michel.

shoopkitten

unread,
Sep 19, 2008, 12:16:52 PM9/19/08
to
Always better safe than sorry. If he's already there there is no harm
in doing the whole shebang at once. I hope he feel better soon. My
girls won't stop eating. I don't know if piggies can overeat but they
love their new organic pellets. Can you try switching brands and maybe
see if there is another brand he likes better? My girls eat Sun Seed
Sunaturals Natural Guinea Pig Food and they seem to love it.

Michel Oosterbeek

unread,
Sep 22, 2008, 3:51:27 AM9/22/08
to

Fortunately things weren't as bad as we feared. The vet trimmed down the
teeth a little bit, gave him some painmeds and when our little guy got
home he started eating! The vet advised us to keep feeding him "extra"
so he would gain weight again, and this is also working. Our little guy
is feeling OK now.

As for the brand: ours eat "Gerty Ginea Pig" from Suppreme. The fact is
that they don't want anything else. In fact, there were times when we
got a new piggy from the shelter from the animal protection agency, and
they gave us some of the food the piggy was used to (so it could
gradually get used to the brand we are giving them). Once at our place,
the new pig started sorting new new brand from the old one, leaving the
old one untouched! So I guess that's a sign for us to stick with what
we've got :o)

Michel

Scorpio

unread,
Sep 25, 2008, 6:00:06 AM9/25/08
to
On Sep 22, 7:51 pm, Michel Oosterbeek <n...@cannot.have.it> wrote:
> Fortunately things weren't as bad as we feared. The vet trimmed down the
>   teeth a little bit, gave him some painmeds and when our little guy got
> home he started eating! The vet advised us to keep feeding him "extra"
> so he would gain weight again, and this is also working. Our little guy
> is feeling OK now.
>
> As for the brand: ours eat "Gerty Ginea Pig" from Suppreme. The fact is
> that they don't want anything else. In fact, there were times when we
> got a new piggy from the shelter from the animal protection agency, and
> they gave us some of the food the piggy was used to (so it could
> gradually get used to the brand we are giving them). Once at our place,
> the new pig started sorting new new brand from the old one, leaving the
> old one untouched! So I guess that's a sign for us to stick with what
> we've got :o)
>
> Michel
>
> --
> Wanna see my piggies?
> Visithttp://www.flickr.com/photos/dr_whoop/sets/72157605973287223/

>
>
>
> shoopkitten wrote:
> > Always better safe than sorry. If he's already there there is no harm
> > in doing the whole shebang at once. I hope he feel better soon. My
> > girls won't stop eating. I don't know if piggies can overeat but they
> > love their new organic pellets. Can you try switching brands and maybe
> > see if there is another brand he likes better? My girls eat Sun Seed
> > Sunaturals Natural Guinea Pig Food and they seem to love it.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Oh my god Michel your piggies are gorgeous. Soooo bootiful!!!

Megan

Michel Oosterbeek

unread,
Sep 25, 2008, 6:06:03 AM9/25/08
to

> Oh my god Michel your piggies are gorgeous. Soooo bootiful!!!
>
> Megan

Thanks! But then again, isn't every piggy? :o)

Scorpio

unread,
Sep 25, 2008, 5:31:40 PM9/25/08
to

They don't realise how cute they are. I hold mine and just about mawl
them with cuddles and they just sit there and stare at the dust
falling through the air....

Megan

micknat

unread,
Sep 28, 2008, 12:37:07 PM9/28/08
to
Thanks for sharing the pics. They are very handsome little piggies. How many
do you have? Natalie
"Michel Oosterbeek" <no...@cannot.have.it> wrote in message
news:48d74e80$0$197$e4fe...@news.xs4all.nl...

Michel Oosterbeek

unread,
Sep 29, 2008, 2:25:29 AM9/29/08
to
micknat wrote:
> Thanks for sharing the pics. They are very handsome little piggies. How
> many do you have? Natalie

We have 5 in total. To clear things up: Currently we have Malinka,
Maneshka, Minya, Dribbel and Heidi. The other piggies in the photostream
sadly are no longer with us...

0 new messages