Oxbow Animal Health

Archived Vet Speak Questions

 In this section, you can read all of Dr. Kohles' archived responses to the questions from Vet Speak. 

I have been having an ongoing issue with my pet rabbit. He is a 4 1/2 year old male Holland Lop and has been neutered. The issue started on 8/4/2011.  We woke up to his wheezing, which was something he had never done. We rushed him to the vet and she took a culture, put him on Trimethoprimfulfa and then changed to Baytril. The culture came back as staph. While waiting for the results, we started nebulizing him with saline solution and she had him coming in for injections of penicillin. When she got the results we stopped the penicillin injections. She then had me use a mixture of Amikacin sulfate 100 mg/ Aminophylline 25mg/Acetylcysteine 60mg. in a nebulizer for 10 minutes twice a day. After going thru this for 6 weeks without much better results, she referred me to Oklahoma State University.

 

Thanks for your email. It is important that you have your small companion examined by a veterinarian familiar with guinea pigs as soon as possible. There are a multitude of potential issues that could be occurring with your pet, but the changes you describe in a pig that previously had been active and vocal are concerning. Guinea pigs are naturally prey species, which means their instinct is not to show when they are sick or not feeling well. 

 

 

It is important that you try to keep your little one eating and especially drinking until you can get him in to see an experienced veterinarian.  If you do not know of any veterinarians in your area you can search for them on our website or www.aemv.org.  Good luck and please let me know how the appointment goes.

I  have a guinea pig that was given to me by a member of our church. I was wondering how can we find out how old she is?  I failed to keep her chew toys in her cage thinking that she would chew on her log and her teeth broke off. My question is how long will it take for them to regrow? What can I do to prevent this from happening again?    Thanks in advance for any help you can give me, because I love Starr, I try to take the best care of her.

Thanks for your email.  You concern is definitely warranted and I would not wait a week to get your little one in to see an experienced small herbivore veterinarian. As a prey species, one of a chinchilla’s primary instincts is to not act sick even if they are. Any sudden change in behavior warrants concern in these little ones, so I would be concerned at a sudden decrease in activity. You are correct that bacteria are very important to the health of the gastrointestinal tract of small herbivores, but acidophilus is not one I would suggest supplementing without first having a complete physical exam done by your veterinarian.

 

The gastrointestinal system of small herbivores is especially sensitive to changes in their diet and especially if these changes mean increased amounts of carbohydrates. It is important that they get ample fiber in the form of hay and balanced nutrition in the form of hay-based pellets.

I have a seven pound white rabbit named Spud.  I think he is a Hotot, (at least based on pictures.)  His problem is a brown liquid, watery discharge from his anus.  When this is occurring there are mushy pellets that are discharged.  This does not occur often.  I think this condition occurs when he eats the paper based bedding.  His diet is primarily Oxbow Western Timothy Hay and Essentials Adult Rabbit (Bunny Basics/T) pellets.  He gets a small piece of carrot, apple, several cranberries, and about 20 grams of cilantro and flat leaf parsley.  I occasionally feed kale and collards.  Any thought to help me understand and what to do?

Rabbits, like all small herbivores, have a very sensitive and complicated gastrointestinal system.  I would take any irregularities in stool production or appetite very seriously and have Spud examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible.  It sounds like overall you have done a great job with the diet. It is important that adult rabbits have free choice grass hay and only limited pellets, greens and treats. Are you controlling his pellet intake?  If so, to what amount? How often are you giving the greens and in what amount?

There are many factors which could be predisposing to his loose stool (low grade diarrhea). I agree with you that if he is eating his bedding in any amount it could be a precursor to his loose stools. What type of bedding are you using? Is this new or the same kind he has always used? Have there been any changes to his diet recently?  How long has he been having this issue? I look forward to your reply. 
    
I was hoping you could give me some advice regarding my pet rabbit, Brigette. She's a six-year old, unspayed Dutch rabbit (has never given birth), and lately she is having swelling in one particular nipple (please see pictures). I first noticed it almost two months ago and after a couple of days the swelling disappeared and the nipple looked normal. As of four days ago, however, the same nipple is swollen again and there seems to be a soft inflammation beneath the skin at the base of the nipple. The other nipples are normal, and her behavior is the same as usual. I read somewhere that false pregnancy in rabbits could cause nipple enlargement. Is that true? How long does the false pregnancy last? Otherwise, what do you think it is?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much and have a great day.     

Although I have not seen this myself, I have read, as you stated, that false pregnancy can cause nipple enlargement. However, I would not expect this to affect a single nipple. Because the entire mammary chain is connected, if nipple enlargement were affected by hormones, it would affect all nipples. There are a variety of potential primary causes such as mastitis, neoplasia, and others, as well as the possibility the enlargement is secondary to some other issue. Because the potential causes are so varied, I would strongly suggest you have your veterinarian examine the area to rule out a medical issue. Good luck, and please let us how things progress.

I have a couple of questions. I have two Holland Lop house rabbits. I have noticed lately that one of them, Snickers, is drinking a lot more water than usual. Is this something I should be concerned about? He also has a problem with his teeth overgrowing, and has to have them cut down once a week. Other than that he seems to be in good shape, eats a lot of hay and feed (Oxbow, of course) and doesn't seem to be losing weight. He is also very active, as usual. Both of my rabbits go crazy over carrot tops. Is it ok to feed these as a snack, or should I not give to them on a regular basis? It's almost like bunny nip; they go crazy when they smell them.

Thank you for any advice you can give me.

PS They are 4 years old, in case age makes a difference. Snickers is a multi colored rabbit and Butterscotch is a tan one.

Rabbits, like most small herbivores, have a very high requirement when it comes to water intake. That being said, if you have noticed that one of your little ones is suddenly drinking substantially more, this is a concern. This may or may not be associated with his underlying dental disease, but I would recommend speaking to your veterinarian soon and having them perform a complete physical exam, urinalysis, and possibly some blood work. This can check for abnormalities which may or may not explain the increased water intake.

Carrots are a great supplement for rabbits. It is important to feed them in moderation, just as with any green/veggie or treat, but they are a healthy choice and, as you mention, often loved dearly by rabbits. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to help.

I have a Mini Lop, Floppsy, who will be 6 in April. Recently, we had to take her to the vet to have her flushed. She builds up a lot of calcium. The first time she was flushed it lasted over a year, during which time she was just fed greens (parsley and cilantro for the most part). After we had her flushed the second time, we told the doctor that we switched to Oxbow (we were using a different formula) in addition to some greens. Even though the doctor said we could give her the pellets, we only give her about 2-4 ounces daily. She is beginning to build up that calcium and we are trying to keep her tail and back end clean. She is shedding a lot right now, but maybe that's stress. Should we continue to give her the pellets and should we take back to the vet to get flushed since it's only been about 3-4 months since the last time? The vet said she may just be prone to that disorder. All of our rabbits love the Oxbow food. Thank you for your time.

Thanks for your email. If Floppsy doesn’t seem to be acting like herself, I would not wait on taking her to your veterinarian. Rabbits and most small herbivores are very good at hiding how they really feel, so we wouldn’t want to take any risks with her. There is a lot of debate as to what the primary causes are of rabbits developing urinary issues such as calcium sludge buildup. My first recommendation to clients includes limiting pellets (as you have done), feeding free choice grass hay, increasing the amounts of low calcium greens they get and insuring we are making water as available to them as possible by adding water bottles or corks to their space.

You are right that shedding could be related to stress, especially if she is not feeling well, but this could also be completely normal for her. I would not completely remove her pellets, as they are a balanced source of essential vitamins and minerals, but feed only 1-2 tbsp a day and work towards ensuring the other steps I outlined above are taken. I would make sure to run any nutritional or dietary changes by your veterinarian prior to making a change, as they know your little one and her challenges better than anyone. Please do not hesitate to call or email if I can do anything else.
 

I have a 2 ½ year old rabbit who just had a blockage of hair and required surgery. Do you have anything that I can give him to aid digestion and help prevent this? I have increased his brushing/petting since, for some reason, he has been steadily shedding after molting in late October. We moved to western New York from southeastern Pennsylvania at the end of October and I don’t know if this would have caused him to shed more since that time. He is a house rabbit, but it is quite a bit colder here than in southern PA (so I would think he would shed less?) Any advice would be appreciated to prevent this from happening again. His diet is Oxbow Bunny Basics/T or Oxbow Organic Rabbit along with unlimited Timothy Hay. He is given fresh greens twice daily.

Shedding is difficult to predict in rabbits. It’s possible that the move and accompanying stress could have played a role. There is also some belief that hair alone does not cause obstruction in rabbits, and that secondary issues, such as stress, may contribute to the issue. The primary indicator I look at with any GI issues in bunnies is diet.

I think the additional brushing is a good measure. Make sure that you continue to offer free choice grass hay (such as Western Timothy or Orchard), and only a specific amount of grass hay based pellets, as you are doing with BB/T and Organic Rabbit. Make sure the little one is drinking well. I sometimes recommend the addition of a secondary source of water, as low grade dehydration could play a role as well.

Oxbow does make a papaya supplement (Papaya Fruit Plus) which contains the active digestive enzymes found in pineapple and papaya (bromelain and papain). Some believe that these enzymes help break up mucous, which can be a binding agent in hairball and other GI related issues. If you decide to introduce these tablets to your bunny, start with a ¼-1/2 tablet once a day and gradually increase to the full tablet amount.

My roommate's guinea pig needs to gain weight. Right now, she's eating Cavy Cuisine pellets and lots of hay. Is there anything else we could be giving to her to help with her weight? She's getting veggies and some fruits, but always looking out for different things. She's not crazy about carrots.

It is important to ensure that your roommate's little one is healthy before we consider changing or adding to her diet. If she has not been to a veterinarian for a complete physical exam in the last month, this is the first step I would recommend. There is always the possibility that her inability to gain and maintain weight could be a health issue that needs to be addressed.

If she checks out healthy from a veterinarian then we could consider some additions to her diet to ensure caloric intake. In underweight or very active animals, I will sometimes supplement with small amounts of loose alfalfa. Alfalfa is higher in protein than grass hays like Timothy and Orchard. We can also supplement with additional greens and veggies, but I would not add more fruits or other sweets. You can also give her small amounts of healthy treats such as Oxbow’s Organic Barley Biscuits or Veggie Treats. Please let us know how the visit to the veterinarian goes and if you have any additional questions.

I have a 1 year old guinea pig that I feed a very small piece of peeled carrot, a tiny strip of red pepper, and a small leaf of either romaine or green leaf lettuce to every day. Of course, she gets Cavy Cuisine and lots and lots of Western Timothy, Orchard and Oat Hay too.

On occasion, I also give her carrot top greens. Are any of the above foods not good for her? I had two other piggies that died at the ages of 6 - I think due to the fact I fed them kale and parsley too much.

Thanks for your email. Your diet sounds great. The keys to a good guinea pig diet are free choice grass hay (such as Timothy or Orchard), a specific amount of age based uniform pellets (Cavy Cuisine for adults pigs), a vitamin C supplement (Daily C) and a small amount (<5-10% of their diet) of fresh greens, veggies and treats. I think the greens/veggies you are feeding are great choices. Be sure to avoid the seeds of the peppers and significantly limit the amount of kale and parsley. A small amount of these items is fine but, as they are higher in calcium, we try to avoid significant amounts. The lettuces you are feeding are good choices. Other good choices include bib and red leaf lettuce.

Although there is some belief that greens high in calcium (such as kale and parsley) can predispose guinea pigs to bladder stones, this, to my knowledge, has not been proven. It sounds unlikely that bladder stones are what led to the passing of your other two little ones. It’s important to remember that 6 is a very good age for a little pig. You were obviously a very attentive and caring mom if those two little ones lived to that age. Please let us know if you have any additional questions or concerns.

I am leaving to Europe for few years and I want to take my rabbit Kiki with me. It is not an option for me to leave him in the U.S., mainly because I treat him as a member of my family and I don't have a person I trust enough that I could leave Kiki with. My rabbit is a neutered male, 7 years old, in excellent health despite having his right hind limb amputated in April 2008. He moves well with no signs of arthritis and is quite mellow. I was able to find an airline that accepts rabbits, but only in a special pressurized and temperature controlled part of the plane, not in the cabin with me like I was hoping for. I realize that it is going to be an enormous stress for Kiki and I am looking for ways that could ease the trip for him. Can you recommend any medications that could possibly aid him in sleeping or anything that could help him during the 8 hour flight?

Thanks for your email and the question. There are medications that we can give rabbits to sedate or tranquilize them, but I would not recommend the usage of any of these drugs in this situation. Sedating a rabbit that has not routinely been sedated is very stressful and, if anything, I am afraid this would increase the strain on your little one rather than lighten it.

Has Kiki ever traveled before - on car rides, perhaps? If so, how did they go? I am sure the airline requires a hard plastic container for the trip. Be sure there is a large amount of hay in the box for Kiki to feed on. I would also strongly recommend finding a way to attach a water bottle to the inside of the cage, as if it were on the outside I would be afraid it could get knocked off and this would be detrimental to your little one. Best of luck, and please let me know if you have any additional questions.

I have a Flemish Giant who is five years old. In the past, we have been spoiled because she has eaten enough to maintain her weight. She was just in for a successful check up but over the past several months she stopped eating her pellets even though we did try a short swap to other pellets. She does continue to eat her Oxbow hay and her dried papaya chunks. Any suggestions to get her to enjoy her Bunny Basics/T?

Thanks for your email. Did Abby have a complete oral exam during her physical? I would first be concerned that she may have some oral pain attributed to dental disease with her age. Animals with this condition will often also not eat their hay, but I have seen cases where they reject only their pellets. I hope this is not the case but would first rule this out with your veterinarian.

Have you tried another bag of Bunny Basics/T? The natural variation in timothy can sometimes affect an animal’s palatability. This issue can often be minimized by mixing the end of one bag of pellets with the beginning of the next to ease the transition. Maintaining weight is very important as you know and sometimes I will offer some loose alfalfa or even a small amount of our alfalfa based pellet (Bunny Basics 15/23) in older animals. Be sure to discuss both of these options with your veterinarian prior to trying them.

I have also tried using fresh greens, fruits or veggies as a teaser to the pellets by mixing them together. Sometimes this will stimulate their appetite for their pellets.

I have just introduced hay cubes to my guinea pig and he really likes them. I know they are very good for his teeth. My question is, should I limit the number of cubes I give him each day to encourage the hay eating or is the benefit the same?

That is a great question. Hay cubes provide the same long strand fiber as loose grass hay. This fiber is what helps to maintain and support good dental and gastrointestinal health. Although there is nothing wrong with feeding only hay cakes, I would offer a balance of both hay cakes and loose hay in order to try and stimulate as much intake as possible.

I have a question about my pet house rabbit. I have two Holland lops (they are almost 3 years old now), indoors only, both males and neutered. One of my rabbits’ eyes seem to water overnight. They look clear otherwise and he acts no differently. It used to be just one, but is now both. He is very, very difficult to catch and give medicine to. He has been on Tobramycin eye drops (1-2 drops twice a day.) He has been using this since September 2009. His eyes are fine for awhile then start displaying a wetness around the eye without any “goop” or anything. Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your question. Ocular discharge (epiphora) is something we commonly see in pet rabbits. They are many different potential causes including, but not limited to: environmental sensitivity, allergies, dental disease, respiratory disease, bacterial infections and others. A complete physical and ocular examination by a veterinarian who is experienced with small herbivores is the most important first step. Rabbits have a nasolacrimal system just like dogs and cats. The nasolacrimal duct can become inflamed and occluded, leading to eye discharge. Your veterinarian can check this duct for patency to make sure it is open and allowing the eye to drain normally. If it is occluded they can flush the duct to open it and return it to normal function.

If you have used antimicrobial drops (such as Tobramycin) for a prolonged period of time with no success, there is most likely another underlying problem, or the bacteria causing the discharge may be resistant to the drops. I would talk with your veterinarian and discuss other potential causes (as listed above) and get his or her thoughts on additional diagnostics and treatments. I would also make sure the rabbit’s environment is as clean and dust free as possible. I would recommend against cedar or wood based bedding, opting for a compressed wheat straw, such as Oxbow’s Eco-Straw, instead.

One of our many guineas has given birth to five babies. The trouble is that the two smaller ones of the litter are not getting any food from their mother, as the bigger three are pushing them away in favor of themselves. What do you recommend in a situation like this?

It is important for pups to get milk from the sow for at least the first 5 days. Normally, the female will lactate for ~ 3 weeks, but if the pups do not receive any of the milk in the first 24-48 hours they often will not survive. If the pups are truly not feeding or are being prevented from feeding, they should be either fostered to another sow, which is often not possible, or can be fed from a dropper or pet nurser every couple of hours until they are at least 5 days old. You can also try removing the more aggressive pups for short amounts of time to allow the weaker pups to feed. These little ones will often starting nibbling on plant material within the first two days.

Oxbow’s Critical Care Fine Grind is a good powdered, plant-based nutritional supplement to offer them after the first 2 days to begin their transition onto solid foods. I would discuss this process and what milk replacer to use if needed with your veterinarian. I recommend that you offer loose alfalfa and grass hay as well as Oxbow’s Cavy Performance for the sow and pups. Quality nutrition is key to the sow’s ability to produce ample and quality milk and is critical to health of the pups as they transition to solids. Good luck and let me know if I can be of any additional support.

I have several small Katrina rescues, including three rabbits and one guinea pig. They are all fixed, healthy and stuff their little faces with your Oxbow pellets and Oxbow hay. However, one male rabbit, Bo, gives me concern. He seems to get loose stools that collect in his fur around his bottom. Besides looking gross, it must be hurting him as a result of collecting in big clumps in the fur. He loves to eat: carrots, parsley, spinach, mustard greens, dark green cabbage leaves. And, of course, blueberries, blackberries or raspberries. The animals get half pellets and half treats, Timothy hay, and also have fresh grass (they have their own large hutch and fenced in running space).

I cut back on the carrots and stopped the berries, but he is still in trouble. We had a lot (I mean a lot) of rain and their area does get wet. They have plenty of dry space (hutch has a large downstairs and upstairs with a huge roof over it attached to my garage), but they still like playing in the mud. The other two don’t have this problem. I also noticed that tiny poop pellets (the kind they normally re-eat and digest) are among the large ones. Bo is such a sweetie pie I want him to be well. What should I feed him more of or less of? The rabbits are all about 4 ½ years old. Apart from this issue, Bo is lively, plays with the other two and gives nice kisses. Thank you for your help.

Removing the berries and decreasing the veggies is a good first step. There are many different potential causes of what you are describing. I would start by taking Bo to your veterinarian for a complete physical exam and stool analysis. Intestinal parasites can cause irregularity to their stools. With Bo having access to the outside, he is at a slightly higher risk for these parasites than a strictly indoor herbivore. Although parasites are infectious (which means the other three cage mates could be infected as well) this doesn’t always occur and could just be an issue affecting the one rabbit.

If the stool analysis is negative and Bo’s physical exam is normal, I would try and simplify the diet as much as possible to start. Start by including only the recommended amount of adult pellets (Oxbow Bunny Basics/T), clean fresh water, and free choice Timothy or Orchard Grass Hay. I would completely eliminate greens and any type of treats, all while carefully monitoring his stools and appetite. It is important to be able to monitor him specifically. If you cannot do this in the larger cage, place him in a smaller cage next to the larger one so he can still see his cage mates. In general, the cecotrophs (the stools they should re-ingest) are much larger than the normal dry, hard fecal pellets. Small cecotrophs are another indication of gastrointestinal upset. If this is the case with Bo, it is important for you to continue to explore the cause of this issue.

One of our many guineas has given birth to five babies. The trouble is that the two smaller ones of the litter are not getting any food from their mother, as the bigger three are pushing them away in favor of themselves. What do you recommend in a situation like this?

 It is important for pups to get milk from the sow for at least the first 5 days. Normally, the female will lactate for ~ 3 weeks, but if the pups do not receive any of the milk in the first 24-48 hours they often will not survive. If the pups are truly not feeding or being prevented from feeding, they should be either fostered to another sow, which is often not possible, or can be fed from a dropper or pet nurser every couple of hours until they are at least 5 days old. You can also try removing the more aggressive pups for short amounts of time to allow the weaker pups to feed. These little ones will often starting nibbling on plant material within the first two days.

Oxbow’s Critical Care Fine Grind is a good powdered, plant based nutritional supplement to offer them after the first 2 days to begin their transition onto solid foods. I would discuss this process and what milk replacer to use if needed with your veterinarian. I recommend that you offer loose alfalfa and grass hay as well as Oxbow’s Cavy Performance for the sow and pups. Quality nutrition is key to the sow’s ability to produce ample and quality milk and is critical to health of the pups as they transition to solids. Good luck and let me know if I can be of any additional support.

What can I do for my pet's dental health?

Dental disease is common in small herbivores. Feeding a high roughage diet that requires a lot of chewing will help keep teeth worn down. Grass hay should be available at all times. Be familiar with your pet's teeth and behaviors. Report any changes in tooth shape, color or texture to your veterinarian. Your small herbivore should have their teeth checked at each veterinary visit, and a full examination of its teeth at least once each year. Early detection is the most important key to managing dental disease. The earlier you know about the problem, the more likely it can be helped. 

I have a question that no one has been able to answer for me (including three different vets). I'm hoping you might be able to shed light on my bunny's problem.

My Bonnie (No, she does not lie over the ocean... she's comfortable in her bed of Oxbow hay!) developed a problem about a year and a half ago that she never had previously. The problem is that Bonnie has started to accumulate feces on her bottom to a point where it forms a hard mass I cannot remove myself. Therefore, I make a visit to the vet once a month to get this mass clipped off. I've tried to catch this before it gets too bad and tried to clean her with baby wipes, but I cannot do this every single day and she does not like to be picked up and flipped upside down to be wiped (she doesn't like to be held at all). Our other rabbit, Clyde, lives in the exact same conditions, yet does not have this problem - but Clyde has shorter hair and is not as soft as Bonnie.

Because cleaning Bonnie every night is not a practical solution, are there any other suggestions you can give me so that Bonnie doesn't have to keep on going for a "haircut" every month?

Thanks for contacting Oxbow. Certain rabbits with longer hair can be predisposed to accumulation of stools around their backside. It is important to be aware that rabbits actually produce two types of stool. The hard round stools seen throughout the day and called fecals and represent the indigestible fiber from their hay. Rabbits also produce another type of stool typically at night which is called a “cecal” or “cecaltroph.” This stool is typically larger, found in groups and clusters and much stickier and softer than fecal stools. In addition, this stool should be directly re-ingested by the rabbits, as it is an important source of vitamins, water and other nutrients. Commonly, if rabbits are either excessively obese or have very long hair, this can make it challenging for them to re-ingest these stools which, as they are sticky by nature, get accumulated around the rectal area.

Your rabbit’s fecals should be hard and dry. If, for some reason, they are softer, this could be contributing to Bonnie’s problem. Softened fecals can be due to a variety of reasons, including parasites, improper gastrointestinal function or bacterial issues. If your vet has not yet performed a fecal analysis, I would recommend he/she does so in order to rule out the above issues.

One of my rabbits has gotten "walking dandruff" mites from my daughter's cat. The other rabbit is not infected. They are in the same area. The rabbit is being treated with 3 shots of ivermectin. Is there anything else I can do?

Cheyletiella sp. mites, also known as “walking dandruff,” can be seen in a variety of animals including rabbits, dogs and cats. These mites are zoonotic and contagious, which means they can spread to and from a variety of animals, including humans. Although cheyletiella can cause subclinical disease, where animals do not show outward signs of parasitism, more often these mites cause a scaly itchy skin disease and can even cause significant hair loss and skin infections. Mites typically inhabit the host’s entire body, but often the worse changes in the skin occur on the top of the neck, down the back and can even affect the hind limbs and abdomen.

Cheyletiella is transferred between animals through direct contact or by coming in contact with mites in environment, as they can live off their host for a few days. It is very important for you to carefully monitor your other animals for any signs of infection, as they may need treatment as well. If your two rabbits are cage mates, I would separate them while the infected rabbit is being treated to decrease the risk of spread between the two animals. As these mites can live off of their hosts for a period of time, it is also important to keep their environment clean. I would make an extra effort to keep their bedding clean and not leave excessive amounts of uneaten hay in their cage. Ivermectin is typically a very effective treatment for this type of mite, but it is important to always monitor your pet for changes. If you see changes in your rabbit’s appetite, stool production or overall attitude/activity, make sure to immediately inform your veterinarian. 

I wonder if you could clarify the quantity of hay that is necessary for guinea pig health, as well as the minimum quantity of fresh vegetables needed in a piggy diet. At present, I give each of my piggies one cup of fresh mixed lettuce, cucumber, tomato, green and red capsicum, corn silk and outer leaves twice a day, plus approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of Cavy Cuisine as a treat. I should mention that my piggies absolutely adore your products, preferring your hay over fresh food. My piggies are very healthy, energetic with glossy coats- which I credit to their diet. I try to promote your products whenever I can because I know the research and dedication that go into their manufacture. Thank you for your time.

Fresh, high-quality grass hay should be available at all times for guinea pigs, as well as all small herbivores. In general, guinea pigs will eat roughly their body size worth of hay everyday. As grazers, however, they need small, frequent meals throughout the day. For this reason, keeping hay available at all times is of key importance.

There are a variety of fresh hays that you can offer your guinea pigs, including: timothy, orchard, oat and organic meadow hay—all of which are very similar nutritionally but offer different tastes and physical characteristics to keep your little ones stimulated and interested in their hay. Feeding a variety of hays is great physical and mental enrichment for them as well, as hay is integral to their dental and overall health.

As a general rule of thumb in planning your herbivore’s daily diet, 70% of their diet should be fresh, high-fiber hay, 20% should be a uniform high-fiber pellet, 5-10% should be fresh, appropriate greens, and 0-5 % should be appropriate, low sugar treats. You might consider growing some of your own greens (there are a variety of appropriate species you and your veterinarian can discuss.) Growing and feeding your own greens is another great way to keep your pigs’ diet healthy and diverse and will keep them excited and interested.

Thanks for your email. It is not possible to specifically determine guinea pigs’ age once they are adults. Were you able to find a veterinarian in your area that is capable of working with guinea pigs? It is important to find a veterinarian that has both the experience and the desire, as small herbivores are unique and different from dogs and cats. Can you be more specific which tooth broke off?  Was it her front incisors? It is never normal for a tooth to break off and not only is this very painful for them, but can predispose to dental issues in the future as their teeth are open rooted and grow throughout their entire life. I would immediately have this evaluated to ensure the tooth broke in a proper location and that there is not concern for future issues.

It is important for guinea pigs to constantly be chewing to keep their ever growing teeth appropriately worn.  This is why all small herbivores should have grass hay available at all times to ensure not only good dental wear but also appropriate fiber intake. Oxbow has a comprehensive vet locator on our website filled with the contact information and addresses of qualified vets all over the country. I would suggest checking the locator or looking at the AEMV.org website to try and find a local vet.  Good luck and please let me know if you have any additional questions or concerns.

I sure hope you can help me.  My chinchilla, Mary, started sleeping a LOT a few days ago.  I had no idea why.  Then she started sleeping in her bath house.  Her normal vet said to take her bath house out of her home.  So now she sleeps in her little "hidey-hole security house."  She stopped chewing anything about a year ago (I think) and has had her teeth trimmed twice now.  Her normal vet recommended Oxbow for her food and she loves it.  She's even chewing the hay - until about 3 days ago.  Now, all she seems to want to do is sleep.  She won't even get on her wheel which she usually loves.  I read on Drs. Foster & Smith that acidophilus is sometimes needed.  Do you suppose I could get Mary some yogurt until I can get her in to her vet?  I'm so worried about her!  I sure hope you can help. About her current vet, she's in the process of moving her office so I can't get Mary in for about a week or more.

The vet there said to stop using the nebulizer solution as it had an ingredient that can cause issues with the kidneys. She prescribed Doxycycline 10 mg and Enrofloxacin 37.2 mg twice a day and also using Enrofloxacin injectable with saline solution in a nebulizer once a day.

I am not convinced that my rabbit has snuffles. Yes, he has some of the symptoms, including nasal congestion (which is now clear as opposed to white) and sneezing. He is constantly with his brother, and his brother has NO signs of this condition. I have read everywhere that it is extremely contagious. He eats well, and is still active. He did have a sneezing issue yesterday where his face all around his nose was wet (not sticky, just wet).  I tried to syringe out some mucus (using a baby syringe).  Nothing came out but clear liquid.

My vet and I are kind of at a loss as to what to try next. Any suggestions you can give us would be greatly appreciated. I love my bunnies very much and want them to have the very best life they can have.

What you are describing is unfortunately a common challenge in rabbits. It is good that the nasal discharge is currently clear and not colored.  This could indicate more of an upper respiratory irritation than current ongoing infection.  Snuffles would definitely be high on my list of rule outs and as you are aware this can be a very tricky and difficult to treat disease.  You are correct in that it is a contagious disease.  That being said, each animal has its own unique immune system and some animals are not as likely to be affected even when in direct contact with an affected animal.  It sounds like you have received very good veterinary recommendations from your veterinarian and Oklahoma State.

I would suggest you consider a complete examination (including radiographs) of the oral cavity. Rabbits are at a higher risk for the development of dental disease because their teeth grow throughout their entire life.  This ongoing growth, if not properly controlled through diet or if the animal has a genetic issue, can lead to root elongation, dental malocclusion and other changes which can secondarily affect the nasal cavity, thus predisposing the animal to upper respiratory disease including bacterial infections. Although I have not seen this myself, I have heard of rabbits also getting food material, such as hay, aspirated into the nasal cavity, thereby causing ongoing irritation.  This is tough to diagnose, but a nasal scope might be a good ideas as well.  Good luck and let us know how we can help. 

Hi.  I have a guinea pig.  He is always active and cheerful.  He is very verbal. All of a sudden he became very still and quiet.  He does not respond to anything and is not eating or drinking very much. Any help you can give would be much appreciated.