HELP GUINEA PIG VERY SICK..or so I think.

Question
I need help.
I have an about 1 1/2 year old male American Guinea Pig.
Since I got him he has always kept to himself. Mainly just slept and ate and drank water.
Recently I got him a friend, and he was showing healthy signs of being a dominant male, still so. He will be territorial.
But all he does is sleep.
I took him to the vet a while ago, and was given antibiotics for a respiratory issue. But since I had gone because I started seeing eye boogies (thats what I like to call them), I didn't see it going away after treatment. Being that the vet couldn't tell me what was wrong, I haven't relied on them. He still has crusty eyes, and they are watery. Now his poop is a light brown color, and I notice he sneezes every once in a long while, and that he is a lot warmer than my other pig.
My other pig is healthy. Wheeks and runs around, popcorns and does the whole guinea pig thing. But Pepper isn't doing any of that. He is also really big. Like fat. I feel like a terrible owner and don't know what to do. I feel like he is suffering. I also will be moving overseas in the next month, and don't want to separate with him. But I don't know what to do... Help me figure out what I should do...

I give them guinea pig pellets and it's organic so it has bits of dried fruit in it like banana and apple. I recently ran out of hay but will be getting more of that today. I give them Vitamin C drops in their water, just so there isn't a malnourishment going on. I introduced them to basil and mint the other day and they loved it. I also give them carrots on occasion. But I really am at a loss... I don't know what to do for him.

Answer
The crusty eyes may be a reaction to the bedding. However, just being a lazy pig doesn't necessarily mean he's sick.

I'm not in favor of vets prescribing antibiotics for guinea pigs unless they have a true working diagnosis. It's been my experience that many vets do this to calm and reassure the owners rather than for the benefit of the pig.

The number one symptom of illness in cavies is their appetite. A pig that is not feeling well with refuse to eat or drink. If he's still eating and doesn't appear to be losing weight I am inclined to think he is not sick.  

If you pick up your other pig and put his chest to your ear you will notice what sounds like a rattling chest, which in a human often indicates either a respiratory infection or an asthmatic issue. But in guinea pigs they all have that sound and it is normal. When a respiratory illness is the issue they have a noticeable heaving of the chest as they inhale.  

Antibiotics are not going to do anything for crusty eyes. And anytime antibiotics are prescribed the pig needs to have probiotics as well to prevent the antibiotics from damaging the healthy flora, or bacteria, in the gut that keeps digestion healthy. Penicillin is not given to guinea pigs as it is the number one cause of what we call secondary infections.  The animal suffers from the loss of necessary bacteria in the gut and they develop an infection from the medication, rather than a cure for whatever might be ailing them.  

I would recommend you do NOT give anymore antibiotics. There is another consideration and that is that maybe he is no longer the alpha pig and has lost his place as number 1 in the cage. That could also be the reason he is just lying around not doing much. The new boss hog has dethroned him.

As for his food, do not buy the feed with the colored fruit loops and fancy particles in them. They are eye candy for the owner, not good nutrition for the pigs..  Just feed guinea pig pellets that have nothing in them but the hay they are made from. I tend to compare those types of fancy feed to dog food that has 'gravy' in it.  Dogs don't need gravy. And it is usually made from some byproducts that give them diarrhea.  

The light colored stools may be an indication of lack of proper nutrition. If you want to supplement Vit C give him parsley.  Not a lot, but a few sprigs daily. Parsley is the highest in Vit C of any vegetable, then comes Kale. Oranges actually have little Vit C by comparison. But we're taught that we need that to provide the Vit C we need.

I'm not in favor of animal feed that is marketed as 'organic' as we don't really know if what we see on the label is true fact. It's a marketing method of getting into pet owner's pockets. I'm not saying that organic is not good, just that in some cases it's more for the owner's comfort than the actual nutrition of the animals.

A guinea pig's normal body temp is much higher than ours, and most pigs feel particularly warm especially if they are fat. The light color stool indicates a nutritional issue rather than an illness. Stop feeding dried fruits. Guinea pigs need fresh foods. Their particular favorites are the parts of fruits we do not eat:  watermelon rinds, banana peels, cantaloupe rinds, etc.  But they should be offered as supplement, not the stable part of their diet. For that they need guinea pig pellets.

You may or may not know that you should not feed rabbit pellets. They do not contain vit C as rabbits produce their own. Also many rabbit feeds contain antibiotics. Cavies to not need that and in many cases it can be dangerous, as sometimes it is a penicillin based antibiotic that is in the feed.

Hay helps them keep their teeth worn. The teeth never stop growing, hence their need to chew on fiber like hay. Carrots are also good as they have to really 'sink their teeth' into them. But again, they are treats not the main diet.  But a small piece of carrot maybe a 1/2 inch slice is sufficient if given daily.  Parsley is less expensive than mint or basil and has more nutritional value.

All in all I think there is something other than illness that has affected this little guy. It may be a combination of his diet and his loss of 'power' in the cage. If possible you might think of separating the two for a couple of weeks to see if his energy level increases.  But for now I would stick to the basics on the food issue and give him some time.

If the appetite is not affected he is not sick. If he is drinking normally he is not ill.  I am not a fan of Vit C in the water unless it is a powder form that leaves no odor or taste to the water. But it must be changed daily as the vit c degrades very quickly.

I have one other question, and that is his true age.  Do you know for sure how old he is? If he was purchased as an adult pig there is also the possibility that he may be older than you think, and that is a factor is his energy level.  As breeders we sell adult and baby pigs with their pedigrees which shows their lineage and birth records, family tree, etc. going back several generations.  Pet stores do not have this as it is not necessary. And few pet stores are truly knowledgeable about cavies. Their job is to sell them, period.

I hope this helps you and gives you a few options to try. And please let me know how this is working for you. If you have any other questions please don't hesitate to contact me again.