Sqeaks are muffled!

Question
Hello and thank you for helping me out!
Ive had my guinea pig for 2 years and a bit. About a month and a half ago we ended up getting a new 6 month old cat and around that time we changed her food aswell. In about a months time I have noticed shes not eating as much and not drinking as much, but she is still eating and still enjoying her favorite treats like cucumber and apples and carrots! I noticed she is skinnier and when I pick her up I can feel her bones, something of which I could never feel before. She also, I think has diareah, cuz theres yuckiness around her bum area, and i had to give her a bath. Another thing I noticed that is scaring me is when she sqeaks it's not the right squeaking sound, it almost sounds muffled, like she has a tube in her throat, something of which never happened before either, her squeaks were very loud before and clear. Thank you to anyone that can help me out, I appreciate it.

Answer
Hi Kira,

The only time I've ever encountered a "muffled squeak" in a guinea pig is in a very old one (6 years) who was nearing the end of his life. As yours is only 2 years, it's obviously not to do with old age, and is probably part of what seems to be general ill health.

It is highly likely that your guinea pig does not like her new food. Guinea pigs are very fussy when it comes to their dried mix, and they should be gradually introduced to any change in diet. Please switch back to the old one if you still have some, or if you can still buy it. Make sure you feed your guinea pig an approved guinea pig food; such as 'Gerty Guinea Pig' which is available in all good pet shops. Rabbit and chincilla food can be toxic to guinea pigs.

Diarrhoea is a very serious problem for a guinea pig and can be hard to stop. It will make your guinea pig get weak very quickly, so it is important that you stop her diarrhoea ASAP. Have a look in her cage to see if there are any signs and that this was not just a one-off the other day. If she still has diarrhoea you should probably take her to a vet; preferably one who specialises in small animals or exotics, who will be able to advise as to how to stop it.

What is your guinea pig's typical diet? I don't have Internet access at home ... finish work in 5 mins ... and won't be back until Monday ... so if you need urgent advice, please consult one of the other experts.

Good luck!

Jenny.