GP Pregnacy!

Question
My guinea pig just had babies and is draggin her back legs.. its that normal after having babies?

Answer
Hi Leticia!

NO!  She needs extra vitamin C immediately!  You can give her a vitamin C tablet (they like orange flavored), but if she won't eat it give it to her crushed and mixed with some water in an eyedropper or infant's dosage syringe.  The babies are draining her of the necessary nutrients and you need to help her out.

How many babies did she have?  Place something called Milk-sop in the cage.  You make it by soaking bread or rice cereal (my choice is the rice cereal) for human babies in milk and placing in the cage, but it must be changed every couple of hours, so it doesn't spoil.  It is best to warm it just a little (until it is about body temperature). This is good for the pups and the sow.

If you know anyone with a litter of guinea pigs that are still nursing you can foster the babies to another guinea pig mom until your piggie is back on her feet.  This is the simplest answer, but not always possible.

If you don't know of another nursing mother, you should feed the pups to take the strain off of your guinea pig.  You can give them goat's milk mixed with half water and warmed to skin temperature (if you can't feel it when you drop it on your wrist it is right).  Feed them every two hours until you are absolutely sure your sow is better.  

You can begin to wean the pups almost right away too.  Soak pellets in water and place them in the cage.  They will eat small amounts of it and by two weeks or so should be completely weaned.

A veterinarian can also give vitamin c shots.  This is probably faster and safer than the other methods, but even if you do this she may relasp unless you follow it with the other things I mentioned.

I hope she gets better soon.  Good luck, and if I can be of any more help let me know.

Annie