Are elderly guinea-pigs more likely to get ill?

[Alicia]

I was just wondering if guinea-pigs were similar to humans in that they are more prone to illness as they get older?

 

[Wiebke]

There are some illnesses that become more prominent in older guinea pigs, like arthtritis, and they can be slower to recover from illness or operations and never regain their full weight again.

 

[Alicia]

Ok thank you for telling me, my guinea-pig, Roy, is 6 now so I just wanted to check.

 

[Wiebke]

Our first family piggy back in the seventies lived until he was nearly ten, and old age caught up with him only in the very last few weeks. Older piggies tend to sleep more and are a bit less agile.

It can well be that one or another organ is giving out at some point and that the digestion is getting a bit iffy in some older piggies. Others are healthy and stout like your boy until very late in their lives.

 

[Sarah from Chucklebunnies]

I have found that older piggies can also lose that useful layer of fat, it is impossible to 'feed' them up to regain it. This means that they can have problems getting warm again after becoming wet or cold - you can tell as there is a deep muscular shivering that lasts a few seconds then repeats - and need hot water bottles, hair dried, that sort of thing. This loss of fat also makes smaller illnesses more difficult to recover from, they can't manage as well if they are off their food for a day or two as a young fat piggy could. So I just keep an eye on elderly piggys and try to tempt appetite where I can.

 

[nutmeg]

This is my 'old man' Steven. Almost 6. Slowing down a bit, back legs a bit stiff after his frequent naps, but otherwise great. I love him to bits.

 

[ninjapig28]

He's cute! x)

I was wondering the same thing. My boar sam is 5 this year and been threw the wars.. Recently he has been sitting a lot, looking a bit cold and and his eyes seem a bit 'droopy' if that makes sense. His health is fine and he seems in good spirits but his age is getting to him i think. His weight never recovered after his operation 2 years ago. I think age does play a factor, much like people....

 

[Wiebke]

You may find this link interesting: http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/oldage.htm

 

[ninjapig28]

Thats really interesting, thanks I'm on that page a lot as well and never noticed... doh!

 

[ninjapig28]

http://www.jpgpr.com/jpgpr400.html

assp good

 

[Teresa J]

My elderly piggy, Cedric, is now 9 years old and apart from sleeping alot more than he used to, he's fine. He is a little stiff, usually early in the morning but he's never been ill at all - and he's still really chubby

Teresa xx