Elderly Piggy Thread

aimzer

aimzer

Adult Guinea Pig
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Hi everyone!

I could be mistaken but I'm sure there used to be a thread on here with regards to caring for older piggies? I can't seem to find it but as I say I could be wrong!

My Daisy has turned 7 today and I've noticed a slight slowing down in her lately so just wondering if there was anything in particular I should be doing differently.

Thanks.
 
Will have a look for you...

@Wiebke can you remember seeing anything.

Daisy is a great age, with our older ladies we increased food a little to keep their weight up... Expect oldies to lose a little weight like humans do as we are older. Make sure she is warm also.
 
sport_billy said:
Will have a look for you...

@Wiebke can you remember seeing anything.

Daisy is a great age, with our older ladies we increased food a little to keep their weight up... Expect oldies to lose a little weight like humans do as we are older. Make sure she is warm also.
Click to expand...

No I can't remember the thread you mean; it's never been stickied.
 
aimzer said:
Hi everyone!

I could be mistaken but I'm sure there used to be a thread on here with regards to caring for older piggies? I can't seem to find it but as I say I could be wrong!

My Daisy has turned 7 today and I've noticed a slight slowing down in her lately so just wondering if there was anything in particular I should be doing differently.

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I have a few elderly piggies - 6 and over. Suzie has gradually become quite bony but otherwise running about and always first for cucumber!
She eats her hay and a good amount of various veg but I also give her mashed pellets with some added vitamin c, sometimes with Critical care and other times with fibreplex added in! I mix in small pieces of cucumber so that when she picks up the cucumber she's also getting some mash attached. Mind you, the mash dish is always empty in the morning so I know she enjoys it all!
 
This is helpful. I thought that at 5 and a half my Merab was an older piggy but she’s obviously a mere youngster compared with some of yours. She has been getting bonier but eating and playing normally. Some weight loss but nothing of concern. It’s reassuring to know this is normal for an aging piggy. Thanks
 
Merab's Slave said:
This is helpful. I thought that at 5 and a half my Merab was an older piggy but she’s obviously a mere youngster compared with some of yours. She has been getting bonier but eating and playing normally. Some weight loss but nothing of concern. It’s reassuring to know this is normal for an aging piggy. Thanks
Click to expand...
I've recently lost a 7 and a half year old and I know @Wiebke had eight year olds!
 
I must have imagined the thread i thought existed!

Thank you all for the comments. If anyone wants to add their experiences with older piggies, feel free. I will enjoy reading them :)
 
ive a 7 year old piggie George,he runs around and climbs on the lounging logs ,he is a little boney ,but his mate is 1 1/2 years old,he keeps George on his toes.George is full of life and no signs of slowing down ! i give a few more pellets,let him have his favorite veg..i weight all my piggies once a week so this flags up any problems !
 
Oldest Piggy?

or

Advice On An Older Piggy


don't suppose it was either of these was it?
i had Ellie who was at least 8yrs old when i lost her, she had ovarian cyst hormone treatments at 6yrs & 7yrs old, heart meds for a dicky ticker at 8yrs old, but it was diagnosed too late for her to trial them any earlier (as i had suggested!)

Ellie was around the 1200g in weight, but the last two years her weight decreased slowly & she lost a lot of muscle mass, becoming kind of 'pear shaped' with a bony spine & pudgey tummy, where everything seemed to have headed south!
i think in the end her last weigh in was around the 900g region, she did feel light in comparison to Grace anyway at a hefty 1400g but the difference was really noticeable, she still ran around & was a total diva that loved her food though, she was a happy & content guinea until the day she drifted off to rainbow bridge.
She did come inside from her hutch in the shed for her last 2 winters as she had UTI's (which turned out connected to ovarian cysts) i think they just need a bit more TLC & keep them warm enough & draught free, make sure their cage mates don't eat all the food too, as Ellie slowed down with her eating, but was otherwise ok.

one of my girls was about 5yrs old & had metacam (loxicom) daily for painful joints to help her walking - maybe arthritus signs could be watched out for, just to make sure she stays pain free & comfortable if needed.

i love the golden oldies Grace is around the 5 to 5.5yr age &she's a proper little character, she's also lost a lot of weight in the last year or so too . xx
 
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