Excessive Drinking?

[Pets Palace TV]

Ever since I adopted one of my guinea pigs I noticed that he seems to drink very excessively - I don't know wether it's because he's bored and he just drinks for the sake of it or he could be drinking excessively for another reason? Other than that he is fine. He lives with another boar who doesn't drink as much as him, in one day the bottle was completely empty (I give them fresh water daily). Does anyone know if there may be something wrong with him?

 

[worried val of york]

Some guinea pigs do drink more than others. But I am not an expert. Have you checked to see if the water is actually being drunk as some guinea pigs like to play with the water bottles so most of the water goes on to the floor. Little Tinkers

 

[Perfectpets11]

I have a similar problem. Just recently one of my pigs has started drinking a lot more frequently. I don't know why either. My pig doesn't empty the bottle like one of your boys does (badger?) but he has started drinking more. Again, he seems physically fine. The boys never really drank much water but the bottle is suddenly starting to constantly be around half full?

 

[Perfectpets11]

Maybe they just enjoy it lol

 

[PottyForPiggies]

Some just drink more noticeably than others! I'm convinced that my Treacle is playing with the water bottle, as half of it ends up on the floor but she appears to drink more than the others - mainly because she makes a right racket when she does it!
Also, I find when the large bottle (I have one medium and one large per hutch) is too full, they can't quite get the angle on it that they want - so they play with it so it empties a bit and is easier to get to

 

[Pets Palace TV]

Some guinea pigs do drink more than others. But I am not an expert. Have you checked to see if the water is actually being drunk as some guinea pigs like to play with the water bottles so most of the water goes on to the floor. Little Tinkers

Their previous bottle was leaking a bit so I changed it and this one doesn't leak, whenever I go to see them he is always drinking!

 

[Wiebke]

The individual water intake can very varied, but please have any piggy checked that is drinking 300ml or more for diabetes or kidney issues.

 

[Pets Palace TV]

Some just drink more noticeably than others! I'm convinced that my Treacle is playing with the water bottle, as half of it ends up on the floor but she appears to drink more than the others - mainly because she makes a right racket when she does it!
Also, I find when the large bottle (I have one medium and one large per hutch) is too full, they can't quite get the angle on it that they want - so they play with it so it empties a bit and is easier to get to

I don't really like the large bottles, I just changed mine for a smaller bottle because it was leaking loads

 

[Perfectpets11]

For some reason my boys will only drink from the 320ml bottles. I always have 2 bottles on their cage. One is 320ml and the other is 600ml.

 

[Pets Palace TV]

The individual water intake can very varied, but please have any piggy checked that is drinking 300ml or more for diabetes or kidney issues.

Their bottle holds 300ml, it's difficult to tell how much which one is drinking what amount because they live as a pair.

 

[Wiebke]

You could always have your drinker checked by a piggy savvy vet or divide the run and see how much your boy is drinking in a day. There bond will survive that way.

 

[Guinea Slave]

@Wiebke if they have kidney problems or diabetes whats the treatment/prognosis? Just today I noticed my huge bottle of water has gone down to nearly empty. It was like it this morning so filled it up, got back from work just now and its empty again. I have my suspicions that its my elderly one eyed girl but not sure. Its not leaked much so its not that. They will all come in the house tonight so that I can see whats going on. But not having gone through kidney or diabetes issues before I wonder what the outlook is?

 

[Wiebke]

@Wiebke if they have kidney problems or diabetes whats the treatment/prognosis? Just today I noticed my huge bottle of water has gone down to nearly empty. It was like it this morning so filled it up, got back from work just now and its empty again. I have my suspicions that its my elderly one eyed girl but not sure. Its not leaked much so its not that. They will all come in the house tonight so that I can see whats going on. But not having gone through kidney or diabetes issues before I wonder what the outlook is?

It depends on the actual problem; I must admit that I haven't got any personal experience with either. Diabetes piggies can live for a good while; with kidneys it depends very much on the diagnosis as to what is wrong with them. I know that Glynis' diabetes girl lived for at least 2 years with hers.

 

[Guinea Slave]

OK thanks Wiebke. With diabetes, its not like you can get them to eat specific foods or have an insulin injection every day! I am hoping its just one of them playing with the bottle, I really am. But for some time I have been worried about little Lacey (the older one), she is looking over weight and spends a lot of time asleep..more so than usual. I have had her checked by the vet and she said she was OK but to go back if she was drinking excessively......Cagney has an appointment next week so I can always take Lacey too.

 

[Wiebke]

OK thanks Wiebke. With diabetes, its not like you can get them to eat specific foods or have an insulin injection every day! I am hoping its just one of them playing with the bottle, I really am. But for some time I have been worried about little Lacey (the older one), she is looking over weight and spends a lot of time asleep..more so than usual. I have had her checked by the vet and she said she was OK but to go back if she was drinking excessively......Cagney has an appointment next week so I can always take Lacey too.

Testing for diabetes should ideally be done on three subsequent days with the result above the line each time, so a single test at the vets may not be conclusive. Weight gain is more connected with diabetes than with kidney problems although both are more usually seen with weight loss issues.
@gizzy