help please - one of our female guinea pigs is behaving as usual and looking healthy although her weight dropped has dropped since august from 1100 to 657g (although has gone up 20g from yesterday) any ideas? The vet has suggested teeth but she seems fine ?
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Female Weight Loss
- Thread starter Mel1
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- weight loss
Lady Kelly
Senior Guinea Pig
Hi. 20g weight difference is nothing. There can be more of a weight difference just between full/empty bladder alone. However your girl has had an astronomical weight loss so there is definitely something going on. Was your vet able to do a full examination of the back teeth? (This can be difficult due to food being in the way) and is your vet particularly cavy savvy? A knowledgeable vet, whether an exotics specialist or just a 'normal' vet with a specific interest in piggies, are worth their weight in gold. If your vet isn't particularly knowledgeable I would seek out a more experienced vet.
Pretty much every health condition that piggies can get can cause weight loss so this alone would not be enough to even start diagnosing the problem. Are there any signs of pain? (General withdrawal, becoming quiet, sitting hunched up, fluffed up fur, squeaking etc). Are there any indicators of problems with the teeth? (Front teeth slanted, front teeth overgrown, reluctance to eat harder foods, excessive drinking, pulling faces while eating or flicking their face to the side when they move food around their mouth).
We have a vet locator in the top bar which might help you find a knowledgeable vet in your area who can start to look into what the problem may be
Pretty much every health condition that piggies can get can cause weight loss so this alone would not be enough to even start diagnosing the problem. Are there any signs of pain? (General withdrawal, becoming quiet, sitting hunched up, fluffed up fur, squeaking etc). Are there any indicators of problems with the teeth? (Front teeth slanted, front teeth overgrown, reluctance to eat harder foods, excessive drinking, pulling faces while eating or flicking their face to the side when they move food around their mouth).
We have a vet locator in the top bar which might help you find a knowledgeable vet in your area who can start to look into what the problem may be
Hi and welcome
Please have your guinea pig checked from top to bottom, if necessary with a scan, by a knowledgeable vet! She must be close to her dying weight by now, which the absolute minimal weight of a piggy. 500g is a massive weight loss by any means and a clear sign that your girl is not well at all for some reason. Dental issues can be the cause, but you need to find a vet who can tell, and more importantly has the first idea of how to treat them, which your current vet doesn't seem to have. Guinea pig dentals are unfortunately not something that features large in a vet curriculum.
Recommended UK vets: Guinea Pig Vet Locator
Recommended vets in some other countries: Guinea Lynx :: GL's Vet List
Start syringe feeding and watering asap to support her weight as best as you can while searching for a good vet.
You can use mushed up pellets in an emergency although you will have to prep the syringe tip as show in our step-by-step beginners guide in order to allow the fibre to come through. It is absolutely vital that you keep the guts going. A healthy guinea pig can eat up to 120 ml in solids and fluids in a day since most of the food intake is unlimited hay.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
How is your girl's poo output? It usually reflects what is going in in terms of food. How old is she? Is she still eating normally when it comes to pellets and veg? How is her hay intake?
Is she eating more slowly, picking up food and dropping it, having a wet chin or drooling? Are her front teeth even and neat or jagged/slanted or inward pointing? These are the signs of overgrown teeth.
thank you - We have revisited vets to day I have left my guinea to have a thorough MOT to find out what the problem is - will hear later. he did check all her body yesterday and she didn't show any signs of pain no squeaking or wriggling bless her and started to eat again when home - I have syringed water to ensure her fluids keep up - so hoping when I pick her up later they have some news - i think the vet seems on it to be honest.
Please be aware that water does not contain any nutrients and is NOT a replacement for the fibre that keeps the guts going! Not Eating And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding
Wheekallweek
Adult Guinea Pig
Good news that you have a good vet! Good luck 
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