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Gradual weight loss

Blooberry

Blooberry

Junior Guinea Pig
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Getting a little worried as our 3 year old cinnamon is losing weight very gradually - over about 6mths. He is still over 1000g at 1017g today. He’s been checked this week - teeth are fine and heart etc. He’s active and eating like a horse. At first I attributed the weight loss to change in pellets (no alfalfa) and one tablespoon a day which was a reduction. He is also cage mate with a boisterous boar (now 11 months old) which keeps him on his toes. I have found it difficult to feed according to age with this combo. So in total over 6mths there has been a loss of 60-70g. The vet says keep a daily record which we are doing but I am a little alarmed. I am wondering if we should try and split the cage space for a week or 2 and see if this helps? Of course if the weight loss continues he is going back to the vet ASAP. Even though he is eating normally should I supplement with some CC? And if so. How much? ☹️
 
Hi! Please do not split your piggies up; that is very stressful and can break the bond for good.
You can try offering Critical Care and see how that goes.

The weight loss is still in the 'observation range' and not yet critical; the overall weight is still good but something is definitely going on as he is now at the peak of his life and the age when he is at his heaviest and least likely to lose weight. the problem is that weight loss without any other symptoms is extremely hard to figure out as I can be caused by so many different things. Please be aware that concentrating on keeping on the weight is not doing anything about any underlyin issue. :(

When has he last been seen by a vet?
 
Hi wiebke, sorry, I didn’t mean separate them, just partition the cage. Thanks for your observations. We saw the vet this week and they said monitor his weight daily. Yes, I am nervous but monitoring. Could the diet change and cage share be factors? I take your point about underlying issue. He is eating normally - pellets, veggies and unlimited hay, voraciously. He’s also had some cc today - but not sure how much to give in addition to normal diet. What do you suggest? I think we need to go back to the vet on Monday.
 
I did experience weight loss when Panda was bonded with two sows. Panda was a very fat piggy though and needed to lose some weight. But a similar situation in that he was bonded with two younger pigs and he was just more active than he had been with his brother.
 
Hi Sue & Smartie, Thank you for this. How much weight did Panda lose? I love the bond between Cinnamon but Beanie is a very clever and determined, happy piggie and of course he’s a youngster. He ‘growls’ if you go near his food bowl when he’s eating and he does give Cinnamon the runaround - I feel quite protective of Cinnamon as he’s such a gentleman.
 
Panda was at 1400g before he set up home with his wifey-pigs. Once they started giving him the run-around he dropped about 300g over the next six months. He really was too fat as he & his brother were like two old farts who sit on the sofa watching footy and drinking beer, and when Pedro died, Panda ate more than ever.
Panda did have some underlying health issues which required surgery twice, and I'm sure he only survived the second surgery because he wasn't labouring under all that fat!
 
Wow, that’s quite a lot of weight over. 6mths. Can I ask how old his is and what underlying health issues he had? Hope he’s okay now? Our Beanie, is a lovely boy but he’s turning out to be a bit of a, what’s the expression I’ve seen on here? Bully boy?
 
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