Gradually lost weight

[Claire W]

Within the space of a year, Ellen has gone from a hefty 1200g to just over 1000g although she hasn’t lost that much on the vets scales.

She has been thoroughly checked over by my vet every time they go for nail trims which is at least every 8 weeks. I did fear that she had ovarian cysts at one point but my vet could feel nothing unusual when she felt her ovaries.

Ellen is in remission from diabetes and has had no problems for the past 3 years. Her lastest urine sample showed no glucose so there isn’t a problem there.

Could it just be because she’s coming up to middle age (she’s 4 in March) or could there be something wrong that my vet hasn’t picked up? She’s still eating, drinking, pooping and playing like normal. She just feels so thin compared to Edward whoes hovering around 1100g

 

[piggieminder]

The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight

It could be her age, it's mentioned in the above thread. My boars who have just reached 4 have become bonier in the last year, and lost weight. Both have been checked by a vet and given a clean bill of health. These little furries are always a worry though, wish they could explain to us how they are feeling.

 

[Claire W]

Thank you. I weigh them before breakfast on a Sunday when they have their cage cleaned. She isn’t losing weekly but has lost around 200g within the last year.

Hopefully it is her age then. I too wish that they could tell us.

I forgot to mention that she does have IC. She went 8 months with no flares but she’s showing symptoms again now but my vet doesn’t think that’s the cause of her weight loss

 

[Bill & Ted]

My Bill and Ted will be 4 this spring and I have noticed in the last 4 months they have become a bit bony on the back end. Ted dropped down to 1107gns with his teeth over early summer but is now back at a steady 1310 gms. Bill is a little smaller at a steady 1230 gms so they are both down from a heavier weight of 1400 gms and 1300 gms but all fine and healthy checked by vet, both definitely feel bonier around hips.

I think it’s probably just age, they do lose a little weight and condition as they get older x

 

[Claire W]

Thank you. I guess I should expect the same to happen to Edward but he’s 6-8 months younger than Ellen. Apart from Ellen and Edward, I’ve only had 4 piggies make it past 3.5 but Erika and Emma were 1500g and 1300g so the weight loss wasn’t as noticible. Eliza and Eleanor both lost weight but they were both poorly too.

I think I’ll have to put it down to age then as my vet can’t find anything amiss

 

[Wiebke]

Within the space of a year, Ellen has gone from a hefty 1200g to just over 1000g although she hasn’t lost that much on the vets scales.

She has been thoroughly checked over by my vet every time they go for nail trims which is at least every 8 weeks. I did fear that she had ovarian cysts at one point but my vet could feel nothing unusual when she felt her ovaries.

Ellen is in remission from diabetes and has had no problems for the past 3 years. Her lastest urine sample showed no glucose so there isn’t a problem there.

Could it just be because she’s coming up to middle age (she’s 4 in March) or could there be something wrong that my vet hasn’t picked up? She’s still eating, drinking, pooping and playing like normal. She just feels so thin compared to Edward whoes hovering around 1100g

She hasn't lost much more weight since she's been here in the summer, has she? She was certainly feeling totally healthy around her ribs then as opposed to feeling somewhat overweight in the summers before.

 

[piggieminder]

You are a brilliant owner Claire and really on top of things try not to worry, I'm sure if there was anything wrong your vet would pick it up. You are already keeping an eye on her by doing a weekly weigh in.

 

[Claire W]

She hasn't lost much more weight since she's been here in the summer, has she? She was certainly feeling totally healthy around her ribs then as opposed to feeling somewhat overweight in the summers before.

She’s lost about 60g since then but has currently settled around 1000g. I’m glad she was feeling totally healthy around her ribs Her spine and back end just feels more prominent than Edwards. Yes, Lindsay said that she was a bit overweight before so I shouldn’t worry, but I do worry and it isn’t like I can bulk her up with high calorie veg

But like I say, apart from Eliza and Eleanor who both lost weight due to illness when they were 4 and Emma and Erika who were massively overweight before they lost some so it wasn’t as obvious, Ellen and Edward are the first piggies to make it to 3.5 years old with no serious illness (apart from Ellen’s bladder problems) so I’m not sure what’s a normal for this age?

 

[DMS260820]

Within the space of a year, Ellen has gone from a hefty 1200g to just over 1000g although she hasn’t lost that much on the vets scales.

She has been thoroughly checked over by my vet every time they go for nail trims which is at least every 8 weeks. I did fear that she had ovarian cysts at one point but my vet could feel nothing unusual when she felt her ovaries.

Ellen is in remission from diabetes and has had no problems for the past 3 years. Her lastest urine sample showed no glucose so there isn’t a problem there.

Could it just be because she’s coming up to middle age (she’s 4 in March) or could there be something wrong that my vet hasn’t picked up? She’s still eating, drinking, pooping and playing like normal. She just feels so thin compared to Edward whoes hovering around 1100g

My old boar lost weight at around 6 years old, it was muscle mass

 

[Wiebke]

She’s lost about 60g since then but has currently settled around 1000g. I’m glad she was feeling totally healthy around her ribs Her spine and back end just feels more prominent than Edwards. Yes, Lindsay said that she was a bit overweight before so I shouldn’t worry, but I do worry and it isn’t like I can bulk her up with high calorie veg

But like I say, apart from Eliza and Eleanor who both lost weight due to illness when they were 4 and Emma and Erika who were massively overweight before they lost some so it wasn’t as obvious, Ellen and Edward are the first piggies to make it to 3.5 years old with no serious illness (apart from Ellen’s bladder problems) so I’m not sure what’s a normal for this age?

She did feel perfectly OK for her age to me. I would keep an eye on it, but at this stage not worry about it a lot.