Specialist Guinea Pig not putting on weight

[Jessmacg]

Hi all,
Just need some advice/thoughts on an ongoing issue we are having.

We have a little pig who has ongoing digestive issues. She's been seen by the vet (many, many times) and whilst test shows she is fine, there are clearly some issues. We've been managing it over the last year or so with a mixture of painkillers and a very specific diet. Every now and then she will drop a load of weight and have a poorly tummy. But after a visit to her vet we usually get her back on track pretty quickly.

However, this time is different, we've sorted the symptoms as much as we can but she just isn't putting on the weight. When she does put on any weight she will suddenly very quickly lose it.

She has been to the vet (who is an exotic specialist and has her own guineas so she knows the animal) but there no new issues. She is currently around 620g, she's always been a small pig but this is very skinny for her. She is about 5 and a half years old.

Any home remedies for getting her to put on weight and keeping it on? We've tried critical care, oats, biolapis etc.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi all,
Just need some advice/thoughts on an ongoing issue we are having.

We have a little pig who has ongoing digestive issues. She's been seen by the vet (many, many times) and whilst test shows she is fine, there are clearly some issues. We've been managing it over the last year or so with a mixture of painkillers and a very specific diet. Every now and then she will drop a load of weight and have a poorly tummy. But after a visit to her vet we usually get her back on track pretty quickly.

However, this time is different, we've sorted the symptoms as much as we can but she just isn't putting on the weight. When she does put on any weight she will suddenly very quickly lose it.

She has been to the vet (who is an exotic specialist and has her own guineas so she knows the animal) but there no new issues. She is currently around 620g, she's always been a small pig but this is very skinny for her. She is about 5 and a half years old.

Any home remedies for getting her to put on weight and keeping it on? We've tried critical care, oats, biolapis etc.

Hi!

Has your vet checked for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)? It is usually noticeable by its thickened lower gut. My Pili Pala was eventually diagnosed with it (it is not something that is much known in guinea pigs) and lived for another year with top up feeding support and medications to nearly 6 years, which was most respectable under the circumstances. On top of her IBS she also developed suspected hyperthyroid and died from a cluster of heart attacks. She was a comparable age when battling her issues.

Has your vet considered using gut stimulators (zantac, emepride, cisapride) in combination with metacam?

Please step in with syringe support whenever your piggy is losing weight. Unfortunately she is now at an age where the elderly body is no longer able to bounce back as quickly and put weight back on easily (the average life span of a healthy guinea pig is 5-7 years). It is often quite a battle to just stabilise any weight at that age in my own experience; and I do unfortunately not have any further magic tricks in my back pocket. I wish I had, having some very elderly sows that are just skin and bone to look after...

@Abi_nurse

 

[Jessmacg]

Thanks for that, she actually is being given buscopan to help with any cramping. She recently had a spate of her gut being overactive so our vet isn't keen on giving her gut stimulants unless she absolutely needs it. At the moment everything is passing through ok.

Metacam doesn't work for her either, shes actually on tramadol at the moment. She's getting regular critical care feeds, plus a small amount of oats.

I suppose, it's a case of just persisting and see how she does.