guinea pig weights

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lauralucy

lauralucy

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this is hopefully in the right place.

i know what a healthy guinea pig should weigh, and i know that a weight loss is bad but I'm just wondering how much of a weightloss or a weight is seriously bad? over a small period of time.

can piggies come back from a large weightloss. or is there a point where there internal organs give up? or am i talking rubbish?

sorry dont think i've worded it very well.
 
A 50g loss i would monitor, a 100g loss i would be considering a vet trip. however the difference between a full and empty bladder can be 30g...?

When my boy was ill last year he lost about 300g, he only regained about 200g of that in his recovery, but that is due to his age, he is nearly 5.

xx
 
30g/1 oz is the daily variance between full bladder/ tummy and empty bladder/tummy.

50g/2 oz weight loss means that something is going on and you need to keep a close eye on your piggy so you can take it to the vet quickly if necessary. Switch to weighing daily.

100g/3 oz means that you should to see a vet irrespective of whether the weight loss has happened over the course of only a few days or whether it is a slow gradual loss. If a piggy loses that amount of weight in a day, it means that it hasn't been eating and/or drinking at all in that time and needs to be seen as an emergency.

Any piggy you are worried about should be weighed daily (preferably at the same time in the feeding cycle) instead of just weekly, as with healthy piggies.

This link here from Guinea Lynx explains it all, too: http://www.guinealynx.info/weigh.html
 
I had a pig once who lost over a quarter of his body weight. Something catastrophic had happened to him (I suspect he'd had a stroke) and the vet pretty much gave up on him. I was told 'take him home and make him comfortable, but he probably hasn't got very long...oh you can take some of this Critical Care if you like'.
So I took the CC and fed it to my pig several times a day for about six weeks, all this time he was still losing weight. Then one day he grabbed at the syringe and practically sucked it out of my hand! From then on he gained weight steadily. His fur got shiny again and he lived for another 15 months. I never knew how old he was when he died but I'd had him four years and he was grown up when I got him.
However, he was a very large pig to begin with, the biggest I've ever had. I think that helped him to survive.

btw, just before he died I had to take him back to the vet when he ripped a claw right off, and we happened to see the same vet who'd written him off before. The vet WAS surprised to see him.
 
I agree with Wiebke's post and would just like to add the following regarding recovering from serious weight loss and organ failure:

As said, a pig can loose 100g in a day if it stops and drinking completly, which is very serious as much of this loss will be due to dehydration which can become fatal (as organs will start to fail). With immediate veterinary treatment dehydration can be reversed and depending on what caused the pig to be ill in the first place this weight can be regained.

Also if an overweight pig experiences sudden and significant weight loss due to not eating there is a risk it can develop hepatic lipidosis, which VERY simply put means the liver is forced to burn body fat which can cause it to fail. (an other very good reason to always syringe feed piggies who are off their food)
 
thank you I had just over a 100g weight loss in 10 days so off to the vets after a dental check (no problems) but front slanted teeth and not eating a lot went back and she had an abcess which was lanced still not eating a lot picking at nuggets and that's it occassionly drinking water, then 4 days later on the check up from the abcess she has lost a further 100g she currently weights in at 731g she started at 945 (she has been being weighed daily).

she wont take syringed food but will take water short of forcing her mouth open I cant make her eat and I cant do that due to the abcess wound. I've tried grating the veg and chopping it up and leaving it and she wont/cant eat it. she isn't eating hay either just picking occassionly at the nuggets.
 
I'm afraid that you will have try to force syringe food down her mouth, as hard as it is if you want to give her a chance of recovery.
 
Aw honey! Sorry to hear this, exactly the same thing happened with Lilly last year, he had an abscess on his jaw which was lanced and drained several times he wouldn't eat and refused to be syringe fed but I just had to force it, and it saved his life, it really did. I know it's a huge ask, but if you can get her here I will help to nurse her if you don't feel confident? I was syringe feeding Lilly for 4 weeks around the clock, it was a battle and very emotionally draining, but he is here to tell the tale.

With the help from a very good rodentologist family friend and the work I put in he made a full recovery, I am only too happy to offer this to you if you want it.

Message me if you want Hun.

Xx
 
You might also want to give your pig some liquid vitamin C using a syringe. If a pig hasn't been eating, the lack of vitamin C can depress their appetite even further.
The little pig I lost last year got quite a taste for the vit C, it's sweet I suppose.

If you have a pig who won't take syringe feed, may I suggest something? Get a very small syringe, that way you don't have to force her mouth right open. Wrap your pig in a towel so she feels safe & secure (and can't run backwards) with just her face out at the end. Some people say have the pig facing away from you but I prefer to face my piggy, that way I see what I'm doing better. I expect I'm telling you what you already know, but this has never failed for me yet so I thought I would say anyway.
Like toffee says, it's worth persisting. Even if it's weeks. I will keep my fingers crossed for your piggy.
 
How is your piggie doing today? Still not attempting to eat?
I am still 'topping up' feeding one of my boars who had 2 abscesses lanced a few weeks ago. He lost 250g over a few weeks and is only slowly recovering but is back to grazing etc. Have you tried the critical care on a baby spoon if fighting syringe? Or CC on a baby spoon with tiny pieces of their favourite herb on top - fennel tops for my boar (I mean tiny, tiny pieces). When he was very poorly, I did wrap in a towel and used 1ml syringe with chopped off end as per above posts.
I also timed the biggest feed attempt to be about an hour after metacam had gone in so full pain relief to help the chewing.
Debbie at the Sanctuary helped me through the abscess draining and the feeding stage - have you tried giving her a ring?
 
she will eat the nuggets perfectly ok on her own, yes painkillers and antibiotics.

I know that force feeding her would be an option but surely if she doesn't want it its cruel to force it into her when she only spits most of it back out anyway, she has been having Ribena for vitamin c.

she isn't the piggy she used to be though she just sits wont move the other piggies come over to sit with her, I know this is due to the fact she isn't eating but its almost like she doesn't want to try.

I'm trying to justify it but I made the decision this morning to let her go, she is now at peace with her sister.

thank you Chloe for the offer I can syringe feed it doesn't bother me.

thanks for all the suggestions though xx
 
HUGS

I am very sorry that you have come to that heart-breaking decision. There are no rights or wrongs at that stage while you are working out whether the balance of a potential recovery, the amount of stress/suffering you are prepared to put your piggy through and your gut feeling is adding up for YOU. It is a very difficult, very individual and very lonely decision to make as to where you draw the line; none of us make this decision carelessly.

I hope that you are OK?
 
Thanks wiebke

It wasn't an easy one to make but I feel the right one for her.

I'm ok having lots of cuddles with rest of the piggies. Who luckily appear to understand.
 
It sure isn't easy to decide, but in reality it's the last gift you can give to your pet. Very brave of you and I think you did the right thing.
 
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