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Help!

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Tayz

Tayz

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Omg!
Ringo is losing weight!
She use to be really round, but now she is so thin I can feel her leg bones and her spine.
She has also become a very tiny pig.
I want to take her to the vet but it cost about 100 australian dollars for a checkup.
Mum says that we will wait and see and if she gets worse we will take her but mum suspects that she is going to pass away from old age.
Ringo is 5+ years.
Noone knows for sure how old she is but we know she is very old.
Does anyone know if this is just old age or smething else!
Please help, I've been crying my eyes out all morning...
 
Oh sorry this is happening :'(
I don't know what it could be as I am not an expert but I would try and convince your mum to take her to the vet. It's the best thing, and then you know what's going on. Talk to your mum reasonably about it, without getting angry if you can help it, and perhaps offer to do chores around the house in return for the price of the vet bill.
Good luck hun, hope it works out for you :)
 
hi thats very over priced for a check up mine cost a max of $45 no matter where i go.i would really push the going to the vets,you cant just wait and see with guinea pigs they go downhill very fast and there may be no turning back at that point.maybe try to find a vet that is a little cheaper?
 
She'll have to be taken to a vet asap if she has lost that much weight. Is she eating anything? Does she try and eat her food and then drop it or break it into small pieces? If so then this is probably a case of her needing her teeth trimmed/filed. This is quite a common procedure. It does not need to be done under anesthetic. Your piggie won't feel anything as there are no nerves in your piggie's teeth. You'll have to start syringe feeding her. If you have no critical care you can use organic vegetable baby food. Give her as much as you can. Make sure she is drinking otherwise you'll have to syringe her water so she doesn't dehydrate. Hope this helps :)
 
I'm so sorry - piggies can go downhill dramatically so quickly.

I second the syringe feeding - and don't forget the water, if she doesn't drink! But she should be seen by a vet sooner rather than later. I know that it's hard for you when your mum doesn't see it your way! Give Ringo lots of your love as well. Just knowing that she is loved will make her feel better.

All the best and lots of vibes for poor Ringo!
 
I'm so sorry you are going through this :( I echo what everyone else has said and try and convinced your mum to take her to the vets. 5 years is oldish for a guinea pig but there are many people on here who have had piggies for much longer xx
 
Weigh her daily for a week or so, so you have a record of the exact amount she is losing. Going by condition is important, but precise tracking of the weight loss is going to help the vet more. Do you know what she weighed before she fell ill? This would be useful information if you have it. Weight loss to this degree is more usually due to illness.

A slow, steady change in condition and the gradual loss of some weight is normal for old age.
 
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I don't know what she weighed before she lost all the weight.
She seems to have lost a lot in the last few days or week.
She does eat as much as the other 2 and they are very chubby piggies(personally i think we feed them too much ^^ )
She used to be really round, but now she seems so skinny.
Mum hasn't changed her mind yet, she just wants to see how she goes.
Ringo doesn't drink water from the water bottle. She refuses. I have only ever seen her drink water once or twice. I think she gets her water from the dew on the grass in the morning...
 
I hardly ever see my pigs drink either but the water bottle goes down. She could also be getting her water intake from all the veggies she eats. I'm sorry that your mum hasn't been convinced but I really do think that a vet visit is needed. Could you show her the replies that people have left on here? When poorly, guinea pigs can go down hill rapidly xx
 
No..She eats like a fat pig, I don't think she needs syringing...
I might syringe feed her some water, but she has been eating like crazy..
Parent still wont take her :(
 
I wouldn't give her any extra water unless her fur is waxy and stiff; if she's eating well, she'll get the necessary fluid from the moisture in her food, especially if she is on the grass.

Have you continued to weigh her everyday? How is her weight now?
 
hi sounds like she needs a vet i dont want to be rude at such a hard time for you but did your parents consider what it means to look after a pet and the day that a pet is brought home then whoever owns it has commited themselves for the animals entire life to loving,caring and doing whatever needed for a comfortable life for the animal?
 
Yes, they do know. Not to sound rude either, but my defending my mum, she really doesn't have the money to take a guineapig who has lost weight but is fine in every other way to the vet and have it cost 100 dollars.
My mum has committed so much to my pigs, that they are literally hers too. She deserves a bit of break guys, she is keeping an eye on Ringo and if one little thing happens, She will bolt Ringo down to the vet.
the only symptom is:
Lost weight

I haven't been weighing her as I have been really sick and I didn't want to go near them incase they caught it. But my mum has been watching her. She is eating normally and she doesn't look like she has lost anymore weight....
 
I would weigh her daily from now and see how much so is loosing. 1-2oz is ok 3oz is not good and 4oz take to a vet.

It is usual for older pigs to loose weight. She is eating fine I take it?
 
Tayz said:
Yes, they do know. Not to sound rude either, but my defending my mum, she really doesn't have the money to take a guineapig who has lost weight but is fine in every other way to the vet and have it cost 100 dollars.
My mum has committed so much to my pigs, that they are literally hers too. She deserves a bit of break guys, she is keeping an eye on Ringo and if one little thing happens, She will bolt Ringo down to the vet.
the only symptom is:
Lost weight

I haven't been weighing her as I have been really sick and I didn't want to go near them incase they caught it. But my mum has been watching her. She is eating normally and she doesn't look like she has lost anymore weight....
Click to expand...

If you cannot afford to take her to the vet, it may be too late and you may lose her.
I had a piggy who ate loads, but was still losing weight, the vet diagnosed kidney problems.
Your piggy could be saved if this is caught early.

I understand money is tight for everyone at the moment, but I do not think it is a good idea to own any animal if you cannot afford the vet care.
 
Yes, I understand that I should take her to the vet. But I am a 15 year old who has 10 dollars in her wallet and my mum doesn't think she is bad. I will start weighing her tomorrow as it is 7pm at night right now and she is probaly nice and snug in her cage asleep.
I will tell everyone my results soon...
 
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