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I need some advice...

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MerryPip

Adult Guinea Pig
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My piggies are brothers who I got from a rescue and I think they are about 4. Merry is a very bright lad and doing plenty but Pippin seems to be slowing down and is starting to lose a bit of weight although not much. He just seems a bit slower than he ought to be and maybe he's just getting old but I wondered whether I ought to take him to the vet.

He eats ok and loves his cuddles but also drinks a lot.

Not sure what to do and not enjoying the thought of them getting older.
 
Hi,

I'm not sure if this will help but we had a similar situation with Biscuit recently. He's a 6/7 month old boar and has had various health issues.

Any way, recently he was drinking a lot. He seemed to be eating ok but not lots and wasn't quite himself. It turned out his teeth we quite a bit too long. He wasn't comfortable eating so was filling himself up with water.

It could be something else but I'm the kind of owner that would rather go to the vet's just in case. I think it's better to go to the vet and have it turn out to be nothing than not go and there's something.

Fingers crossed here :)
 
Not sure if you already know the history of the guinea pigs but it might just be the rehome that got him down a bit. It might be his 2nd 3rd or 10th home and it might just be a bit of trauma. Give him lots of love and attention and if he still drinks a lot and carrys on losing weight then take him to a vets.
 
I've had him for 3 years out of his four and he's usually a bit brighter, I just can't put my finger on what's wrong or if he is actually ok and just getting a bit sedate these days.
 
Keep a check on his weight - weight him daily and see if he continues to drop it.
 
Some piggies lose 'condition' when they get older, however, it is always good to exclude any other factors, like teeth, build up of parasites in the guts (worming), arthritis etc.

Here is a list of more things that can contribute to weight loss:
http://www.guinealynx.info/anorexia.html
 
Well, decided to book Pip in with the vet anyway, better safe than sorry and hopefully all he says is that he is getting on a bit!

I always take both of them in the box anyway because they are happier together.
 
Oh well, we went to the vet and the news wasn't all that good....

Pip has a large tumour in his left hindquarter which may be causing his weightloss etc but he may also be diabetic.

I am not one for heroic measures so as long as he is a happy wee Pippy then he'll stay at home with the family and his brother.

I'm really feeling a bit sad though. even though you always know they will leave you some day, you never want it to come to this.
 
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