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loosing weight! help!

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4piggies

Hi everyone, my little piggie Barbosa is 6 and a half. Recently he has lost a bit of weight (78grams over two months) he is still eating though not as much as he used to, remains bright and active but feels like a little skeleton when I stroke him. I had him at the vet yesterday who could find nothing obvious. the vet gave me a weeks worth of Septrin and metacam.
This morning I have noticed that he has not wee'd much overnight.

I was just wondering if anyone had experienced this before?
 
At 6 and a half, he's a very good age. The weight loss you mention is gradual, 78g over two months is a steady loss. Illness is typically highlighted by sudden and fairly dramatic losses.

Were his teeth (molars at the back in particular) checked at all?

It sounds as though his age might just be catching up with him, although I do hope you do still have many months more with him.
 
It can be due to old age, as it is not a quick weight loss. I agree with Laura that it would be good to have his back teeth checked. If they have overgrown they can bite into his check or tongue and make eating difficult.

If possible, try to find a rodentologist within reasonable reach, if you can or a specialist vet that has experience with treating rodent teeth. A general anaesthesia is not needed and will keep the cost down.
 
78 gm. a little under 2 ounces, in 2 months is a very small weight loss. That amount would be significant if it took place over 1-2 weeks.
Over 2 months you would expect his molar teeth to have overgrown significantly, leading to a bigger weight loss.
To give him Septrin and Metacam just on the chance that some treatment is better than none is utterly indefensible. How can the vet. give treatment without a diagnosis?
By all means have his teeth looked at by someone who knows what they are doing and certainly no general anaesthetic.
At his age you have to expect some age-related weight loss.
 
Thanks everyone! your words have eased my worrying a little. Vet did not look at his teeth. I couldn't get my normal vet who has successfully treated many of my guineas as it was an emergency, so I think I defo need to get an appointment wi him.

I have just weighed my boy and he has gained 35grams which is the first gain in two weeks! He just feels so skinny. Also is not eating much of his veg which worrys me cos he loves it so much.

It did cross my mind about age related weight loss but was unsure as he is the first guinea I have known his proper age. (all my piggies have ever been rescues) Barbosa was dumped in a box with all his info on it! so i have never known iv had a golden oldie before so wasn't sure.

Will get his teeth checked and get appoinment with my normal vet.
 
PS I think the medication was because he
was a little uncomfortable when the vet was feeling his tummy
 
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