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Losing Weight Quickly.

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Cavy Lover

Cavy Lover

Adult Guinea Pig
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Hello guys

Unfortunately I haven't been able to weigh my pigs for two months and I feel terrible about that and before that I would weigh them every week. Anyways I went away for a week at Easter and I got back yesterday when I picked up the pigs I felt Cookie was very light now even if haven't weighed your pigs for a while you get to know how heavy each pig is and I could see she looked skinnier. Of course I am not blaming my friend as she was feeding them the amount I told her to. Anyway I weighed them all today and the others have all gained weight and are the right size but Cookie is only 500g and 2 months ago she was 775g and she is 2 years old. I was just wondering what might have caused her to lose weight and how can I help her gain weight? @Wiebke I wonder if you could help.
 
500g is VERY low for an adult guinea pig! Please have her seen and checked by a vet to see whether he can find a reason for such a large weight loss in a small piggy.

Please start hand feeding and watering her, but it won't work unless you get to the bottom of what is causing the weight loss. Weigh her daily at the same time in the feeding cycle to see whether it is a quick or slow weight loss and whether it is still ongoing. it can well be that the change in surroundings has acerbated her already existing problems. It is important that you have her seen as soon as possible before the weekend.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/complete-hand-feeding-guide.115359/
 
Ok. I'll see if I can book her an appointment. She is eating well right now she is nomming on some apple and she went out on the grass today for a bit. Should I try fatten her up or anything? She is also drinking fine aswell.
 
If she is losing weight despite eating normally, then that it is very worrying. Losing over 30% of her body weight is massive! Please start topping her up with hand feed, as much as she will take!
 
It is to late to book an appointment now but I will as soon as possible. Is sneezing part of it as she is constantly sneezing?
 
She lives with three other pigs so I have four of them.
 
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@Wiebke Would it be alright if I put Cookie out on the grass today as it is a lovely day? I will weigh her first and see if she has lost weight? I kept her seperate from the other pigs so that I could keep an eye on her. She had a little water and was asking for loads of wet pellets which she was eating of a spoon, she is also eating a little hard food but not that much. I will go and weigh her now. Thanks.
 
Cavy Lover said:
@Wiebke Would it be alright if I put Cookie out on the grass today as it is a lovely day? I will weigh her first and see if she has lost weight? I kept her seperate from the other pigs so that I could keep an eye on her. She had a little water and was asking for loads of wet pellets which she was eating of a spoon, she is also eating a little hard food but not that much. I will go and weigh her now. Thanks.
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You can put her on the grass, but please provide a dry and warm place off the damp, cold ground that provides protection against any cold breezes as well. A cardboard box that has some insulation on the bottom with hay inside is ideal to help her warm up whenever she needs to.

PLEASE make sure that you get a vet appointment either for today or for tomorrow!
 
Cavy Lover said:
She lives with three other pigs so I have four of them.
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I have a piggy in my care at the moment who has lost some weight, and is part of a group of four. He was checked over by Simon, my vet, and nothing obvious was found to be wrong. Simon suspects he had become a little under the weather, resulting in him missing out on some food as the others would be grabbing and eating it quickly, and then once they start to eat less, they become weaker, so miss out on more food and it just snowballs from there. I have since been taking him out each day to give him his veggies separately from his friends, and then feeding them altogether, so he still gets to eat with them, but it doesn't matter if he doesn't get his fair share. His weight is now rising again and I am needing to take him out less and less for separate feeding. We feel sure that whatever started this in the first place, he has now got over, and he is back on the up and up.

It is important though to get a thorough check up from a good, guinea pig savvy vet.
 
Ok, Well I have started feeding her separately and she is eating like a horse so maybe that is the case.
 
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