Losing Weight

[Katy Felix]

Cocoa's been losing some weight. His teeth are def normal, and his diet hasn't changed. He is acting and looking normal in every other way except weight. Any ideas what is happening? He is thought be be maybe 2-4 years old? He is an Abyssinian. He used to be around 1000-1200 grams, and has gradually gone down to 700-900. Could it perhaps be his winter flub going away? This is the second summer I've had him and I didn't weigh him in the first summer.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Has he been to the vets? That's a big weight drop, it could be his back teeth and/or pain that's causing him to eat less hay?

I would really consider syringe feeding and getting him to a piggy savvy vet as soon as you can, weight normally fluctuates a little but not to that extreme.

Has his cage mate lost weight?

Hope he's okay!

 

[Swissgreys]

Weight loss can be normal fluctuations, and also a cause for serious concern.
Could you add a bit more information?
For example it would help to see the dates, weights, and times of his last 4 - 6 weigh ins.

 

[Katy Felix]

Has he been to the vets? That's a big weight drop, it could be his back teeth and/or pain that's causing him to eat less hay?

I would really consider syringe feeding and getting him to a piggy savvy vet as soon as you can, weight normally fluctuates a little but not to that extreme.

Has his cage mate lost weight?

Hope he's okay!

He has been eating the normal amount of hay. I don't think he is in pain, because when he had a cold once he was very unhappy and he scrunched up and closed his eyes. That's long gone, though. He unfortunately doesn't have a cage mate, his old friend Maxy passed and he is too aggressive to be paired with other piggies. Always biting, even after bonding.

 

[Katy Felix]

Weight loss can be normal fluctuations, and also a cause for serious concern.
Could you add a bit more information?
For example it would help to see the dates, weights, and times of his last 4 - 6 weigh ins.

Ok sure!
Here are the past 8 recorded weights and dates, some of the, might be a few grams off.
April 29 - 990
May 2 - 950
May 4 - 920
May 5 - 940
May 14 - 925
May 21 - 940
May ? - 945 For some reason there is no recorded date here?
May 30 - 870
I also made a mistake on the first post!
He usually weighs from 900-1000, NOT from 1000-1200!

 

[Katy Felix]

I'm watching him eat right now. I'm comparing it to an old video I took of him eating. He isn't eating like his teeth hurt or anything. Should I give him more food to fatten him up? I think it might be season fluctuations though.

 

[rome_italy]

it looks strange... May 2. 950 and May ? (let's say 25) 945, that is just the same weight. Is yours an electronic scale? try to check it weighing an object you have at home, always the same object for some days.
If the scale is okay, before fattening him without discovering a possible disease, you should observe him, weigh all his food, counting his poo and then, if I were you, I would give all the info to a vet for a check up and a talk.
Did you change the brand of pellets? because pellets containing flours and cereals fatten the piggie making absorbing water (as pasta and pizza do to us humans... if you cut off all the cereals/flour from the diet you immediately lose 2-3kg of water). Maybe his pellets are now different? Maybe the hay is different? some hay contains alfa-alfa and clover...
He seems to feel fine, considering what you have written...

 

[Wiebke]

Cocoa's been losing some weight. His teeth are def normal, and his diet hasn't changed. He is acting and looking normal in every other way except weight. Any ideas what is happening? He is thought be be maybe 2-4 years old? He is an Abyssinian. He used to be around 1000-1200 grams, and has gradually gone down to 700-900. Could it perhaps be his winter flub going away? This is the second summer I've had him and I didn't weigh him in the first summer.

Please have him vet checked. That is a massive weight loss that needs investigating! 50g/2 oz is a weight swing that is within the tolerance zone; any more is not normal.
Please start syringe feeding asap to make sure that your piggy is OK. Please also keep in mind that you cannot see the crucial teeth at the back of the mouth (overgrowing roots or dental abscesses) nor any internal lumps or problems. In most cases, a pain issue is at the bottom of any major weight loss. Please also take into account that hay is making aroun 80% of th daily food intake, but it is usually the food group that you cannot control and that is the first to be dropped.
Weigh a healthy piggy once weekly and a piggy with concerns once daily at the same time in the feeding cycle (i.e. before breakfast or dinner) to monitor the food intake. Cheap supermarket kitchen scales will do.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight

here is a list of recommended piggy savvy vets in Ontario: Veterinarians: Canada - Guinea Lynx Records

 

[Katy Felix]

Please have him vet checked. That is a massive weight loss that needs investigating! 50g/2 oz is a weight swing that is within the tolerance zone; any more is not normal.
Please start syringe feeding asap to make sure that your piggy is OK. Please also keep in mind that you cannot see the crucial teeth at the back of the mouth (overgrowing roots or dental abscesses) nor any internal lumps or problems. In most cases, a pain issue is at the bottom of any major weight loss. Please also take into account that hay is making aroun 80% of th daily food intake, but it is usually the food group that you cannot control and that is the first to be dropped.
Weigh a healthy piggy once weekly and a piggy with concerns once daily at the same time in the feeding cycle (i.e. before breakfast or dinner) to monitor the food intake. Cheap supermarket kitchen scales will do.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight

here is a list of recommended piggy savvy vets in Ontario: Veterinarians: Canada - Guinea Lynx Records

Hiya, so ive taken him to the vet. Thwy gave him some shots and antibiotics for the next few days. Will this ruin his appetite? Since he was very underweight when they weighed him, ive been feeding him little bits of pepper, cucumber, parsley and lettuce throughout the day. He seems better and he's eating hay and drinking, but just now he stopped wanted red pepper. Since he needed vitaman c ive been giving him little bits all day. Has he gone off it because he's been eating it all day? Should I do anything? He is still eating hay though. He was also hypothermic when the vets took his temp so ive given him a hot jar of water wrapped in layers of fleece. Is that ok?

 

[Katy Felix]

Please have him vet checked. That is a massive weight loss that needs investigating! 50g/2 oz is a weight swing that is within the tolerance zone; any more is not normal.
Please start syringe feeding asap to make sure that your piggy is OK. Please also keep in mind that you cannot see the crucial teeth at the back of the mouth (overgrowing roots or dental abscesses) nor any internal lumps or problems. In most cases, a pain issue is at the bottom of any major weight loss. Please also take into account that hay is making aroun 80% of th daily food intake, but it is usually the food group that you cannot control and that is the first to be dropped.
Weigh a healthy piggy once weekly and a piggy with concerns once daily at the same time in the feeding cycle (i.e. before breakfast or dinner) to monitor the food intake. Cheap supermarket kitchen scales will do.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight

here is a list of recommended piggy savvy vets in Ontario: Veterinarians: Canada - Guinea Lynx Records

His eyes are also round again and he isnt wobbling or wheeking for no reason anymore

 

[Katy Felix]

Ok last question. He has gone in the corner just now and he is just sitting there. He usually goes there to poop but is he hurting? I cant give him his medications yet because the other dose was just this morning. I'm a little wprried. He seemed to be doing so much better earlier today.

 

[Wiebke]

Hiya, so ive taken him to the vet. Thwy gave him some shots and antibiotics for the next few days. Will this ruin his appetite? Since he was very underweight when they weighed him, ive been feeding him little bits of pepper, cucumber, parsley and lettuce throughout the day. He seems better and he's eating hay and drinking, but just now he stopped wanted red pepper. Since he needed vitaman c ive been giving him little bits all day. Has he gone off it because he's been eating it all day? Should I do anything? He is still eating hay though. He was also hypothermic when the vets took his temp so ive given him a hot jar of water wrapped in layers of fleece. Is that ok?

Please weigh him daily and start topping up with syringe feed if he is still losing weight. Just watching him eat or not is not going to give you the answer. You really need to weigh and go along with what the scales say. They don't lie!

Antibiotics can be appetite dampeners or even killers. Most guinea pigs get on well, but some can be hit hard. This can happen with any antibiotic, but the most often prescribed one (and still the only officially licensed one for guinea pigs) baytril (or in the US also prescribed as enroflaxacin) is the one that tends to hit piggies a bit harder.

You can try to counter that with giving a pinch of probiotic (available in many pet shops) either 1 hours before you give the antibiotic (US practice) or 1-2 hours after the antibiotic (UK practice) if you wish to. It helps to bolster the gut bacteria.

 

[Wiebke]

Ok last question. He has gone in the corner just now and he is just sitting there. He usually goes there to poop but is he hurting? I cant give him his medications yet because the other dose was just this morning. I'm a little wprried. He seemed to be doing so much better earlier today.

Just keep an eye on him. it may have been that one of the shots was a steroid (which is actually not recommended for guinea pigs) and that the shots are now wearing off. Or he is just tired.

Recovery is rarely straight forward. It is very much an up and down. If in doubt, keep syringe feeding him, as much as he is willing to take in one go without forcing it down him; that is topping up for a recovering guinea pig.

It is very encouraging that he has stopped wobbling and is not in pain and that he has started to eat more on his own.

 

[Katy Felix]

Just keep an eye on him. it may have been that one of the shots was a steroid (which is actually not recommended for guinea pigs) and that the shots are now wearing off. Or he is just tired.

Recovery is rarely straight forward. It is very much an up and down. If in doubt, keep syringe feeding him, as much as he is willing to take in one go without forcing it down him; that is topping up for a recovering guinea pig.

It is very encouraging that he has stopped wobbling and is not in pain and that he has started to eat more on his own.

Ah thank you! Yes, he has baytril. I'll keep weighing him and keep an eye on him. Thanks very much, fingers crossed he recovers.

Edit
He's just done a large yawn. I suspect he is tired out from pooping in his carrier and peeing on the vets

 

[Wiebke]

Ah thank you! Yes, he has baytril. I'll keep weighing him and keep an eye on him. Thanks very much, fingers crossed he recovers.

Edit
He's just done a large yawn. I suspect he is tired out from pooping in his carrier and peeing on the vets

Just play it by ear and by the scales. it has been a taxing day for him!

 

[Katy Felix]

Just play it by ear and by the scales. it has been a taxing day for him!

Thanks very much. I gave him his dose of baytril tonight and he took it without much trouble. If he were to stoo eating, could I syringe feed veg? Or would it only work with the mushy pellet mix? Thanks again

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks very much. I gave him his dose of baytril tonight and he took it without much trouble. If he were to stoo eating, could I syringe feed veg? Or would it only work with the mushy pellet mix? Thanks again

I would mostly feed the pellet mix or recovery food, as baytril tends to soften then poo - so you do not want to contribute any more to diarrhea.

 

[Rochester Piggy]

How is he now?

 

[Katy Felix]

How is he now?

All better he got better in a week and a bit and now he's his normal self again

 

[Rochester Piggy]

All better he got better in a week and a bit and now he's his normal self again

Yay!