Older Guinea Pig

[Big Sky Piggies]

I have an older piggie named Chestnut who is 4. I know this isnt very old for alot of you but shes the oldest I've ever had so I'm not very experienced in what to look out for in older pigs. Shes always been a skinny guinea pig, but like I said shes lived longer than all my other pigs. And when taking her to the vet in the past she has weighed 1kg dispite looking and feeling alot less. She also drinks alot more than any other pigs I've had in the past. I'm quite worried about her because I dont know if shes got skinnier because of old age or because there is something more serious going on. When we had a cuddle tonight everything was normal, (eyes,ears,teeth,coat,skin) but she just felt a little more boney than she noramlly does. Is this normal for an older pig or do I need to get her checked? Thank you.

 

[Wiebke]

I have an older piggie named Chestnut who is 4. I know this isnt very old for alot of you but shes the oldest I've ever had so I'm not very experienced in what to look out for in older pigs. Shes always been a skinny guinea pig, but like I said shes lived longer than all my other pigs. And when taking her to the vet in the past she has weighed 1kg dispite looking and feeling alot less. She also drinks alot more than any other pigs I've had in the past. I'm quite worried about her because I dont know if shes got skinnier because of old age or because there is something more serious going on. When we had a cuddle tonight everything was normal, (eyes,ears,teeth,coat,skin) but she just felt a little more boney than she noramlly does. Is this normal for an older pig or do I need to get her checked? Thank you.

Hi!

Please weigh your guinea pigs once weekly throughout their whole life. This is an important tool of health monitoring as you can spot if something is not right early on. You go on alert from 50g and onwards but need to see a vet promptly if your piggy is losing weight very quickly in a short space of time or if it is gradually losing 100g over a matter of months. This goes for any age.
Your weight loss information can then help your vet with their examination. Using your kitchen scales is perfectly OK. You switch to weighing once daily at the same time if you have concerns about a piggy.
Here is a very helpful guide about all things weighing and health monitoring: Weight - Monitoring and Management

If your piggy is feeling skinny, then she is not well and needs to be seen promptly (ideally within 24 hours or as soon thereafter as possible), especially if the weight loss has happened rather quickly and is very noticeable. 'Mystery weight loss' is unfortunately a wide field but it is in many cases connected with a pain somewhere in the body; make sure that your vet also checks the all important teeth at the back of the mouth for overgrowth.

Please step in with feeding support asap. The green link below tells you how you can improvise until you can see a vet and until any treatment can kick in. Keep in mind that unlimited hay should make around or 80% of the daily food intake and that you cannot control that by eye, so a piggy can lose a lot of weight by not eating normally without you noticing.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment (with improvising tips until you can access a vet and proper support products)
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

If she is an outdoors piggy, please bring her inside and keep her warm but not hot.

 

[Freela]

I agree with what Wiebke said above. In my experience, older guinea pigs do lose muscle mass and may feel bonier through the shoulders and pelvis when you pat them, but 4 is too early for me to expect that.

 

[Big Sky Piggies]

Hi!

Please weigh your guinea pigs once weekly throughout their whole life. This is an important tool of health monitoring as you can spot if something is not right early on. You go on alert from 50g and onwards but need to see a vet promptly if your piggy is losing weight very quickly in a short space of time or if it is gradually losing 100g over a matter of months. This goes for any age.
Your weight loss information can then help your vet with their examination. Using your kitchen scales is perfectly OK. You switch to weighing once daily at the same time if you have concerns about a piggy.
Here is a very helpful guide about all things weighing and health monitoring: Weight - Monitoring and Management

If your piggy is feeling skinny, then she is not well and needs to be seen promptly (ideally within 24 hours or as soon thereafter as possible), especially if the weight loss has happened rather quickly and is very noticeable. 'Mystery weight loss' is unfortunately a wide field but it is in many cases connected with a pain somewhere in the body; make sure that your vet also checks the all important teeth at the back of the mouth for overgrowth.

Please step in with feeding support asap. The green link below tells you how you can improvise until you can see a vet and until any treatment can kick in. Keep in mind that unlimited hay should make around or 80% of the daily food intake and that you cannot control that by eye, so a piggy can lose a lot of weight by not eating normally without you noticing.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment (with improvising tips until you can access a vet and proper support products)
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

If she is an outdoors piggy, please bring her inside and keep her warm but not hot.

I'll weigh her regularly from now on. She hasn't suddenly lost loads of weight, but I'll keep an eye on her. Thank you.

 

[Wiebke]

I'll weigh her regularly from now on. She hasn't suddenly lost loads of weight, but I'll keep an eye on her. Thank you.

Please have her vet checked. A major weight loss of 100g or more is very worrying. A piggy where you can feel every rib around the ribcage (see chapter 'heft' in the weight guide to work out whether a piggy is underweight or overweight for their size) is underweight. Just addressing the weight loss and not the underlying health issue won't work. It is like putting a plaster on a festering wound without disinfecting.

 

[Big Sky Piggies]

Hi!

Please weigh your guinea pigs once weekly throughout their whole life. This is an important tool of health monitoring as you can spot if something is not right early on. You go on alert from 50g and onwards but need to see a vet promptly if your piggy is losing weight very quickly in a short space of time or if it is gradually losing 100g over a matter of months. This goes for any age.
Your weight loss information can then help your vet with their examination. Using your kitchen scales is perfectly OK. You switch to weighing once daily at the same time if you have concerns about a piggy.
Here is a very helpful guide about all things weighing and health monitoring: Weight - Monitoring and Management

If your piggy is feeling skinny, then she is not well and needs to be seen promptly (ideally within 24 hours or as soon thereafter as possible), especially if the weight loss has happened rather quickly and is very noticeable. 'Mystery weight loss' is unfortunately a wide field but it is in many cases connected with a pain somewhere in the body; make sure that your vet also checks the all important teeth at the back of the mouth for overgrowth.

Please step in with feeding support asap. The green link below tells you how you can improvise until you can see a vet and until any treatment can kick in. Keep in mind that unlimited hay should make around or 80% of the daily food intake and that you cannot control that by eye, so a piggy can lose a lot of weight by not eating normally without you noticing.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment (with improvising tips until you can access a vet and proper support products)
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

If she is an outdoors piggy, please bring her inside and keep her warm but not hot.

Here is a picture of her from above. Am I over reacting? Or is this a good size for a guinea pig?

 

[Big Sky Piggies]

Please have her vet checked. A major weight loss of 100g or more is very worrying. A piggy where you can feel every rib around the ribcage (see chapter 'heft' in the weight guide to work out whether a piggy is underweight or overweight for their size) is underweight. Just addressing the weight loss and not the underlying health issue won't work. It is like putting a plaster on a festering wound without disinfecting.

I just weighed her and she weighs 950g she hasn't lost any weight from when I last weighed her. Thank you very much for you help. I'll be weighing her each week from now on.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Aw, glad the weight is the same as last time, she is a very pretty piggie.

 

[VickiA]

She has lovely colouring. I would agree with weighing her weekly as that way you will pick up on any significant weight loss.