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piggie eating less than usual and pssibly losing weight

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Deb H

Deb H

Adult Guinea Pig
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My 5 year old boar has been eating less and less for a little while. Unfortunately I haven't been weighing them as often as I should, however I weighed him today and he was only 850g. A few months ago he was just over a kilo. He is a long thin piggie but he does look thinner than normal.

He is eating all foods, hay, veg etc but seemingly less than he used to and most definately less than Caramel eats. How can I tempt him to eat more to build his weight up before the winter sets in.

I went out and got him some baby corn and some kale to tempt him but could do with some advice about other foods to try and build him back up.

many thanks in advance
 
Guinea pigs do tend to lose weight when they get older but that sounds quite a lot to me. How about taking him to the vets to find out if anything is wrong?
 
Have you checked his teeth? It may be they are too long and causing him discomfort. I am by no means an expert but this was what was wrong with my pig.:)
 
he went not long ago as he had a cyst. Physically he seems fine, popcorning happy little chappy who has been enjoying his lap and play time although he seems to get tired quicker; he is just eating less and it was noticable today with the dandelion leaves they had at lunch time. I think it has been noticable because I have been off work for a week so we have had more lap and play time.

We recently lost one of our pigs with bladder masses and I couldn't bear to lose another one. Will make an appointment at the vet tomorrow just to be safe
 
Oh I am really sorry to hear this. I wonder if it is just his age. It is a good idea to take him to the vet though as he is light. I hope everything goes okay for you both.
 
Please have his teeth checked by a vet who is knowledgeable to do so even though that means some travel - bad dentals can cause more harm than good! Tooth trouble is not unusual in older piggies. Slow weight loss and decreased appetite is often an indicator for it. Often a few rounds of dental care by a vet who knows what he is doing, accompanied by regular hand feeding at home can work wonders!

You can contact Debbie at her dental piggy hospital/sanctuary; she may be able to help you. http://www.teasnorthampton.co.uk/
 
Wiebke said:
Please have his teeth checked by a vet who is knowledgeable to do so even though that means some travel - bad dentals can cause more harm than good! Tooth trouble is not unusual in older piggies. Slow weight loss and decreased appetite is often an indicator for it. Often a few rounds of dental care by a vet who knows what he is doing, accompanied by regular hand feeding at home can work wonders!

You can contact Debbie at her dental piggy hospital/sanctuary; she may be able to help you. http://www.teasnorthampton.co.uk/
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would it be teeth bearing in mind he is eating everything, pellets, hay, grass, veg including hard veg like carrots and broccoli stalks?
 
Deb H said:
would it be teeth bearing in mind he is eating everything, pellets, hay, grass, veg including hard veg like carrots and broccoli stalks?
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It certainly could :) My Ziggy has a slight overgrowth of her back molars over her tongue, it doesn't stop her eating properly but as I am aware of this I am weighing her (& all the others) regularly & observing her eating. Any sign of problems & I will be visiting Simon for a dental for her too :) He really is the best vet for any teeth problems.

Does he ever have a damp/wet chin at all?
 
Poppy'sMum said:
It certainly could :) My Ziggy has a slight overgrowth of her back molars over her tongue, it doesn't stop her eating properly but as I am aware of this I am weighing her (& all the others) regularly & observing her eating. Any sign of problems & I will be visiting Simon for a dental for her too :) He really is the best vet for any teeth problems.

Does he ever have a damp/wet chin at all?
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His chin is sometimes wet, more so than usual anyway and not just after drinking.
 
I have just looked in his mouth and he has a broken front tooth, it is like a aliver has broken off and it is all uneven, could this impact on his eating?
 
Deb H said:
His chin is sometimes wet, more so than usual anyway and not just after drinking.
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I would definitely get his teeth checked then. It is best to see a vet that is very experienced with dental pigs, if they trim the teeth too short or not enough then the problem can get worse. I would definitely recommend Simon at the Cat & Rabbit clinic in Northampton, I took my piggy Daisy there for a check on a lump that suddenly appeared & Simon removed what turned out to be a large abscess & put her on specific antibiotics afterwards. Her scar is so neat you cannot even see it now & his manner was wonderful & caring.
Maybe get in contact with them on Monday if you are able to?
 
Deb H said:
I have just looked in his mouth and he has a broken front tooth, it is like a aliver has broken off and it is all uneven, could this impact on his eating?
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Most definitely :) If his front tooth is broken he may not be able to pick food up properly. Can you soften some pellets & offer them to him? If you pm Debbie on here (Furryfriends) about getting him to Simon she may be able to help you :)
 
I'll give our local exotic vets a ring on Monday, it is who my rehular vets call when they are baffled or stumped, bless him I'll soften some pellets for him now
 
I note you're in Swindon - please contact Great Western vets and ask to see a cavy savvy vet. It certainly sounds like there are dental problems that nerd ti be resolved sooner rather than later.

If you can make the journey to Simon Maddock at Cat & Rabbit in Northa,pton - (he's away tbis coming week)........but IF your piggie can wait that long with you syringe feedng him then I suggest you ring them first thing monday for their earliest emergency guinea pig dental" appt

If you cna't wait a eek because your [piggie is not responding properly to syringe feeding, le us know where yo are so w can recommend a cavy savvy vet.


Keep up softenened pellets.......also add Vit C & probioitics to the slurry and tempt with fresh grass and dandelion leaves. Most important is to keep the guts moving (vet may need to pescribe motility drugs such as metoclopromide and/or zan-tac)

PM me for my phone number if you want a chat. Fingers and paws crossed


HTH
x
 
Arrrgghhh" sorry - the edit function timed me out!

Great Western cavy savvy vet is your best local bet and then Simon Maddock in northampton.Most important thing is to syringe feed up to 120ml per day (4 x 30ml max) to keep his guts moving and resort to gut stimulants such as zan-tac and metoclopromide if necessary

x
 
Poor little Marty Pig, he really didn't like the syringe feeding. He's currently sulking on the sofa. At least we managed to get about 30ml into him
 
I've been syringe feeding Marty Pig every four hours or so about 20ml - is this enough. He is taking it reasonably well and I have just tempted him into eating a couple of dandelion leaves. Is there anything else I can do as he has lost approx 25g since yesterday. He will be going to the vet as soon as I can get him in.
 
120 ml over 24 hrs normally maintains the weight of the average sized pig if they are not eating for themselves at all.

Fingers crossed for you and Marty.

Suzy x
 
No advice, just want to wish little Marty all the best and hope he gets his teeth sorted give him gentle chin tickles from me and the furry brood x
 
Marty Pig has been admitted to hospital for some fluids and blood tests. ALl being well he will have anaesthetic in the morning and teeth spurs removed. Fingers crossed for my baby please.
 
poor Caramel is wandering about the cage looking for him. I am so worried that he won't make it through the anaesthetic tomorrow :... but the vet is an exotic and he did say their policy is to use an anaesthetic so the piggie is not overly stressed during the procedure and he says he has used it on 7 year old piggies with good results.
 
Marty Pig has taken a turn for the worse. Vet just called to say he is not as bright today and has very fast breathing. They think the stress has triggered a URI so they are giving him antibiotics. I am so worried and upset.
 
We'll be thinking of you and MartyPig today, a stress filled day for forum members and their poorly pigs.

Big hugs to all with piggies at the vets today x
 
Oh heck, it's not a good day for piggies :( So sorry to hear about Marty, at least you did everything you could for him and never gave up.

Run free over the bridge Martypig x
 
I'm so sorry to hear that you've lost your MartyPig, a sad sad day.

Suzy x
 
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