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Piggie off dry food only - Advice please

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L.Hill

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My piggie is 4 years old and a boar. He has never been a huge fan of his dry food but has always eaten it all. Over the last couple of months he has slowly gone off his dry food and now he only eats little bits of it. I have tried different brands etc but it has not made any difference. He has lost some weight slowly approx 100grams. He currently weighs 1,020grams and is maintaining this, i weigh him daily. In all other respects he seems fine and is still eating his hay and veg. I have mixed his dry food with warm water to make a thick paste which he will often eat off the spoon (so long as its warm). Any advice would be appreciated, i have a vet appointment this morning.

Thank you in advance.
 
I wonder whether it might be a tooth problem of some type, as the dried food requires more effort in grinding than softer food like vegetables. When one of ours had a dental issue, it was the dried food she went off - she did still eat some hay, but not quite enough, and she too lost weight. It's good that you've been able to maintain your piggy's weight by offering the food as a paste, but I'm glad you're seeing the vet today. 100g is definitely a significant weight loss, and needs investigating.

I hope the vet can help. Do let us know how you get on.
 
I also would recommend to have the teeth checked - not just the front teeth, but also and especially the pre-molars. Tooth problems in older piggies are not uncommon. They can overgrow quite quickly, amking chewing very difficult and trap the tongue. If your vet is not confident with treating guinea pig teeth, please see a specialist; we have got a UK vet locator on the bar under the forum logo. A general vet without experience can make things worse rather than better.
 
Thank you both for you replies. I used the 'UK Vet Locator' and took my piggie to the vets. She had a very good check over him and had a check of his teeth at the back (the best she could) she cant find anything the matter with him but cannot rule out a dental problem. She suggested knocking him out to check his teeth properly which i am not keen on. I am trying to contact a rodentologist near me who would be able to do a teeth check without anesthetic. Other than that I'm not sure there is much more i can do. I am keeping an eye on him, weighing him offering him plenty of food etc.
 
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