Piggies lost weight and can’t get it back on

[Spikie]

Hi all

One of our piggies dropped to under a kilo from his usual 1150 ish weight. He went to the vets and got a clean bill of health. We had been syringing him mushed up nuggets as he didn’t seem to be eating as much, then switched him to a more varied food (two types of nuggets and some muslei, plus his usual veg and hay).

He is now at a kilo and although he eats as often as his cage mate, he isn’t gaining weight.

Any suggestions? Maybe that is just his weight, but he feels bony and we’d like him to be bigger for peace of mind. He hasn’t changed weight in a few weeks now.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi all

One of our piggies dropped to under a kilo from his usual 1150 ish weight. He went to the vets and got a clean bill of health. We had been syringing him mushed up nuggets as he didn’t seem to be eating as much, then switched him to a more varied food (two types of nuggets and some muslei, plus his usual veg and hay).

He is now at a kilo and although he eats as often as his cage mate, he isn’t gaining weight.

Any suggestions? Maybe that is just his weight, but he feels bony and we’d like him to be bigger for peace of mind. He hasn’t changed weight in a few weeks now.

Hi! How old is your piggy? Guinea pigs over 4 years old struggle increasingly with putting lost weight back on, the same as you see in elderly humans.

There is likely an underlying issue even if your vet hasn't found it. How piggy savvy are they?
Has he had a look at the mouth and the teeth at the back which can grow spurs that arch over the tongue (look at the front teeth - if they are not even and nicely self-sharpening (i.e. if the are slanted, jagged or inward growing, this points to a dental problem usually at the back of the mouth); checked the bladder for stones; checked the kidneys; checked for diabetes if the weight loss is connected with increased drinking; internal tumours.

The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight

 

[pig in the city]

I have had several older piggies with gradual weight loss that were eventually diagnosed with thyroid tumours. They all did well following removal of the tumours but eventually died from renal complications which tend to go hand in hand with thyroid disease sadly.