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Senior Pig

Sophia Watson

Sophia Watson

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Aug 13, 2017
Messages
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30
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175
Location
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Hey Guys,

My just over 6 year old piggie has lost weight over the past week, he has fluctuated between 1169 and now this afternoon 1099. Now he was only back up near that weight last night so I'm trying not to peak out.

My question is, can senior pigs just "lose weight" and be ok?

He was vet checked a week ago and found no evidence of an illness, he has had cancerous lumps removed in the past, one recently in the past 3 months.

He has slowed down this week I've noticed energy wise, but he's still eating, pooing as normal.
Appetite has slowed but is still there and he's still eating a bit. Loving his veges and hay!

Any suggestions please?
I'm starting critical care tonight for the additonal feeding. Also going to buy some new scales tomorrow. Something just doesn't seem quite right.
 
Are you weighing at the same time each day? The difference between weighing after a feed or after a bladder empty etc can be about 30g. But that does seem a big swing.
Dry porridge oats are sometimes given to senior piggies to help maintain their weight (they love them) as ell as a bit of syringe feed or CC mixed into their food.
My older piggies in the past have had a general skinnying process going bonier over shoulders and back and losing weight slowly. The biggest sudden loss was in Mollie who was found to have heart troubles. Once she started heart meds her weight stabilised. Did the vet check the heart?
 
If his appetite is slowing it could be worth a vet visit for a check up? Our Toffee is 7.5 years old and has a check up regularly just to keep an eye on her. She’s lost 100g but that’s over four months so it’s slow.
She does like porridge oats too so that’s definitely worth a try! Good job with the syringe feeding too.
Good luck with your golden oldie! :)
 
Hi Everyone,

The vet checked his heartbeat but nothing else heart wise (is there anything else they can do?) And it was perfect. Frodo didn't show any other symptoms that suggested in getting an x-ray and putting him under for no reason so she said to monitor him for anything suspicious then come back. So really we were sent off with a perfect outcome, there was NOT a thing she could say that was worrying her about him.

I'll weigh him again tomorrow afternoon, I'm hoping he'll be back up again. So far he's still been eating as normal, and he took about 20ml of critical care. He loves it, he loves food in general really! I will try the dry porridge oats too! Hopefully we have a good outcome tomorrow. Thank you for the feedback!
 
Have you ruled out Athiritis yet? When my old boar of 7 years old got it, he lost weight and wasnt himself until i gave metacam daily.

Have you noticed any signs of pain? Teeth chattering?

Old animals just like humans, do lose weight, my old boar lost alot of muscle mass. But if its rapid id keep an eye
 
Skypipdot said:
Have you ruled out Athiritis yet? When my old boar of 7 years old got it, he lost weight and wasnt himself until i gave metacam daily.

Have you noticed any signs of pain? Teeth chattering?

Old animals just like humans do lose weight, my old boar lost alot of muscle mass. But if its rapid id keep an eye
Click to expand...
I have never even thought of that, I'll do some research!
 
Sophia Watson said:
I have never even thought of that, I'll do some research!
Click to expand...
Its a possibility, i missed it until my vet checked him over. They checked how flexi his back legs could be pushed in towards his stomach and one leg was very stiff. But youl need a vet to try anything like this. Depends where the arthiritis is anyway. Thats even IF it is. Just an idea for you to rule out👍
 
Skypipdot said:
Have you ruled out Athiritis yet? When my old boar of 7 years old got it, he lost weight and wasnt himself until i gave metacam daily.

Have you noticed any signs of pain? Teeth chattering?

Old animals just like humans, do lose weight, my old boar lost alot of muscle mass. But if its rapid id keep an eye
Click to expand...
Oh and no sorry no signs of pain or teeth chattering. Apart from slowing down energy wise, he appears normal.
 
I agree with the possibility of arthritis. One of mine was on metacam permanently and it helped him put on weight. They can become very bony later in life. I had a fluffy aby 8+ year old that was so skinny over his back (but still had a party tummy) although you couldn't see it under his fur. It was a gradual loss of weight over many months.
 
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