Skinny, happy, but drinking loads!

[Harry'sMum]

Hi, I have a 2 year old male, who right from the start has been small. His brother is also on the small side, but has filled out like you would expect.
Dino is skinny. He drinks loads, far more than the others. He eats well, but not excessively. He is happy, chilled out, happy to much on grass or catch some sun, and is happy with his mate. Happy to be handled, doesn't appear to be ill at all. He has always been like this so we have ruled out short term health issues like infections etc.
My piggy sitter said it could be a hormone imbalance (but she thought Dino was a girl so I'm putting her comments on the back burner for now!). Also read it could be diabetes.
Noticed over the last week that he has lost some fur on his tummy. It doesn't look like ringworm, isn't sore looking, doesn't bother him and doesn't appear to be itchy. Just looks like it thinned out and disappeared. Could these 2 things be related? Undernourished (although he gets hay, pellets, grass and fresh vegetables daily) can cause hair loss.
The weather is turning, these are outside piggies (albeit under shelter alongside the house) and I'm concerned for his ability to stay warm enough like the others.
Any thoughts?

 

[Claire W]

Please see a vet for a proper diagnosis as it could be anything from diabetes to kidney failure or just how he is. Has he lost weight at all or has he always been thinner than his brother?

I have a diabetic piggy. The only symptoms she shown was drinking a lot of water and slowly losing weight which sent alarm bells as she was only 6 months old at the time. A quick blood and urine test at the vets confirmed diabetes. The blood test was done by nicking her toenail quick.

We were instructed to change her diet by taken out any vegetables and fruit containing sugar and carbohydrate. We also brought a bigger variety of hay to keep her interested in hay.

Within a month, Ellen’s blood sugars were back to normal, she stopped drinking so much water and started to gain weight like she should have been. That was over 3 years ago and we’ve had no problems since although we still feed her and her friend a plain diet of veg and no fruit just to be safe.

But only a vet can diagnose diabetes or any other problem

 

[Seven7]

I was concerned when my Finn was drinking a lot of water in the summer. He slowed down now and I see plenty of water in his water bottle still. I also saw Lara in another cage drinking a lot in the summer.

I wasn't overly concerned because both Finn and Lara were drinking a lot in the summer and they both slowed down now. They are both indoor piggies in separate cages.

It is hard to tell whether your little one will make it through the winter outside.

 

[Harry'sMum]

Please see a vet for a proper diagnosis as it could be anything from diabetes to kidney failure or just how he is. Has he lost weight at all or has he always been thinner than his brother?

I have a diabetic piggy. The only symptoms she shown was drinking a lot of water and slowly losing weight which sent alarm bells as she was only 6 months old at the time. A quick blood and urine test at the vets confirmed diabetes. The blood test was done by nicking her toenail quick.

We were instructed to change her diet by taken out any vegetables and fruit containing sugar and carbohydrate. We also brought a bigger variety of hay to keep her interested in hay.

Within a month, Ellen’s blood sugars were back to normal, she stopped drinking so much water and started to gain weight like she should have been. That was over 3 years ago and we’ve had no problems since although we still feed her and her friend a plain diet of veg and no fruit just to be safe.

But only a vet can diagnose diabetes or any other problem

Please see a vet for a proper diagnosis as it could be anything from diabetes to kidney failure or just how he is. Has he lost weight at all or has he always been thinner than his brother?

I have a diabetic piggy. The only symptoms she shown was drinking a lot of water and slowly losing weight which sent alarm bells as she was only 6 months old at the time. A quick blood and urine test at the vets confirmed diabetes. The blood test was done by nicking her toenail quick.

We were instructed to change her diet by taken out any vegetables and fruit containing sugar and carbohydrate. We also brought a bigger variety of hay to keep her interested in hay.

Within a month, Ellen’s blood sugars were back to normal, she stopped drinking so much water and started to gain weight like she should have been. That was over 3 years ago and we’ve had no problems since although we still feed her and her friend a plain diet of veg and no fruit just to be safe.

But only a vet can diagnose diabetes or any other problem

Thanks for your reply. Dino has always been small, and doesn't look or feel as though he's lost any weight. His water consumption hasn't really changed either, regardless of weather / seasons.
To start with, I thought it was within normal parameters, but if nothing else, he should have bulked out like the others long ago.
Will try and find a knowledgeable piggy vet.

 

[Harry'sMum]

I was concerned when my Finn was drinking a lot of water in the summer. He slowed down now and I see plenty of water in his water bottle still. I also saw Lara in another cage drinking a lot in the summer.

I wasn't overly concerned because both Finn and Lara were drinking a lot in the summer and they both slowed down now. They are both indoor piggies in separate cages.

It is hard to tell whether your little one will make it through the winter outside.

Thanks for your reply. I think we need to track down a piggy-friendly vet.

 

[Claire W]

Thanks is for your reply. I think we need to track down a piggy-friendly vet.

Good that you’re going to take him for a vet check

It’s advisible to weigh your piggies weekly to keep an eye on their weight as a loss in weight can be an issue developing but please weigh at the same time ie before or after dinner and remember that a loss / gain of 50g can be due to a full tummy, full or empty bladder.

Cheap kitchen scales do a perfect job

 

[Flutterby]

A vet check is the best thing as well as weekly weigh in so you know if it's his normal weight or if he's loosing at all.

 

[Freela]

A vet check is good, as sometimes excessive drinking can be linked to diabetes. That said, I had a pig who was constantly at the water bottle who did not have diabetes, she just apparently was thirsty! But a checkup is a good idea.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, I have a 2 year old male, who right from the start has been small. His brother is also on the small side, but has filled out like you would expect.
Dino is skinny. He drinks loads, far more than the others. He eats well, but not excessively. He is happy, chilled out, happy to much on grass or catch some sun, and is happy with his mate. Happy to be handled, doesn't appear to be ill at all. He has always been like this so we have ruled out short term health issues like infections etc.
My piggy sitter said it could be a hormone imbalance (but she thought Dino was a girl so I'm putting her comments on the back burner for now!). Also read it could be diabetes.
Noticed over the last week that he has lost some fur on his tummy. It doesn't look like ringworm, isn't sore looking, doesn't bother him and doesn't appear to be itchy. Just looks like it thinned out and disappeared. Could these 2 things be related? Undernourished (although he gets hay, pellets, grass and fresh vegetables daily) can cause hair loss.
The weather is turning, these are outside piggies (albeit under shelter alongside the house) and I'm concerned for his ability to stay warm enough like the others.
Any thoughts?

Hi! Water intake can vary enormously. As long as your boy is always drinking lots, then you need not worry; it is a sudden marked and sustained increase, especially when combined with weight loss that needs to be investigated by a vet.

Together with the hair loss, I would recommend to see an exotics vets. The problem with a DIY diagnosis is that you often get stuck on something and make everything fit whereas a vet will look at the whole picture and weigh things up.

I would also recommend to bring him inside and to switch from a weekly weigh-in to a daily one at the same time to monitor his food intake. Keep in mind that 80% is hay, which you cannot check any other way.