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Thin piggy - advice needed please

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Piggies Rule

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Hey there guys, I'm new to the forum and just need a little advice. I have 2 boars who live v happily together. The oldest is around 7 and I've noticed over the past few weeks that he's gone a little thin :(. He's eating fine, dosent seem to be in pain. He does seem to be at his water bottle a lot though. Between the 2 they drink about half a large rabbit bottle (600ml bottle) per day. They eat a couple of average sized handfuls of rabbit royal molassed food, a large handful of excel forage and greens everyday yet I can feel Bobs bones on his haunches and his spine a little. Is it because he is getting on in years? Also I clean them out every other day. Thank you in advance x
 
Please weigh your piggies weekly and please feed them guinea pig pellets - guinea pigs and rabbits have very different food requirements in terms of vitamins and roughage. Guinea pigs, for instance, can't make their own vitamin C, unlike rabbits, and are prone to scurvy if on rabbit food.

If I were you, I would have your boy checked re. potential kidney problems, urinary tract infection or diabetes. Have his teeth checked - a piggy can eat much slower and therefore less without you noticing. Increased water intake indicates a health problem. Any weight loss needs to be investigated. http://www.guinealynx.info/weigh.html
 
Aww, I am not sure of what to do but I hope your piggie gets better soon. Maybe it is a vitam C lack. If you are really unsure, go to the vets.
 
I would recommend Burgess Excel nuggets to help put body back on a pig. Mix 50/50 with their current food and reduce until feeding just the nuggets over 7-10 days.

If they are reluctant to eat them you can add a bit of warm water to soften them a little and they give off more odour and are a easier to eat. Reduce the amount of water over a couple of days.

If the size of the nuggets are a problem Burgess also make Blackcurrant & Oregano flavour which are a lot smaller, Wagg optimum is also a smaller pellet.

Thank you Wiebke for putting all the relevant links on.

HTH

Suzy x
 
Please be aware that Gerty contains colourants that may give a false positive if a vet tests for diabetes in a piggy. If he won't eat pellets then change his mix to Wagg Guinea Crunch as he will probably be happy eating it but it doesn't have the artificial colours in it. What a good age, I don't think it would be fair to try to get him to eat pellets now, unless he really loves them, which he might, but if he doesn't appear to eat them then I would give him Wagg instead.

I lost my oldie this year aged 7 & she was still eating well, but I noticed she felt more "bony" along her back, so it could be just old age. Get him checked by a cavy savvy vet if you are concerned though if he does appear to be eating less.
 
Thanks guys got him some Selective nuggets and mixed with his normal food. He usually has a good appetite and didn't seem to fussed over the pellets so will see how he goes over the next few days, any probs and I'll get them some wagg. He is also booked in at the vets on Monday x
 
Bobby has been to vets who said that he suspects that bobby has diabetes and that there's nothing he can do with bobby being so old and frail :( so now it's just a matter of time unfortunately. But while he still seems happy and is eating and drinking he'll stay here with us x
 
How did your vet diagnose diabetes?

I may be wrong, but I'm fairly certain that diabetes can be managed in guinea pigs in just the same way that it can be with humans, i.e. insulin and diet?

I'm not sure that I would be satisfied with my vet if they said we suspect it is so and so, but that they aren't going to do anything... what is your relationship with the vet like and have you considered a second opinion?
 
Piggies Rule said:
Bobby has been to vets who said that he suspects that bobby has diabetes and that there's nothing he can do with bobby being so old and frail :( so now it's just a matter of time unfortunately. But while he still seems happy and is eating and drinking he'll stay here with us x
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You need to read back what I said about Gerty rolleyes Take him off it now! It can give a false positive for diabetes in pigs. Give him pellets instead like Burgess Blackcurrant or Wagg guinea crunch if he won't eat pellets. Real diabetes is very rare in piggies. Give him plenty of pellets & hay on tap & hopefully he will put on some weight. Weigh him regularly, maybe every other day if you are concerned at the moment, at the same time of day. Don't give up on him :)
 
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