Unexplained Loss Of Weight

[Florrieberry]

I’ve just been through this, I’ve got a very similar story. My 3.5 year old sow showed weight loss starting from August last year. Over the course of 6 months she had a dental, xray, ultrasound, urine tests, faecal tests and full blood screen. We tried a couple of long courses of antibiotics (baytril and sulfatrim) and a course of loxicom.The blood test showed anaemia and for a while the loxicom/antibiotic combo seemed to help things, but we never found a cause for the anaemia and her weight just kept dropping until she was hovering between 500-600g.

Eventually my exotic specialist emailed the RVC with the full case, and they replied that there are some types of hyperthyroidism that wouldn’t show on a normal thyroid blood test, but more likely they are seeing increasing numbers of pigs with normal blood screens but fairly advanced renal disease. Apparently there is another more accurate blood test you can do to tell if this is the case that looks at the ratio between two things, but I can’t remember what it was called. I decided not to go ahead with that test because the sedation seemed too risky for a pig who was just skin and bone, and there would be no treatment. Unfortunately shortly afterwards we found one morning that she’d passed away in the night. She’d been bright and happy in herself for the duration of her illness and in the end it was extremely quick.

I’m sorry I don’t have a more positive outcome to tell you, but maybe you could pursue the more accurate thyroid tests?

Aw I'm sorry you lost your piggy but at least she was bright and happy. We did try anti -thyroid meds for a couple of weeks but didn't help. Vet is also reluctant about a 2nd dose of anaesthesia due to same reason. He was 1200g now 760g. Thank you I will screenshot this for the vet (also an exotics practise) x

 

[Florrieberry]

I would still push for an abdominal ultra sound.
Many kidney problems will show up in the standard blood tests, but not all, and an ultrasound will be able to offer a proper view of the kidneys, and may show up issues that are just not detected in blood work.

Thank you I will pass this on to my vet I presume this doesnt need anaesthesia.

 

[Florrieberry]

Hi again
We've had all the above tests done, another round of bloods, us abdo, including thyroid, and the ratio mentioned above which I've forgotten the name of, blood sugars,, faecal sample x-ray. Absolutely no signs of illness or disease. Very frustrating, currently continues on B12 as bio lapis made no difference either. Gradually lost another 50g but eating EVERYTHING! (except the barley hoops someone suggested) Def no problem with appetite. Bags of energy.. Poor little fella, so skinny to pick up at 750g.

 

[Dill&Pepper]

Sorry it’s not an update with a treatable diagnosis, but good to hear that he’s still bright and happy. Does your vet have any other ideas?

It would be a very unusual presentation, but have heart problems been ruled out? Is his respiration rate the same as your others? If it’s not something hormonal, pain-related or intestinal and the abdominal organs are all ok then surely something must be having to work far harder than it should to burn up all the energy.

 

[Florrieberry]

Sorry it’s not an update with a treatable diagnosis, but good to hear that he’s still bright and happy. Does your vet have any other ideas?

It would be a very unusual presentation, but have heart problems been ruled out? Is his respiration rate the same as your others? If it’s not something hormonal, pain-related or intestinal and the abdominal organs are all ok then surely something must be having to work far harder than it should to burn up all the energy.

Everything else seems normal v so ever run out of ideas..

 

[DM030819]

This sounds a bit like what's happening with my Jon Snow. He's always been a smaller pig despite eating like a horse. He has an issue which is more common in rabbits (he's a first for my vet). His intestines and digestive system are not working properly which is causing him to not absorb nutrients properly. As he's ageing the problem is worsening and he is now losing weight.

Unfortunately there is nothing we can do, other than to continue to let him eat as much and as often as he wants. It's a rubbish outcome for him, but I'm going to make sure he's happy for as long as I can.

 

[Florrieberry]

This sounds a bit like what's happening with my Jon Snow. He's always been a smaller pig despite eating like a horse. He has an issue which is more common in rabbits (he's a first for my vet). His intestines and digestive system are not working properly which is causing him to not absorb nutrients properly. As he's ageing the problem is worsening and he is now losing weight.

Unfortunately there is nothing we can do, other than to continue to let him eat as much and as often as he wants. It's a rubbish outcome for him, but I'm going to make sure he's happy for as long as I can.

Aw sorry you're in the same boat X

 

[RosieMaia]

Hi again
We've had all the above tests done, another round of bloods, us abdo, including thyroid, and the ratio mentioned above which I've forgotten the name of, blood sugars,, faecal sample x-ray. Absolutely no signs of illness or disease. Very frustrating, currently continues on B12 as bio lapis made no difference either. Gradually lost another 50g but eating EVERYTHING! (except the barley hoops someone suggested) Def no problem with appetite. Bags of energy.. Poor little fella, so skinny to pick up at 750g.

My first thought would have been a thyroid condition, but I gather this has been ruled out. Last spring, my arthritic boar started losing weight rapidly, despite eating normally and not showing any obvious signs of pain.

It turned out that while he's not in pain, he's not as flexible as he used to be, so he's unable to crouch and reach his cecal pellets easily. Guinea pigs need them to absorb nutrients properly, so in effect he was starving even though he was eating normally. Vet showed me how to distinguish between cecal pellets and normal pellets (the difference is rather obvious), so I included these in some pellet mash. He recovered in a couple of weeks. Admittedly, collecting and mushing up poop is a disgusting task, but I'm so happy to see his normal chubby self.

 

[Florrieberry]

My first thought would have been a thyroid condition, but I gather this has been ruled out. Last spring, my arthritic boar started losing weight rapidly, despite eating normally and not showing any obvious signs of pain.

It turned out that while he's not in pain, he's not as flexible as he used to be, so he's unable to crouch and reach his cecal pellets easily. Guinea pigs need them to absorb nutrients properly, so in effect he was starving even though he was eating normally. Vet showed me how to distinguish between cecal pellets and normal pellets (the difference is rather obvious), so I included these in some pellet mash. He recovered in a couple of weeks. Admittedly, collecting and mushing up poop is a disgusting task, but I'm so happy to see his normal chubby self.

That's interesting..( He was tested for thyroid.) He also stayed at the vets for 5 days while I was away and they did extra tests so I would have thought they may notice that.. He is very active and seems very agile tho... He also had some prebiotics and B12 to help in case it was an absorption issue but again not much luck I will mention that tho thanks x