Wasting Disease

[4harmony2]

One of my rescue guinea-pigs has developed wasting disease ,she has lost so much wait in the last 6 mths ,She drinks excessive amounts of water & alot of her hair has thinned (i did treat her for skin disease's for her hair loss but it seems to be Alopecia .Last week her back legs became paralysed I moved her in on her own & gave her water & critical care ,the next day she was running about ,She seems happy in every other way eating ,mixing with the other sows still drinking excessive amounts .Does anyone know of any other ways i can help her ,I read about some of Peter guerneys herbs .weeds etc has anyone tried them ?

 

[sport_billy]

What has the vet said, has she had a scan for any tumours?

 

[eileen]

maybe xrays and ultrasound tests,ovarian cysts,tumours,renal disease,?diabetic,i would agree with sport billy that a vet visit would be helpful.i hope you can find the cause and treatment for these symptoms.

 

[Flutterby]

I agree, a vets diagnosis on the cause would be helpful. Poor lass.

 

[Janice C]

Definitely requires a Vets visit ASAP as sounds like either kidney or ovarian cyst as both can cause hair loss to either sides towards back of piggy. Both also cause weight loss. Drinking a lot can indicate kidney problems. Keep syringe feeding up or give a dish of mashed pellets with added Critical Care with some chopped up favourite veg mixed in. I give this to my elderly piggies and they love it!

 

[Lady Kelly]

Hi, just wondering if you have had any tests done at the vets and whether they have confirmed hair loss rather than self barbering. One of my late piggies developed ovarian cysts which caused her to lose weight and then she had a bald patch down her tummy. When the vet looked closely they could see the hair was broken down at the root rather than hair loss she was chewing it off as she was in discomfort. We also found at the same time that she had renal disease and was losing protein in her urine which was contributing to the weight loss

 

[DM030819]

@4harmony2 If there is an underlying medical issue then no amount of herbs will cure her unfortunately.

Weight loss is a symptom of many illnesses from dental issues to fungal issues to those mentioned above.

One of my boars was losing weight despite a healthy appetite. It turns out to be a fungal issue combined with a intestinal thickening which stops nutrients being absorbed as effectively.

We needed medicine to combat the fungal issue.

I would suggest further exploration by your vet to find out the main cause of weight loss.

 

[Wiebke]

One of my rescue guinea-pigs has developed wasting disease ,she has lost so much wait in the last 6 mths ,She drinks excessive amounts of water & alot of her hair has thinned (i did treat her for skin disease's for her hair loss but it seems to be Alopecia .Last week her back legs became paralysed I moved her in on her own & gave her water & critical care ,the next day she was running about ,She seems happy in every other way eating ,mixing with the other sows still drinking excessive amounts .Does anyone know of any other ways i can help her ,I read about some of Peter guerneys herbs .weeds etc has anyone tried them ?

Have you taken her to see a vet since she started to show symptoms? She urgently needs to see one!

 

[Freela]

My first thought is whether she is getting added vitamin C to her diet (guinea pigs do not manufacture their own, much like people.) Scurvy can contribute to joint pain/paralysis. However, only a vet can give you a proper diagnosis, as weight loss/hair loss/difficult mobility can be due to a lot of factors.

 

[4harmony2]

Yes ! plenty of vit c ,fresh veg & greens everyday ,eating hay different from bedding .I only feed Burgess pellets .I've had guinea-pigs for 48 yrs ,first one i've had with this ,but she did come to me like it .Have seen vet he feared Diabetes which there is no medicine for .She's running about popcorning enjoying life with the herd (6 sows ) just thin &drinks alot .Scurvy along with parasites & fungal ruled out .All i know is she is over 5yrs just wanted her to have best life she can ,thanks anyway .

 

[Flutterby]

Yes ! plenty of vit c ,fresh veg & greens everyday ,eating hay different from bedding .I only feed Burgess pellets .I've had guinea-pigs for 48 yrs ,first one i've had with this ,but she did come to me like it .Have seen vet he feared Diabetes which there is no medicine for .She's running about popcorning enjoying life with the herd (6 sows ) just thin &drinks alot .Scurvy along with parasites & fungal ruled out .All i know is she is over 5yrs just wanted her to have best life she can ,thanks anyway .

I'm sure that diabetes can be treated in guinea pigs. Was the vet cavy savvy? It doesn't sound right to me that they would just say she could have Diabetes and then just leave her like that.

 

[Wiebke]

Yes ! plenty of vit c ,fresh veg & greens everyday ,eating hay different from bedding .I only feed Burgess pellets .I've had guinea-pigs for 48 yrs ,first one i've had with this ,but she did come to me like it .Have seen vet he feared Diabetes which there is no medicine for .She's running about popcorning enjoying life with the herd (6 sows ) just thin &drinks alot .Scurvy along with parasites & fungal ruled out .All i know is she is over 5yrs just wanted her to have best life she can ,thanks anyway .

There is medication for diabetes, and mild one can be kept under control by diet. Have they even tested for it? How piggy savvy are the vets you have been seeing?

 

[DM030819]

I'm sure that diabetes can be treated in guinea pigs. Was the vet cavy savvy? It doesn't sound right to me that they would just say she could have Diabetes and then just leave her like that.

It can. I've chatted to the vet about it before and there is medication that can be used for diabetes. The problem is that most vets misdiagnose other problems as diabetes.

@4harmony2 If she came to you with the disease how much weight is she losing? When my boar started to lose weight unexpectedly there was no way that he could have survived for very long at the rapid rate he was declining.

I completely understand that you have experienced a lot with having pigs for 48 years but medicine and vet care is always changing. I've had pigs for about 20years and I'm always learning something new, and adopting pigs with new problems.

 

[rome_italy]

the fact that you have had guinea pigs for 48years is very good for a lot of matters, but in these last years things and rules about their diet are totally changed (the same happened for newborns and toddlers... I had to do totally differently even with my second daughter). I hope you are following the latest food rules for your piggies for preventing diabetes caused by too many high glycemic vegs. Of course a piggie 5 years old is a quite old piggie and may develop some disease. But diabetes type 2 has a treatment and sometimes it recovers.
Hazel and Ginger - Diabetes Treatment - Patricia's Guinea Pigs
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1539415/pdf/canvetj00154-0049.pdf
and I would add a supplement of vit C, just for seeing the differences... for a stress, whatever it is, cells need a great amount of antioxidants (vit C for example).
-----------
Moreover:
Burgess Excel contains wheat, beet pulp and molassas... three totally wrong ingredients which boost the insulin on the bloodstream. I agree with these comments below:
ByRoseon 28 September 2016
It is not really good and healthy food for piggies. Vets who recommend it obviously have no speciality in exotic pets. Good guinea pig food should be mostly made out of grasses and herbs. Maize, molasses, alfalfa, soya, really? Don't feed it to your animals

ByPoppyLilyon 19 September 2016
What disappointing me most is the incredibly misleading branding- beneficial fibre is quoted at 36% (wow!) but crude fibre, which I couldn't find anywhere on this listing and what actually matters when selecting guinea pig food, is only 17% (compare this to oxbow cavy cuisine at 28%). The crude protein content also concerns me at 17% which is actually the highest I've found in ANY guinea pig food, debateably dangerously high.
Some of the ingredients are also worrying. Lucerne (alfalfa) content is relatively high, explaining the protein. Lucerne shouldn't be fed at ALL to adults due to the high protein content. There's also sugar beet pulp, a cheap, poor quality fibre known to damage the digestive systems of cats and dogs. Soya oil, soya beans and various grains are also added, which are completely unnecessary for a healthy guinea pig.
Guinea pigs do enjoy it, but it isn't a good food at all and definitely shouldn't be a stable. I urge you to shop around, look at the protein-fibre ratio and chose something that will be food for your pets. Burgess excel definitely isn't it.

Byadrianon 6 September 2016
my guinea pigs love it but it very unhealthy for them. Guinea pigs are not meant to eat grains and seeds and stuff like that. Most of the composition is not suitable for them. It's basically McDonald's for Guinea pigs.

 

[eileen]

diabetes in guinea pigs can be treated,usually diet to start with,insulin can be given to guinea pigs.a guinea pig savvy vet would be aware.i hope you can get your lady sorted !

 

[4harmony2]

I obviously haven't got a vet that is guinea-pig savy (I agree things always change medically wise I help run a cat rescue & changes are enormous ) I am shock Burgess so bad ,I feed approx 75% eating hays from the hay company ,5 % pellets & 20 % veg for vitamin c .Can anyone tell me how i can find a vet who knows how to treat guinea pigs ? Thanks for the advise I know your never to old to learn .

 

[4harmony2]

Thanks for the info will definately researching more ,I must have been quite smug as most of my piggies last at least 7 yrs ,grateful for anywhere I can find more info x

 

[4harmony2]

It can. I've chatted to the vet about it before and there is medication that can be used for diabetes. The problem is that most vets misdiagnose other problems as diabetes.

@4harmony2 If she came to you with the disease how much weight is she losing? When my boar started to lose weight unexpectedly there was no way that he could have survived for very long at the rapid rate he was declining.

I completely understand that you have experienced a lot with having pigs for 48 years but medicine and vet care is always changing. I've had pigs for about 20years and I'm always learning something new, and adopting pigs with new problems.

Will be looking into finding a vet savvy vet ,thanks for your help ,what are you feeding yours btw

 

[4harmony2]

the fact that you have had guinea pigs for 48years is very good for a lot of matters, but in these last years things and rules about their diet are totally changed (the same happened for newborns and toddlers... I had to do totally differently even with my second daughter). I hope you are following the latest food rules for your piggies for preventing diabetes caused by too many high glycemic vegs. Of course a piggie 5 years old is a quite old piggie and may develop some disease. But diabetes type 2 has a treatment and sometimes it recovers.
Hazel and Ginger - Diabetes Treatment - Patricia's Guinea Pigs
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1539415/pdf/canvetj00154-0049.pdf
and I would add a supplement of vit C, just for seeing the differences... for a stress, whatever it is, cells need a great amount of antioxidants (vit C for example).
-----------
Moreover:
Burgess Excel contains wheat, beet pulp and molassas... three totally wrong ingredients which boost the insulin on the bloodstream. I agree with these comments below:
ByRoseon 28 September 2016
It is not really good and healthy food for piggies. Vets who recommend it obviously have no speciality in exotic pets. Good guinea pig food should be mostly made out of grasses and herbs. Maize, molasses, alfalfa, soya, really? Don't feed it to your animals

ByPoppyLilyon 19 September 2016
What disappointing me most is the incredibly misleading branding- beneficial fibre is quoted at 36% (wow!) but crude fibre, which I couldn't find anywhere on this listing and what actually matters when selecting guinea pig food, is only 17% (compare this to oxbow cavy cuisine at 28%). The crude protein content also concerns me at 17% which is actually the highest I've found in ANY guinea pig food, debateably dangerously high.
Some of the ingredients are also worrying. Lucerne (alfalfa) content is relatively high, explaining the protein. Lucerne shouldn't be fed at ALL to adults due to the high protein content. There's also sugar beet pulp, a cheap, poor quality fibre known to damage the digestive systems of cats and dogs. Soya oil, soya beans and various grains are also added, which are completely unnecessary for a healthy guinea pig.
Guinea pigs do enjoy it, but it isn't a good food at all and definitely shouldn't be a stable. I urge you to shop around, look at the protein-fibre ratio and chose something that will be food for your pets. Burgess excel definitely isn't it.

Byadrianon 6 September 2016
my guinea pigs love it but it very unhealthy for them. Guinea pigs are not meant to eat grains and seeds and stuff like that. Most of the composition is not suitable for them. It's basically McDonald's for Guinea pigs.

Will definitely be looking into this it was a vet told me it was the best food ......I'm disgusted thanks so much for pointing this out .I knew Alfalfa was a no no .

 

[Gem789]

I obviously haven't got a vet that is guinea-pig savy (I agree things always change medically wise I help run a cat rescue & changes are enormous ) I am shock Burgess so bad ,I feed approx 75% eating hays from the hay company ,5 % pellets & 20 % veg for vitamin c .Can anyone tell me how i can find a vet who knows how to treat guinea pigs ? Thanks for the advise I know your never to old to learn .

Have you tried the vet locator at the top? Just type in your location and if there are any piggy savvy vets near you they will be listed x

 

[4harmony2]

H

Have you tried the vet locator at the top? Just type in your location and if there are any piggy savvy vets near you they will be listed x

Have you tried the vet locator at the top? Just type in your location and if there are any piggy savvy vets near you they will be listed x

Have but nearest one is in the next county over 2 hrs drive

 

[piggieminder]

I used the vet at Highertown, Truro when I lived in Cornwall, it was 8 years ago so he may not still be there. He wasn't an exotics vet but seemed quite knowledgeable, can't remember his name but it might be worth phoning them. There are a few rescues in Cornwall now I believe, you could try ringing them and see who they use.

 

[4harmony2]

I used the vet at Highertown, Truro when I lived in Cornwall, it was 8 years ago so he may not still be there. He wasn't an exotics vet but seemed quite knowledgeable, can't remember his name but it might be worth phoning them. There are a few rescues in Cornwall now I believe, you could try ringing them and see who they use.

Yes ! good idea ,i was going to ask Maria's animal rescue in Probus & Norman Gormans ,thanks for your help