Weight loss, diet change?

[AbbieMiddleton]

Good morning,

I'm sorry to keep bothering everyone but I'm so paranoid now and this forum has been so wonderfully supportive and helpful. As some of you know I've been going through a lot with my babies at the moment and as usual something else has come along to terrify me and I'd love some experienced advice.

Bumble, my remaining girl, has cancer. She's still very active, eating, drinking, noisy as heck. However, due to the sudden loss of Pinky we're having to make a lot of adjustments. One thing we overlooked though was grass portions as Bumble had way more grass than usual the other day; she had Pinky's half too, and in true "Gassy Piggy" fashion she became a little fart monster. She has always been a gassy piggy.

I've always managed her gas and I could tell she was in discomfort yesterday and did my usual piggy massages to help her. (I know for a fact it did as I felt the gas leave and seeing as she'd jus placed her butt near my MOUTH, I very much knew.....) This was the worst gas I'd seen from her so as a precaution I've removed veg from her diet for the first time in over four years so that her stomach can settle.

The problem being, because this is something I haven't done before, I don't know what's normal. Last night she had lost 30g in weight and what seems like another 10g this morning. I don't know if this is because of the veggie removal, the stress of losing Pinky, pain medication, loneliness or her illness taking hold. She used to get a lot of veg but in the last 24 hours has dropped from 1260g to 1210g having had none. She is drinking loads (more than usual, another concern?) and eating plenty of hay. She's even still popcorning. However, her poop is still slightly tapered at one end and inconsistent in size, though not as big, wet and smelly as when she had gas yesterday.

Please can somebody help me understand what to expect with weight fluctuations and diet change? I'd also be keen to know when I can reintroduce veg as we're going on a car journey tomorrow so that she can visit some piggies in a rescue centre and perhaps choose a friend for her remaining weeks/months, and I'd like her to have cucumber on the way.

Thank you for reading.

 

[Siikibam]

Tapered poo is sometimes an indicator of a mild upset tummy. So take her off veg until the poops are back to normal for 24 hours. Then start her again slowly. Also, 30g is sometimes the difference between an empty or full stomach/bladder. But if you’re worried take her to the vets.

 

[Emx93]

Hi, I'm sorry your piggy is sick, I'm not an expert but I have a piggy with an inoperable tumour too and she drinks a lot, we found this to be a pain sign and adding an additional pain killer has calmed it a bit but she still drinks quite a lot, however if she's drinking more just since you took her off veg this is likely because piggies usually get a lot of their water requirements from veg so she is drinking more to make up for the water she isn't getting from the veggies if that makes sense, in which case I wouldn't be too concerned at this point.
The weight loss I'm not overly sure about so please wait for a health and illness contributor, there's a guide on weight fluctuations in the files but I'm sorry I don't know how to link.
There's also a guide on digestive disorders for the gas in the files but again I am unsure how to link it, I believe it's usually 48hours with no veg then slowly reintroduce once poos have been normal for 24hours.
Its great your taking your piggy to find a friend, best of luck for the bonding.
Hugs and sorry your having such a hard time!

 

[AbbieMiddleton]

Tapered poo is sometimes an indicator of a mild upset tummy. So take her off veg until the poops are back to normal for 24 hours. Then start her again slowly. Also, 30g is sometimes the difference between an empty or full stomach/bladder. But if you’re worried take her to the vets.

Thank you. She's been taken off vegetables already; since yesterday morning. She's also been to the vet three times in the last couple of weeks and weighed the same each time. This is her first drop in weight for a long time and while it does seem to have occurred after vegetable withdrawal I'm also concerned because she lost her lifelong cage mate on Sunday, she herself was diagnosed with cancer last Thursday and she's now on daily medication.

 

[Siikibam]

I understand your concern. Although it’s hard to judge by eye, does she seem to be eating (as much) hay as usual?

 

[AbbieMiddleton]

Hi, I'm sorry your piggy is sick, I'm not an expert but I have a piggy with an inoperable tumour too and she drinks a lot, we found this to be a pain sign and adding an additional pain killer has calmed it a bit but she still drinks quite a lot, however if she's drinking more just since you took her off veg this is likely because piggies usually get a lot of their water requirements from veg so she is drinking more to make up for the water she isn't getting from the veggies if that makes sense, in which case I wouldn't be too concerned at this point.
The weight loss I'm not overly sure about so please wait for a health and illness contributor, there's a guide on weight fluctuations in the files but I'm sorry I don't know how to link.
There's also a guide on digestive disorders for the gas in the files but again I am unsure how to link it, I believe it's usually 48hours with no veg then slowly reintroduce once poos have been normal for 24hours.
Its great your taking your piggy to find a friend, best of luck for the bonding.
Hugs and sorry your having such a hard time!

Oh goodness, I'm so sorry about your piggy too. I wonder what we're facing? Do you have a post regarding your piggy that I can follow? Our babies

Bumble has been drinking a lot over winter but the vet put it down to us having the heating on and the piggies having heatpads; they're indoor pigs but we only use the heating sparingly unless it's early/late year, so they may be too cosy during winter.....

I don't think she's in pain. She's purring in her sleep on me right now. She is also on Metacam as a precaution though. She was popcorning last night too, so I'm hoping it's just the vegetable removal.

 

[AbbieMiddleton]

I understand your concern. Although it’s hard to judge by eye, does she seem to be eating (as much) hay as usual?

She's eating almost constantly. She spends about half an hour looping between hay pile, water bottle, pellets, repeat, then eventually goes for an explore or I steal her for cuddles. She's also begging for grass by wheeking for ages at the garden door and pointing with her nose.

 

[Emx93]

Oh goodness, I'm so sorry about your piggy too. I wonder what we're facing? Do you have a post regarding your piggy that I can follow? Our babies

Bumble has been drinking a lot over winter but the vet put it down to us having the heating on and the piggies having heatpads; they're indoor pigs but we only use the heating sparingly unless it's early/late year, so they may be too cosy during winter.....

I don't think she's in pain. She's purring in her sleep on me right now. She is also on Metacam as a precaution though. She was popcorning last night too, so I'm hoping it's just the vegetable removal.

I know it's the most heartbreaking diagnosis a pet parent can face I think, Princess also has arthritis so she was already on a high dose of metacam, she was diagnosed in November, the drinking got worse a couple of weeks back and she went through six water bottles in one night and was grinding her teeth when laid in certain positions, the vet assessed her and gave us buprecare for when pain seems intense, this has helped massively with the drinking, I give it if I hear a teeth grind or she drinks excessively and she's been great on it! She still drinks a lot but there's been massive improvement!

Her thread is abdominal tumour, and pain relief query
The good news is that we're 2 months from diagnosis and she is doing amazing! It's so hard when they look so well on the outside but there's something horrible on the inside isn't it?
As I said I'm not an expert but you have our support and we are thinking of you and your piggy

 

[Emx93]

For reference this is her weight chart.... A bit all over the place!

 

[AbbieMiddleton]

I know it's the most heartbreaking diagnosis a pet parent can face I think, Princess also has arthritis so she was already on a high dose of metacam, she was diagnosed in November, the drinking got worse a couple of weeks back and she went through six water bottles in one night and was grinding her teeth when laid in certain positions, the vet assessed her and gave us buprecare for when pain seems intense, this has helped massively with the drinking, I give it if I hear a teeth grind or she drinks excessively and she's been great on it! She still drinks a lot but there's been massive improvement!

Her thread is abdominal tumour, and pain relief query
The good news is that we're 2 months from diagnosis and she is doing amazing! It's so hard when they look so well on the outside but there's something horrible on the inside isn't it?
As I said I'm not an expert but you have our support and we are thinking of you and your piggy

Thank you for sharing. I'm going to read everything I can. Princess's weight chart is very varied!

I hate the fact that I know something horrible is growing in there that I can't do anything about. The tissue sample which was given for biopsy was part of the actual tumour and muscle tissue from either the uterine or urinary tract. Apparently it would come back if we attempted to remove it and the operation was a risk the vet suggested wasn't worth taking. Probably lower odds than 50/50. I just don't understand how she can be herself after removing something like that from herself.

I also regret the fact that I was weeping over the diagnosis and giving her extra fuss just as my other piggy suddenly declined and passed. I feel so ignorant, cruel and useless. It's almost impossible to believe that something so sinister is even wrong with her though. She's so, so, so happy and active. I'd post a video if I could because it's almost unbelievable.

 

[AbbieMiddleton]

She certainly doesn't look like she's in any discomfort when she's on her mummy.....

 

[Emx93]

Thank you for sharing. I'm going to read everything I can. Princess's weight chart is very varied!

I hate the fact that I know something horrible is growing in there that I can't do anything about. The tissue sample which was given for biopsy was part of the actual tumour and muscle tissue from either the uterine or urinary tract. Apparently it would come back if we attempted to remove it and the operation was a risk the vet suggested wasn't worth taking. Probably lower odds than 50/50. I just don't understand how she can be herself after removing something like that from herself.

I also regret the fact that I was weeping over the diagnosis and giving her extra fuss just as my other piggy suddenly declined and passed. I feel so ignorant, cruel and useless. It's almost impossible to believe that something so sinister is even wrong with her though. She's so, so, so happy and active. I'd post a video if I could because it's almost unbelievable.

I'm so sorry about your other piggy, Princess is exactly the same, she acts totally fine, the only time I notice the teeth grinding is when noone is around and her cage mate is asleep, it makes me worry that shes hiding it like piggies do and putting on a brave face, because she is a super tough piggy, Princess had surgery but when they opened her up it was clear it wasn't operable unfortunately, such a heartbreaking outcome, even the vet who did the op phoned to tell us and said he was quite shocked at how it looked inside because she appeared so healthy on the outside
I fully sympathise with the one health drama after another too! It's been one hell of a year for us! I feel like we need to move into the vets carpark at times
You are such a wonderful piggy mummy and she is so lucky to have you
This is princess

 

[AbbieMiddleton]

I'm so sorry about your other piggy, Princess is exactly the same, she acts totally fine, the only time I notice the teeth grinding is when noone is around and her cage mate is asleep, it makes me worry that shes hiding it like piggies do and putting on a brave face, because she is a super tough piggy, Princess had surgery but when they opened her up it was clear it wasn't operable unfortunately, such a heartbreaking outcome, even the vet who did the op phoned to tell us and said he was quite shocked at how it looked inside because she appeared so healthy on the outside
I fully sympathise with the one health drama after another too! It's been one hell of a year for us! I feel like we need to move into the vets carpark at times
You are such a wonderful piggy mummy and she is so lucky to have you
This is princess

What a gorgeous piggy she is! It's amazing how tough they are. They're so tiny and it's really hard to think they're stronger than us at times! Our vet was also very surprised at the biopsy results as they seemed in perfect condition. I'll be thinking of you and your baby.

Bumble only grinds and chatters her teeth when she's talking to me. Telling me she's had enough laying down and needs to go to the loo. Occasionally she's chattered when I'm about to serve them a salad but that was either "Hurry up!" Or "Back off, Pinky, it's mine!" because I haven't heard her do that at feeding time since we lost Pinky.

She's still drinking a lot but nowhere near the volume of your Princess. Probably about 1/4 of a 250ml bottle instead of her usual 1/8 a day. I'm really hoping it's just down to her lack of salad. I'm hoping the weight loss is too. She needs to be strong to meet some new friends tomorrow!

 

[Emx93]

What a gorgeous piggy she is! It's amazing how tough they are. They're so tiny and it's really hard to think they're stronger than us at times! Our vet was also very surprised at the biopsy results as they seemed in perfect condition. I'll be thinking of you and your baby.

Bumble only grinds and chatters her teeth when she's talking to me. Telling me she's had enough laying down and needs to go to the loo. Occasionally she's chattered when I'm about to serve them a salad but that was either "Hurry up!" Or "Back off, Pinky, it's mine!" because I haven't heard her do that at feeding time since we lost Pinky.

She's still drinking a lot but nowhere near the volume of your Princess. Probably about 1/4 of a 250ml bottle instead of her usual 1/8 a day. I'm really hoping it's just down to her lack of salad. I'm hoping the weight loss is too. She needs to be strong to meet some new friends tomorrow!

Aww yeah that amount I'd say probably just the lack of veg
I hope bumble finds a new friend tomorrow
Piggies are definitely stronger than us at times! Interestingly princess will also occasionally get sloppy poop and need a break from veggies, I wonder if it's tumour related? Ps tumour is abdominal so it would make sense I suppose xx

 

[AbbieMiddleton]

Aww yeah that amount I'd say probably just the lack of veg
I hope bumble finds a new friend tomorrow
Piggies are definitely stronger than us at times! Interestingly princess will also occasionally get sloppy poop and need a break from veggies, I wonder if it's tumour related? Ps tumour is abdominal so it would make sense I suppose xx

They're little scoundrels, constantly worrying us! I really hope you and Princess still have plenty of time together. It sounds like she really is a tough little madam.

Fingers crossed for Bumble tomorrow. It doesn't feel right opening the hideaway and seeing one fat butt instead of two.

She's always been a bit gassy after grass or dark greens though. I'm hoping it was just the overindulgence of grass. She really did eat twice as much as usual.

 

[Emx93]

They're little scoundrels, constantly worrying us! I really hope you and Princess still have plenty of time together. It sounds like she really is a tough little madam.

Fingers crossed for Bumble tomorrow. It doesn't feel right opening the hideaway and seeing one fat butt instead of two.

She's always been a bit gassy after grass or dark greens though. I'm hoping it was just the overindulgence of grass. She really did eat twice as much as usual.

Oh bless her! I have a piggy like that she can't have even the tiniest bit of grass without getting gas and poop issues! Fibreplex helps princess has never been gassy though so unsure on the weird poop it doesn't happen often though!
They sure are little heart attack causing little fluff balls I hope your bumble brings new friends home tomorrow! Everything crossed for you!
I hope so too and the same for you and bumble, they are a lot tougher than they look! Xx