• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

2yr old female guinea pig rapid weight loss

S

sd120584

New Born Pup
Joined
Aug 24, 2018
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Points
20
Hi, my 2 year old guinea pig, Lily, has suddenly lost a LOT of weight. I don't know how much she weighed originally, but I do know guinea pigs usually weigh 800g and Lily now weighs 500g. She is very skeletal and I can feel all of her bones. I took her to the vet yesterday and the vet checked her teeth and said they looked perfectly fine. She said the weight loss is a major concern but she couldn't tell what was wrong with her at this time.

She is losing a lot of hair in clumps and had a bald patch in the corner of her left eye which wasn't there a week ago. She is passing pee and poo normally and is just as active as normal. She lives in the same cage as my other guinea pig, Bubble, so if you have any idea as to what could be wrong with her could you please comment your suggestions and if it is contagious as I don't want my other guinea pig to fall ill as well. Bubble has already outlived another guinea pig, I hope she doesn't have to watch a second die too.
 
Her squeaking sounds strained too, I forgot to mention. She is eating normally though, dry pellets, hay and some vegetables as a treat.
 
Merab's Slave said:
Welcome to the forum
You need to see a vet as a matter of urgency

Let us know how things go
Click to expand...
Thanks! The vet set us another appointment for next Tuesday and told us to call her if we notice anything unusual like if she starts hiding away however we've not seen anything strange apart from the fact that she keeps jumping up at the cage as if she wants to be let out. I always take her out and let her run around but as soon as I put her back she jumps up again.
 
Is she eating ok?
Is she weeing and pooping?
Is your vet an exotic vet - or at least cavy savvy?

Some of the experts will be along soon who can give better advice @Jaycey @Abi_nurse @Wiebke
Sorry if I’ve missed other experts
 
500g is a very low weight for a 2 year old/fully-grown adult sow/guinea pig - Your sow cannot afford to lose any more weight, and, if you are not doing so already, you should be syringe/hand-feeding her.

Clearly, your sow is malnourished/undernourished/not consuming enough food - At 2 years old, I would suspect a dental issue/dental issues, and, therefore, would recommend seeking a more cavy-savvy veterinarian (I suspect any other issues, for example, dermatological/skin issues, are as a result of being malnourished etc. . .)
 
Guinea-pigGaga said:
500g is a very low weight for a 2 year old/fully-grown adult sow/guinea pig - Your sow cannot afford to lose any more weight, and, if you are not doing so already, you should be syringe/hand-feeding her.

Clearly, your sow is malnourished/undernourished/not consuming enough food - At 2 years old, I would suspect a dental issue/dental issues, and, therefore, would recommend seeking a more cavy-savvy veterinarian (I suspect any other issues, for example, dermatological/skin issues, are as a result of being malnourished etc. . .)
Click to expand...
I have tried feeding her a few porridge oats by hand as I have heard they are good for fattening guinea pigs but she seemed uninterested. When she is in her cage I see her eating dry hay and pellets frequently and when I gave her cucumber this morning she ate it quickly. She seems to be eating well, she's just losing weight instead of gaining it. The vet said it could be liver damage or cancer but there hasn't really been any other signs.
 
sd120584 said:
I have tried feeding her a few porridge oats by hand as I have heard they are good for fattening guinea pigs but she seemed uninterested. When she is in her cage I see her eating dry hay and pellets frequently and when I gave her cucumber this morning she ate it quickly. She seems to be eating well, she's just losing weight instead of gaining it. The vet said it could be liver damage or cancer but there hasn't really been any other signs.
Click to expand...
Where are you located? We might be able to recommend a knowledgeable vet.Are you syringe feeding her?
 
I think you may need to see a more knowledgable piggy savvy vet. The mention of liver damage or cancer - how did the vet reach those conclusions? Has she had X-rays or blood tests? I think you may need to top up her feeding with some syringe feed to help regain the lost weight.
 
I agree with getting xrays and blood tests done and possibly poo tests done. If you're 100% certain thay she's eating just as much as usual and eating just as quickly as usual then it seems less likely to be a dental issue and more digestive. A poo test can run out fungal issues. It could also be something like a thyroid issue which needs a blood test.

I know how hard it is to try to make a pig like this gain weight or at the very least maintain as one of my boys is being treat for a thyroid issue. My suggestion would be to syringe feed but also give as much food and hay as possible and keep things changing so they constantly eat. I had numerous bags of different hays for Jon until we did a blood test. I also gave him different nuggets to keep him eating those too.
 
By the symptoms it's sounds hormonal. Please seek advice from an exotics vet about this. I agree with the others, she sounds emaciated and needs feeding and veterinary care ASAP.

Hope you can get her sorted.
x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top