5 year old guinea pig weight loss

[Lisanjake]

I have noticed that Erin had been losing weight gradually since Winnie passed away (16/4)
So when Winnie died Erin was sleeping a lot and grieving I guess bless her.
So she put on some weight over those few weeks.

Since getting her a new young cage mate, she’s been losing quite a bit.

She is happy enough in herself, running about after Ellie, Screaming for veg and treats, eating hay (from what I see)
My local vets is just horrendous with guinea pigs, she basically told me they didn’t bother doing blood tests on GPs as they are too small!
I have an okay vets in Cambridge but they ripped me off with Winnie’s treatment which put me off going and I don’t know anywhere with nearby.
Obviously Ill go there if she keeps losing weight.
Is this a typical old age thing or something more suspicious?
She’s lost basically 200g in a month

 

[Lisanjake]

This might be a bit clearer than my scribbles

 

[Piggies&buns]

That is a definite gradual loss and is now amounting to a lot. Please step in and offer some support feeding to stop the weight loss. Do see a vet

 

[Lisanjake]

That is a definite gradual loss and is now amounting to a lot. Please step in and offer some support feeding to stop the weight loss. Do see a vet

How much would you recommend I give her?

 

[Piggies&buns]

There’s not a magic number as such but I’d aim for 40ml to begin with and see what happens at each daily weight check - those daily weight checks are your guide.
It all depends how much hay she is still eating independently - the less hay she eats, the more weight she will lose and the more you need to syringe feed

 

[Wiebke]

This might be a bit clearer than my scribbles

Hi

Firstly, your girl is still a very good general weight amd nowhere near any dangerously low levels.

Please check the following aspects first:

- Is your girl still a good weight for their size (i.e. not underweight or overweight)?
Please follow the advice on what exactly to look for when you evaluate the 'heft' around the ribcage. This is crucial in order to put the weight loss into perspective and to see whether the weight loss is just lost overweight or whether there could be an underlying health issue is your girl is feeling skinnier around the ribs than she should.
See chapter 3 in our weight guide for how to feel for the heft; the method we are using works for any weight and size at any age, irrespective of the weight on the scales: Weight - Monitoring and Management

- What status has your girl with her new mates and is she more active? Not being top sow and being a lot more active will generally translate into some weight loss with new company as she will naturally burn more calories than when on her own. The loss can be larger if your sow has been previously overweight and is actually in this case not a bad development. That is why checking for the heft as the first measure is so important. It will help you put the weight loss in perspective for your girl.

- Give your girl a thorough body onceover yourself to check for changes in the body or potential signs of pain.
Five years is at the bottom end of the average life expectancy. Some piggies can lose some weight gradually due to their metabolism slowing down/no longer working optimally due to the ageing process but this can vary quite a lot - some piggies are fine until they are 6-8 years old and others can start feeling skinny without anything being wrong age 4. You can however never assume that it is age related weight loss without a vet check.
Older piggies can be saggier around the spine and hips without necessarily feeling underweight around the ribcage. That is just part of the normal ageing process.
Here are tips on what to look out for:
Guinea pig body quirks - What is normal and what not?
Signs of Pain in Guinea Pigs

- In older sows, large non-hormonal fluid-filled ovarian cysts are a pretty common problem; they can also come with a gradual weight loss but do not cause any of the symptoms connected with hormonal cysts (i.e. crusts on nipple, being constantly in season, hair loss on the sides of the belly). When you gently massage the belly can you feel balls or see balls starting to show on the back?
Sows: Behaviour and female health problems (including ovarian cysts)

- Not sure whether you have other recommended vets within your reach? Please be aware that vet fees have gone up a lot due to the cost of running a clinic (energy bills) and medication cost having risen disproportionally.
Recommended Guinea Pig Vets

I hope that this will help you.