6 year old guinea pig not able to maintain weight?

[Fluffbabies]

Hi all,

Amongst our group of 5 respiratory issue piggies is our mama floof Oreo. Oreo is coming up to 6 and a quarter years old. (She's not actually a mama.. but that's what we call her these days as it's just her left with the four 1.5 year olds.)

In her younger years she was about 1.1kg, over time she dropped down to around 1.050kg and lower due to muscle wastage caused by age. She has arthritis for which she has been on metacam and joint supplements for almost two years. Over these two years it's obviously progressed. Her hips and spine are more prominent from the muscle wastage and she feels light and skinny. But she is still happy, mobile and herself. She sleeps more but she was always a big napper even as a baby. As long as she is happy we will support her with treatment.

Between 30.01.23 and 06.04.23 we have weighed her daily and her average weight was 975g. Her highest being 1000g and her lowest being 950g. She's either around the average, or if she goes down then the next day or two she's back up e.g. normal variance of 30g ish either way.

Then her weights have done this.. (Critical care suggests 3 scoops to maintain 1kg weight.)

07.04.23 975g
08.04.23 955g
09.04.23 956g
10.04.23 968g
11.04.23 955g
12.04.23 943g <- We think hm it's not gone up again yet. This is weird.
13.04.23 939g <- New low
14.04.23 931g <- I don't like this. Let's try a bit of syringe feed. 1/2 scoop given today.
15.04.23 941g <- 1/2 scoop given
16.04.23 943g <- 1/2 scoop given
17.04.23 945g <- Didn't syringe feed on 17.04.23 to see if she was maintaining.
18.04.23 929g <- Lowest ever weight. Syringe fed 2.25 scoops
19.04.23 937g <- Today. I think we need to try and get 3 scoops into Oreo and see if she maintains or can put on a bit of weight? But I'm concerned three scoops won't be enough to get her back up or maintain.. is it possible that they continue to lose weight despite lots of critical care and other food intake?

What are your thoughts on this? We are taking her to see Kim on Friday so will try and get 3 scoops in each day to see if she can maintain this new lower weight or put a bit on. Obviously Kim can advise us if there's an signs of active infection this time round. Still the only symptom Oreo has is subtle rocking as she breathes. The tiny crackles in her lungs were gone after Co-trimoxazole (Sulfatrim?) We have been nebulising with F10 for 15-20 mins twice a day for 1 week so far which doesn't seem to have made her better or worse.

The young ones are all subtle rocking as they breathe. At least 2 young ones, I think 3 if not all 4 are sneezing louder and more often and their eyes look a little wet but no discharge from eyes or nose. We've had some occasional "hacking up" during nebulising and some sneezes. One of them has had some louder breathing/hooting afterwards on 1-2 occasions but it went away. It's hard to tell if it's helping or not. Kim's struggling to tell if they have an infection or not.

Of course Oreo could have something else going on.. Or could it be her age that she can't keep weight on although she seems to be eating/drinking/pooping normally and we're syringe feeding her? And she will go downhill? Or could this be a new average weight and I'm worrying over nothing? I'm worried if I don't syringe feed her for a couple of days she'll drop lower than 929g. She trusts us so much that she lets us syringe feed her well.

We've reduced her salad/veg intake. Should we stop it completely hoping she'll have more hay or is it good to just get that into her too?

We know that inevitably our time left with mama floof is limited. We just don't know how long that is but as long as she's showing signs of being herself, happy and has that zest for life we want to do what we can to support her whether that's medical treatment or supportive feeding.

Just looking to see if anyone has similar experience?

 

[Fluffbabies]

We took Oreo (and the others) to Kim at Cat and Rabbit clinic. Kim told us that although the young ones' sneezing has got worse and frequent, none of them have signs of active URI.

Kim checked Oreo over thoroughly and couldn't find anything medically wrong with her except her arthritis, for which we're adequately giving metacam. Kim said she's doing well for a piggy of 6 years old. Kim also said that she often sees seniors drop weight then maintain that new lower weight for a while and this happens a few times. We asked Kim if we should keep support feeding Oreo and Kim said she thinks we should.

We weighed Oreo again this morning and had a big shock that she's dropped 40g overnight to 905g We hope this is down to the long day travelling to Northampton and we didn't syringe feed her last night as she was eating her hay and nuggets.

We're going to syringe feed her a few times throughout the day the best we can around our shifts and hope she maintains her weight. She's happy in herself. I suppose there could be something medical going on that Kim would have to anaesthetise to find out and we wouldn't want to risk Oreo not coming through anaesthetic.

Has anyone had similar experience with their senior piggy?

 

[Wheekallweek]

I do think it's natural for piggies to lose weight and muscle tone as they get older. She's lucky to have you! She should hopefully stabilise with syringe feeding.
Don't forget to weigh her daily!
I do love an oldie

 

[Fluffbabies]

I do think it's natural for piggies to lose weight and muscle tone as they get older. She's lucky to have you! She should hopefully stabilise with syringe feeding.
Don't forget to weigh her daily!
I do love an oldie

Thanks, she definitely has lost weight and muscle tone gradually over the past two years. She's very bony around her hips and back now.

We're just scared of how quickly she's lost 75g over the past two weeks and if we don't get enough syringe feeding in, she continues to drop. Unfortunately you don't know til each morning if what you have syringe fed is enough. I hope she stabilises too!

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

Hi. It is quite normal for elderly piggies to gradually drop weight. The sudden 40g loss, as you say is most likely down to her trip to the vet.
With age organs become less efficient, resulting in poorer absorption and utilisation of nutrients. I wouldn't advise cutting out her veg, it most likely won't make her eat more hay. Her hay intake is probably down a little as old piggies do everything slower, including eating, hay takes a lot of chewing so it is good to provide something easier to eat in addition.
I would keep doing as Kim says and hopefully she will stabilise at a "new normal" weight

 

[Fluffbabies]

Hi. It is quite normal for elderly piggies to gradually drop weight. The sudden 40g loss, as you say is most likely down to her trip to the vet.
With age organs become less efficient, resulting in poorer absorption and utilisation of nutrients. I wouldn't advise cutting out her veg, it most likely won't make her eat more hay. Her hay intake is probably down a little as old piggies do everything slower, including eating, hay takes a lot of chewing so it is good to provide something easier to eat in addition.
I would keep doing as Kim says and hopefully she will stabilise at a "new normal" weight

Thank you for your advice. She loves her veg and can eat lots of it quickly. She seems happy and I'm glad Kim checked her over so we know she's not in pain.

This is our first experience of watching oldie piggy weight loss day-by-day so it's scary seeing it go down and not knowing how much might be normal.

 

[Claire W]

I am very sorry that Oreo is losing weight, it’s always a worry Sadly, loss of weight and muscle tone comes with old age and I am hoping that Oreo stabilises soon