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Body Condition in older Piggies

Betsy

Betsy

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Thea was 7 at the beginning of January. She lost quite a bit of weight when she was bonded with Misty and Bramble which I put down to the stress of being bonded after nearly a year on her own with Misty and Bramble as neighbours. She has now put back on most of the weight she lost with the help of syringe feeds. She is happy, healthy and interacting with the other 2 and has perked up no end since her neighbours became her friends and is more sociable and outgoing. She is eating, drinking, pooping and weeing as normal. She passes her health checks each week with flying colours. Its just her body condition is not the best. I know they lose muscle mass around their bums as they age but now I can feel all her ribs and her spine under her fur. She has weighed the same as this (954g) in the past but I couldn't feel her bones at all. She had a healthy layer of fat over them. Is it a sign of aging (I've never had a guinea pig this old before) or is it something I should worry about?
 
I think it’s just old age, they do get bony around the hips and spine but if you feel worried you could always take her to the vets for a check but that may cause her more stress. You monitor really well, I think I would just keep on doing that if it were me
 
Betsy said:
Thea was 7 at the beginning of January. She lost quite a bit of weight when she was bonded with Misty and Bramble which I put down to the stress of being bonded after nearly a year on her own with Misty and Bramble as neighbours. She has now put back on most of the weight she lost with the help of syringe feeds. She is happy, healthy and interacting with the other 2 and has perked up no end since her neighbours became her friends and is more sociable and outgoing. She is eating, drinking, pooping and weeing as normal. She passes her health checks each week with flying colours. Its just her body condition is not the best. I know they lose muscle mass around their bums as they age but now I can feel all her ribs and her spine under her fur. She has weighed the same as this (954g) in the past but I couldn't feel her bones at all. She had a healthy layer of fat over them. Is it a sign of aging (I've never had a guinea pig this old before) or is it something I should worry about?
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Hi

This is a normal sign of ageing, I am afraid. You also see the same in the elderly humans with same process happening sooner to some than to others; the same as with piggies, only that you get it all in fast forward because of their quicker metabolism.

There is nothing you can do about it if she is otherwise fine in herself and there is no underlying health issue. 7 years is the upper end of the average life span. Most piggies resulting from the big pool of commercially produced piggies (whether they are from shops, backyard for sale breeders or rescues whose piggies majorly come from that pool) who live that far are elderly by that age but they have beaten well over half of all pet piggies.

They can still live on for quite a while in some cases but I would recommend to cherish every day Thea is here to greet you nd to make special in some little way instead of worrying about the end drawing closer.

Caring for Older Piggies and Facing the End - A practical and supportive information collection
 
Dexter got bony around the hips and spine as he got older. He was 1200g in his prime but settled around 930-950g in the year or so before he passed away (6 years old). There was nothing medically wrong with him at the time he got bony, it was just put down to aging.

Popcorn is also 6 but is not bony. He has always been a chunkier boy though - 1500g in his prime, now maintaining around 1150g.
 
I think this is pretty normal aging. My older pigs (about 6 onwards) definitely lost muscle mass and fat padding around their shoulders and hips- bony little shoulder blades and pelvises are pretty normal for that age.
 
Both Brillo (5+) and Red (6+) are very bony now, both about 200gms down from their prime. Red has lost his lovey shiny coat in the last few months and he is beginning to look old in his face. Brillo is losing hair in the two patches where he has teddy skin on his back although his eyes still look very bright. They both have arthritis and waddle about their cages, they also sleep a lot more, especially Red. I feel sad sometimes seeing them aging but it's lovely to see them still enjoying life even if it is at a slower pace. They have a vet check every 6 months now as they are both on daily Metacam.
 
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