Dental Old Guinea pig losing weight

[Mia_Skyla]

Hi all! This is my first post on here!
My guinea pig, Skyla, is over 6 years old now and she has started losing weight. I know that it is normal for older guinea pigs to lose weight but I’m still concerned non the less. I brought her down to the vets a few weeks ago when these problems started because she wasn’t pooping or eating and we were all very concerned. It turned out her teeth were too long so the vet shaved them down for us and she seemed fine the first day she was back home. Gradually though, she has stopped eating as much and I really don’t know what to do. We’ve brought her down to the vets a few times and he sees nothing wrong with her apart from the fact that she’s losing weight. I’m giving her critical care everyday and she also has access to hay fresh veggies Vit C pellets and fresh water. She did live with a rabbit who passed away a few months ago but she didn’t show any symptoms when that happened so I’m certain it has nothing to do with it. Any help or advice is well appreciated. Thank you all

 

[Piggies&buns]

Older piggies can lose body condition but If she isn’t eating them you are doing right by syringe feeding her. If she is still losing weight then she may not be being fed enough. What checks has the vet done on her?
Unfortunately though if she is not eating hay for herself then It could be dental issues again as the teeth will overgrow again quickly without the constant abrasive action of hay. Will she eat grass? Unfortunately there are very few vets who know how to do a piggy dental properly.

Does the vet know that she lived with a rabbit? Living with rabbits is not appropriate for many reasons but also because rabbits can carry diseases which can make guinea pigs poorly. Its possible there’s not a connection particularly if this has occurred after the rabbits passing but it could be piece of information for the vet to know.

Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

 

[Siikibam]

I don’t know what it could be, but unfortunately a lot of vets aren’t experienced in dealing with guinea pig’s teeth. Did he shave the incisors or the molars/premolars? Was she given any anti-inflammatory medicine/painkiller to give her afterwards?

You will have to switch to weighing her daily at the same time, and adjusting syringe feeding accordingly so you can help her maintain her weight. Try cutting veg into thin strips, like w lot of people on here who have done the same with piggies that have dental issues.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi all! This is my first post on here!
My guinea pig, Skyla, is over 6 years old now and she has started losing weight. I know that it is normal for older guinea pigs to lose weight but I’m still concerned non the less. I brought her down to the vets a few weeks ago when these problems started because she wasn’t pooping or eating and we were all very concerned. It turned out her teeth were too long so the vet shaved them down for us and she seemed fine the first day she was back home. Gradually though, she has stopped eating as much and I really don’t know what to do. We’ve brought her down to the vets a few times and he sees nothing wrong with her apart from the fact that she’s losing weight. I’m giving her critical care everyday and she also has access to hay fresh veggies Vit C pellets and fresh water. She did live with a rabbit who passed away a few months ago but she didn’t show any symptoms when that happened so I’m certain it has nothing to do with it. Any help or advice is well appreciated. Thank you all

Hi!

If teeth are not ground down properly they will overgrow again. It may take a specialist to work out what is the matter for her loss chewing - it could be arthritis in the jaw or mandible in an older guinea pig for instance. Did your vet consider and check for that possibility?
Unfortunately there aren't any vets with experience in piggy dentals in on the Irish Isle. It is not a subject that is taught during vet college.

@furryfriends (TEAS)