Senior pig weight

[Hoppo79]

Hi - was just wondering if anyone can give some advice on how to maintain or help a senior guinea pig gain weight. She’s weighing in a morning around 1220g and an evening around 1280g. Maybe a full bladder? But it also depends what u weigh her on too - if I line the scales with toilet paper she’s lighter and if I use a pee pad she’s heavier. Could be just coincidence.
As an adult she used to be around 1300g and over the past few months her weight has slowly decreased. She has got arthritis which she is on 0.4mg dog metacam twice a day (I know that’s high but she goes very quiet if it’s the original 0.3mg twice a day now - so I’m guessing her arthritis has got a bit worse. She is also on and off an antibiotic for bladder issues that first started beginning of the year. She’s never really bounced back from that. She needed a mini op to sort things and she also has scans etc.
She’s just over 6yrs old. I had her from 3yrs old from a rescue.
I just want to try and maintain her weight a bit if I can. What do you guys suggest?

 

[Siikibam]

Weighing more than once a day reveals too many fluctuations so you only do it once a day at the same time. If she’s on/off antibiotics regularly that certainly doesn’t help with keeping their appetite nor weight. Some here give their piggies oats or grated sweet potato and other things I can’t remember! I’ll tag @VickiA @Betsy @Bill & Ted

 

[Betsy]

My RB Piggy Christian had arthritis in his spine as does his sister Meg. I managed to keep Christian's weight stable with a whopping 0.7ml of dog Metacam twice a day (vet prescribed this) and slowly decreased it (over a matter of months under the advice of a vet) to 0.5ml twice day. Meg is on 0.3ml a day again prescribed by a vet). When my piggies need a bit of weight boost because they have lost it through ill health, I have added a few dry porridge oats to a bit of grated apple, sweet potato or carrot and popped it in the hutch/run when the other piggies have been taken out. Also I have added it to syringe food.

 

[Hoppo79]

My RB Piggy Christian had arthritis in his spine as does his sister Meg. I managed to keep Christian's weight stable with a whopping 0.7ml of dog Metacam twice a day (vet prescribed this) and slowly decreased it (over a matter of months under the advice of a vet) to 0.5ml twice day. Meg is on 0.3ml a day again prescribed by a vet). When my piggies need a bit of weight boost because they have lost it through ill health, I have added a few dry porridge oats to a bit of grated apple, sweet potato or carrot and popped it in the hutch/run when the other piggies have been taken out. Also I have added it to syringe food.

Thank you. Yeah my vet advised trying her on 0.5ml twice a day of metacam but I thought it was way too much?! Will she overdose?
I bought some porridge oats for her the other day. She ate quite a few. Then today not so keen. She’s become a picky eater I think. She’s still eating her hay well and drinking fine. She loves her veg too but I can’t give her much now cause she gets soft poos. But that could be the arthritis too ?
I will syringe feed her some critical care I think. Just a bit to top up her food. I won’t force it down her though as she’s still eating for herself but I’m sure it’ll help. Thanks for your advice there! Much appreciated.

 

[Betsy]

As long as your vet advised you to try 0.5ml twice a day, there is no harm in trying it. If she is in pain, she won't eat. It maybe that her arthritis has got so painful that she needs that higher dose now. If on the higher dose, her weight stabillises then it's the correct dose. Christian was on his high dose of Metacam for just over a year and then on the lower dose for the remainder of his life. I was warned that his life could well be shortened because of the high dose but I chose a shorter life with no pain rather than a longer life with pain for him as being in pain every day is horrible.