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Small pets

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Original poster

Guinea pig losing lots of weight

32 replies

GooseyLoosey · 14/05/2012 13:34

She is a year old and all skin and bone. Always lots of fresh food and she seems to eat but has lost loads of weight. She seems to be in no pain. She also drinks a lot.

At the weekend one of her eyes had gone milky too and we took her to the vet. He treated the eye but could not find anything obviously wrong with her apart from that. We are taking her back in a week.

Any suggestions?

OP posts:
gettingalifenow · 14/05/2012 13:57

Did the vet check her teeth - maybe they have overgrown ? But he should have checked that as a matter of course....

What kind of food does she like? Can you bring her in and give her treats, just to test how easily ( or not ) she is eating - as a rule of thumb, if she doesn't want to eat all the dandelion leaves you can find at double quick speed, there is something wrong: if she eats them all and looks for more, then she's probably fine..

Original poster
GooseyLoosey · 14/05/2012 14:00

We picked a load of dandelion leaves yesterday for her and a lot were still left at the end of the day, so maybe a problem?

Her teeth look OK to me, but will ask the vet to check.

Vet didn't really seem too interested - not sure small furry animals were his thing.

OP posts:
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 14/05/2012 14:24

Goosey you need to get your pig to a Cavvy Savvy vet if you aren't happy.I think alot of vets concentrate on cats and dogs in small animal practise.

My boars aren't eating dandelions at the moment but when they leaves were tiny, they hoovered them up.
Teeth is first thing- the back ones are more difficult to see but they can use a 'retractor' to view.
Worms? Especially if she grazes.
Obstructions? Could be some plastic she's ingested.
Or a growth of some kind (she's need a scan to see )
Does her belly sound hollow at all if you tap it? (Sign of bloat, build up of gas in belly)
If she's got an eye infection that can stop her eating because she just might feel unwell.Is she eating her hay? She'll need her pellets and hay as well as veg.

Did they offer you anything like Crirical Care? (I bought some from Amazon) or you can mash pellets with water and get a feeding syringe from Pet Shops or Pets at Home.
I'd buy her some nice hay the herbally stuff to temp her. Then you'll see if she's struggling with her teeth when she chews.

Good Luck. Have you tried Cambridge Cavy Trust (I don't know what area you are in), but I'd definately try another vet.
It could be there's nothing wrong, or nothing you can cure. But I'd want to get to the why's and wherefores.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 14/05/2012 14:26

BTW my GP2 is bony but he's always been tiny build.He eats well but less than GP1. Yours sound like a robust GP that's lost weight. That's a different scenario.

Original poster
GooseyLoosey · 14/05/2012 15:46

Thanks both - she has never been a huge GP but has definitely lost weight.

Going back at the weekend so will ask about Critical Care. She does have hay, but will make sure we keep it topped up.

Never thought about worms - will ask vet about that too - sounds easy to treat.

Hope she is OK - she is a cutie.

OP posts:
silver73 · 14/05/2012 23:00

This sounds like it could be quite serious. Can you weigh her and start giving her critical care straight away to supplement what she eats? You can buy small sachets from the vets before your appointment or make up a paste from her pellets and hand feed her. Look on GP Lynx website for information about making up the pellets and also how to hand feed. My little Blondie pig was losing weight and even a small amount of lost weight was seen as a medical emergency.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 14/05/2012 23:14

I wouldn't wait till the weekend TBH.
Get some Critical Care from the vets and put in an Amazon order (I get next day delivery) if you can. It's cheaper from Amazon. You can get fine grind which the reviewers have said is easier than the coarse one to syringe.

KRITIQ · 15/05/2012 13:11

Agree with 70 and Silver. In a pinch, you can grind up ordinary dry food pellets (or the hay pellets from a muesli mix,) in a mortar and pestle, add water to make "porridge" and syringe feed that. There are clips on youtube showing how to do that if you're not sure. You can get syringes (2 ml or 5 ml best, just cut off the pointy end,) at the chemist.

A guinea pig can only go a few hours without having food coming in. The gut could shut down and it will not survive for long. It really is an emergency situation.

Original poster
GooseyLoosey · 15/05/2012 13:13

Thanks both - can I get Critcal from a petshop or do I have to stop at the vets for it?

Vet did not seem concerned at all. He weighed her (I think she weighed 950gms) and said to bring her back in a week.

OP posts:
silver73 · 15/05/2012 23:13

This really could be a medical emergency and the questions you have asked are already in the thread. You can get Critical Care from any vet or Amazon. You can also make up food for your GP as KRITIQ says until you manage to get some. You should really take this seriously we nearly lost a GP under these circumstances

Joolyjoolyjoo · 15/05/2012 23:19

Second syringeable feeding (recovery diet also good, and your vet should have that or similar)

Any wetness around her mouth? Does she teeth-grind? These can be signs of molar overgrowth, and need checked out.

If I was your vet I'd want a urine sample if at all possible, to look for glucose (wt loss, drinking lots, poss cataracts could all be signs of diabetes) If your vet is suspicious based on that, can also do blood samples.

Hope you get her sorted out. Let us know how you get on

silver73 · 16/05/2012 00:30

Jooly -is GP diabetes treatable? Do they have to take medication?

Joolyjoolyjoo · 16/05/2012 01:09

It is treatable- I've never had one on insulin, but believe it can be done. they can also get oral meds. Many guinea pigs can go into spontaneous remission too, and diet needs to be looked at, but it IS treatable Smile (although not saying that is what she has, just that I would want to rule it out!)

Any wetness round her bottom? urinary tract infections? These can be features of diabetes in GPs.

gettingalifenow · 16/05/2012 06:39

When ours have been ill one thing they have really liked has been Innocent fruit smoothies (room temp) via syringe - lots of calories in a small volume.

And fruit juice instead of water - gives them some vitamin intake.

Also, I" ve puréed broccoli for them, which is always a favourite - again, as a purée it gets lots of calories into them in a very short period of time without much effort on their part.

These would only be stop gap measures tho, until you know what is wrong with her.

Original poster
GooseyLoosey · 16/05/2012 08:29

Smoothies? Like that idea, as have lots for the dcs. Will give that a go. Can also fill up water bottle with fruit juice.

Had a good look at her last night and there do not seem to be any outward symptoms other than her eye and weight loss.

Will get syringe from petshop on way home from work.

OP posts:
silver73 · 16/05/2012 10:36

I would post of GP lynx as too much fruit could give diarrhoea which can be fatal (talking from experience) and if she has diabetes this could cause complications as fruit may have a high sugar content.

Could you try to get some Critical Care today from your vet or any vet? Just phone vets to check they have most vets do and then go and buy it. It comes in sachets that cost very little.

Can you try to find a GP savy vet? Are you near Hertfordshire?

Original poster
GooseyLoosey · 16/05/2012 13:03

SAndly not near Hertfordshire - in Southwest.

Will dispatch dh for Critical Care.

OP posts:
Joolyjoolyjoo · 16/05/2012 22:54

Just checking in to see how little pig is doing. And thought of another potential for your vet to check/ rule out- ovarian cysts can cause wt loss, pain and inappetance in female 'pigs, they can often be felt by your vet on gentle palpation, or seen on a scan.

A lot of it does depend on how interested your vet is in small furries. I really enjoy the challenge of these wee guys, and think they deserve as full a work-up as larger pets, but apparently not all vets are as keen (and sorry, I'm in Scotland!). If yours isn't, might be worth asking if there is a specialist near you- there are lots of specialist vets throughout the country. Good luck!

silver73 · 17/05/2012 01:32

Are you near Reading? I have heard there is a really good GP vet in Reading. Also, you could call your local GP rescue they always use knowledgeable vets.

Agree with what Jooly says we had a vet once that really took very little interested in one of our GPs but I know of 2 vets near me that are brilliant with GPs.

Did you get the Critcal Care?

Original poster
GooseyLoosey · 21/05/2012 08:21

Thanks both. Took her to Vet again on Sunday. Vet prescribed oral anti-biotics because of her breathing. We asked what the problem was - apparently she was breathing very fast and making a purring sound. We explained that she always does that when scared! Vet says to take her in again in a week, but not sure what is to be gained by that.

Have been giving her critical care stuff. She has chewed her way through 2 syringes in her enthusiasm for it! Thanks for suggesting it as the vet never mentioned it until we asked. Also have pureed broccoli for her (thought I was finished with pureeing veg).

Eye is less milky than it was so that's a good sign. Still looks terrible though. Vet couldn't tell us if she was able to see out of the eye or not. However, have noticed that if I approach her with syringe from that side, she ignores it, so I am guesing that her vision is impaired.

Am also separating her from other GP to feed her some of the time. I am wondering if other, larger GP is getting more than her fair share of the food.

Any other ideas gratefully received and thanks for all the suggestions so far.

OP posts:
lancelottie · 21/05/2012 08:31

Look, this may be a long shot, but our vet told us that a problem with the back teeth can cause eye problems in guinea pigs because of where the roots go. has the vet been able to check those teeth?

Original poster
GooseyLoosey · 21/05/2012 08:41

Thanks for that. Did ask about teeth, but vet just took a quick look at front ones. Will deffinitely ask about back ones too.

OP posts:
lancelottie · 21/05/2012 09:15

Good luck. If she's guzzling down pureed food she does seem hungry, so a physical cause seems more likely (completely non-medical opinion here i should add).

silver73 · 21/05/2012 17:56

I would buy her some probiotics to go with the antibiotics if your vet did not give you any. You can get them in sachets from your vets or buy from Amazon. I use Avipro for my pigs.

Also, give her water via a syringe.

Weigh her once or twice a day before food to see if she is gaining weight/staying the same.

Put a post on GP Lynx website - they are brilliant there.

I would also join Cambridge Cavy Trust to have access to brilliant healthcare advice. Pluse you can take your piggie up to see Vedra near Huntingdon. It is worth it.

Do you think your vet is GP savy? Vedra will recommend a vet near you or a rodentologist.

Phone your local GP rescue and ask them to recommend a vet. They sometimes looks over GPs for a very small fee.

silver73 · 21/05/2012 18:44

Personally I would keep them together but make sure you give Critical Care every 4 hours and make sure there is so much hay that one GP could not eat it all.

Could the cloudy eye be a cataract? I thought sight could be restored if they are removed.

Whereabouts are you near? Don't worry if you don't want to say but I was going to try to suggest where to get a second opinion.