Weight loss

[Katie]

Hi all,

So some of you will know my boar sooty had to have an op to remove a hernia, well it wasn't a hernia it was a cyst well that's now all fixed, but we had noticed a significant weight drop in him... He used to be 1.3kg at least but he was at the vet today for his final check up after his op and he was down to 960g now this has happened over the last 6-7 months but he eats normally and we can't give him enough veg as he eats it all in about 10 mins... His teeth have been checked, he has been checked for tumours etc and there's nothing... I don't see anything physically wrong but it may be under lying, we are going to start a weekly check to watch for fluctuations but vet says unless it goes down anymore he wouldn't worry too much... But I am considering he was such a big pig before...

Anyway... Is there anything I can try to get his weight back up again? I am worried about him even thought he seems perfectly lively, Happy and healthy and even the vet said the same thing...

Thanks
Katie

[Orlaith]

Is he more active now after the operation than he was before? If so, that might account for his weightloss. In that time, has he gotten a new cagemate or new cage that might see him running around more? Or perhaps he's just more comfortable after the surgery and can move around more easily.

I wouldn't get too hung up on the numbers - the right weight for one pig might be far too light or heavy for another. The fact that it has been over a long period as well, rather than a sharp drop, is good.

A weekly weigh-in is a great idea. Keep a journal with the weights so you can compare over time. Don't weigh any more often than once a week or you'll drive yourself crackers - there can be a lot of fluctuation day to day. Try to weigh at roughly the same time each week too, i.e. first thing in the morning, or just before dinner.

Gains and losses of in and around 30-ish grams are fine - depending on how much your piggy has peed/pooped/eaten that day you'll get small changes. A loss of about 50g or more would have me on alert and certainly anything approaching 100g in a week is a vet visit.

If you feel the weight is too small for him you can try supplementing his pellets with porridge oats, just the normal oats that you'd use to make porridge for yourself. Just sprinkle a small handful in with the pellets and see how he gets on.

[Katie]

He is moving around more but he's always been quite active. No new cage mate or cage so nothing I can think of to make him lose weight...

The thing that worrys me is that you can feel all his bones? He just seems waaaay to skinny for him.

As long as he's happy and still perky etc I will just keep an eye on him but he did lose just over 50g in 2 weeks, that's with him getting extra pellets and veg...

It's a strange one.. But will defo keep an eye for anything untoward

Thanks for the advice :-)

Katie