Older Guinea Pigs

Question
Hi, I currently have one older guinea pig out of my four. She is just over 5 years and is starting to age quite rapidly. She lost her sister back in May so we're all really proud of her for going on as long as she has. I was just wondering, is there any special care i can give her?

We have descovered she is lacking in eyesight, being she can't see food in front of here, so I am now having to show her the food making sure she knows where it is.

I already give her warmer water in colder weathers, she is currently placed inside a farm building out the way of wind, rain and direct sun. Is there anything i can do to make her last days better for her?

All help is much appreciated.

Answer
It sounds like you're already doing a good job of seeing to her needs. Not all pigs age at the same rate, but the signs are generally the same when they do begin to fail. They lose weight, the coat condition is rough and they just don't want to move around much.

It's painful to watch them deteriorate and know there isn't really much we can do to change it. There are formulas in most pet shops that are made for small animals when they are stressed or ill.

We have a product called Critical Care here in the US. It's a powdered formula. I'm sure there is something equivalent in your area. It contains the vitamins and nutrients that are needed when they aren't eating well.  Other than that I can't honestly say I know of anything that will change the course of time.

She probably isn't as perky as she was as a youngster, but that's typical of all of us as we age. You're giving her the best care she can get. The rest I'm afraid is up to her.