my piggy

Question
i have an 8 yr old guinea pig shes in excellent health, she eats lots drinks plently of water gets the vitamin c she needs and the vet has said shes really healthy for a senior. the only problem is over the last yr she has lost around 1 pd and shes very skinny now. is there anything i can do to help her gain some weight back and being that shes in such good health can i expect her to live for a few more yrs? shes been with me a long time nd i care about her and love her so much so if theres anything extra i can do to ensure shes stays healthy and lives longer pls let me know. thx so much

Answer
Hi Jackie,

A considerable amount of weight loss in a guinea pig is always a cause for concern, so please make sure that you take her to the vets for a check-up. As she is so old, it could just be part of her old age that means she's losing weight. Happy, healthy guinea pigs fade very gradually at the end of their natural life. My oldest guinea pig was 6 and a half, and he probably put on weight in his last year, rather than losing it! I'd imagine that helping her to put on weight is relatively simple; feed her her favourite foods to increase her appetite, make sure she always has plenty of fresh hay in her cage, and give her regular treats (my piggies go crazy for "carrotys").

Congratulations on your Old-Aged-Piggy. I don't know how much longer you can expect her to live for, as the typical natural death for a guinea pig is between 4 and 8 years. I hope you have many more happy months, maybe even years together, and I'm sorry I can't be of more help.

Jenny.