Weight Loss Rapid Weight loss :(

[Pandora4co]

As some of you may know I lost one of my boars Peanut 3 weeks ago due to strokes.
Now his cagemate Patches is not doing well.
After Peanut died I noticed that Patches (he's 6yrs old) seemed to be skinner than usual. I weighed him and he weighed in at just over 900G which is 200 grams less than what he normally weighs. I admit that with dealing with Peanut's illness for so long, I wasn't really weighing Patches and don't know when the weight loss started. But he was eating normally, it seemed it took him longer to eat and he seemed to be sad making this weird noise everynow and then.

Thinking he was lonly/sad I introduced him w/my other two boars, hoping they would get along and maybe perk Patches up. The 3 seem to be tolerating each other and it did seem to bring Patches energy back up. He stopped making that weird noise and is eating normally and running around the cage. However his weight continued to drop slowly over the next week.
Now this past week it seems to be dropping fast. He's now down to 750G and is scary skinny. I don't understand as he's still eating hay,veggies,pellets like normal. Today he has developed this crust around both his eyes too, which is the first syptom other than loosing weight that anything is wrong. I set up a vet appointment tomorrow... but I don't understand what's going on. Crusty eyes could be a URI but theres no weezing/sneezing or anything else. And how can he be loosing weight when he's eating normally? He's not impacted, I checked that too.

Any advice suggestions are welcome as I'm now scared to death I'm going to loose another one of my boys

 

[Zuidy]

I am so sorry this is happening.

Weight loss often happens as a Guinea Pig ages. Patches is 6 years old, so I am assuming that is what it is.

Good luck and stay strong!

 

[Paula]

He needs to see a vet, asap. Older pigs do decline in weight but not that quickly. Please don't wait to get him in.

 

[Pandora4co]

He has an appointment tomorrow morning, earliest I could get him in. I was just hoping for any ideas as to what could be going on.

 

[Pandora4co]

Patches passed away last night. At about 10 pm, I checked on them and he and the others were all together eating hay, then when I went to say goodnight about 11:30 he was gone. I'm in shock/numb. I just don't understand. He was eating and acting normally this past week and other than the weight loss had no other symptoms, save the crusty eyes which he woke up with yesterday and when that happened, I set up a vet appointment.

I've lost two of my 4 boys with in a month and I'm just heartbroken.

 

[Zuidy]

Patches passed away last night. At about 10 pm, I checked on them and he and the others were all together eating hay, then when I went to say goodnight about 11:30 he was gone. I'm in shock/numb. I just don't understand. He was eating and acting normally this past week and other than the weight loss had no other symptoms, save the crusty eyes which he woke up with yesterday and when that happened, I set up a vet appointment.

I've lost two of my 4 boys with in a month and I'm just heartbroken.

So sorry for your loss. Good luck and please stay strong. ;(

 

[Paula]

Often, the only sign of illness is weight loss, which is why we so strongly advocate regular weighing. They are prey animals so they will hide their symptoms until they simply can't anymore and by that time, unfortunately, it's often too late.

I'm sorry you lost him.