Not Eating Appetite is waning... weight loss

Take note of any changes in behavior, diet, around his enclosure and your home ie. new toys, food, chemicals being used(cleaners & detergents), scented candles/incense, air sprays, stress in your home(it really affects your pets), pesticides, temperature, urine, poo and anything that has changed or seems different in any way no matter how small it may seem. Also carrots should be fed sparingly. I am glad to see you keep track of his weight, very important. And you can remove his hidey house for short periods to get him active. Take notes on his symptoms example: when, how long, where and what happened. Just tell the vet any changes or symptoms you were able to take note of.

Update regarding the boys.
Went to the vet today.
I really like our vet.
I took in Charlie and Patch.
Patch sneezed a couple of times yesterday and had me worried.

He checked them both over. Temps were good. No auditory signs of fluid in lungs. No labored breathing.
He said it was the start of some respiratory nastiness that he would like to nip in the bud before it turned into something worse.

He gave me batyril for all 3 of them. George is not showing signs but he wanted me to be covered in case he does.
He told me to continue to hand feed Charlie.
Charlie did eat all of this morning veggies and is still a little piggy when it comes to his KMS hay.

Praying that they all shake this before it turns into something fierce.
I wish I knew what brought it on.

I did order a 1 lb bag of critical care to keep in the freezer just in case something pops up.

So glad you are on top of it, and got to it before it became serious. Keep us updated!

that's amazing, that you've caught it so soon. Good job keeping on top of things like that! I hope all three of them respond just fine to everything. I'm sure they'll be back to themselves soon.

Get some probiotics to give them an hour before or after the antibiotics. Bene-Bac is good, or human acidophilus or kyodophilus tablets will work. Just make sure they don't have any dairy in them. If they lose their appetites you'll have to force feed them -- see https://www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html.

I have ordered some Bene-Bac off Amazon but it won't be here till Monday/Tuesday.
I have some acidophilus that I purchased at Kroger. They are little balls capsule type things. I know to remove the shell.
How much of one should I give to them?

I am most concerned about Charlie since he is already struggling with his appetite.

When I give human acidophilus capsules I give a decent amount. I usually use a whole capsule and mix it with Critical Care. Usually my batches of Critical Care lasts for 2ish feedings. I've tried sprinkling acidophilus capsules on veggies, but somehow my pigs know it and refuse to eat the veg. You can mix the Critical Care with some canned pure pumpkin for extra nutrition and deliciousness. I got lucky, Sheldon loves ​Critical Care.

Thanks. I will try that. Charlie loves his critical care too. I cheated a little though and got the apple/banana flavored kind.
I like the pumpkin idea as well. Wonder if they make a pumpkin baby food.

ellisa said:

When I give human acidophilus capsules I give a decent amount. I usually use a whole capsule and mix it with Critical Care. Usually my batches of Critical Care lasts for 2ish feedings. I've tried sprinkling acidophilus capsules on veggies, but somehow my pigs know it and refuse to eat the veg. You can mix the Critical Care with some canned pure pumpkin for extra nutrition and deliciousness. I got lucky, Sheldon loves ​Critical Care.

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You could use squash baby food. I have never seen pumpkin baby food, but I see squash a lot! Good luck! I hope Charlie feels better soon. He's such a sweetie.

My boy Kramer was losing weight for awhile there and i gave him supplemental feedings twice a day, via syringe. i just took his regular pellets, turned it into a mash with warm water, and added a spoonful of some flavor of baby food - he loves mango, hates anything banana! he enjoys the extra feedings and the extra attention, and he's put on weight. try to avoid starches when using baby food, but anything to get them to eat

Update and question.

Charlie is doing sooooo much better! He ate all his breakfast by the time I came home for lunch and checked on them. He ate his pellets!!! True I only gave him a teaspoonful, but still.
He is more active. He got a little excited when I was preparing their dinner.
I couldn't be happier. So much change after 3 doses of antibiotics??

Is it possible that 3 doses could make such a difference?

Not gonna question the blessing too much but am a bit curious.

Updates-
More poor little Charlie has lost more weight.
I feel responsible for it.
I had a family emergency (mom in ICU) and had to go home quickly.
I could not leave the boys home for the sitter to check on and feed because of the meds and Charlie having to be hand feed.
So, I packed up all 3 and made the 5 hour drive home.
I ran out of the Critical Care and had to use oxbow pellets mixed in warm water. Charlie did not like it. It was far harder to use with the syringe.
I had to mix in a little bit of pear baby food to even get Charlie to look at it. He loves the critical care but I had to use this concoction for almost 3 days.
He did eat a little bell pepper. He would eat his daily carrot most of the time.
I caught him a couple of times eating his regular pellets.
He eats his hay and he is drinking his water.

I called the vet yesterday and asked him if he thought I should bring him back in. He told me to continue to hand feed him and weighing him daily and if he lost more to come in.But to continue with the SMZ.


He has been holding his weight for the past 2 days.

I was thinking maybe it was an issue with his teeth, but he is not exhibiting any difficulty chewing, wet mouth, mushy food around mouth - type symptoms.
I looked at all the questions and besides the weight lose he is not doing any of it https://www.guinealynx.info/malocclusion.html

So, I am hand feeding him 3 times a day. It helps that he really loves the Critical Care.

Even though he has not lost anymore weight, I think I will take him back in to the vet tomorrow.

He did nibble at my lip earlier after he smelled the plum I had been eating.
Praying he bounces back soon from whatever this is effecting him.
He is such a sweet boy and we have been through so much together.

The update is not good.
Have been back to the vet with Charlie and still no idea why he continues to lose weight and has very little appetite.
Have had xrays done at all angels and we see nothing abnormal. Teeth look fine, no growths.
but still he loses weight.

Not sure what else to do.
He now has little interest in his critical care.
Every feeding is a battle.
I am now blending his veggies into a smoothie and syringe feeding him those.

I still catch him every now and then eating hay but those instances are getting few and far between.

I think he is dying. And my heart is breaking and I am very frustrated because we can't figure out what is wrong.

So for now i just hold him and try to make him eat. and pray

How old is he?

Fern_sweets said:

How old is he?

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I got him from a private party and she was not sure how old he was.
The vet was never able to really narrow it down either.
I am thinking he was a lot older than I originally thought. I have had him a year this past May.
he could be anything from 2 years to 4 for all that I know.
He was full grown when I got him.

so the vet really checked for cardiac issues - echo and xray? did he xray teeth, checking for elongated roots? is your vet an exotic expert, or are you able to get him to one? so sorry for all you and youe piggie are going through.

jacqueline said:

so the vet really checked for cardiac issues - echo and xray? did he xray teeth, checking for elongated roots? is your vet an exotic expert, or are you able to get him to one? so sorry for all you and youe piggie are going through.

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He has not done an echo but he has completed a series of xrays.
He has xrayed his teeth. Roots were fine. He does specialize in exotics.

Took Charlie back to the vet today.
Vet put him on .2cc of Baytril.
Told me if he is still not eating any better come Friday to bring him back in and he will put him on something to stimulate his appetite.

I saw some appetite stimulates listed on GuineaLynx but was wondering if anyone had any first hand experience with a pig being on one and what type.

He is eating some hay. He searches through it like he is looking for a particular piece. I have found that he eats the "heads" with the most enthusiasm. I know they are not the best part for them (forgot why), but all things considered, I am picking through the hay box finding them for him.

Today he has had around 2 tablespoons of critical care and around 3 teaspoons of bell pepper, cucumber, parsley smoothie. Poor baby is getting tired of me feeding him to the point that he nips at my finger when I rub his little lip
He is still drinking water without assistance.

Gonna try to get a little more into him before bedtime.

I've used Reglan (Metoclopromide) with good results before. It seems to boost the appetite a bit as well as help move things through the digestive tract.

Forgive me if I've missed some things. Does he still have the URI? Is that why he is still on antibiotics? Was any blood work done? His picky eating behavior reminds me of a couple of horses I've had with liver damage.

Have you tried fresh grass yet? I've used it plenty of times to get a pig interested in eating again.