Nutrition Vet said 884 grams is overweight

[scoottie]

I seriously think 884 grams is fine for my pig he has a small frame on him particularly for a boar and yet the vet today said he is heafty at the weight.

 

[alyeliz]

I thought piggies (boars) could be up to 1134 grams while still being healthy? That's what my vet told me at least.

 

[scoottie]

900 grams to 1200 grams is what the range it should be

 

[Soecara]

Healthy weight depends greatly on the frame of the individual animal.

I have had a boar who was a healthy weight at 1500 grams, he was a very big boy, twice as long as some of my other boars. Honestly I would prefer my guinea pigs to be on the slightly heavier end, it is so much harder for them to gain weight then lose it and in time of sickness the weight melts off of them so quick.

It is very hard for a guinea pig to be overweight with their diet, the only real situations in which I would be concerned is if they are vastly overfed pellets or they have mobility issues. Lower mobility decreases the amount of energy they use which can cause weight gain if intake remains the same, in my experience usually intake does not remain the same in decreased mobility cases and they tend to lose weight. The only "diet" I would consider putting a guinea pig on in either of those cases is cutting back on pellets, I would never alter the amount hay or vegetables provided (unless temporarily cutting vegetables for an alternative medical reason).

 

[scoottie]

Healthy weight depends greatly on the frame of the individual animal.

I have had a boar who was a healthy weight at 1500 grams, he was a very big boy, twice as long as some of my other boars. Honestly I would prefer my guinea pigs to be on the slightly heavier end, it is so much harder for them to gain weight then lose it and in time of sickness the weight melts off of them so quick.

It is very hard for a guinea pig to be overweight with their diet, the only real situations in which I would be concerned is if they are vastly overfed pellets or they have mobility issues. Lower mobility decreases the amount of energy they use which can cause weight gain if intake remains the same, in my experience usually intake does not remain the same in decreased mobility cases and they tend to lose weight. The only "diet" I would consider putting a guinea pig on in either of those cases is cutting back on pellets, I would never alter the amount hay or vegetables provided (unless temporarily cutting vegetables for an alternative medical reason).

That is what I think too and he is has a pretty small frame for a boar and also the amount of mg of baytril for his dermatitis and URI I am unsure about.

He gets 1/4 cup of pellets that he shares with his brother and unlimited orchard grass hay I had to stop giving veggies however after a bout of bloat from his brother so he gets supplemented vitamins to help with the loss of veggies. I really don't think a change is needed. Also this vet seems to be a huge advocate for Sherwood Pet Health which I am on the fence about the brand I use I selected after extensive research on it. She also said orchard hay could make a guinea pig fat? Like what?

 

[bpatters]

Please, please, please don't use Sherwood Pet Health. It's high in calcium, and I'd be willing to bet a considerable amount of money that your vet either gets kickbacks from them on things he purchases, or he just flat gets paid for promoting them. The "science" behind it is iffy, at best.

The 900-1200 gram range, which you can find all over the internet, is based on lab animals, not on pets. It's fine for them to weigh more.

Your boar would have to be tiny, very tiny, to be overweight at 884 grams. Most sows are fine with a top weight of three pounds, boars with a little more.

 

[scoottie]

Please, please, please don't use Sherwood Pet Health. It's high in calcium, and I'd be willing to bet a considerable amount of money that your vet either gets kickbacks from them on things he purchases, or he just flat gets paid for promoting them. The "science" behind it is iffy, at best.

The 900-1200 gram range, which you can find all over the internet, is based on lab animals, not on pets. It's fine for them to weigh more.

Your boar would have to be tiny, very tiny, to be overweight at 884 grams. Most sows are fine with a top weight of three pounds, boars with a little more.

Thank You @bpatters thank you he is a very small frame for a boar. I weigh him every week and he has stayed exactly the same with a small fluctuation of a gram or two. Also I have never heard that orchard grass makes a pig fat.

 

[bpatters]

Nothing makes a pig fat except too many pellets or an inability to exercise. How fat do you think you'd be if you never ate anything but salad?

 

[scoottie]

Not at all but then again I cant handle fiber myself haha.

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

To me, 884 grams is UNDERWEIGHT for a boar. With the exception of my new guy Simon, every single one of my boars has hit 1400 grams or higher. Leo is currently on the fence, just a shade under 1500 grams. He is a happy, active boy who runs and popcorns.

Punkin was the biggest, who tipped the scale once or twice at 1600 grams. Scooter at his heaviest was also just under 1500, but seemed to hold steady between 1400-1450. Both Sly and Pooper were also above 1400 grams.

Simon came to us at 967 grams, and he seems now to hover just below or just above 1000. Granted he is NOT comfortable yet in his new surroundings, and with all of the commotion and vet visit and whatnot he's going to take some time.

To give you a bit of perspective, both Scooter and Punkin weighed 890 grams at the 3 month old mark. When Punkin passed away at a weight of 1038 grams I considered that shockingly light for him. And Scooter passed away a couple of weeks ago at an even more shocking (to me) 830.

Every pig is different, just like people. If your boy is healthy, active and happy, his weight is likely just fine for him.

 

[scoottie]

To me, 884 grams is UNDERWEIGHT for a boar. With the exception of my new guy Simon, every single one of my boars has hit 1400 grams or higher. Leo is currently on the fence, just a shade under 1500 grams. He is a happy, active boy who runs and popcorns.

Punkin was the biggest, who tipped the scale once or twice at 1600 grams. Scooter at his heaviest was also just under 1500, but seemed to hold steady between 1400-1450. Both Sly and Pooper were also above 1400 grams.

Simon came to us at 967 grams, and he seems now to hover just below or just above 1000. Granted he is NOT comfortable yet in his new surroundings, and with all of the commotion and vet visit and whatnot he's going to take some time.

To give you a bit of perspective, both Scooter and Punkin weighed 890 grams at the 3 month old mark. When Punkin passed away at a weight of 1038 grams I considered that shockingly light for him. And Scooter passed away a couple of weeks ago at an even more shocking (to me) 830.

Every pig is different, just like people. If your boy is healthy, active and happy, his weight is likely just fine for him.

He is pretty small in frame for a boar that is what gets me how does that seem overweight in a small boar. I know this picture isn't the greatest but you get the idea.

 

[bpatters]

What I was trying to tell above is that a vet's idea of overweight is often based on his or her vet school books, whose data are based on lab animals, not pets. In other words, that recommendation doesn't apply to your pig.

If he's over six months of age, limit his pellets to 1/8 cup per day. Limit his veggies to about one cup per day. Give him unlimited hay. And don't worry about his weight unless he's steadily losing.

 

[scoottie]

He is 4 and splits 1/4 cup of pellets with his brother he always has his hay which is orchard grass hay and as for his weight he has always been this with a gram or two either up or down since he was 4 months old.

 

[Candalalala]

All the vet techs thought my 1050g girly was large and then they thought her blood brother was even more amazingly large at 1360g. I thought they were in the normal range and even now, I believe they are... I just smiled and nodded my head as they told me... You're piggy is fine! Each one is different and unique like us people!