[Gpdd] Health: obesity problem

[Pua Ford]

I like a plump, well upholstered piggie & I haven't normally worried about overweight problems before.  But when my Nutmeg got so round I couldn't find her forelegs I decided to take her to the vet.  It just seemed to happen so fast, going from well-rounded on New Year's Day to spherical by Ground Hog's Day.

When Nutmeg joined our household as a 3-year-old, she was sleek, slim & fast.  This winter, at age 5, she had noticeably slowed down.  When she gets free floor time, she looks for a comfy corner to nap in rather than peek and poke around the kitchen.

I was worried about her kidney function, thought that the weight might be water retention.  So I pushed dandelions for the laxative & diuretic properties, as well as the nutrition.  We get huge, dark green ones from Texas at our local grocery.  I also wondered, looking at the huge wattle beneath Nutmeg's chin, whether guinea pigs ever had thyroid problems.

The vet checked her out 2 weeks ago.  The assistant was puzzled.  "Let me get this straight: you're here because your guinea pig is TOO fat?"  But they took it seriously.  X-rays showed a normal heart & her outer layers of a density similar to fat.

Vet's recommendations:  cut back on the greens (I only give her 2 Tbsp. of pellets daily & it didn't make sense to cut back on hay) & a course of antibiotic ("Trimeth sulfa" on the receipt) because Nutmeg was crusty around the eyes & nose.  We're checking back in a couple of days.

So far, no change in Nutmeg's weight or behavior.  I'm curious to see if her weight changes from 3 lb. 8 oz.  The eyes & nose have cleared up.  Now I think she's developing bumblefoot & have just picked thru the GPDD archives to collect tips.

So I'm back to imagining endocrine problems of some kind.  Or maybe Nutmeg is just another athlete gone soft & I just have to remembered the timeframe of a guinea pig is faster compared to a human.  I just want her to be comfortable and happy while she's with us.

Meanwhile, her companion Chelsea, at age 6, is still perky and feisty & has lost some weight this winter.  Like humans, they age differently.  Hope the rest of you are well & happy.
--pua, Chelsea & Nutmeg Nutmegger

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