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Thanks for replying so quickly. I'm taking her in today. She did not have a URI last time, which I asked them to look for specifically. They have checked her teeth every time, too. Her eye is clear now and she finished the course of eye cream. Baytril dose is 0.1 cc and she has 3 days left on that.

The vet suggested a blood draw last time, but that means anesthesia and I was too scared to put her through that if she had lost so much weight (which I'm still not so sure she really did). When I asked him what the blood draw would be looking for, he said it was mostly things we wouldn't be able to treat anyway, like leukemia. He's the third vet I've seen at this practice, so I'm going to ask to see the one with the MOST cavy experience.

I did not quarantine the new piggie, as the store has a policy of vet checks before the animals are released and she was given a clean bill of health. That doesn't mean they didn't miss anything. So now I'm kicking myself for that. I also asked three times if they were sure she's a girl. I've also checked myself and yep, it's a girl.

I got the impression from the vet that it was important for Gerty's mental well-being to have another companion ASAP, and that waiting too long might mean she wouldn't accept another friend. When she took to the new one so readily, I thought that was good. I have been letting Gerty have alone time in the cage so she can access the food for herself if needed. Nellie cries when she's left alone, but I need my Gerty to be fatter.

What is a probiotic? I'm giving her the amount of CC recommended on the package (15 ml), but I have no problem feeding more if that's safe.

Thanks for your input. I think this is something I can fix and I'll feed her round the clock if I have to, it's just so scary to not know exactly what you're dealing with. Man, these piggies put you through the ringer, no?

I think I'm mixing up the grams and ml, but I seem to be giving her at least one full large barrel syringe of CC twice a day. At this point, I'm inclined to skip the blood draw and just switch antibiotics. An X-ray might be in order also. I want to try the acidophilus, too. I'm going to separate the girls also just to give Gerty a chance to eat without Little Bit bugging her. It's so funny, Gerty did the same thing to Alice at first, but I was not in the habit of weighing my piggies then. Alice seemed to stay chubby and was very patient with Gerty. They lived together very well for 3 years.

I still think the first weight of 2.6 was off, but even with that, Gerty's lost weight this past week, and it bothers me.

Thanks for your help.

Just to update: the vet ruled out heart issues or kidney problems. No arrhythmia or murmur, no impaction and no incontinence. Her molars look good.

He is concerned about the 2 oz she lost, but noticed her energy level was WAY up from last weeki (it took him several tries today to look at her teeth just on one side, whereas last time she just sat still for a dental exam).

He suggested that we have a lot of wild cards in play, including the fact that I recently changed the food I give the piggies. When we got the new one, the store was out of our normal food, so I bought the closest thing. It's possible my girl is a bit of a princess and won't eat anything but Bonanza Brand. I have put up a barricade in the cage so they can hear each other, but they don't compete for food. I noticed Gerty gave up and walked away when Nellie came around the same food dish. Can't have that.

Another wild card is that I left Gerty with a sitter over the weekend and it's possible the sitter didn't give enough Critical Care. That plus Alice dying 3 weeks ago and a new piggie to adjust to - it's a lot.

I went out immediately and got Bonanza and she was squeaking in the shopping cart while I was putting the food in the basket. She ate several bites when she got home and even nibbled at her hay and drank a good amount of water. I hope this is a step in the right direction.

So we decided to wait a few days, see if my care can get Gerty back up to 2 lb 1 oz, and if not, we'll do an x-ray ($120 yikes!) We have mostly decided not to do a blood draw unless she shows any signs of diabetes. He also suggested keeping her on Baytril another five days. If still no weight gain, then he'll change it.

Thanks again for your quick reply. I'll keep everyone updated.

Gerty is doing well - looks good and feels heavier, and she's holding steady at 890 grams (over the past two days). How long does it usually take a piggie to gain weight? Is 1 oz every 2 or 3 days reasonable or should it be more? I'm still giving her 48 ml of CC per day, spaced out in 2 to 4 feedings depending on my work schedule. Her highest weight this week was 925, but it was after feeding.

She also doesn't want any water unless it's fresh from the tap and cold. Seriously, such a princess!

So Gerty is holding pretty steady, fluctuating, going up, creeping down, but mostly holding at around 870 grams. I'm still feeding her Critical Care and water. She has had some behavior changes that are positive: Eating her poop again, getting excited when I put food in the cage, running around any time she's out of her cage, and nipping at Nellie when she tries to hog the food bowl. She was not doing this before. She is peeing and pooping a LOT more, too. Last night and this morning, she even ate some food after she was given about 15 ml of Critical Care.

However, at the middle of last week, I noticed the girls were scratching themselves like two men on a fishing trip, so I got suspicious for mites. The vet gave them ivermectin injections to be safe, even though there were no lesions. Nellie would scratch and bite herself in various places, so I really got suspicious. Gerty had never scratched before Nellie arrived, and she was shedding a lot, so that gave me two clues.

So, when we went in for ivermectin, the vet told me that when she first saw Gerty (the day after Alice died), she wrote down that Gerty was overweight at 2 lb 6 oz. When Gerty got pink eye, I saw a different doctor (who gave Baytril and eye cream) and he was the one concerned about Gerty's weight loss. He did not see the note that Gerty was considered overweight two weeks before.

The vet I saw for ivermectin said weight loss is alarming, but since Gerty was slightly overweight to begin with, it was not necessarily a bad thing. She also said the eye cream can cause bad stomach upset and decreased appetite, as can the Baytril. Also, during this time, Gerty wasn't getting enough Critical Care. She said Gerty has had a lot of stress in the past month, too, and that some piggies are not the same after their cagemates die.

She reassured me about the weight loss, saying it's important to track it, but it could be that Gerty is now at a healthier weight than before (she called her a "big pig" when she first saw her). She said as long as Gerty is beginning to act more normal and she's maintaining her weight now, it may be okay. Or not. She reiterated that piggies are delicate and it's day by day with them sometimes. She still saw no signs of heart problems and said Gerty did not feel underweight or unhealthy now.

So our family has decided to stop going to the vet every week and not getting any solid answers. If Gerty shows more signs of illness, we may go to another vet, but I think the lady I saw for ivermectin is pretty cavy-savvy. This group of vets was recommended by a friend of mine, a vet who does not specialize in exotics. She recommended this group because they have the most experience with guinea pigs and rabbits of the vets she knows in town. I'm just trying to keep Gerty comfortable, loved and fed.

I have to say these will be my last two piggies. I can't take the worry. I just love them too much and it makes me crazy. Sigh...