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Post by 3piggles on Aug 25, 2016 21:25:16 GMT
Adorable, even the piggy bums They're are all looking really good. Shiny coats and bright eyes
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Post by Bean on Sept 8, 2016 8:50:42 GMT
I can't put my finger on anything in particular, but Cads hasn't seemed quite himself for the last few days. He's still eating/ drinking, doing the necessary from the other and and wheeking etc. He just doesn't seem quite as perky as normal. And although he's been fine once he's out, he's done a bit of a squawk when I've picked him up which is unusual. I'll keep a close eye on him and get him to the vets next week if I'm still not happy. He's always been the least robust of my pigs, so hope he's okay.
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Post by 3piggles on Sept 8, 2016 16:29:50 GMT
He could have some gas/bloat that comes and goes. Try some fennel or radishes. He might need to have it regularly, just to help regulate his digestive system.
Have you had a major weather changes? That could also make him feel a bit under the weather. Also if you changed his food, or got a different hay. I hope it's just a change in his routine that he has to get used to, and nothing worse.
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Post by Bean on Sept 9, 2016 8:04:38 GMT
I can't think of anything that's changed in his diet or environment. We did have a warm few days but the inside of the house stayed pretty cool. The workings of his innards seem fine, but I'm mindful that if he's not quite as active as usual, that may change and give him some discomfort, so yesterday I bought some different hays and grasses to make sure he's constantly tempted to be nibbling. He's very much in approval (as are the others!).
I'm getting him out quite a bit and checking him over thoroughly for any changes or areas of discomfort that might help give me a clue. A lot of the time I start thinking I'm imagining it, or that maybe he's just not from great stock and is slowing down a bit.
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Post by 3piggles on Sept 9, 2016 12:33:16 GMT
We know our piggies better than anyone does, and we notice these subtle changes. You're not imagining it, even if it's just mood. It would be nice if we knew their genetic history, but we never do. Glad he's seeming more like his old self, again
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Post by jolovespiggies on Sept 10, 2016 14:16:02 GMT
I am so glad he is better hunni, they do like to worry us. I think they just have off days as we do but they don't really what a panic we get into when they don't behave normally. Please give the little chap a cuddle from his Auntie Jo Jo.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by Bean on Sept 12, 2016 7:18:56 GMT
He's off to the vet today, he seems to have a problem with his back end (as in legs rather than anything digestive) so I'm going to get him checked out - I'll let you know how he gets on.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Sept 12, 2016 9:03:46 GMT
Good luck with the little chap hunni, yes please do let us know what the vet says.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Sept 12, 2016 15:58:24 GMT
All digits crossed for him to be okay
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Post by bazookagoof on Sept 13, 2016 1:39:47 GMT
I hope Cadders is doing okay, Bean. Well wishes being sent his way.
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Whimsy
Bronze Member
Posts: 400
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Post by Whimsy on Sept 13, 2016 1:49:10 GMT
I'm a little behind in looking at all the posts. Oh my, such cute pictures!! I love how guinea pigs sleep. It's so adorable.
Anyway, I hope everything went well with the vet and your little guy is doing ok.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Sept 13, 2016 8:39:51 GMT
How did he get on love?
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by Bean on Sept 13, 2016 8:41:12 GMT
Thanks everyone for your good wishes - please keep them coming!
It's a bit of an odd problem with his back end. He wasn't using either of his hind legs properly when he moved around (not in a paralysis sort of way, more like putting weight on them hurt) and certainly seemed in discomfort around his lower back/ hips. The day after that started, one of his feet became a bit swollen too - no idea if it was a symptom of the original problem or just an effect of not moving it properly with him being less active/ walking oddly.
The vet gave him a really good going over and watched him walking etc and is pretty sure there's no significant injury (she says many symptoms like this end up being pigs that have been dropped, but I'm quite certain that's not the case here and he's not had access to anything he can do major acrobatics on lately). She's put him on an anti-inflammatory painkillers and antibiotics to cover the bases of it being something simple like a sprain type injury or an infection. If there's no improvement we're back for x-rays (you have to sedate for those, so she didn't want to do them routinely) to see if they can shed any light.
He looks perkier today, so fingers crossed. His appetite's not suffering at all for however he's feeling, so that's great.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Sept 13, 2016 8:55:12 GMT
Oh bless him, he sounds very well in himself love. Everything crossed here too and lots of love on its way.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Sept 13, 2016 19:05:57 GMT
I'm glad she put him on the anti-inflamatory pain killers. That should at least give him some relief. Good that he's eating, and pretty much doing the rest of life as he should. I hope the meds do the job, and there's no need for X-rays. Keeping all digits crossed for him
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Post by jolovespiggies on Sept 15, 2016 15:41:49 GMT
How is he today lovey?
Hugs JO xx
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Post by 3piggles on Sept 15, 2016 20:56:36 GMT
I hope he's still improving
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Post by Bean on Sept 16, 2016 8:16:02 GMT
He's moving around more and the swelling on his right leg is going down. I'm not convinced that the root cause of it all is being dealt with (his left leg still seems a bit weak although he's using it more) rather than the pain killers just making him more relaxed and mobile. But the improvement has been enough that I'm thinking of going back to get another week of meds and see how that pans out, rather than going straight in with the xrays.
He's still eating really well and keeping a steady weight, but has lost muscle tone on his back end - he just feels bonier in the way older pigs do. He's being very good at taking his meds anyway - very little resistance, despite the fact I can tell he finds them unpleasant! He gets something tasty right after to take the taste away!
Thanks for the good vibes.
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Post by 3piggles on Sept 16, 2016 17:32:26 GMT
It's hard to tell if the meds are really helping. When Zippy was limping for a month, I had X-rays done, and they showed nothing out of the ordinary. The vet wouldn't give him pain killers. Didn't believe in them. I massaged his leg, which was definitely hurting him, but I never felt anything unusual, either. He didn't get bony in his rear end, though, and after a month, he was back to normal. I think trying another round of the anti-inflammatory meds is a good idea. I hope you see some marked improvement
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Post by Bean on Sept 18, 2016 9:25:05 GMT
He went back again yesterday. We saw a different vet this time and had a longer chat about what further tests would be looking to find and what the treatment would be for this things. She's also thinks everything feels fine in terms of bones and joints (in terms of no breaks/ dislocations), and that if it's a soft tissue injury it might take another few weeks to recover.
She thinks the way he's responded so far is encouraging (he's more his usual self and his walking, which he's doing more of, looks lots better) and that he looks to be in good general condition which indicates he's not miserable (or as miserable as I worry he is!). She wants to carry on with the metacam for another few weeks. If there's still a problem after that time, she said xrays would be most likely be looking for things like arthritis or other joint disorders which (although there are ops that can help a couple of conditions) would most likely be treated with anti-inflammatories anyway.
So while she'd recommend having further tests if the problem doesn't resolve (probably bloodwork too), just so we know that nothing has been missed, it's unlikely to be the case that having that information now would make a massive difference in treatment. Avoiding the anaesthetic for now seems like a good plan to me, provided he keeps on moving in the right direction.
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