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Post by 3piggles on Jun 27, 2015 20:22:29 GMT
It's my experience that sick pigs lose weight that way, not old pigs. My old pigs die at full weight. I would get her to a vet ASAP. Not to scare you. It could be mites, which you can't see. It could also be female problems, which even X-rays don't really show well. It's best to get her seen quickly, as if she's ill, she's hiding pain and disability, and needs relief. They vet may be able to prescribe a low dose pain killer, which will help you see if pain is keeping her from eating. If not, you can always stop giving her the pain killer. Best of luck
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Post by loldonutsss on Jun 28, 2015 1:27:09 GMT
well...i took her to the vet today. they took her temperature (she did NOT like that, wow.)which was normal. she did a very thorough examination (I thought) and decided to do xrays...nothing abnormal, i guess. she couldn't make out her kidneys, and she said that it's normal for them to have gas in their tummys and whatnot. she said it's either some kind of cancer or just old age. but I don't know what to think. she started her on critical care and this weird stuff i think called bio something...some kind of antibiotic in case she has an infection. I don't know what to think about the kidney thing issue, as her intestines were apparently not in the right place or enlarged or something. but i looked up cancers in guinea pigs and in the kidneys isn't listed... she offered to give me information on a guinea pig specialist and said she might be able to give me more answers because they'll have the stuff they need to test her i guess. she's picking at the critical care i put in a dish for her, seems to like it.
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Post by 3piggles on Jun 28, 2015 13:36:20 GMT
I would at least talk to the cavy specialist. If you live in the UK, you can contact Cambridge Cavy Trust online: www.britishassociationofrodentologists.co.uk/CCT.html They also have a hospital. In the US, it's hard to find anyone with this level of knowledge about guinea pigs, but vets who have had a lot of experience are 100% better than those with very little experience. I wish I had more knowledge of the situations. Alopecia is a condition that results in hair loss, but hormone issues also result in hair loss, as do mites. The weight loss is a major concern. I would feed her anything she will eat. At her age, you don't have to worry about her getting fat, and if she has certain foods she really likes, give her all she will eat. If possible(takes a food processor) chop hay to put into the Critical Care, baby food or whatever she will take. The hay helps move the food through her system. Keep an eye on her poos. Even if they are small, as long as they are numerous, oval and medium-dark brown, she should be okay. As she regains her weight, her poos should get bigger. Since the kidneys process and filter waste into what the body can absorb or eliminate, I can only figure the vet thinks her kidneys may be shutting down. Did the vet do a blood test? That should show any abnormalities in blood counts caused by kidney problems or illness. Good luck.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Jun 28, 2015 18:27:06 GMT
It is funny how experiences differ Piggles hun, a lot of our piggies have started to loose a bit of weight once they get to a certain age. Lots of get well vibes on their way love, please keep us posted.
Hugs JO xx
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Post by 3piggles on Jun 28, 2015 21:29:52 GMT
I've had two who lost a bit of weight as they aged, but out of 12, that's not a high percentage. Even Momo didn't lose weight, despite her hormonal/cyst/tumor issues, nor did Harlequin, who finally got spayed to stop the cysts from returning.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Jun 29, 2015 19:28:33 GMT
No it isn't a lot is it Piggles hun? It is amazing how piggies differ.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by loldonutsss on Jun 30, 2015 0:08:35 GMT
I was hoping you wouldn't say that...she didn't do a blood test, poopsie had gone through a lot of stuff already and I didn't want to stress her out anymore. The vet seemed convinced that it was her kidneys...I just can't believe it, you know what I mean? I wish I knew how long she had. All I'm doing now is just giving her the critical care and the bio something medicine and her favorite foods. And, of course, cleaning her cage.
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Post by loldonutsss on Jun 30, 2015 1:00:13 GMT
How will I know when she's like..suffering..Poopsie is my first and last guinea pig (she's irreplaceable<3) so I don't know what to expect..
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Post by 3piggles on Jun 30, 2015 13:26:35 GMT
There are signs of sickness, though not all pigs display the same signs. Crying or struggling when picked up. Pigs in a lot of pain or distress may even bite to get away. Refusing to eat or drink. Their hair can get oily/dirty because they aren't grooming or moving around the way they should. Really sick pigs tend to lie facing a corner, the back of a pigloo or house, etc. Blood is an obvious indicator that something is wrong. It will be in a spot with a dark red center, getting thinner toward the outside. The poos really tell the story. They should be medium brown, oval and slightly wet when first exposed to the air. There should at least be as many small poos as there were big poos, if she's processing the critical care through her digestive system safely. If she's not pooing as she should, she could get bloat. Any really obvious change in her regular behavior is a good indicator that she's in distress.
Bloat can be fatal if left untreated, but caught early, and treated, it's just a bad case of constipation and gas. Foods such as fennel/anise, radish and others help with digestion. A probiotic like Bene-bac is available at Petco and some other pet stores. Just sprinkle it on a veggie she really likes. Also stroking her sides helps, though I don't know if it just helps them relax, or actually helps move the food through, but it does work. It can take a long time, so be prepared for the long haul with the stroking.
I'm really sorry you have to go through this, but we all have. It's the down side of loving a pet so much. Hugs and good luck!
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Post by jolovespiggies on Jun 30, 2015 18:44:55 GMT
Oh sweetie, lots of loving vibes are on their way.
Hugs JO xx
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Post by jolovespiggies on Jun 30, 2015 18:46:32 GMT
I was hoping you wouldn't say that What sweets, which one of us are you talking to? Hugs JO xx
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Post by 3piggles on Jun 30, 2015 20:08:54 GMT
I didn't see any reference to sweets, but for guinea pigs, sweets include alfalfa, apples, apricots, and other fruits with a high natural sugar content. Applesauce might be something she will eat. Anything that helps her gain some weight.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Jun 30, 2015 21:46:22 GMT
"Sweets" is a term of affection/endearment hunny, sorry to confuse you LOL!
Hugs JO xx
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Post by loldonutsss on Jul 1, 2015 0:14:36 GMT
There are signs of sickness, though not all pigs display the same signs. Crying or struggling when picked up. Pigs in a lot of pain or distress may even bite to get away. Refusing to eat or drink. Their hair can get oily/dirty because they aren't grooming or moving around the way they should. Really sick pigs tend to lie facing a corner, the back of a pigloo or house, etc. Blood is an obvious indicator that something is wrong. It will be in a spot with a dark red center, getting thinner toward the outside. The poos really tell the story. They should be medium brown, oval and slightly wet when first exposed to the air. There should at least be as many small poos as there were big poos, if she's processing the critical care through her digestive system safely. If she's not pooing as she should, she could get bloat. Any really obvious change in her regular behavior is a good indicator that she's in distress. Bloat can be fatal if left untreated, but caught early, and treated, it's just a bad case of constipation and gas. Foods such as fennel/anise, radish and others help with digestion. A probiotic like Bene-bac is available at Petco and some other pet stores. Just sprinkle it on a veggie she really likes. Also stroking her sides helps, though I don't know if it just helps them relax, or actually helps move the food through, but it does work. It can take a long time, so be prepared for the long haul with the stroking. I'm really sorry you have to go through this, but we all have. It's the down side of loving a pet so much. Hugs and good luck!I think she's bloated...but the vet said the gas in her was normal. She lost .4 ounces in a year so there's obviously something wrong...that's a lot of weight for a little critter. I saw a piece of poo that was light brown and small...she is definitely not pooing and peeing as much as she used to, at least when I'm around. There are more kibble left overs on the ground than poo, which isn't like her. She's also been in her pigloo more lately. When I opened a bag of hay, she didn't come running out...some of her behaviors are changing and I really don't like it. I can tell she's still trying to eat, and maybe I'm not hearing her water bottle as much because she's getting water from the veggies she eats, or what...but the water height has been the same for a day or so She's usually huge on drinking, so that's a red flag for me, too..
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Post by loldonutsss on Jul 1, 2015 0:16:15 GMT
I was hoping you wouldn't say that What sweets, which one of us are you talking to? Hugs JO xx 3piggles...when she was talking about kidney failure
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Post by loldonutsss on Jul 1, 2015 0:17:17 GMT
I didn't see any reference to sweets, but for guinea pigs, sweets include alfalfa, apples, apricots, and other fruits with a high natural sugar content. Applesauce might be something she will eat. Anything that helps her gain some weight. Would baby food work, too? Just in case I end up having to syringe feed her...
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Post by 3piggles on Jul 1, 2015 0:31:52 GMT
Yes, but use the all natural kind. If you syringe feed, you can try all natural applesauce, too. All of the above can be mixed with the Critical Care.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Jul 1, 2015 18:46:10 GMT
How is she today love?
Hugs JO xx
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Post by loldonutsss on Jul 1, 2015 23:27:39 GMT
How is she today love? Hugs JO xx She is great! I'm so incredibly pleased with her progress. This morning, like I have been doing, I gave her some critical care, but I put some Benepac in it this time, like you suggested, she lapped that up without a problem. She also got a big handful of hay, which was basically devoured when I got home- lettuce and pears with probiacin on it, ate that up, and red peppers in the other bowl...also ate that! She didn't drink much water today, which I expected because she got so much veggies today, but half of the water is gone Yayy!!
I'm so confused, though, because the other day I thought I was going to lose her...now she's acting like she did when she was a pup. I'm not complaining of course but just strange.
I'll keep you posted. Thank you for your support..I really appreciate it. So does Poopsie
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Post by 3piggles on Jul 2, 2015 14:56:46 GMT
Whatever was really bothering her has passed. That doesn't mean she won't have further trouble with it in the future, but for now at least, it's gone. If she's not getting a pain med, then it sounds an awful lot like bloat. Think really bad constipation and gas. We don't want to eat or move when we have that, either. Once the blockage is gone, and we can move food through our systems again, we want to eat and drink. While we're blocked, we really don't want to add to the problem. These are some postings on bloat. If you find her symptoms in there, that's what it was: www.guinealynx.info/search_bloat.htmlI am so glad she is back to normal. If you have added the sweet items, slowly reduce the amount you feed her, as long as she is still regaining her weight. You don't want her energy to be a sugar high Meanwhile, a celebration is definitely in order
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