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Post by 3piggles on Dec 7, 2015 14:49:10 GMT
I found a wound on one of Morty's back feet. It has been bleeding, and it's swollen. He's going to the vet for 11:40 today. It looks like Bumblefoot, though it doesn't seem to be slowing him down any. I don't know if this is the sarcoma spreading, or something totally unrelated. He shouldn't have Bumblefoot on fleece bedding, but he may have gotten a hay poke that got infected. I'll post an update after the exam. The piggies are in the temp cage buried in hay, while I finally get the main cage totally cleaned.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Dec 7, 2015 19:30:53 GMT
Oh Piggles love I am so very sorry to her this. Please let us know how you got on. Lots of love to both of you.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Dec 7, 2015 20:49:19 GMT
The vet cleaned his foot, and gave him a salve for it (Silver Sulfadizine 1%) to put on his foot once a day, and an anti inflammatory (Metacam 2ml) to give him daily. She was going to give him Baytril, but it's such horrid tasting stuff, and he doesn't have that much time left. I just felt that was punishing him. If he needs an antibiotic, she said she'll look for an alternative for him. She said the Metacam might also shrink the tumor a bit. I have the picture of the tumor, on my phone, and showed her what it looked like when I first brought Morty in. It has grown quite a bit. It's not longer hard to find through his hair. He's quite happy, wasn't really troubled by the foot that much, but it did tell me I have to clean the cage more often, and I put a fleece pad under the hay in the kitchen area. I had removed that because the pet screen is very soft, but it may not be soft enough for him anymore. Older pigs may get thinner skin, just as older people do. Anyway, he's back in the totally cleaned cage, munching hay and demanding treats I will start cleaning the cage twice daily, and make sure I get the bedding changed at the first sign of blood.
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Post by bazookagoof on Dec 8, 2015 3:16:14 GMT
I wish I could say something a little more meaningful other than I hope Morty isn't suffering too much.
This year is ending on a rather sour note for many of us; I hope next year will be a better one for all of us, including our furry friends.
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Post by Bean on Dec 8, 2015 9:55:38 GMT
I'm sorry Morty's foot is so sore, although it must be a relief to know the cause of the blood now. Sounds like the vet is on top of it and that you're doing everything you can to keep him comfortable and prevent it happening again too. Twice a day cage cleanings is dedication!
I remember taking pictures of Fred and being alarmed how quickly the main tumour on her face grew. Let's hope that Morty's is due a slowdown soon so you have as many happy days left with him as possible. xx
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Post by 3piggles on Dec 8, 2015 15:11:56 GMT
Unfortunately,the blood drops are back, this morning. We've changed the bedding twice in two days. I want to give him his bath and foot soak, see if his tumor could possibly be dripping, and if not, I'll have to ask for Bactrim for all of them. Back to that maddening inability to figure out who is bleeding and why, but if it is a UTI, it has to be stopped in all of them at the same time. These drops are definitely not from him putting a bloody foot on the bedding, and there's no sign the foot has bled. Sigh! Bazookagoof, most of the time that's the best any of us can say. I've fought these issues before, but it never gets any easier, and I'm sure I'll fight them again. As long as he's happy and enjoying life, I'm going to let him do that
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Post by jolovespiggies on Dec 8, 2015 20:25:23 GMT
Oh sweetie I am so sorry I think you are marvellous. No Bazookagoof love, you are right, we certainly won't be sorry to see the back of this year.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by Bean on Dec 8, 2015 21:33:32 GMT
Oh I'm sorry Morty's sore foot hasn't solved the blood spot problem, it seems you already have more than your share of pig worries at the moment so thinking something else is going on must be disheartening. Sounds like a good plan with the Bactrim if things don't become any clearer. x
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Post by 3piggles on Dec 9, 2015 21:06:36 GMT
Thanks, Bean. I checked the underside of the fleece pad in the carrier, since the girls were in the carrier the whole time Morty was being examined. No blood. That tends to make me think it's Morty, but I just can't find any evidence of anyone bleeding. Frustrating, but I'm keeping a close eye on it. The bleeding has stopped for now, but if it resumes, I will call about the Bactrim. Can't hurt!
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Whimsy
Bronze Member
Posts: 400
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Post by Whimsy on Dec 9, 2015 22:21:36 GMT
I can't believe Morty now has a sore foot. You really don't need anything else to deal with at this time. I sometimes feel like I'm running a hospice at my place. My cat needs medication twice a day and I'm working hard trying to stop Melvin's weight loss, but it sure sounds like you have it much worse than me. You and Morty are definitely in my thoughts. X
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Post by 3piggles on Dec 10, 2015 15:14:11 GMT
Thanks Whimsy It gets so frustrating seeing all the blood in ton the bedding, and not knowing where it's coming from. Yesterday I found a huge spot of very fresh blood, yet know one was bleeding??? We have a run of warm days coming up, so I'll get his foot soaked daily, and hope that helps. It also gives me a chance to soak/rinse the tumor, and keep it clean so I can see what's happening, better. I think the hospice is well known by all animal lovers. I can totally relate to how you feel
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Post by jolovespiggies on Dec 10, 2015 20:04:32 GMT
I think we have all had our share of sick babies and I am just glad we have each other. Friends are so important at times like this. Lots of cuddles to you too Piggles love from me.
Hugs JO xx
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Post by 3piggles on Dec 11, 2015 21:06:29 GMT
Thanks, Jo It really is important to be able to talk to people who understand His foot is looking better today. I didn't soak his foot today, because he has trouble not getting bored and restless for 10 minutes, standing in water by himself, and the girls don't need to soak their feet in epsom salts daily, so two days in a row of soaking, I gave him a day off. He's had his meds and the salve applied, and we're cleaning the cage twice as often, so I'll see how it looks after a day without a soak.
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Post by jolovespiggies on Dec 12, 2015 21:27:42 GMT
You are welcome darling, we are after all a family. Oh bless him, I hope his little foot is much improved and I think it is a good idea to give him a rest from a soak for a day. Thank you for keeping us in the know hun.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by Bean on Dec 13, 2015 8:53:29 GMT
Glad his foot is improving, that's great news. Hope you're not too tired from all the extra cleaning out!
Has there been any more blood of unknown origin?
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Post by 3piggles on Dec 13, 2015 22:19:19 GMT
It's hard to tell if all the blood is from the tumor, foot and tumor, or something else. Foot doesn't seem to bleed, but it might. The tumor could be dripping blood, which would explain the drops as opposed to him obviously lying down and staining the bedding. Fleece is so good at wicking the blood to the pad underneath, that I'm having to sweep off the fleece, then flip it and check the underside. Definitely more blood there. I am wiping the fleece surface and the pet screen surface with sanitizing wipes to keep the germ level down, and we'll change the wood pellets in the kitchen area tomorrow, to freshen those. His foot looks a bit better, but I'd really like it to improve a bit faster. Tumor seems to be about the same. I don't think it's gotten any bigger. It's currently really big, so I hope it doesn't get any bigger.
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Post by Bean on Dec 14, 2015 16:22:28 GMT
It does seem more probable that the blood is originating from Morty given his problems, especially if the girls are both seeming really well. Morty is lucky to have someone so tuned into his needs - you can't make his problems go away but you're doing everything you can to keep him happy and comfortable. Fingers will remain crossed for him to stay perky and enjoying life. x
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Post by jolovespiggies on Dec 14, 2015 18:55:16 GMT
What a lovely post Bean love and so true. I am glad the tumor doesn't to be getting bigger Piggles hun and it sounds as if he is still enjoying life thanks to you.
Hugs Jo xx
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Post by 3piggles on Dec 17, 2015 23:46:44 GMT
Update on Morty. He finished the Metacam, so I took him back for a follow up. Not much change with the foot, and he's still favoring it, but it is a lot cleaner than before, so I think it's slowly getting better. Bumble foot isn't a quick healer anyway, and when he got it without much provocation (living on soft fleece pads), I think it has more to do with his declining health than with his condo conditions. Also, despite the soft fleece padding all around the carrier, his tumor was bleeding a lot, when we got to the vet. She said the tumor not to soak the scab off the tumor, as it appears to be holding in a blood supply. I had been putting styptic powder on it, to keep the girls away. She said to use the Silver Sulfadizine on the tumor as well as on the foot. She gave him more Metacam, and said to keep him on that for the rest of his life, however long/short that may be. She also gave me Baytril tablets to crush and put in fruit juice. I will try them. If he takes it, I'll get more. If not, we'll try a different antibiotic. She said the liquid Baytril is actually meant to be injected, so how it tastes wouldn't matter. That's why it has to be compounded for pigs to even consider drinking it, which lasts about as long as it takes for the pig to smell it coming. So I will get a small container of cranberry juice, and see if that disguises the taste/smell enough to get him to take it.
Giving Baytril has always been a major battle, and I've never had to force it into an injured pig, before. Because of the location of the tumor, I can't even get a good grip on him. Since Baytril has always been one that had to be put down the back of the throat while holding the jaws open, I'm just not going to put him through that. I hope he'll take this form of baytril, as I would love to see him no longer favoring that food.
I will check with them in about a week, to discuss if he's taking the Baytril, and what to do next.
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Post by Bean on Dec 18, 2015 6:47:37 GMT
Glad Morty's foot is slowly improving. I hope the new stuff to put on the tumour helps and I'm sure keeping him on the metacam long term is a good idea for peace of mind. I totally agree about the baytril - see how it goes but don't force it if he really doesn't like it or gets upset. Quality of life definitely has to be the focus for him.
Lots of (gentle) hugs to Morty. x
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