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Post by amber89 on Aug 1, 2022 7:42:06 GMT
We haven't done any changes to the cage. I think so far we will leave it as it is, especially size-wise.
I filmed our little Oreo a few days ago. We just did the big cleanup of the cage and hanged a few fresh tree branches for the pigs (willow tree -their favorite, linden tree and poplar tree). Oreo was so excited and popcorned for minutes. Afterwards he was so tired, just doing the signature pancake laying. Haha!
Actually, even our 4-5 year old snow flake is zooming and popcorning every morning. She is such a treasure to watch!
In a month or so, we might get a 5th piggy; a 9-months old Teddy female. She had a rough start, with her previous owner already breeding her and then deciding to just throw her out while pregnant. Her original breeder took her back and she just gave birth yesterday to 5 pups. Only 3 made it, 2twomales and one female. The female baby will be such an amazing beauty, with a teddy coat and still some funky swirls. I am negociating with my hubby to also take the female baby, not just the mom.
Today, at 3 PM I'm having a vet appointment for Cupcake. She got a cold (runny nose, sneezing a lot and also some soft wheezing) that hasn't gone away for the last week or so. I tried getting her better with fresh thyme, but it didn't help. She is still eating well, but i don't want to wait until it becomes worse and she's too weak to fight it. So, fingers crossed!
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Post by Bean on Aug 2, 2022 8:00:48 GMT
Haha! That is such an adorable video!
I love the sound of the potential new pig, and am rooting for you to win your husband over with the +1!
I hope Cupcake is better soon. Good luck at the vets, please let us know how she gets on.
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Post by amber89 on Aug 2, 2022 12:21:11 GMT
Updates regarding Cupcake. We found 30 min away from us (by public transport) a cavy-savy vet and i brought her there. The vet gave her a thorough check. Indeed, there is something off with her breathing, most likely a soft cold. Since Cupcake didn't have a fever, tbe vet didn't recommend antibiotics. I should keep a close eye on her, keep her away from drafts and if any questions, i can call her. Cupcake is though a bit too thin, at 3.5 years she barely weights 830g. I told her that the pigs have been through a lot in the last 2 months: change in the group, moving abroad, change of cages, problems with finding their usual veggies and constant loud noises. I have to weight her daily and try to fatten them all up a bit. Snow flake is the heaviest one, with just above 1kg. I know that they all lost weight, i am tracking it weekly. On top of all that, Cupcake is going blind. She has cataracts in both eyes and it both eyes her vision is at around 50%. I know that piggies don't really suffer a loss in quality of life when they go blind, since their vision is either way not the best. If that will be her only long term health issue, she could reach a nice old age and be a happy piggy.
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Post by Bean on Aug 3, 2022 7:20:28 GMT
That's interesting as I was always under the impression that they don't get colds or allergies, and that respiratory symptoms almost always need antibiotics. But it's been many years since I've had those sorts of symptoms in my lot.
It sounds like Cupcake is generally doing okay anyway, and that her changed breathing could be related to fatigue or stress or something? Like you say, they've experienced a lot of changes recently, and you'd certainly not be surprised if people took a little while to adjust to it all. I'm sure you will be quick to notice any other changes, but hope a bit of extra food and some rest see her perking up very soon.
I've had a few oldies with cataracts, definitely a couple whose sight was pretty poor or non-existent by the end. With a friend or two t help them and an environment they're familiar with, they do just fine!
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Post by amber89 on Aug 6, 2022 3:02:49 GMT
This week cupcake's state has been stable and her weight remained also pretty much stable.
Yes, i also think that she will be fine. Marshmallow is her best friend and i am pretty sure that she will help her.
Talked to hubby and the breeder and i can take both mum and the female baby piggy home. I am sooo excited!
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Post by Bean on Aug 6, 2022 6:56:57 GMT
Really glad to hear Cupcake is doing okay, and I'm looking forward to meeting the new arrivals!
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Post by bazookagoof on Aug 6, 2022 12:42:30 GMT
Be sure to post pics of your new additions to the herd, please!
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 7, 2022 19:34:29 GMT
I don't know the term soft cold, but if it means allergies, antibiotics don't work on allergies. They might help fight off any other problems stemming from her not being able to fight off infections, but if the vet doesn't think that's the case, it's probably allergies. If you can find liquid children's allergy meds, ask her about those. It helps to have that knowledge in the background, even if she doesn't need it. I have dose info for liquid children's allergy meds sold here, but I have no idea what's sold there. They've come in very handy for several pigs in the past, so I can personally vouch for them helping pigs with respiratory allergies. Oooh, the new mom and little girl sound wonderful! I agree with Baz, pictures, please
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Post by amber89 on Aug 8, 2022 7:51:08 GMT
Cupcake is actually worrying me a bit (a bit more actually). Her weight can't seem to stabilize itself at all. Despite her eating with all the other pigs, she is loosing roughly 10g every day. I am looking at the poop in the cage, and none shows the classical signs that one piggy is eating less or has some problems. I have started giving her critical care and if she doesn't start gaining like this, I'll definitely call the vet to have her thoroughly investigated. Her runny right nostril is still present and she is still sneezing more than the other pigs. Her cold/allergy is not getting worse, but it's not getting better either. Otherwise, she is fine, her eyes are clear and alert, her fur is shiny and clean , she is running, relaxing and eating. I'll post a video of the new piggies. I still don't manage to post pictures
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 8, 2022 12:05:45 GMT
Amber, do you have children's Benadryl liquid over there, or some equivalent? If so, the dose is .25 of Benadryl per 1 pound of body weight, twice daily. You need a syringe without a needle to dispense, or an eye dropper.
I had a guinea girl with a Rhinovirus. It had all the symptoms of a cold, but wasn't. Antibiotics didn't help it. Benadryl did. The cause of the symptoms, allergy, Rhinovirus, are all treated with allergy meds. The vet might have some stronger allergy meds, but I'm concerned about overdoing meds with such little, delicate creatures.
Definitely take her to the vet, but if you can find an equivalent to Benadryl Children's Elixer, try it. then you can tell the vet you treated her for an allergy, and what the result was.
Also, if you think she's losing too much weight too fast, try separating her to a hospital cage, feed her an alfalfa-based pellet, even if you mix it in with the timothy hay pellets you're using, and see if that helps to fill her out a bit. Also giving her alfalfa might help. It's reserved for pregnant/nursing sows and sick pigs. If you think she's a sick pig, give it a try.
I'm glad you have Critical Care to give her. It sounds as if she needs it. All digits crossed for her to be okay!!!
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Post by amber89 on Aug 12, 2022 11:46:55 GMT
Amber, do you have children's Benadryl liquid over there, or some equivalent? If so, the dose is .25 of Benadryl per 1 pound of body weight, twice daily. You need a syringe without a needle to dispense, or an eye dropper. I did find something similar (Benylan oral), the same active ingredient and a similar concentration. Just to be sure, you mean that the dose is 0.25mL for 1 lb (cca 0.4kg) of body weight? I wouldn't want to overdose her... I will go in search of some alfaalfa pellets for Cupcake and also some seeds mixtures (sunflower, chia, etc) I don't usually feed pellets to the piggies, they are more given as a treat, but for Cupcake i might change that. Her weight is kind-of stable...but not at all increasing. Or whatever she gains in one day, she loses completely the next. Any ideas what might cause a 88g drop from one week to the other? Out of the sudden, she lost in the middle of June 88g (from 934g to 846g). She was behaving completely normal the whole time and since then she has kept around this 830-860g. I am not sure if it was the move, because by middle of June they were already in Denmark for almost a month. And the group was not new (both Flocke and Oreo joined even before they left Vienna). As long as i manage to keep her stable, the vet will have to wait. The money is exceptionally tight for the rest of the month. I do have an emergency fund, in case that any of the pigs or us humand need it, but i would like to not touch it unless dire need
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Post by Bean on Aug 13, 2022 7:17:42 GMT
I wonder if water retention could explain sudden weight changes? Different veggies can make them retain or pass more water, and some pigs seem to be more sensitive than others.
I'd avoid anything with seeds in for guinea pigs, I've read many times that they can be a choking hazard. I have occasionally fed oats to poorly pigs who need a weight boost and have found them quite effective in delivering lots of energy. But maybe the pellets alone will help, and I'm sure she'll enjoy being taken off to have a private dinner!
Glad Cupcake is otherwise well, and I hope the cold medicine helps relieve those symptoms.
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Post by amber89 on Aug 22, 2022 9:32:23 GMT
After 3 weeks of daily weighting, i think that Cupcake is again on an upwards trend. Last Sunday the little one weighted 878g, with the last week seeing her oscillate around 860-880g. I hope she'll keep it up. Fingers crossed
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 22, 2022 14:07:11 GMT
Wonderful news! I really hope it lasts. I've been thinking about her, and hoping she'd take a turn for the better.
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Post by Bean on Aug 23, 2022 7:31:30 GMT
That's great news! How are her respiratory symptoms? I hope they're improving too.
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Post by amber89 on Aug 24, 2022 9:18:55 GMT
Yes, they are improving. She isn't sneezing, not more than the other pigs. Her nose though, is still a bit runny/crusty.
I haven't bought that children's Benadryl syrup replacement. I thought i saw a reply from here with a screenshot with the calculator for the dosage and the warning to use only children's Benadryl. I got scared that maybe other ingredients of the syrup would cause her harm.
We will soon change the type of hay, we're slowly running out of it. Curious if maybe this batch was a bit too dusty or had a plant that Cupcake is allergic too. Maybe the next batch will be better
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 24, 2022 22:52:24 GMT
The dosage is .25-1mg/lb of weight, twice a day. I always started with .25, and if that worked, stayed with that. I don't think I ever increased the dose, and it's a great maintenance dose for pigs with rhinovirus or bad allergies. The children's Benadryl Elixir never caused my pigs any harm, and if anything, the flavor was something they liked. They didn't fight taking it. I'm really glad she's getting better. Improvements are as good as problems are bad. It's nice to have the improvements after all the worrying I hope you find some hay that doesn't cause allergic reactions. If that doesn't do the job, she may have a rhinovirus, and there's really nothing the doctor can do. That's why knowing the Benadryl is an option is really nice.
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Post by amber89 on Aug 29, 2022 10:00:58 GMT
Since I can't find here the children's benadryl elixir, but only something similar, I am afraid about any different ingredients that might cause a reaction. Cupcake is definitely gaining. Yesterday she weighted 900g (30g increase compared to the week before). Her nose was also dry and crust-free. These will be the new additions to the herd. The pictures are taken by the breeder, with the mum while she was still pregnant, and afterwards from the babies. I talked to her a few days ago, the babies haven't reached yet the necessary weight for moving out. I'll pick the pair up once i am back from Romania, where i have to go for a week to deal with paperwork. I am soooo excited about the new girls.
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Post by 3piggles on Aug 29, 2022 18:38:47 GMT
Wonderful news all around Are you getting mom and baby? That will be so nice for both of them. Going to a great forever home. Excellent news about the dry nose Little beats having them healthy again The active drug in Benadryl is diphenhydramine. If you have it in a strength for children, that's okay. Any flavor added only makes them like it better. Also chlorpheniramine works. It's sold in tablet form over here, and I use 1/4 tablet per 1 ml of water. It's easier to make up 4mls of water and crush one tablet in it. I've used the Chlorpheniramine more than the children's Benadryl, so could speak better to its effectiveness. Even if you no longer need the meds, it's good to have the info should you need them in the future. I can't wait to see pictures of the new babies home with you
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Post by Bean on Aug 30, 2022 6:03:20 GMT
Glad to hear Cupcake is doing so well, and the newbies are gorgeous - I bet you can't wait to get your hands on them!
I hope your trip home goes smoothly.
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