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Advice needed to help care for a piggy

amber horner

amber horner

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Hi all my friend has a 3yr old piggy called Oreo, last night I had to rush him to the emergency vets as he has lost a huge amount of weight and wasn't his usual self. My friend is is seriously ill with pneumonia so can't leave her flat. The vet said he's not a well piggy and needs rescue food which we have to make up and syringe feed Oreo with. Now I feel responsible for Oreo as my friend is unwell and her husband isn't hands on with Oreo at all. I'm considering taking Oreo back home with me so I can nurse him back to health well I will try my hardest to. Just wondered if anybody had any extra advice for me to help me get Oreo well again x
 
What did the vet say was wrong with Oreo? I hope your friend gets better soon and allows you to take care of Oreo at home s she can't. Healing vibes being sent to both your friend and Oreo
 
Vet said his gut was shutting down so he's on 5ml of rescue food every 2 hours until Friday if he still has runny poo then he has to go back to the vet x
 
Well good luck! I hope you manage to save him. The night feeds are the worst! When Christian was on 2 hour feeds after his op I would feed him up till 11 o'clock and then again at 5 in the morning. Leading up to the 11pm feed I would feed him every hour and a half I would make sure he was really full at his 11pm feed and then get up at 5 and fill him up again. I always made sure there was food in the hospital cage. I dampened some nuggets for him to so that they were easier for him to eat if he wanted some and there was a pile of hay in the hay bale too.
 
Well done for helping Oreo.
Regular syringe feeds of food and fluid will help. A gut stimulant and pain relief are indicated, did the vet prescribe these?
Try and encourage him to be active as this stimulates the gut. Avoid vegetables and just give hay and pellets at the moment until his tummy settles. Keep him inside but not too warm.
Good luck and let us know how he goes on
 
Thank you all he's been having the rescue food 5ml every 3 hours today I've just given him his last does before I go home I got him to take 7mls, my friend has put extra hay in his bed for him. I've had him out on the floor and just let him wonder around for bit he's still very shaky but he's more interested in what's going on around him than yesterday thank you all, my friend is getting better slowly just going to take time x
 
amber horner said:
Thank you all he's been having the rescue food 5ml every 3 hours today I've just given him his last does before I go home I got him to take 7mls, my friend has put extra hay in his bed for him. I've had him out on the floor and just let him wonder around for bit he's still very shaky but he's more interested in what's going on around him than yesterday thank you all, my friend is getting better slowly just going to take time x
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Try to get to 60 ml and then 90 ml in 24 hours as he is gradually getting stronger; give him as much as he can take in one setting. it can be a very draining and time consuming, but it is so worth it if makes the difference between life and death. My Pili had another year's life after her GI stasis, which she would have never made it through without round the clock syringe feeding.
 
Ok brilliant thank u I will try that 2moz with him really hope Oreo makes it I'm so worried about him x
 
I have some good news to report, Oreo is doing great he has put on 85g in weight and is eating more and is more active. I spoke to the vet again and he's recommend that we give Oreo the rescue food for another week to help him put on some more weight. So happy he's doing so much better thank you all for all your advice x
 
I'm so relieved been so worried about him and so has my friend just glad he's getting better and my friend is slowly getting better as well x
 
You have done a fantastic job with a piggy who's not your own. :clap: Pleased your friend is getting better too. I expect it helped not having to worry about Oreo and knowing that he was in safe hands.
 
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