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Bette, perhaps needs some vibes.

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Hugs Hun........I really do feel for you having been through the same thing myself with Beechie for the last year.......unless there is something obvious on the X ray, it is really outside a lot of vets experience....and we end up feeling frustrated (and financially challenged) as we don;t seem to get any further forwards being able to help our little furries.

There's an outside chance it could be heaving hiccoughs.....but from your past posts it does look like she has a similar problem to Beechie - i.e. problems with gut motility....and in particular I am thinking the slow emptying of the stomach. Try and record what she has been doing for the 30 mins prior to an episode.

The best thing I can suggest you could try to alleviate the immediate symptoms is Zantac 4mg/kg once daily (you can give twice daily to start off with if deemed necessary.......discuss with your vet before you give anything and get their OK). This should help stop the spasming and get the gut moving properly plus in the interim some pain relief should be given to make her more comfortable (metacam short-term will be OK.and will also reduce the inflammation..it;s only long term administration that will be a strain on the kidneys)
Give it a couple of days to kick in and give religiously daily for a couple of weeks - Beechie was much improved - before you gradually cut out the metacam but keep on with the zantac.

However this doesn;t identify and eliminate the cause......and to be honest from the spasming (which is much worse than Beechie) it does look like there could be a potential partial obstruction...not a hairball but maybe a bit of plastic bag/cloth...or something stuck internally to the bottom of the stomach or other part of the gut that at times restricts the gut/pyloric sphincter movement...(with Beechie it was found during an exploratory op that it was part of his large intestine stuck to the bottom of his stomach and not a tumour as first thought from the original X rays)

Beechie's spasming would come and go - some days he's be fine....some days not. Over the course of the last year he had five really bad episodes where I really thought I was going to lose him that night...but he always recovered.....Since he went on regular zantac and his veggie portions have been reduced he has not had another bad episode.

You will need to syringe feed a little and often so you don;t overfill the stomach and give it time to slowly empty....while you determine the cause.

Ultrasound can be more difficult to interpret than X ray - you may be better off asking the vet for another X ray concentrating on the stomach/large colon.....or you may want to consider trying another vet as Bette's condition appears to be taxing the limits of their experience....whereabouts are you?...if you PM me I can ask my exotics vet tomorrow if they can recommmend someone they know in your area.

The rest of the symptoms (bunny hopping/weight loss) could all be either as a result of the gut problems (pain, annorhexia and lack of nutrition) or indicative of the cause. In this case I am doubtful it is kidneys/heart per se unless I'm sorry to say there is infiltration of some or all of the body organs (including for instance the mesenteric lymph nodes attached to the gut) with lymphoma....which could be determined with a blood test to identify lymphoblastic blood cells.....but a blood test fo this need only be considered if your vet has identified swollen lymph nodes from palpation?...Have they?

Blood sampling from a piggie is extremely risky and requires a good vet nurse to control anaesthesia and a good vet who knows what they;re doing...and who has had lots of experience with taking samples from guinea pigs/rats/chinchillas and birds. Suggest you check out your vets experience before going this way (particularly since they seem to be basing their hairball/pineapple juice recommendation on their experience with rabbits rather than guinea pigs...and taking blood from a rabbit is much much easier)

Start with the zantac/metacam and work from there....at least hopefullly this will calm things down and make Bette more comfortable while you decide with the vet what investigations to do.

More hugs....and healing wheeks from Beechie to Bette
x
 
flintstones said:
I think we should keep these positive vibes coming Bette has perked up no end! I have been to hell in back, but shes looking great now although she does still have sore legs which we will have to speak to the vet about!

She was out this evening, she doesn't stay out long but its enough to see she does have a limp and some bunny hops. I'm feeling alot more positive now *touches wood*.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmsves3jUB8

Now this I like too see!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=077hoFb_KD4

You can still notice the left paw but who cares she looks brilliant.
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She is looking great. Erin had a bit of trouble with her foot back in August where she found it uncomfy to put it down but she was fine within a week :)
 
I hope that Bette is still doing well and has not had a relapse. Thinking of you!
 
I am just back from the vets and what a fabulous visit I had, we went though all the suggestion of what could be going on. Every inch of Bette was checked he even watched my video's.

I also got the Xrays from the previous vet, which he looked at and explained to be in great detail in terms that I understood. The previous vet was right the only thing found in the Xray was bloat but he did also see arthritis, he has prescribed a form of metacam for that. If you haven't guessed then I'll tell you we did a urine sample and she is perfectly healthy her kidneys aren't failing and shes not diabetic.

Now what we did discover, Is Bette has a spur on her bottom right back tooth that is digging into the gum. We're going to spend this week getting her healthy and ready for her dental which will be done consciously next week, we both felt that after the weekend it wasn't the right time to do it today.

I am so glad I went to the vet today and I think I have found the best vet I can find for Bette, we will tackle each issue as they arise but for now I'm putting my trust 100% in my vet.

Thank you, everyone for the advice and good wishes ofcourse I will keep everyone informed of her progress.
 
Aw that's a good out come by the sound of it, sounds like a brilliant vet. You must be relieved. TEETH! does he think this is what is causing the bloat?
I didn't think of arthritis, poor girl hopefully the metacam will make her feel a bit brighter, thank goodness it's not her kidneys or a blockage.
That's a long trip for you but worth it! x
 
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katiepops said:
Aw that's a good out come by the sound of it, sounds like a brilliant vet. You must be relieved. TEETH! does he think this is what is causing the bloat?
I didn't think of arthritis, poor girl hopefully the metacam will make her feel a bit brighter, thank goodness it's not her kidneys or a blockage.
That's a long trip for you but worth it! x
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It's certainly could be, as she is not eating enough or fast enough due to pain so her gut is slowing down. Ofcourse we can't be certain but we will deal with her tooth firstly and see how she gets on.
 
katiepops said:
Fingers crossed sorting out her tooth does the trick. I've been so worried about her all day.
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I'm so relieved her kidneys aren't failing, I was happy just to know that. I was amazed with the vet too he was so great. Bette even liked him!
 
Good new about her kidneys etc lets hope the dental work will cure her bloat as well as the teeth and the Metacam will ease her arthritis.
Hope you're feeling better soon Bette
 
aww thats good news, shame about the spur though, but at least its spotted now and can be dealt with.

Thank god Bette is a girl, boys would sooooooooooo be suffering a lot more! :))
 
Glad to hear that Bette is OK. When Sweetie was poorly afer Treacle and Piggy Wiggin died she stopped eating and got bloat. She had two injections of gut mobiliser and I syringe fed her for several days around the clock. Gradually she started pooping and then she started walking around and pooping wherever she stopped. I made piles of her poops on the windowsill and you could see them getting bigger and bigger.

She is fully recovered from everything now and even though she is an older piggy she did lots of popcorns when I cleaned the cage yesterday.
 
OMG i have just seen this thread :...8...
Whee are all very concerned and hope that Bette will be back to her oldself again soon x)
Joanne the hell you've been thru, OMG love :(
sending you lots of loving hugs from me and the girls send you loads of piggie kisses and then Bella and Tommy said they'd like to send some tweets and wooofs too xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Well done too for sticking at it, taking the vids and showing them and the vet listening and looking !
 
Bette is booked in to get her teeth done on Thursday. Fingers crossed all goes well I have discussed it with my vet and I'm more than happy to allow my vet to do her teeth. He will do them well I'm there :) x
 
I've been on holiday so didn't know Bette was ill. So sorry Joanne! I know only too well how stressful it is, especially trying to find a good vet willing to listen. I'm very impressed by the sound of this new vet, will even do teeth without anaesthetic - Wow!

Sending big kishes and prayers for Bette. x
 
katdralion said:
I've been on holiday so didn't know Bette was ill. So sorry Joanne! I know only too well how stressful it is, especially trying to find a good vet willing to listen. I'm very impressed by the sound of this new vet, will even do teeth without anaesthetic - Wow!

Sending big kishes and prayers for Bette. x
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I must admit he is the best vet, I have found by far but he is a trek and a half away. We have to get a bus, train and taxi to him but she's worth every penny! X
 
I wish I could drive then I could help you out! It must be costing you a small fortune!
 
Only just came accross this thread....so glad to hear Bette is feeling better and hope all goes well on Thursday.

Can I ask about the vet that you use? I am assuming you live in Scotland just by what others have said. I am really struggling to find a cavy savvy vet x
 
Marigold gets bloat due to dental issues, not chewing enough.

I chop her veg up really small for her, although I do give her long strand hay to make sure she's still grinding her teeth down enough but in order for her to not bloat she needs her veg chopped little so much less chewing needed to eat them.
 
All the best for to you and Bette - I hope that the dental treatment will do the trick!
 
We use Apex vets in Denny, next too Falkirk. We see Glen and he's great, so understanding and he knows just how precious she is too me. I found him in desperation, my previous vet didn't care. It has took us a while to find the issue and even then it may not be but he's worth his weight in gold.
 
Bette, has a very special announcement!

This morning when I got up Bette weighed 990grams, at 6-7am I fed her and weighed her again before leaving the house. She was 1025grams. I have been worried all day about her, dreading coming home incase she had reverted back, to that sorry looking pig. I found her alert, came to greet me and she looks fab. I weighed her again and she's 1027grams, which means she must have been eating on her own!

Not too mention, lots of poops bliss, I'm chuffed with her!
 
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