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Billy - Thyroid

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PAMELAKT

PAMELAKT

Adult Guinea Pig
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So, a heartbreaking week with Billy.

His jaw infection has been playing up so I took him to the vets where he has been since Tuesday - I expected bad news today to be honest but appears he is doing a little better & is to come home tomorrow.

However he apparently now also has a thyroid issue, he had a small cyst on it which was drained. I am unsure what the name of the medication he is on is until I collect him, but has anyone got a piglet on medication for overactive thyroid? I have googled & haven't read anything positive.

We are moving to our new house in 2 weeks, he was doing so well a week ago I even bought him a new run for his new garden! Am so desperate for him to be well & enjoy it!
 
Hi, l have experience of two piggies with thyroid nodules. Both were treated by excision of the nodule and both did well (one had a malignant nodule). Have the vets done a blood test to confirm his thyroid is overactive?
 
Hi, Yes he has had a blood test. He has a terrible combination as he has had problems eating due to his jaw joints, and now he has this overactive thyroid to make things worse.

I have him home today but he's very sleepy.

The medicine he is on is called felimazole is that what yours are on? He's so thin @pig in the city
 
Poor boy. Mine didn't need medication (both have passed now, it was quite a while ago) as the surgery controlled the symptoms. The medication should relieve the symptoms and help him to gain weight. He does sound poorly though, l am sorry, l hope he improves soon xx
 
Oh ok, I can't seem to find any posts of people with similar! He isn't well enough for surgery right now, and at almost 5 he would have to pick up a lot before I could consider it. Hopefully he will perk up tomorrow...
 
There was a pig on here a while ago called Haven who had a thyroid issue. Will have a search, her owner is not on here much anymore though and Haven passed away (unrelated I think).
 
Hi @helen105281 - that was an interesting read thank you.

I'm just going to have to see how he goes... Hoping he's a bit sleepy today from the vet meds & hoping he will sleep it off a bit, they've been giving him higher pain relief for his jaw.

We'll see... Trust Billy to get a rare jaw bone infection followed by a rare thyroid condition!
 
So Billy is doing fairly well since being home, a little quiet although this morning a bit brighter - yesterday he ate really well, today doesn't want to eat any of the veg he had yesterday. He does this ALOT, he's very fussy anyway but it really is hard when he's also been poorly & I am trying to fatten him up!

How can I get him to stop being selective because he can eat, his jaw is behaving at the moment - he is just SO picky!
 
Can you tempt him with some nice fresh herbs and other leafy stuff?
 
helen105281 said:
Can you tempt him with some nice fresh herbs and other leafy stuff?
Click to expand...

He has eaten some dill this morning, but won't touch any coriander. Yesterday lunchtime he ate so well I had to take him to the fridge so I could feed him direct from his salad bag into his mouth! But today whilst his jaw is working fine, he's being fussy. He does do this anyway but it's heightened when he's been poorly. It's so frustrating, as last week his jaw was terrible but it's actually working fine at the moment. Desperate for him to put some weight on as he's a bit quiet & has lost so much!
 
Barely eaten anything but grass today, and some pellet mash.

This little boy is so thin & unhappy, the vet is fairly pleased with him as he has maintained weight since yesterday & hasn't lost- but I think he will surely lose tomorrow. He just won't eat anything leafy despite he fact his jaw seems to be working fine.

I'm lost!
 
What level of pain relief is he on? Is your vet still John Chitty?
 
Yes he is being treated by John Chitty, he udon 7 drops of metacam twice a day (about 3ml) and 0.5 tramadol twice a day.

He also now has this thyroid medicine which John says probably isn't making him quiet. He's interested in eating, I just went home st lunchtime & he took more pellet mash, 1/4 of a green bean, a bit of celery leaf & grass - but he's just reluctant to eat anything much really & spends all day hiding.
 
That's quite a lot of pain relief bless him. Is the Metacam dog or cat?

Would you consider taking him to Simon Maddock at all?
 
It's dog metacam - we usually reduce it down depending on how he is but I think we are probably at a point it can't be reduced much now.

I really couldn't travel anymore I have taken so much time off work to travel to John & I don't think I can put him through any more upset really. He's had xrays, biopsys, blood tests...

Saying that he hasn't done too bad tonight, he came out to see me & has nibbled a bit more today. I don't think the heat is probably helping - hoping he will turn a corner as he has done before more than once!
 
He's full of beans this morning! Still being fussy, but full of beans & cheeky! :)
 
Well that's good he is being cheeky. Special boy. Still have a soft spot for him.
 
I have just been so heartbroken over this, he was doing SO well. We are hoping to move to our new house next week where he will have a lovely garden & i've bought him a new run - just 2 days after buying it he took a turn!

If we make it, I will get a picture on for you all to see!
 
Thanks everyone - he had a good day yesterday. It's hard work but he's worth it! We move to our new house on Thursday so I've told him he has to eat & be a strong boy & by next weekend he will be in his new garden - he would love it so much! I'm more excited about his new run than the actual house :xd:
 
Oh he's adorable, know what you mean more excited about his run than the house. We would be to, we would rather spend money on the piggies than us.
 
does he like sweetcorn? thats supposed to be a short term weight gaining veg, might be worth trying him on that, if he has jaw problems you may need to pick the corns /segments off for him though.
my girls love the cornsilks too, theres lots of maize planted nearby, so i pick the silks (stringy bits, white or pink) off for my girls & they cram it in so fast you would think i never feed them! often having that "lady & the tramp spaghetti moment" with the strands :wub:

:luv:come on handsome Billy - get well soon
love the girls & I
xx
 
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