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Did someone say bank holiday?

Lady Kelly

Lady Kelly

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Well of course we should need a vet visit then. Last week Donald had slimmed down for his weekly weigh in so I have weighed him twice more this week and he is continuing to gradually lose weight. Seemingly no reason for it though Sunday he did look a little hunched.

He is eating, weeing and pooping normally and joins the rest of them for song time everyday. His coat is healthy, his eyes are bright and his teeth/eating appears normal. Let's hope the vets can get to the bottom of what's happening.
 
Lady Kelly said:
Well of course we should need a vet visit then. Last week Donald had slimmed down for his weekly weigh in so I have weighed him twice more this week and he is continuing to gradually lose weight. Seemingly no reason for it though Sunday he did look a little hunched.

He is eating, weeing and pooping normally and joins the rest of them for song time everyday. His coat is healthy, his eyes are bright and his teeth/eating appears normal. Let's hope the vets can get to the bottom of what's happening.
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It always happens over a bank holiday... :(

Fingers firmly crossed for Donald!
 
Well he's a medical marvel once again. All teeth fine, hair and skin fine, nothing feels odd, bright eyed, heart rate fine. If it weren't for the weight loss and slight hunching you'd say a perfectly healthy piggy. So we have metacam for a week and follow up then unless he needs to go sooner. They said the next step would be x-rays and possible referral to the specialist
 
Sending healing vibes Kelly, fingers crossed its just a bit of something and nothing!
 
I was thinking could he have arthiritis. But hes only 3 so i doubt it very much. Have you checked his pee on a white towel or so something?
 
SkyPipDotBernie said:
I was thinking could he have arthiritis. But hes only 3 so i doubt it very much. Have you checked his pee on a white towel or so something?
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Yep no visible blood in urine. No discomfort when passing either. His little outey willy looks normal for him too
 
Did the vet feel for a nodule in his neck? We had a piggy who was losing weight, despite appearing to eat well and seemed fine in every way, apart from the weight loss. On examination, there was a definite nodule in neck (goitre), so we opted for some drugs to treat hyperthyroidism. Simon has sent many blood samples off, and got the most bizarre results, so it seems that it is far more difficult to get a definitive diagnosis for a guinea pig. Anyway, we started him no Thyronorm and his weight initially stabilised and then very slowly, but steadily increased. He had dropped down to 893g and is now weighing 1136g, which is pretty much where he was before the weight loss started.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
Did the vet feel for a nodule in his neck? We had a piggy who was losing weight, despite appearing to eat well and seemed fine in every way, apart from the weight loss. On examination, there was a definite nodule in neck (goitre), so we opted for some drugs to treat hyperthyroidism. Simon has sent many blood samples off, and got the most bizarre results, so it seems that it is far more difficult to get a definitive diagnosis for a guinea pig. Anyway, we started him no Thyronorm and his weight initially stabilised and then very slowly, but steadily increased. He had dropped down to 893g and is now weighing 1136g, which is pretty much where he was before the weight loss started.
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She had a bit of a feel around his head and neck but Donald is definitely a chin rub kind of pig so I hope I would feel it if there were a lump there (that's how I found his tiny abscess last time). Will bear it in mind, I'm booked back in next Saturday just for a check up and will be monitoring him in the meantime. I found a few smaller poops in the hutch today though obviously I don't know who of the 4 they came from but they could be his. I'm thinking of popping him in a container to have veg on his own tonight to check any poops
 
Poor Donald! If its any consolation our lovely Lady Piggle did this too, again- she got a UTI diagnosed on Christmas eve, and decided to get UTI symptoms again yesterday just in time to get the last emergency vet appointment with our usual vet before the Easter weekend. And today is her first gotcha day too!
Plus we had family visiting and were out all day today, now doing multiple piggy medicating on a deadline before piggy daddy goes to his evening work in 10 minutes... here's Lady Piggle celebrating her gotcha day with a fancy lettuce leaf as a reward for taking her baytril and loxicom with only a mild struggle and a minor attack on piggy daddy :)
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Lady Kelly said:
She had a bit of a feel around his head and neck but Donald is definitely a chin rub kind of pig so I hope I would feel it if there were a lump there (that's how I found his tiny abscess last time). Will bear it in mind, I'm booked back in next Saturday just for a check up and will be monitoring him in the meantime. I found a few smaller poops in the hutch today though obviously I don't know who of the 4 they came from but they could be his. I'm thinking of popping him in a container to have veg on his own tonight to check any poops
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Oliver's is very deep. You wouldn't notice it unless you were looking for it. We have no definitive proof that Oliver is hyperthyroid, but since starting his medication he has gained weight and he seems less agitated. He was very hyperactive before and had a very fast heart rate (faster than normal). He also seemed to have a quiver to his body, that has now gone.

Sometimes I find just taking them out and giving them food away from the others, can really help. I usually give them some on their own and then pop them back and give them all veg. That way I know the thinner one has had their quota, even if the others are a bit greedy. Porridge oats are great for weight gain too and we have found them very useful at boosting weight.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
Oliver's is very deep. You wouldn't notice it unless you were looking for it. We have no definitive proof that Oliver is hyperthyroid, but since starting his medication he has gained weight and he seems less agitated. He was very hyperactive before and had a very fast heart rate (faster than normal). He also seemed to have a quiver to his body, that has now gone.

Sometimes I find just taking them out and giving them food away from the others, can really help. I usually give them some on their own and then pop them back and give them all veg. That way I know the thinner one has had their quota, even if the others are a bit greedy. Porridge oats are great for weight gain too and we have found them very useful at boosting weight.
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Yes he's in a laundry basket at the moment with his portion of veg while we watch another episode of game of thrones. He has munched away on some veg but has gone very quiet now. He doesn't seem a contented boy. I think I might end up back at the vets before next Saturday
 
Quick question for anyone. I have given him a generous helping of veg and left him alone a good while. He's eaten some and was initially enthusiastic but this has waned. How long should I leave him before I expect to see poops?
 
Lady Kelly said:
Quick question for anyone. I have given him a generous helping of veg and left him alone a good while. He's eaten some and was initially enthusiastic but this has waned. How long should I leave him before I expect to see poops?
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It depends on what/how much he has been eating over the last 24 hours.
Generally, if your piggy is eating, this means that the conveyor belt is still going, so there will be poos eventually. ;)
 
Wiebke said:
It depends on what/how much he has been eating over the last 24 hours.
Generally, if your piggy is eating, this means that the conveyor belt is still going, so there will be poos eventually. ;)
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He's still eating something but not much. There were a few squeaks a few mins back, but still no poops. Making syringe feed. Should I go back to vets tomorrow?
 
Lady Kelly said:
He's still eating something but not much. There were a few squeaks a few mins back, but still no poops. Making syringe feed. Should I go back to vets tomorrow?
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Please start syringe feeding and weigh daily. See a vet tomorrow again if necessary.
 
Holding you in my thoughts @Lady Kelly
Maybe try leaving him a small bowl of critical care as well as syringe feeding. He might eat some of that on his own.
 
Well after a long session of syringe feeding we got another poop a tiny bit thicker, a bit longer and darker. Will be syringing again first thing in the morning but don't think it's worth going to the vets tomorrow. Depending on how he is I might as well call to book for an x-ray on weds to check for any blockages
 
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