Don't Know What's Wrong With My Piggy Advice Please!

[Emfitz]

So Sunday I noticed Johnny wasn't eating took him to vets first thing monday they said they wanted to do an X-ray on his stomach and check his teeth. Results of X-ray were fine apart from some gas in his stomach and intestines and teeth were fine. They kept him in overnight and gave him fluids and critical care. He is home now on bay trial once a day metacam once a day ranitidine twice a day and metoclopramide twice a day . I have got him to eat a bit of grass and syringed some critical care but he's not interested in food and is just lying around. He is two years old I'm scared what can be wrong ? Help please thanks guys

 

[Wiebke]

So Sunday I noticed Johnny wasn't eating took him to vets first thing monday they said they wanted to do an X-ray on his stomach and check his teeth. Results of X-ray were fine apart from some gas in his stomach and intestines and teeth were fine. They kept him in overnight and gave him fluids and critical care. He is home now on bay trial once a day metacam once a day ranitidine twice a day and metoclopramide twice a day . I have got him to eat a bit of grass and syringed some critical care but he's not interested in food and is just lying around. He is two years old I'm scared what can be wrong ? Help please thanks guys

Hi! Please make sure that you syringe feed him round the clock to keep the guts going. You find information on how much/how often you should aim for in this guide here. Also make sure that you keep him hydrated.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

It is often very difficult to say what is causing the loss of appetite; it is often caused by pain, but not necessarily and the reason is not always obvious - it rather looks like your vet think that the gassing is secondary rather than primary. Sometimes it can be very difficult to find out what is at the bottom of it all. Your vets are currently treating broad spectrum for infection, pain as well as giving him the standard drugs for bloating and gut motility.

Please vibrate/massage the tummy gently if possible to help shift the gas.

I am tagging some more members in: @Abi_nurse @helen105281

 

[Abi_nurse]

Sorry to hear about Johnny. The gas would likely be secondary to just having gut stasis due to him not eating.

Not eating can be due to lots of things but it's usually pain related so being on metacam is good, although I would more likely be doing it twice a day. I'm not sure why the vet has given baytril, this is just what vets tend to jump to straight away without really any reason to and its leading to antibiotic resistance. I'm glad to see he is on ranitidine as this is a good pro kinetic for the guts. How are his poo's how many and what consistency? Has your vet said to come back if he's no better?

You may want to consider getting a urine sample to check for bladder infections. Did your vet check the teeth just with an otoscope? Or actually open the mouth with a gag and check throughly?

If he's making no improvements I would be considering seeing the vet again and potentially doing a few more tests?

x

 

[Emfitz]

Hi I'm not sure what they did with the teeth he was under anesthetic at the time so hopefully they had a good look. I can tell he's not well at all he has never been massively mobile as he has strange back legs and always has had the vet said before it was neurological but at the mo he's just led around . Should I be giving him grass or will that make the gas worse? Also with the syringe feeding how can I tell if he is eating it or just storing it in his mouth ? The vet told me 3 tablespoons a day but looking on the forum that doesn't seem enough . So far the vets have charged 230 pounds and I'm not sure my husband will let me spend much more. I'm really worried . The vet wants to see him again Thursday thanks for your help

 

[Abi_nurse]

You can give it small amount of grass to tempt him. Is he eating anything at all? You can tell he's eating the food as the piggies only take up to about 2mls maximum in their mouths. You should be feeding slowly and allowing time to chew and swallow, once your past 2mls and not much is dribbling out then you know it's going down. We usually feed 10-20mls per kg every 4hrs.

x

 

[Fizzbomb290]

I feel your upset. I'm going through the same thing at the minute with my piggie. Fingers crossed they both get in the mend x

 

[Emfitz]

You can give it small amount of grass to tempt him. Is he eating anything at all? You can tell he's eating the food as the piggies only take up to about 2mls maximum in their mouths. You should be feeding slowly and allowing time to chew and swallow, once your past 2mls and not much is dribbling out then you know it's going down. We usually feed 10-20mls per kg every 4hrs.

x

Hi more advice please if poss Johnny seemed to be picking up a bit wasn't eating or drinking on his own but was taking his critical care quite happily. When u was doing his middle of the night feed he didn't want it at all and seemed to be struggling to swallow it he started rolling his head to side when trying to chew. Also I can hear a small clicking noise seems to be coming from nose when he breathes like he is bunged up. This morning he ate a dandelion leaf and some cucumber I know that's not ideal but it's all he will eat and it takes him ages to chew it. Any ideas please thanks Emma

 

[Poppy'sMum]

Please get him seen by a vet as soon as possible, he might have the start of a chest infection

 

[Emfitz]

I feel your upset. I'm going through the same thing at the minute with my piggie. Fingers crossed they both get in the mend x

How is your piggy doing now? Everything seems to be going wrong with Johnny but I'm trying my best hope your piggy is doing ok

 

[Emfitz]

You can give it small amount of grass to tempt him. Is he eating anything at all? You can tell he's eating the food as the piggies only take up to about 2mls maximum in their mouths. You should be feeding slowly and allowing time to chew and swallow, once your past 2mls and not much is dribbling out then you know it's going down. We usually feed 10-20mls per kg every 4hrs.

x

Thank you so much for your advice I'm so sad to say but we just had to have Johnny pts he had started really fighting his syringe feeds and hadn't eaten hay or pellets since Sunday the vet said there was nothing to be done he was losing so much weight. I'm looking at his empty cage now I feel so sad and can't help blaming myself I will miss my little fella so much thanks again Emma

 

[Abi_nurse]

Sorry to hear this. Thinking of you.

x

 

[helen105281]

I'm so sorry.

 

[Fizzbomb290]

How is your piggy doing now? Everything seems to be going wrong with Johnny but I'm trying my best hope your piggy is doing ok

Sorry for your loss...

Even though it is the hardest decision you had to make at least your piggies is not in anymore pain.

Dont blame yourself you done everything you could have done.

I sadly had to make the decision to have my piggie PTD on Thursday. I was in exactly the same situation as youself. She lost too much weight and she wanted to give up.

 

[Emfitz]

Sorry for your loss...

Even though it is the hardest decision you had to make at least your piggies is not in anymore pain.

Dont blame yourself you done everything you could have done.

I sadly had to make the decision to have my piggie PTD on Thursday. I was in exactly the same situation as youself. She lost too much weight and she wanted to give up.

Thanks for your kind words I'm so sorry you lost your piggie

Sorry for your loss...

Even though it is the hardest decision you had to make at least your piggies is not in anymore pain.

Dont blame yourself you done everything you could have done.

I sadly had to make the decision to have my piggie PTD on Thursday. I was in exactly the same situation as youself. She lost too much weight and she wanted to give up.

Thanks for your kind words I'm so sorry you lost your piggie I hope you are feeling ok. We still have two piggies yaya and kolo I'm going to watch them so carefully and spoil them rotten. Best regards Emma

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much for your advice I'm so sad to say but we just had to have Johnny pts he had started really fighting his syringe feeds and hadn't eaten hay or pellets since Sunday the vet said there was nothing to be done he was losing so much weight. I'm looking at his empty cage now I feel so sad and can't help blaming myself I will miss my little fella so much thanks again Emma

I am ever so sorry for your loss. You did the best you could; that is all we can do.

 

[Fizzbomb290]

I also have two left Jupiter and Big Mamma.
Big Mamma did become slighty depressed however she is slowly getting back to her normal self x