Dottie’s breathing and skin issues

[Wiebke]

Thank you, this is a helpful analogy. Tonight she is eating again so we’ll take this small win and hope it lasts, but we know the bigger battle is a different matter. I do find it all very anxiety provoking having piggies. Since our first sudden death (Betty, who came through a risky op with flying colours only to have a stroke 10 days later) I am almost afraid every morning to look in the cage because I half expect to find a trauma or death (even when there’s nothing wrong) and we’ve had our fair share of sudden declines and sudden deaths. It really knocks your confidence and each bad experience makes me more stressed out. But taking the little wins is a good way of doing it. Yesterday Dottie was laying still, refusing nearly all food; now she is begging at the bars an her breathing look better too. It may not last, but we must take these moments when we can and be so happy she is having good times again, for now.

I’ll have a read of that guide, thanks.

Instead of dreading every morning finding her gone, try to cherish every morning Dottie is still there as the precious gift it is. You have no control over when and in what form the end comes but you have full control over how you can fill Dottie's remaining days with little joys and litte fun time. All you can do is follow your little bumpy country road to wherever it leads you to.

Set as your aim that you want fill Dottie's life with a little joy every day she still has to live because that is what guinea pigs measure a good life by - happy todays. Even if it is just a few blades of fresh grass...
Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs

Having just passed my first anniversary on palliative cancer treatment, I can assure you that I have lived this extra year much more consciously and have got so much more out of it than I would have ever expected despite all the restrictions because I have become a lot more open to all the little things and joys that come my way. It really makes a huge difference mentally as well as in my still ongoing recovery. This doesn't just work when it is only your life that is running out but with somebody you love deeply; it is lesson I have learned from the time when my dad fought his own terminal cancer battle at a similar age to me.

I am essentially switching my human mindset to that of guinea pigs and am getting a lot more life out of it instead of sitting there moaning or rushing around to get a bucket list of things ticked off - what I am gaining is simple contentness and happiness; which you cannot buy and which will only come to you if you look for it. It is everywhere but you have to look. You have to look for the little things, smile at others and they will eventually smile back and have a little chat with you, give kindness and you will receive it.

Just stop and enjoy the sunshine, the freshness of a cold breeze, the soft kiss of drizzly air, the first spring flowers etc. whatever there is to feel and savour on the day... It is simple Mindfulness but it does work as much as a piggy cuddle.

Just being happy when my piggies are still all there in the morning and giving them their good night treat in the evening, feeling blessed for another day with them, which I would not have had without my medications and treatment...

It is not easy to change your mindset when you suffer from mental health issues and you have to work on firstly catching yourself whenever you are caught in a bad rut and then consciously looking for at least one good aspect instead. It has taken me quite a few years to get where I am today working my way slowly out of a rather deep black well but these days I am doing it automatically as my own instinctive survival strategy.

I am still grieving underneath it all as I need to; but I am not letting my sorrow and my fears take over while there is still more life to be had.

Try to consciously cherish the time you have left with Dotty and living those moments consciously because they are the ones that will stay with you and that are making her time with you count in the long run.
I have had oldie adopties for just a few weeks or months, yet their happiness and joy of life has made their time with me seem so much longer and I still remember them with an automatic smile on my face. Like love, joy and happiness can transcend time.

Please try to allow Dottie to become your 'smily piggy' by treasuring the evening hours with her in the last of the sun - it is the golden last rays of sunshine that will stay with you more than the dark night if you allow it to.

Sorry for the long post but I hope that it is going to make sense to you and that you can find your nuggets of happiness despite your fears.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that you have some more happy days with Dottie.

 

[LucyP]

Instead of dreading every morning finding her gone, try to cherish every morning Dottie is still there as the precious gift it is. You have no control over when and in what form the end comes but you have full control over how you can fill Dottie's remaining days with little joys and litte fun time. All you can do is follow your little bumpy country road to wherever it leads you to.

Set as your aim that you want fill Dottie's life with a little joy every day she still has to live because that is what guinea pigs measure a good life by - happy todays. Even if it is just a few blades of fresh grass...
Enrichment Ideas for Guinea Pigs

Having just passed my first anniversary on palliative cancer treatment, I can assure you that I have lived this extra year much more consciously and have got so much more out of it than I would have ever expected despite all the restrictions because I have become a lot more open to all the little things and joys that come my way. It really makes a huge difference mentally as well as in my still ongoing recovery. This doesn't just work when it is only your life that is running out but with somebody you love deeply; it is lesson I have learned from the time when my dad fought his own terminal cancer battle at a similar age to me.

I am essentially switching my human mindset to that of guinea pigs and am getting a lot more life out of it instead of sitting there moaning or rushing around to get a bucket list of things ticked off - what I am gaining is simple contentness and happiness; which you cannot buy and which will only come to you if you look for it. It is everywhere but you have to look. You have to look for the little things, smile at others and they will eventually smile back and have a little chat with you, give kindness and you will receive it.

Just stop and enjoy the sunshine, the freshness of a cold breeze, the soft kiss of drizzly air, the first spring flowers etc. whatever there is to feel and savour on the day... It is simple Mindfulness but it does work as much as a piggy cuddle.

Just being happy when my piggies are still all there in the morning and giving them their good night treat in the evening, feeling blessed for another day with them, which I would not have had without my medications and treatment...

It is not easy to change your mindset when you suffer from mental health issues and you have to work on firstly catching yourself whenever you are caught in a bad rut and then consciously looking for at least one good aspect instead. It has taken me quite a few years to get where I am today working my way slowly out of a rather deep black well but these days I am doing it automatically as my own instinctive survival strategy.

I am still grieving underneath it all as I need to; but I am not letting my sorrow and my fears take over while there is still more life to be had.

Try to consciously cherish the time you have left with Dotty and living those moments consciously because they are the ones that will stay with you and that are making her time with you count in the long run.
I have had oldie adopties for just a few weeks or months, yet their happiness and joy of life has made their time with me seem so much longer and I still remember them with an automatic smile on my face. Like love, joy and happiness can transcend time.

Please try to allow Dottie to become your 'smily piggy' by treasuring the evening hours with her in the last of the sun - it is the golden last rays of sunshine that will stay with you more than the dark night if you allow it to.

Sorry for the long post but I hope that it is going to make sense to you and that you can find your nuggets of happiness despite your fears.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that you have some more happy days with Dottie.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and reflections in this way, it is much appreciated and very helpful. Your own experiences are very moving and thought provoking and I am always staggered at how you find the space to share your thoughts in a way that helps guinea pigs and humans alike, despite everything you are going through.

For me the stress comes not just from the love for our piggies and our worries about them, but multiple human losses, stresses, traumas, illness etc esp in current and recent times, where these things add up and tap into each other a bit don't they. I do have fear around Dottie and sadness, but at the same time I do also treasure each day. Each day when I log her breathing scores and have to scroll further and further down my phone (as the log started 9 months) I think how well she and we have done to have these happy days. I think my main fear now is missing something and letting her suffer (the vets have assured me we are vigilant enough to not do that, and I do have a plan for managing her end of life compassionately). So I should try to be less anxious and remember I have a plan for her. My job is just to do right by her day to day and always act in her best interest. I know I can do that.

Regarding enrichment, we've found that thread useful many times over the years and I will re-visit it again. One big decision re enrichment is about company for her. I mentioned this on another thread but since she was bereaved 2 months ago, we have been looking - not for a friend right in her house but for a next door neighbour (we would split her C&C cage so they could interact through the bars) as the vets and rescue agree bonding would be too much for her heart; all those adrenaline spikes and chases etc. We have yet to find a suitor in the local rescues to fit the bill. There is a possible pair (TBC) but they are 100 miles away. It is doable (even though we don't drive) but after recent vet visits, I am not sure how long Dottie has, (sad to say this but it is a fact) so we can't decide what is in her best interest re this (and also thinking about the pair, who'd we'd have to return to the rescue if they outlive Dottie, which they almost certainly would). The rescue would be happy to lend us some piggies as we would still give them a very good life for the time they were here, but I am just not sure how Dottie would cope. At the same time I don't want her to be lonely, esp in her last few weeks or months! When she stopped eating last weekend I put that plan on hold but she is eating much better now. Although today her breathing looks very laboured to me and that is a decline we have seen over time, which is expected with her condition. She is about to start ACE drugs any day now when they come through to the vets - this is not a cure, but may make her more comfy.

In terms of other enrichment, we bought some wheatgrass from a supplier Eritheren recommended and she LOVES it! She ran down the 8x2 C&C cage to get to it! But we are only giving her small amounts as her tummy won't be used to it.

Thank you again for your support, it means a lot.

 

[LucyP]

Latest update - the vet just called and he spoke to a cardiologist who has recommended something called benazepril instead of ACE. Anyone have any experience of that? Thank you.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and reflections in this way, it is much appreciated and very helpful. Your own experiences are very moving and thought provoking and I am always staggered at how you find the space to share your thoughts in a way that helps guinea pigs and humans alike, despite everything you are going through.

For me the stress comes not just from the love for our piggies and our worries about them, but multiple human losses, stresses, traumas, illness etc esp in current and recent times, where these things add up and tap into each other a bit don't they. I do have fear around Dottie and sadness, but at the same time I do also treasure each day. Each day when I log her breathing scores and have to scroll further and further down my phone (as the log started 9 months) I think how well she and we have done to have these happy days. I think my main fear now is missing something and letting her suffer (the vets have assured me we are vigilant enough to not do that, and I do have a plan for managing her end of life compassionately). So I should try to be less anxious and remember I have a plan for her. My job is just to do right by her day to day and always act in her best interest. I know I can do that.

Regarding enrichment, we've found that thread useful many times over the years and I will re-visit it again. One big decision re enrichment is about company for her. I mentioned this on another thread but since she was bereaved 2 months ago, we have been looking - not for a friend right in her house but for a next door neighbour (we would split her C&C cage so they could interact through the bars) as the vets and rescue agree bonding would be too much for her heart; all those adrenaline spikes and chases etc. We have yet to find a suitor in the local rescues to fit the bill. There is a possible pair (TBC) but they are 100 miles away. It is doable (even though we don't drive) but after recent vet visits, I am not sure how long Dottie has, (sad to say this but it is a fact) so we can't decide what is in her best interest re this (and also thinking about the pair, who'd we'd have to return to the rescue if they outlive Dottie, which they almost certainly would). The rescue would be happy to lend us some piggies as we would still give them a very good life for the time they were here, but I am just not sure how Dottie would cope. At the same time I don't want her to be lonely, esp in her last few weeks or months! When she stopped eating last weekend I put that plan on hold but she is eating much better now. Although today her breathing looks very laboured to me and that is a decline we have seen over time, which is expected with her condition. She is about to start ACE drugs any day now when they come through to the vets - this is not a cure, but may make her more comfy.

In terms of other enrichment, we bought some wheatgrass from a supplier Eritheren recommended and she LOVES it! She ran down the 8x2 C&C cage to get to it! But we are only giving her small amounts as her tummy won't be used to it.

Thank you again for your support, it means a lot.

BIG HUGS

I am so very sorry that you are dealing with a whole string of losses and stresses where each new turn wakes up the whole not really digested mess and makes it churn around again. It is so hard to find peace when you never get the time space and time to finish one job before the next load arrives. If you can find the time and somebody willing to listen, please try to talk and try to walk. That is the best thing.

But it is great that Dottie is still happy and excited and that you can still give her that happiness. Her making a dash through the cage for the grass is something that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

When you are stuck at home ill and too weak to physically do much, like I have been for the last three months, boredom and depression are much more of a problem than finding time, believe me!
Why should I stop doing what love doing and do hopefully well, if it helps you and makes you feel a bit better in yourself in a difficult and sad time? I have grown a lot over the last year but I haven't changed in my essence. The forum is my own life-line for as much as I give towards it I get so much love and care back from the members on here.
And if some of my own experiences and transfers of helpful concepts can help others now or down the line, then sharing is a good way to sow a little legacy of seeds for the future...

PS: I have started to give my furry crowd the first small bits of freshly growing grass and dandelion from our lawn. Not enough to upset their tummies, just enough to wake up the specialist gut bacteria and make them multiply. But such a welcome treat! They have their sweet meadow hay and their pea flakes as treats.

My thoughts remain with Dottie and with you. About the companionship I cannot comment but have you considered whether forum members could help you with transport? I have often used the train for adopting from further afield, provided the rescue was not too difficult to reach.

 

[LucyP]

Thank you! You do a great job helping so many of us here, and as I've probably said before, I truly believe that the advice and guides on this forum have helped improved -and even saved - the lives of some of our piggies. To be able to help the humans too directly with their own things is even more amazing!

Dottie seems quite pleased with the array of veg, grass, forage and snacks available to her to help keep her interested in food, (in small doses) and as long as she keeps begging I feel like she has some zest for life in her yet.

I am confused about the companionship issue but I think we'll try her on these new meds and see how that goes (and it turns out looking online that the one she's going to be getting is still an ACE inhibitor; I think what the vet was trying to say is that the cardiologist recommended a particular one which is slightly different from what the vet originally had in mind, but the same class of drug). If she seems stable on these new meds and not struggling too much, I'll ask the rescue what they think about me bringing a piggy or pair over as her neighbour. If Dottie gets worse sooner, I think we'll have to scrap the idea and just focus on keeping her comfy at home. I worry it is boring and lonely being solo, but as the vet said, at least it would be predictable and steady for her with no big surprises to contend with.

That's lovely about your pigs and the grass too. I am just giving Dottie a few strands several times a day (so maybe it amounts to one large handful over the day) in case it's too much for her system. I wish I could just put her in it and let her munch away; it's a lovely big tray of tall lush strands. I even tried some myself, it was quite tasty!

All the best

 

[Wiebke]

Latest update - the vet just called and he spoke to a cardiologist who has recommended something called benazepril instead of ACE. Anyone have any experience of that? Thank you.

Hi

Sorry; I haven't got neither personal experience nor the necessary medical knowledge. I think it has been mentioned occasionally (sorry, memory is one of the areas affected by my brain tumour), so you may find more about it when you do a forum search via the search button by the top bar (accessed via the three horizontal lines symbol).

 

[LucyP]

Thank you! The medicine is here now, called Cardalis and it combines benazepril with spironolactone. She has 0.2ml once a day. Adding details here in case of interest to others: "It combines two active ingredients: benazepril hydrochloride and spironolactone. Benazepril is an ACE inhibitor that helps relax blood vessels, lowering blood pressure and reducing the workload on the heart. Spironolactone acts as a diuretic, helping to eliminate excess fluid and sodium from the body, which can alleviate symptoms associated with heart failure." This is safe to use alongside the frusol and vetmedin. I've heard of some cases where the ACE inhibitor can lead to them needing a lower dose of the frusol (which is positive) but we'll see.

Still looking for a friend for her. Since her scare last weekend when she stopped eating and seemed very off, she's back to being fairy perky again now (I say perky, she's not as active as a healthy or younger pig) but she will beg, and headbutt her fleece hidey when she wants something, and she will have her little mooch around from time to time.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you! You do a great job helping so many of us here, and as I've probably said before, I truly believe that the advice and guides on this forum have helped improved -and even saved - the lives of some of our piggies. To be able to help the humans too directly with their own things is even more amazing!

Dottie seems quite pleased with the array of veg, grass, forage and snacks available to her to help keep her interested in food, (in small doses) and as long as she keeps begging I feel like she has some zest for life in her yet.

I am confused about the companionship issue but I think we'll try her on these new meds and see how that goes (and it turns out looking online that the one she's going to be getting is still an ACE inhibitor; I think what the vet was trying to say is that the cardiologist recommended a particular one which is slightly different from what the vet originally had in mind, but the same class of drug). If she seems stable on these new meds and not struggling too much, I'll ask the rescue what they think about me bringing a piggy or pair over as her neighbour. If Dottie gets worse sooner, I think we'll have to scrap the idea and just focus on keeping her comfy at home. I worry it is boring and lonely being solo, but as the vet said, at least it would be predictable and steady for her with no big surprises to contend with.

That's lovely about your pigs and the grass too. I am just giving Dottie a few strands several times a day (so maybe it amounts to one large handful over the day) in case it's too much for her system. I wish I could just put her in it and let her munch away; it's a lovely big tray of tall lush strands. I even tried some myself, it was quite tasty!

All the best

If you keep feeding her more with each day, her specialist gut bacteria will multiply and be ready for you to put her out, initially just for a few minutes but you can stretch it out as long as the ground is dry and warm to your bare feet.
Feeding Grass And Preparing Your Piggies For Lawn Time

 

[LucyP]

Sadly we don't have a garden (this grass was ordered in) but it's so helpful to know her gut will be getting used to it, thank you. I will increase it gradually for her and then we can maybe try her on the barley grass that also came. She seems so happy with it!

 

[LucyP]

Update on Dottie as people here have always been so supportive:

Tummy: Her appetite dropped last month, she had a bit of tummy upset but we caught it early and it seemed to respond well to ranitidine and emprid. After deciding now she prefers sweet baby peppers and rocket to ordinary peppers and gem, she has been back to eating well! That is, until a couple of days ago, so she is back on the motility drugs and she seems ok again. Her pattern seems to be that she gets a few dry poos, a few soft slightly mushy ones and also some normal ones, all in the same couple of hours, so I am keeping an eye on her hydration (her heart meds can make her dry which may be making her poos trickier, see below). She has critical care off a little plate every night and when she's feeling good she will happily clear it overnight. I have been putting pro c in it - is it ok for them to have pro c daily like this over the long term? I have tried putting in fibreplex but she won't go near it.

Pain relief: One thing that happens now and then (once a month or less?) is a bit of grunting when she poos. I suspect it's where she has a bit of constipation etc from being dry? I hope her diet of wet veg, hay, water and critical care and the motility meds helps keep digestive issues at bay most of the time but the vets said we can use gabapentin when needed. We ideally shouldn't use Metacam due to her other issues. When needed, she is on 0.2 gaba twice a day (she weighs just over a kilo) but today she made a little grunt noise just 2.5 hours after taking it, so I wonder if we should speak to the vets about upping this as it may be a low dose for a stand alone pain med?

Breathing and heart health: She started on a new heart med (cardalis) this month to go with her frusol and vetmedin after we and the vets felt her breathing was more laboured and they found some fluid where it shouldn't be (a small pocket, but there, some in her chest a bit in her belly). This suggests her heart disease is progressing to the later stages, which we sadly knew it would. Since the new meds, I thought her breathing effort was looking a bit better for a couple of weeks, but now I think it is back to how it was, which is still laboured.

She is not showing any of the red flags (mouth breathing, gasping, rattling noises or signs of distress) and if that happens we would be looking at either draining the fluid or perhaps, depending on vet advice, sparing her that and sadly letting her go. I think that would depend on if they felt it was something we could clear for a reasonable amount of time, or if it would likely just come straight back and need doing again, which I really don't think I would want to put her through.

Her resting respiratory rate is still in her normal heart pig range (usually between 80-90) which we and the vets are happy with, I just want to keep an eye on the effort.

Quality of life: When I type it all out it does sound like a lot for an older lady to cope with. But she still begs at the bars, licks our hands for food, head butts me or her fleece tunnel to say 'bring me stuff!' and squeaks and comes over when she hears a bag rustle. So I think there's some life in her yet. We also have maintained her weight throughout all of this, it ranges between 1020-1060 but has only once dropped below a kilo, just for a day. And she is a tiny girl behind all the fur. The last vet visit (end of Feb), he said it's hard to give a prognosis but we may be looking at weeks to months for her in terms of survival rates.

Friendship: Given that she is on palliative care and needs no stress, at the most recent vet trip, he said probably best to leave her as a solo pig (sadly her friend died before Xmas). I find this a little heartbreaking, and had been looking at options for friends through the bars for her, because I don't want her to be lonely. But I don't want her to be stressed with too much stimulation either. She rests a lot, I know she is near end of life and it might be mad to get new ones in (and for personal reasons, we would need to return them to the rescue when Dottie is no longer with us). But I thought I would get her through this current digestive blip and then decide one way or the other. It's such a tough choice to make.

Our plan is:

1. Manage any tummy issues by keeping her hydrated, keeping her veg quite simple but tasty and stepping in with meds promptly if we think there's a sign of stasis or minor bloat. Vets are happy to prescribe without a face to face appointment now.

2. Keep an eye on breathing effort and RRR, with permission to up frusol if needed, up to .35 x 3 per day.

3. Keep an eye on pain and ask to up gaba if needed.

4. Assess overall quality of life as we go and be prepared to make a difficult decision if she looks like she's lost the will.

Does that sound sensible? If anyone has ideas of anything we may be missing or that could futher improve her life, please share.

Many thanks
Lucy

 

[Merab]

To me that sounds like a good plan to give Dottie as many happy todays as she has left.
Make memories in this special time and remember that you are already grieving so be kind to yourself.
Hugs

 

[LucyP]

Thank you Merab, that means a lot.

 

[LucyP]

Morning all, hope you and your pigs are doing ok.

We're still trundling along here, currently dealing with some human-related challenges but little Dottie seems stable, touch wood. We introduced cardalis (an ACE inhibitor with a bit of spironolactone in it) on 28 Feb alongside her vetmedin and frusol and her resting respiratory rate is in the low 80s which is pretty good for her. Her effort looks manageable although we do increase frusol to its maximum at times when the effort looks worse. The vets have said we can give her between 0.2-0.3 frusol 2 or 3 times a day as needed, so there is some flexibility there.

She is currently drinking loads which I suspect is to do with how much diuretic she is on so we are reducing the frusol slightly. I am trying to get the best balance between managing her heart and keeping her hydrated. All the drinking and weeing can presumably put a bit of strain on the kidneys? How much drinking should we be alarmed about? She will chug at the bottle several times throughout the day.

The other thing is she is being a bit more picky with her eating. She's gone off cucumber (she used to love it and it's a shame as it's do good for hydration). She is less bothered about her oxbow critical care on a plate that she used to munch on happily, she just has a bit and wanders off. It's there as top up rather than essential because heart pigs need to maintain weight. So this is a concern. But then she will trot the length of her cage to get some of the cat grass if we sprinkle that out; she goes mad for it, and she'll snatch parsley out of your hands like a maniac. So appetite remains but she is picky. Her weight is a little bit lower this week, so keeping an eye on that. We do have motility meds ready to use if things get worse on that front.

She occasionally blinks or squints slightly (could be pain, could be dehydration?) and very occasionally squeaks when toileting (her poos are a mixture of big, small, firm, soft). Maybe it's her condition, age, plus all the meds. We have gabapentin for pain as metacam not ideal for her. Also a shame as she can't stand the taste of gaba!. They couldn't feel any issues with her body the last time she went in (Feb) The main concern is heart disease, but I am keeping my eyes open in case anything else crops out.

Trying to avoid vet visit stress for her, but if any of the symptoms escalate I will take her in.

Any thoughts or experience re drinking would be welcome. I don't want to assume it's all medication related but she has increased her diuretics so it seems most plausible? We can't not have her on those so I think it's just a case of finding the right balance?

Many thanks
Lucy

 

[Wiebke]

Morning all, hope you and your pigs are doing ok.

We're still trundling along here, currently dealing with some human-related challenges but little Dottie seems stable, touch wood. We introduced cardalis (an ACE inhibitor with a bit of spironolactone in it) on 28 Feb alongside her vetmedin and frusol and her resting respiratory rate is in the low 80s which is pretty good for her. Her effort looks manageable although we do increase frusol to its maximum at times when the effort looks worse. The vets have said we can give her between 0.2-0.3 frusol 2 or 3 times a day as needed, so there is some flexibility there.

She is currently drinking loads which I suspect is to do with how much diuretic she is on so we are reducing the frusol slightly. I am trying to get the best balance between managing her heart and keeping her hydrated. All the drinking and weeing can presumably put a bit of strain on the kidneys? How much drinking should we be alarmed about? She will chug at the bottle several times throughout the day.

The other thing is she is being a bit more picky with her eating. She's gone off cucumber (she used to love it and it's a shame as it's do good for hydration). She is less bothered about her oxbow critical care on a plate that she used to munch on happily, she just has a bit and wanders off. It's there as top up rather than essential because heart pigs need to maintain weight. So this is a concern. But then she will trot the length of her cage to get some of the cat grass if we sprinkle that out; she goes mad for it, and she'll snatch parsley out of your hands like a maniac. So appetite remains but she is picky. Her weight is a little bit lower this week, so keeping an eye on that. We do have motility meds ready to use if things get worse on that front.

She occasionally blinks or squints slightly (could be pain, could be dehydration?) and very occasionally squeaks when toileting (her poos are a mixture of big, small, firm, soft). Maybe it's her condition, age, plus all the meds. We have gabapentin for pain as metacam not ideal for her. Also a shame as she can't stand the taste of gaba!. They couldn't feel any issues with her body the last time she went in (Feb) The main concern is heart disease, but I am keeping my eyes open in case anything else crops out.

Trying to avoid vet visit stress for her, but if any of the symptoms escalate I will take her in.

Any thoughts or experience re drinking would be welcome. I don't want to assume it's all medication related but she has increased her diuretics so it seems most plausible? We can't not have her on those so I think it's just a case of finding the right balance?

Many thanks
Lucy

Hi

Her increased drinking may have something to do with her going off cucumber. Have you tried plain porridge oats as a potential top up, just for a change? Only your vet and lab tests can answer the question whether her kidneys are starting to get impacted as well and whether she has got a potential pain issue developing somewhere, which can make for pickier eating.

I assume that you are still weighing her regularly in order to monitor her all important hay intake and that her weight is still somewhat stable? So all you can do for the moment is just to observe but not to hover and to make the most of every day and what time you have with Dottie with little perks.

I like to imagine this extra time she has thanks to you as a free-floating bubble of love and shared interaction which is timeless in itself. It is going to burst at some point but you can fill it with so much positive content and little things; especially with the comfort that you could not have done any more.
Love transcends time - and the more love and quality of consciously lived and shared time you can pack into a certain lifespan, the longer this period will seem to you because you have more memories and also more happiness that are going to remain with you forever.

Have you access to some dog-pee free dandelion and fresh grass? If introduced carefully and slowly, they will help with urination as well and may give her little extra treat perks throughout the day.

 

[LucyP]

Thank you so much, as ever! Much appreciated.

I’ve been weighing daily. She’s usually around 1010-1040g, the last few days it’s more like 990, 985, it bounces around a bit tbh and the vets said it would decrease over time, but psychologically I feel much better when she over 1000, which she usually is. I’ve got some of her preferred hay coming tomorrow, and might get some more oat hay from piggies parcels which she likes. She has a little bit of fresh wheatgrass from a pot at the moment as we don’t have a garden, but after some slightly clumpy looking poos overnight i held that back today. Some of her poos are drier looking though so maybe I’ll give her more grass. Oats are a good shout thank you.

I’m going to keep an eye out but without letting it over take me. We are still enjoying our moments.

Thanks again.

 

[Merab]

You are doing a great job looking after Dottie. She’s lucky to have such a loving and caring owner.
Look after yourself as well.
Hugs

 

[Wiebke]

Right now, she is still a good weight for a guinea pig. See whether the oats and more grass can tickle her appetite again. Right now, you are just 1 - 1 1/2 full bladders below a kilo, just to put it into perspective, if that helps you.

I hope that the oats and the fresh grass can also help towards balancing a reduced hay/formula based fibre intake (clumpy poos). Her fluid intake is obviously not quite steady over 24 hours but it doesn't look overall like she is dehyrating or anything. The problem is that the more you look, the more you catch the normal little ups and downs.

You are looking at a slow and gradual weight loss if it continues. You are doing your best to slow it down as much as possible.

 

[weepweeps]

Sending hugs to you and Dottie

 

[tahnie]

Wow 2 years of her alive from first post? Yay

 

[LucyP]

Thank you!.. it’s not been that long, but it was over a year ago that we first wondered what was happening with her breathing so I’d say she’s been living with this heart issue at least this long. They told us ‘weeks to months’ at her last vet check in Feb, but we’re just taking it day to day and trying not to worry about tomorrow. As I write this she’s just wheeked loudly for some grass and climbed up the bars so I think she still has some zest for life in her for now at least.

 

[tahnie]

Thank you!.. it’s not been that long, but it was over a year ago that we first wondered what was happening with her breathing so I’d say she’s been living with this heart issue at least this long. They told us ‘weeks to months’ at her last vet check in Feb, but we’re just taking it day to day and trying not to worry about tomorrow. As I write this she’s just wheeked loudly for some grass and climbed up the bars so I think she still has some zest for life in her for now at least. View attachment 283524

Wow wonderful so happy for you both how sweet she is. What was the final diagnosis and what meds has she been on the whole time and currently?

 

[LucyP]

Thank you. The final diagnosis was not 100% certain but one of the vets referred to DCM. She also has a slightly enlarged heart chamber (this can be caused by the DCM I think). They said it is difficult to give a precise diagnosis with heart piggies but there is no doubt she has a heart condition, and regardless of the extract cause and nature of it, the treatment (which is palliative care rather than a cure) would be the same anyway.

Meds wise, Dottie started on frusol and vetmedin almost a year ago now, and as of March 2026 we have added caradlis. So she’s now on all three. Frusol is 3 times a day, vetmedin is twice, and Cardalis is once a day.

If you’re dealing with similar, all the best to you and your piggy.

 

[LucyP]

Hi all, quick update on Dottie, our lovely little 5 year old trooper, for anyone interested and in case of use to any future heart piggy owners...

I had a phone appointment with the vet today.

• Dottie's resting respiratory rate (RRR) remains not too bad for her, around 80 per minute. Vets were pleased with this.
• Her breathing effort (ie how much her body rocks when she breathes) had improved when she started her cardalis meds in March but has crept back up again in recent weeks. The vet said we can try giving some more cardalis (she is emailing me later with the exact doses). She is also on frusol (0.3 x 3 a day) and vetmedin (0.2 x 2).
• Her weight is stable in the 1000-1040 range, 1020 today.
• Her appetite is a good, albeit a bit picky at times. She still begs for the things she likes.
• She is - as you would expect - quite sedentary but still engages, such as squeaking for food, licking your hand for food, or headbutting the roof of her fleece hidey or carboard box to demand we bring her food (maybe the Peruvian diva streak?!). She has always preferred to be waited on. She can move though, and accelerates quite quickly when grass is laid down!)
• She has occasional tummy issues (in the space of 24-48 hours we can see soft poos, hard ones, small ones, large ones, even with a stable diet). The vet said this is not unusual given her heart disease, age and meds. Mostly this is manageable, but twice in the last 6 months she struggled with her digestion). We have permission and instructions to use motility meds in case of worrying issues with minor bloat or stasis (we would call vets for advice as needed). Any suspected moderate/major bloat would of course be an immediate vet visit.
• She occasionally shows some signs of discomfort when toileting, we think this seems to happen esp when she's pushing out a few poos together. We have gabapentin we can give to help with that if it seems to be sustained. It's possible/likely at her age she has some arthritis which could affect her. Vets have said gabapentin is safe for her.

As her heart condition is incurable, we are managing her at home and have decided not to put her through any invasive vet procedures to do with her heart condition, such as draining fluid etc, as they would only be temporary measures and we'd rather her spare her the stress. We will take her to the vets if it is needed for any other issues that arise that may need care, or if we feel her quality of life diminishes to the point we need to make that most difficult decision (you know what I mean), but otherwise, the vets and we are happy to try tweaking the meds to maximise her comfort.

Considering it's been 14 months since we first noticed some funny looking breathing, and nearly a year since she was diagnosed, I am pleased she still seems to be plodding along quite well. We know it could change at any time but we will do what we can to make her days happy and comfortable until then.

Best wishes
Lucy

 

[weepweeps]

Wishing you and Dottie many more happy days together

 

[LucyP]

Dottie says thank you so much!

 

[Wiebke]

I sincerely hope that beautiful Dottie can be around for quite a little while longer!

 

[Roselina]

Lovely Dotty……. keep bumbling along lovely girl

 

[Fluffbabies]

Aww lovely Dottie! I hope she is still doing well. She’s very lucky to have an owner like you doing so much to look after her. I’m happy she’s continuing on so long after her diagnosis and you’re both having more special moments together.

I’m not on the forum very much these days but I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to write all the details in your posts for other piggy parents.

Our Squeak just got diagnosed with heart failure at only around 3.5 years old when I noticed she was gently rocking breathing one evening with no visible signs even earlier that day. (We don’t know her age for certain because our girls are all rescue piggies.)

The local vet initially prescribed Baytril for a respiratory infection but I took her to a specialist who did an ultrasound and found one part of her heart a bit enlarged and fluid around her heart and veteeen her diaphragm and liver.

She suddenly lost the use of her back legs overnight and they think that’s something neurological so they can’t do anything about it except pain relief in case it’s a spinal issue.

It was a huge shock when the specialist said she didn’t expect Squeak to be around more than 4-5 weeks as we started palliative medications just a week after first noticing and she showed such signs of improvement. She’s walking and running again but you can tell it’s hard sometimes (also fatigue from the heart failure) or her back half starts twisting to the left side.

She’s on metacam, gabapentin and frusol. We’re just managing symptoms and observing quality of life similar to yourself with Dottie. Our biggest issue is urine scald on her lower tummy and inner back legs, where she has lost her hair. The vet told us about how painful it is and it seems to be the biggest factor at the moment when considering if she has quality of life. I worry about the pain she is in with that. We were rinsing and drying her skin 2-3x a day and she was still becoming soaked in between. It felt like a losing battle. Her mobility is better but I wonder if the diuretic is making her wee frequently and it’s a lot stronger. We’re trying to keep her hydrated. We give water by syringe when we feed build up a few times a day.

I’m hoping her skin will start to improve now I’ve cut her hair on her back legs and bottom very very short and started applying barrier cream twice a day. She seems to be drier in between washes.

Is this urine scald you’re dealing with with Dottie?

Anyways this is much longer than what I planned to write! So sorry for that. My intention was that I wanted to share that you’re not alone in this emotionally challenging and physically wearing journey.
I find it taxing sometimes as I feel the weight of responsibility to give her everything she needs every day when I struggle to look after me at times.
Your care journey has been a long one and I hope you’re feeling alright in yourself.

 

[LucyP]

Sorry to hear about your Squeak, it is so hard isn't it, you just want the best for them. And thank you for your kind words to Dottie and us, we appreciate it!

I hadn't been aware of urine scold but Dottie does have some slightly stained fur at the back which I try to keep clean (she also has a stained beard from vegetable/herb mush which is hard to remove too!). We use vet bed and change it often, as well as changing the mat underneath. Keeping her dry is not helped by her obsession with getting under the vet bed to make herself a tent (even in a heatwave!).

I also use an old flannel or water wipes to clean her up (she has some soft poos and can also get a damp backside). I had thought that the urine once they are on diuretics was meant to be more watery and less strong (and I feel like the white deposit/powder on the mats is less since she was on these meds too) but I could be wrong on that. Now that you mention urine scold, I'll keep a closer eye on that and make sure I clean her legs and tummy as well as her back end, so thank you for mentioning it.

There's a guide on here about caring for less mobile pigs which you've probably seen already but worth checking out if you haven't.

I hope Squeak has as many happy days as possible. Keep us posted.

 

[LucyP]

Hello, hope everyone is well.

Dottie's been a bit up and down lately. She went off some of her favourite foods earlier this week and had a reduced (but still reasonable appetite) and started producing smaller poos. She also refused the small plate of critical care that's been part of her daily diet (and a fave of hers) as top-up nutrition, being an older girl with heart issues that can lead to weight and digestive issues.

So as per the last time she went off her food, with vet's permission we gave her ranitidine and then the next day added emperid. It seemed to perk up her appetite a bit and she quickly went back to within her normal weight range around 1kg. This was a couple of days ago but she's still not right; picky eating (although yesterday she begged at the bars for some greens).

Earlier on in the week her poos were very dry, so we gave her extra water and she had some veg. The poos started to look wetter again. She has never stopped pooing and overnight last night she must have done 20-30, but some of them have been tiny. Others are more normal in size and today she did a couple of ones that were probably bigger than normal for her. She has had erratic poos before and the vet said it could be a combi of meds, age and illness.

Most of her poos at the moment are the usual shape and well formed, but just so much smaller than others. I have given her some syringe feed - not loads as she didn't want it and because she has maintained her weight.

What worried me most now is that when I picked her up to try to gently check if she felt firmer in the belly, she made a clearly unhappy noise. She also made the same noise when I touched her nearer her head (which is usually a fine area for her) so it's possible it was a 'get off me and leave me alone' noise, but I fear the belly and sides pain may be real. She has gabapentin on standby for any suspected pain (because Metacam is not ideal given her health issues/kidney risk). So she is on gabapentin now (0.2 x twice a day) but I worry this is not enough. I don't want to keep prodding her but I was trying to understand if she had air in her, or fluid, or both. She has some fluid retention generally due to her heart. She also feels quite pear shaped and heavy in her hip area generally and I can't tell if this is her normal or not. She is 6 also.

And now I am wondering if her cysts have grown, not that I can feel them and they were always small but they had grown a bit at her last vet visit (March).

Her breathing effort is not higher, and if anything it looks less bad than normal. Her resting respiratory rate is slightly lower (64-70 today, her normal is usually 80-90 and has been for a while).

Pros: she is still eating some things, she is still pooing, her weight is maintained
Concerns: dislike of favourite foods, squeaking when being handled, possible fuller or firmer body (?) I was also alarmed to not hear gut sounds but she did a poo after I put her back and she had been eating, albeit less than normal, so I hope that with that an the emprid (1ml x 2 a day) and ranititine (0.2 x 2 a day) things are still moving?

She looks interested when she hears the rustle of a bag but when you put things down in front of her she sometimes turns her back. Other items she will go for with enthusiasm - like spinach which she would munch lots of, but I worry too much might make her worse? Her going off grass really freaked me out.

I have got her an appointment for first thing. We had always said with the vet we'd try a phone appointment first and then take it from there to avoid stressing her out, but I think this warrants a hands on exam?

Please send healing vibes.. and if anyone has suggestions on what we might be looking at or what we might need to ask the vet, please share. Or thoughts on how we can keep her comfy tonight.

Thanks for reading
Lucy