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Ellie Is Drinking More &bit Puffed Up

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GPTV

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Hi everyone,
I'm a bit concerned about my 7+ year old Ellie.

The last fortnight or so she has hardly been out on the grass as the weather has turned cooler, since I've had her in the water bottle is about 2/3 gone most days. I dont think I have ever seen her pad mate drink from the bottle or bowl.
No problems weeing, healthy poops. Maybe a slightly smaller appetite than she has had but happy to scoff handfuls of grass.

She seems to have been a little subdued for the last couple of days.
Tuesday she seemed a bit puffed up so went to the vets on Wednesday. Given 0.15ml of baytril twice daily.
She still hates it! :(

She seems to have quite cold ears,but her toes are normal colour. Her ears are black so I can't see if any change there.

Nose &chest all sound normal.
She does spend more time sleeping now,but I'm guessing its because she's getting on a bit now. She does seem to sleep slightly heavier than she used to.

Anyone any suggestions?
Seems to me, its not just one contributal problem, uti', heart, teeth, URI or is it just old age?

She's been sat on my lap for an hr or so&chatting away &not as puffy now.
Going to put a snugglesafe in her hutch tonigt.

Any help appreciated.
Xx
 
Oh &my phone won't let me edit. But she had hormone injections for her ovarian cyst &has had no problems with that since. No bleeding but her lump didn't decrease in size.
Thankyou
 
Am wondering if she has some kind of pain, as that usually makes them fluff up and it would explain her reduced appetite. Is she on any pain relief?
 
No she's not on any pain meds,&I dont think I have any that's left over from her last vet visit.
Might phone the vets tomorrow &see if I can pick some up in my dinner hour.

I feel awful,never thought about her being in pain, I thinking more URI, like she's had before.

Her appetite is only a little reduced &she's produced about 20-30 poops whilst on my lap tonight. 2or 3 were a bit soft but mostly normal.

Do u think its her ovarian cyst playing her up-apparently they are painful in humans.

Thankyou. Xx
 
That's a good idea. Even a low maintenance dose may help. My Millie had cysts which actually burst and she was on pain relief until that happened and for a while after too. It could well be her cyst as depending how big it is they can encroach on other organs. We had a pig at clinic that needed an emergency spay for that reason. Also Millie was prone to gassy episodes before hers burst.

Good that she is pooing ok.

What made you consider a URI? is her breathing laboured at all? is she prone to them?
 
I've had her just over 2yrs &she has had 2 URI's, one of them I honestly thought I was going to lose her. Hours of sleepless nights,medication &TLC up to my eyeballs!
She lost her appetite &was touch &go :(

her breathing is a little heavier than normal but not too bad.

She was puffed up on both occasions. But now u come to mention it-she puffed up a little bit sometimes when she had the numerous uti's &bleeding. Which turned out to be the ovarian cyst.
Which I guess would be a pain reaction like u mentioned.

When she sleeps or sits quietly she seems to be pancake'ing more than usual. Not sure if that has any relevance?
X
 
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I have been giving Ellie metacam 0.2ml twice a day since Saturday night. In addition to the baytril. She does seem to still be a bit puffed up occasionally throughout the day. But she is sitting on her snugglesafe &not as puffed now.

She still doesn't have any rattle to her chest &isn't at all snotty.

Does anyone think it could be her ovarian cysts being painful &playing her up?
I'll hopefully be bringing her indoors soon. But she is in her hutch in the shed at the moment. So I dont think its that she's cold.
Or does anyone have any other suggestions?

Ellie &I would be grateful of any advice
Xx
 
Puffing up is a sign of pain.

When was her last xray? I've never had a female piggy so can't comment on ovarian cysts, but at her age arthritis is a possibility. That can be diagnosed by an xray.
 
It is a possibility due to the impact a growing cyst may have on the surrounding organs. I would get her xrayed to see what the situation is with the cyst and rule out any other issues.
 
Hadn't thought about arthritis.

She hasn't had an xray but she has had an ultrasound to diagnose the ovarian cyst.
Back in about march.

She's been fine up until about the last 10days. No mobility problems otherwise.
She is on metacam which is a painkiller. So I'm a bit stumped really& the vet just thinks its old age. But if I can suggest something she is always open to ideas.
Xx
 
The Metacam should help if it is arthritis, but it might take a few days to kick in.

It might be a bit costly, but an xray would definitely show up anything like arthritis.
 
Thankyou,its always an option to consider, which I hadn't thought about.
My regular vet isn't in until Wednesday. So I've made an appointment for 5pm. I'll have to leave work early,just got to win my manager for it! ;)
I will obviously take her in before if she deteriorates. &see a less savvy vet.
She's been sat on my lap, chatting away-I now have a soggy left knee... She's definitely peeing ok ;)

Xx
 
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