Heart & dental issues

[Puddles1999]

Penelope has had dental issues for the last few years. They usually start up once/twice a year and then she’ll be good for a while.

The beginning of this year, she had fluid in her abdomen and the vet heard a tiny heart murmur and a slightly enlarged heart. Since then, she’s on Vetmedin twice a day and Benazepril once a day. Her heart still looks good and hasn’t changed since starting the meds. She does not have to take a diuretic.

The past few days, Penelope’s teeth I think are becoming an issue again. She was at the vet last week and she didn’t see anything. Penelope was still eating hay but I could just see little signs of it bothering her. Would it be possible her teeth were bothering her but we couldn’t see it yet?

She has now stopped eating hay and is still eating her oxbow urinary and joint & on a critical care diet. She has a crazy appetite still but won’t touch hay. I see her making the mouth motion of something getting stuck which is the #1 sign of molar issues with her. Trying to get her booked back in the vet currently.

Sorry for the long back story but this leads me to my point. Her teeth are usually an easy fix. She’s very lightly gassed and has them filed down. She hasn’t had them done since she was diagnosed with the heart stuff. I’m nervous for her. I’m nervous for the vet to not find anything on her teeth but I really have the feeling that it’s her teeth. Granted, she’s just lightly gassed and been okay and her heart issues aren’t too severe. I guess I’m just looking for some reassurance or experiences. This is the place I look to because I know I’m not alone in this situation.

 

[naguya]

I am sorry for your situation my dog Sonny who had heart problems, he was taking several heart medications, one of which was Vetmedin and Benazepril like yours. I am sending plenty of healing waves for Penelope.

Did your vet diagnose what type of heart problem she has besides the enlarged heart? I don't know if it's possible to do an echocardiogram on guinea pigs. Depending on the degree of heart disease, they completely lose their appetite at times...

 

[Puddles1999]

I am sorry for your situation my dog Sonny who had heart problems, he was taking several heart medications, one of which was Vetmedin and Benazepril like yours. I am sending plenty of healing waves for Penelope.

Did your vet diagnose what type of heart problem she has besides the enlarged heart? I don't know if it's possible to do an echocardiogram on guinea pigs. Depending on the degree of heart disease, they completely lose their appetite at times...

Hi, thank you! awe, what kind of dog was Sonny?

Not sure. She only had mentioned hearing the tiniest heart murmur which took a few appointments before she heard it. A x-ray showed a slightly enlarged heart as well. She hasn’t seemed to experience too many side effects other than the fluid in her abdomen when it had just started. She got diagnosed in February of this year and just now started having some medical issues which I think is her teeth again. She’s started making the motion of something stuck in her mouth again sometimes when eating critical care so I guess somethings bothering her in there again. I hate seeing her not feel good

 

[naguya]

Hi, thank you! awe, what kind of dog was Sonny?

Not sure. She only had mentioned hearing the tiniest heart murmur which took a few appointments before she heard it. A x-ray showed a slightly enlarged heart as well. She hasn’t seemed to experience too many side effects other than the fluid in her abdomen when it had just started. She got diagnosed in February of this year and just now started having some medical issues which I think is her teeth again. She’s started making the motion of something stuck in her mouth again sometimes when eating critical care so I guess somethings bothering her in there again. I hate seeing her not feel good

Sonny was a pinscher, he was with me for 15 years!

Was the fluid in the abdomen justified? Typically heart disease, such as heart failure, causes fluid retention. Is she having trouble walking or has she been standing still more? Was it just a heart murmur that she heard or was there some extra sound present?

When you notice her bothering with her teeth does she look like she's going to cough? I hope it is not any cardiac repercussions You seem like a very dedicated owner, she is definitely in good hands with you!

 

[weepweeps]

I’m so sorry your piggy is poorly. I think the best thing would be to have a chat with the vet about heart conditions and anaesthesia. Unfortunately you can’t leave her not eating but hopefully a little gas will be ok to have her teeth sorted.

Sending you hugs at this difficult time and healing vibes to Penelope.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, thank you! awe, what kind of dog was Sonny?

Not sure. She only had mentioned hearing the tiniest heart murmur which took a few appointments before she heard it. A x-ray showed a slightly enlarged heart as well. She hasn’t seemed to experience too many side effects other than the fluid in her abdomen when it had just started. She got diagnosed in February of this year and just now started having some medical issues which I think is her teeth again. She’s started making the motion of something stuck in her mouth again sometimes when eating critical care so I guess somethings bothering her in there again. I hate seeing her not feel good

Hi

HUGS

Overgrown teeth are the end of the road for your girl, so since her heart issues are not severe, she should still have a fairly good chance of coming through the necessary treatment as opposed to not having any chance at all.

With frailer piggies it often boils down to an assessment of chances and a weighing up of benefits vs. risks when the easy choices are becoming increasingly rarer. Unfortunately, it won't get any less difficult for any loving owner the frailer a piggy gets. These are some of the hardest decisions you can be forced to make as an owner. Since you have to judge the situation each time on its own merits - whether that is for the same piggy with a chronic or progressive health issue or for another piggy of yours - whenever you are called to make a decision, there is never an easy way out because of how deeply we love and how much we want the best for those in our care - and of course, prefer to have them with us for that bit longer. Unfortunately, what is never possible is a sneak peek at the outcome; we always have to make our choice in good faith.

If you have concerns, you can always book a telephone consultation with your vet to talk through all the aspects and concerns involved, so you are able to make as informed a decision as possible; this also includes the treatment cost and the likelihood of potentially expensive post-op complications.
Best make a list of what you want to ask them/points to discuss beforehand and check that list before you end. What neither we nor any vet can do is tell you how to decide. This is the privilege but also the heavy burden we can face as owners when both ways equally have their pro and cons and there is no clear right or wrong, just a personal preference in weighing the factors in play - and it is all up to just you.

What we can do on here is to help you ask all the necessary questions so you can find out where your heart lies to make any decision with a clearer mind so you will hopefully less conflicted and overwhelmed. We can also give you ongoing moral community support throughout the whole time.

My thoughts are with you in this anxious and stressful time.

 

[Puddles1999]

Sonny was a pinscher, he was with me for 15 years!

Was the fluid in the abdomen justified? Typically heart disease, such as heart failure, causes fluid retention. Is she having trouble walking or has she been standing still more? Was it just a heart murmur that she heard or was there some extra sound present?

When you notice her bothering with her teeth does she look like she's going to cough? I hope it is not any cardiac repercussions You seem like a very dedicated owner, she is definitely in good hands with you!

Awe, I’m happy you had 15 years with your sweet boy.

She is not having trouble walking or standing still. She did when she had fluid in her abdomen but she’s been perfectly fine ever since. It was just the heart murmur she had noticed.

She does this thing I call the peanut butter mouth motion. She opens her mouth trying to get something moved around in there. She’s done that since she first started with her dental issues. It seems to only be the same symptoms when she has problems with her molars. Thank you so much

 

[Puddles1999]

I’m so sorry your piggy is poorly. I think the best thing would be to have a chat with the vet about heart conditions and anaesthesia. Unfortunately you can’t leave her not eating but hopefully a little gas will be ok to have her teeth sorted.

Sending you hugs at this difficult time and healing vibes to Penelope.

Thank you usually it’s a pretty quick process for her but I always get nervous when things are wrong with her and this will be the first time she’s had them trimmed since having her heart issues. I am hoping the same since her heart issues are minimal and slight gas should hopefully not bother her.

 

[Puddles1999]

Hi

HUGS

Overgrown teeth are the end of the road for your girl, so since her heart issues are not severe, she should still have a fairly good chance of coming through the necessary treatment as opposed to not having any chance at all.

With frailer piggies it often boils down to an assessment of chances and a weighing up of benefits vs. risks when the easy choices are becoming increasingly rarer. Unfortunately, it won't get any less difficult for any loving owner the frailer a piggy gets. These are some of the hardest decisions you can be forced to make as an owner. Since you have to judge the situation each time on its own merits - whether that is for the same piggy with a chronic or progressive health issue or for another piggy of yours - whenever you are called to make a decision, there is never an easy way out because of how deeply we love and how much we want the best for those in our care - and of course, prefer to have them with us for that bit longer. Unfortunately, what is never possible is a sneak peek at the outcome; we always have to make our choice in good faith.

If you have concerns, you can always book a telephone consultation with your vet to talk through all the aspects and concerns involved, so you are able to make as informed a decision as possible; this also includes the treatment cost and the likelihood of potentially expensive post-op complications.
Best make a list of what you want to ask them/points to discuss beforehand and check that list before you end. What neither we nor any vet can do is tell you how to decide. This is the privilege but also the heavy burden we can face as owners when both ways equally have their pro and cons and there is no clear right or wrong, just a personal preference in weighing the factors in play - and it is all up to just you.

What we can do on here is to help you ask all the necessary questions so you can find out where your heart lies to make any decision with a clearer mind so you will hopefully less conflicted and overwhelmed. We can also give you ongoing moral community support throughout the whole time.

My thoughts are with you in this anxious and stressful time.

That is what I am hoping. I think she has a much better chance since she’s only lightly gassed and doesn’t have severe heart issues. She’s always came out of her dental procedures okay but that was before her diagnosis. I still feel positive about it and I think she’ll be okay, it’s just hard not to worry.

She is still doing okay and acting mostly herself. Still has an appetite and willingly eats critical care out of her bowl and then her daily oxbow tabs. I noticed her mouth bothering her occasionally though so I really want to get it sorted for her.

She has a drop off appointment tomorrow in the morning. I will update. Thank you everyone for the support. It is much needed and very appreciated

 

[Wheekallweek]

Best of luck to you and Penelope

 

[Wiebke]

That is what I am hoping. I think she has a much better chance since she’s only lightly gassed and doesn’t have severe heart issues. She’s always came out of her dental procedures okay but that was before her diagnosis. I still feel positive about it and I think she’ll be okay, it’s just hard not to worry.

She is still doing okay and acting mostly herself. Still has an appetite and willingly eats critical care out of her bowl and then her daily oxbow tabs. I noticed her mouth bothering her occasionally though so I really want to get it sorted for her.

She has a drop off appointment tomorrow in the morning. I will update. Thank you everyone for the support. It is much needed and very appreciated

Fingers firmly crossed for tomorrow.

 

[naguya]

Sending lots of good and healing waves for Penelope! Everything will be alright!

 

[weepweeps]

Good luck tomorrow

 

[Puddles1999]

Hi, thank you everyone for the support.
The vet just called and she’s ready to be picked up. Said she was lightly gassed and trimmed her molars down. Her top left is her problem area as that was an area that grew into her cheek and took a while to find it last time she had issues.

So she had her left and right top molars filed down. She said the left was a bit worse but both were overgrown.

Hopefully she’s on the right track now & can start eating hay again. Usually it’s a fast recovery so hoping it is this time too.

 

[weepweeps]

Sending healing vibes for a quick recovery.

 

[Wheekallweek]

Glad she's OK

 

[Puddles1999]

Hi everyone! It took her a little bit but she’s started eating hay again. She also hasn’t lost any weight since this whole thing started.

However, recently I’ve noticed sometimes she’s sleeping/sitting puffy. She is otherwise acting normal. Squeaking, walking around for floor time, following me around. I have her on my lap now and she’s sitting there quite puffy. Worried as to what is bothering her as I think sitting/sleeping puffy is a sign of discomfort.

Also starting last night, she’s started having cow pad poops. She’s been getting benebac probiotic to see if it helps any.

The other week at the vet, it was noted she had a small small bladder stone. The vet said she should be able to pass it because it was so small and showed us the X-ray. I don’t notice her squeaking while peeing or anything. I’ve started her on meloxicam every 12 hours but they prescribed it 0.2 for every 24 hours so she gets 0.1 every 12 hours which seems small. She only weighs around 650grams as well. I get so worried about her

 

[Puddles1999]

This is said bladder stone.

 

[Puddles1999]

I did notice while looking her over, her nipples seem to look kinda flaky? They’re both black so the “flakes” are also black and hard to see. It almost looks like dry skin. I know that can be a sign of ovarian cysts.

Like previously mentioned, she had X-rays and nothing was shown.

 

[weepweeps]

I’m sorry she is still unwell. Hopefully she will pass the stone. You are right that is a very low dose of pain relief. I can’t advise on a higher dose as she’s so small. Maybe call the vet back and ask if it can be increased.

For the soft poops I’d take her off veg for a few days and see if that settles down. If it turns very watery then get her seen as that’s an emergency. Good luck.

 

[Puddles1999]

I’m sorry she is still unwell. Hopefully she will pass the stone. You are right that is a very low dose of pain relief. I can’t advise on a higher dose as she’s so small. Maybe call the vet back and ask if it can be increased.

For the soft poops I’d take her off veg for a few days and see if that settles down. If it turns very watery then get her seen as that’s an emergency. Good luck.

I’ve sent an email to our vet to hopefully get her seen again.
She has been pooping normal now however when I checked her over, I noticed that “wet” poop barely coming out of her behind. Not sure why that is. Thank you

 

[Puddles1999]

She seemed to have not munched on much hay over night (I have a camera in her room) from what I could tell. She was eating hay and running around yesterday evening. She just had critical care that she willingly took from a syringe so she was definitely hungry.
She seems to have a reduced appetite maybe? My anxiety is crazy with possibilities. I am thinking ovarian cysts now seeing her nipples and the left side of her belly has seemed to poke out a bit more than it used to. I would’ve thought we would’ve been able to see it on the X-rays just not that long ago.
It’s clear she’s experiencing discomfort somewhere. Everywhere I’ve seen said ovarian cysts usually aren’t painful. I’m in contact with the vet again but not sure if she’s going to be able fit her in. Gosh I feel sick with worry. It feels like my child is sick. I care about her so much and she’s like a child to me, I just want her to be okay.

 

[weepweeps]

It’s so stressful when they are sick. Keep syringe feeding her and talk to the vet about the pain killer dose as if she is in pain she won’t want to eat.

I can’t help with ovaries as I’ve only had boars.

 

[Puddles1999]

I’ve weighed her and she has not lost any weight. In fact she was up a bit which I know is normal.

I think that’s what is confusing me. She didn’t eat much hay last night from what I could see and she’s taking quite a lot of critical care from me so clearly she’s hungry. It doesn’t make sense for her to have not lost any weight considering the eating habits I’ve been seeing.

That’s what also makes me think of a cyst/growth on that left side that sticks out. Also makes me nervous she could’ve gone into partial gi stasis. She did pass normal stools a bit ago. The vet has prescribed her metaclopromide for now. I’m going to start cc feeds every 2-3 hours and let her eat as much as she’s willing to.

 

[Puddles1999]

Attached are photos I took off a video of the flakes around her nipples.

I also have it as a possibility in my head that she has fluid in her body again due to her heart issues. She hasn’t been on furosemide since February of this year and I see similar symptoms compared to last time. I don’t think she was doing this before either. It could be possible the gas to have her teeth trimmed maybe caused a little issue?

I’m just brainstorming at this point but definitely something I am looking in to.

Sorry for all the posts. It’s helping me clear my head and process my thoughts.