Heavier Breathing and Smaller Poops

[jennyhw]

Hello everyone, I had no idea that such a great forum existed so I finally decided to join as a member.

I have a 4-year-old boar skinny pig. The past few days my boy has been breathing heavier than normal (he's hairless so maybe it seems more pronounced?) but no clicking, wheezing, sneezing, coughing or any other respiratory symptoms. His poops are also smaller than normal (no signs of digestive issues other than size), which leads me to believe he is eating less than normal.

Here are my questions:
1. Would pain increase his respiration (I already know that his small poops are due to less food being eaten. And my experience with rabbits tells me that pain definitely decreases appetite).
2. I have given him Metacam until I can get him to the doctor tomorrow (I'd take him to emergency if he was critical). Is there anything else I should worry about? His mobility, personality, zest for vegetables, water intake, fresh veg/hay intake all seem the same - the only thing I can see different is less pellets being eaten.

Thanks so much everyone. He's my first piggy, so I'm still a "new mom".

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hay needs to be the biggest part of their diet (over 80% of the diet needs to be hay, with pellets limited to one tablespoon per day and veg to approx a cup) which cannot be gauged by eye. The only way to know if he is is eating enough hay is to weigh him regularly - weekly as a matter of routine but weigh daily where there are health concerns. If his poops are smaller then it means he is not eating enough hay, and for that there could be many causes.
Where there are weight losses and a decrease in food intake, supportive syringe feeding needs to be started.

He definitely needs to see a vet to diagnose the problem. Ensure your vet is cavy savvy and that all his teeth are checked.

 

[jennyhw]

Hay needs to be the biggest part of their diet (over 80% of the diet needs to be hay, with pellets limited to one tablespoon per day and veg to approx a cup) which cannot be gauged by eye. The only way to know if he is is eating enough hay is to weigh him regularly - weekly as a matter of routine but weigh daily where there are health concerns. If his poops are smaller then it means he is not eating enough hay, and for that there could be many causes.
Where there are weight losses and a decrease in food intake, supportive syringe feeding needs to be started.

He definitely needs to see a vet to diagnose the problem. Ensure your vet is cavy savvy and that all his teeth are checked.

Thank you! He does get unlimited hay 24/7. He does get his veg at about 1 cup-1.5 cups per day and pellet. I do have a piggy/rabbit savvy vet, so I'll take him in tomorrow.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Keep veg limited, don’t let it creep up and overfeed it it isn’t good if they have too much veg and veg and pellets are supplemental to the hay based diet. I believe skinnies eat more than haired, so never let the hay run low in the cage.

 

[Lady Kelly]

Please step in with syringing mashed up pellets to him to keep him going ahead of his vets appointment. As piggies are prey animals they hide illness well so often the usual suspects (such as respiratory infections) don't come with the textbook symptoms until they have already taken a good hold. Hopefully you have caught whatever it is early.

Please see our bridging care guide for some more information on keeping him going well before his vet visit Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

 

[jennyhw]

Well, I took Mr Piggles in this morning to see our vet. He is mildly sedated for xrays and a thorough exam and his xray shows a severely enlarged heart. They gave us Lasix as he also showed some fluid in his lungs. Our poor little guy is in heart failure. We have been told to keep him comfortable, which I am. But I also asking the vet about Benazepril (Lotensin®) as well. I'm not ready to let my little guy go. If he is suffering, then we will have to make the difficult decision. But right now, I am hoping that the Lasix will at least help him breathe better and provide some relief.

The vet was actually quite amazed that I caught it - he was hiding it so well. He also has quite a bit of air in his tummy which the vet says is from breathing so heavy.

Is there anything I can do to help with the air in his tummy?

 

[Bill & Ted]

Hope Mr Piggies makes a sound recovery very soon, well done you for spotting he had a problem x

 

[Siikibam]

Well done for spotting it.

 

[anyar.dris]

I used to have a piggy with enlarged heart and fluids around it as well. Her name was Deedee. She was prescribed Frusol (Furosemide), which is a diuretic, and Metacam that she has taken her whole life (well after diagnosis until she passed away).

 

[jennyhw]

Thank you so much everyone. This gives me some hope that he might still make it. ❤

 

[Rivervixen]

Big hugs for you and mr piggles xx

 

[DM06020]

how is he now?

 

[jennyhw]

how is he now?

He is actually doing quite well. He is still on his twice daily dose of Lasix (diuretic), his breathing is almost normal and he is eating up a storm. Our vet is very happy with his progress and he will be getting another x-ray within the month to check on the size of his heart.

Thank you so much for asking!

 

[DM06020]

He is actually doing quite well. He is still on his twice daily dose of Lasix (diuretic), his breathing is almost normal and he is eating up a storm. Our vet is very happy with his progress and he will be getting another x-ray within the month to check on the size of his heart.

Thank you so much for asking!

thanks so good to hear!