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In despair - Vets have no clue

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Cass

Hi Piggy lovers!

Sorry for the essay!

My name is Cassandra and I have kept pigs since I was a kid, on the 10th at the moment, can't imagine not having pigs in my life!

I've always kept them in pairs, usually girls, and getting a new one when one sadly passes on. I got Simone after Bilie died as company for Nora. The 2 got on great and Simone got fat very quickly - turned out she was preggers! She had 3 babies (2 girls, 1 boy) The boy went to my best friend and I kept the girls Fitz and Freddie so I had 4 in total for the first time ever. It was great.

We moved house in December and Nora had been quite skinny for a while and we always wondered if she would make it through the winter, she surprised us every year and kept on going. She took a turn for the worse in March, acting a little weird - all spaced out, huddled up in a corner of the run, still eating normally but got skinnier quickly. This was over the course of about 2 weeks. She was about 7 so her time had finally come. RIP Nora.

I wasn't sure if the other pigs would pine for her as they still had each other but gave them extra fuss anyway. But after about a month Simone started to do the same as Nora, skinnny, friendlier, lost her squeak now and then and sitting huddled facing a wall or fence. We kept an eye on her and made sure she was getting enough food because her daughters always nicked it off her, but she got a lot worse very quickly and died only a few months after Nora. She was less than 3 years old and it didn't make sense at all. RIP Simone.

Now one of the girls has taken on the same syptoms. I have thought of everything - Disease, pesticides, plant poision, and yet none of it makes sense. Why would they all go one by one and not be ill at the same time if it was any of those 3 things. Fitz has been to the vets and she had no answers at all. She didn't do any blood tests which I was a little surprised about and I don't believe in giving drugs 'just in case it might work' when you don't know what the actual problem is.

Does any of this sound familiar to any of you? I think you all have better piggy knowledge than some vets. If there's nothing that can be done to save Fitz then I may well have her put to sleep before we get to the sad part where she is really ill, it's simply not fair on her or us. Desperate for any advice you can offer. Many thanks and much piggy love x
 
Hi There, nice to meet you and I am so sorry to hear of your losses so close together.

I am a new piggy owner so unfortunately can not offer you any advice on this but there are others on this forum that are very knowledgeable and hopefully will be able to help you.

I just wanted to say that I hope you get some answers soon.

Love Claire x
 
Hi! Welcome to the forum!

I am sorry that you have lost two of your beloved girls so quickly together. and you must be so worried of losing yet another one!

Have you thought of worming? What bedding have you got them on? Are they living in a hutch whose wood has been treated?
I am no expert, so I can't help you either. Unfortunately, weight loss is such a vague symptom...

There is a medical website for guinea pigs; perhaps that might help you further. http://www.guinealynx.info/index.html
 
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Hi

Have you thought about taking them to the Cambridge Cavy Trust.

Jaye.
 
Thanks Claire, that's very kind of you.

I will check the website Vicky, thank you muchly. It's the dozy, away with the fairies bit that scares me, they just kind of switch off, have never seen it in a pigs before.
 
By the way, the vet checked her teeth and abdomen and all was normal (apart from her being skinny). She does eat normally and doesn't dribble at all. So many weird syptoms that don't add up to one definite answer. They are looked after so well and get such a varied diet, I can't see that I've done anything different to the last 20 years to be honest and my pigs have always lived to 7+ till now.
 
It is unlikely to be poisoning from the history that you have given. Don't forget there is always the chance that the deaths are coincidental, it is human nature to always look for a common cause when there is a cluster of illness or deaths. It could be a chronic internal fungal problem, are there any signs of skin problems?
I have lost pigs in similar circumstances, on a number of occasions. over the years and I never found a common preventable cause.
 
No signs of skin or fur problems at all. Just puffed up coat which now having done some reading is a common general sign of illness. I agree it's human nature to find a cause. Still makes you feel pants though. Vets tomorrow I think and perhaps try the antibiotics route. The vet did say she would have an ask around the other vets etc and let me know if anything cropped up, but she didn't call me.
 
Really do get in touch with the CCT - they will be able to give you a telephone consultation i'm sure.

I also don't know any answers but hope you find out soon if it's a coincidence or not. Poor you and them.
 
As you say a "puffed up coat" is a sign of real problems.Does the pig want to eat or is she unable to eat?
It is difficult to get a blood sample from a pig and I do'n think it would tell you very much in any case.
I never give up with any of my pigs no matter how il they are, there is always that tiny chance that the problem may be cured. This does not mean to say that I let them suffer, I always make sure that they have whatever pain relief they need.
 
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Did the vet check her heart? I lost some piggies with a congenital heart murmer about 10yrs ago, and they died in pretty much the same way you're describing. my vet hit on it straight away though, so it might not be the same for your girls.

Hope it works out better for your piggies than it did fo mine.
 
I wondered about congenital problems also as they were all related?
 
If you can (where are you? England? If so, CCT asap, otherwise PM me and I'll give you some Scottish contacts who have been most helpful to me up north) get an x-ray of the girl. Most vets will and if they won't you may need to change vets quickly.

Do begin to force feed her. Get a hold of critical care and grab some insulin syringes from your vet (or soak pellets in water and blend some veggies into the mixture)

I had a pig who did the same thing - a boar - it turned out that he had numerous problems by the time he died, each would have been treatable if they'd been caught before he became critical. He had elongated teeth (growing down into his jaw making it painful for him to eat) and bladder stones yet showed no symptoms of either besides losing weight.

Do check out guinea lynx - or even use the forums. They are vet helpful, especially with medicines which aren't mainstream in the UK. (contact webs on GL for UK versions.)
 
Coccidiosis is rare in pet guinea pigs.
If they were living with infected rabbits they may acquire another type of coccidiosis.
 
Hi am just catching up with your thread...... :(
Very sorry to hear of your piggies Nora and Simone going to the bridge 8...8...8...
A big welcome to TGPF from us in OZ :)
I do hope you can find out what is wrong with Fitz, whee are sending healing wheeeeeeks and loves from us all xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>

Glynis, Velvet and Onyx x
 
Welcome to the forum Cass, I am sorry it is under such circumstances. I'm very sorry for the loss of both Nora and Simone.

Vickyt (Wiebke) asked this earlier, but just to recap are your guineas "wormed" (treated with Ivomec and Panacur once every three months)? Are they put out onto the grass often? My first port of call for pigs with unexplained weight loss is to consider treating for any intestinal parasites.

I do hope something can be done for Fitz, will keep my fingers crossed here. The CCT (near Huntingdon, Cambs.) is well worth visiting if you are not too far away.
 
Thank you for all your advice, I was at my wits end. Had I not been on holiday for the last 11 days I think that some of the ideas and advice may have helped, but I believe that she was too far gone and having seen how quickly Simone went downhill, as most pigs do, I wasn't prepared to have her suffer any longer. She was very still today, so the desicion was made to put her to rest. It was bloomin awful as I'm sure some of you know, but I take comfort in the fact that suffering has ended. Poor ickle piggy. 8...

The vet I saw was the same lady as before and she had asked the other vets for advice but came up with nothing, I gave her the name of the Cavy Trust and she is going to contact them. As we have another girl from the same family I'll be watching her like a hawk. Extra cuddles and veggie treats too.

I hate to sound naive and like an irresponsible pet owner but I have never heard of worming guinea pigs and no vet has ever suggested it. It's certainly something I shall do though as they eat grass all year round.

RIP Fitz, my crazy little pig, I miss you already. x
Thank you everyone, I hope to post some more positive things in the future. x
 
I am so sorry that you had to put your second girl to sleep today! I know from my own experience how gutting it is, so I'm sending you a BIG HUG!

We have a rainbow pet section, where we remember our lost ones and share our grief; perhaps you might like to remember both of your girls in there?

And we would like to meet the ones alive; we are addicted to pictures!
 
Cass i'm so sorry love 8...8...8..., thankyou for your lovely pm as well xxxxxxxxx
RIP Fitz run free at the bridge, now reunited with family and friends, have fun popcorning and chutting thru the meadows xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
(((((((((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))))) and special loves from us all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Another little star now twinkling in the sky ............. :(
 
I am so very sorry you lost Fitz. I hope your other guineas stay well and you are not faced with such losses again for a long time. Big *hugs* to you.

Rest well, dear Fitz. xx
 
Thank you all so much for your lovely messages. We are burying her tonight next to the other girls, hubby was home late last night and I have been at work all day.

Glynis you've made my cry like mad but thank you, lovely words that I may well use later after I've read the piggy poem I always read.

Am hoping to contact the lady at GBH in Beckenham, Kent tomorrow as she has a few neutred males. No where else near me has them and I am travelling to Kent next weekend so perhaps I can resuce a little boyfriend for Freddie then?

Wish me luck with my last girl and our search for a fella for her. x
 
I do hope that Jacky has that special little boy for you Cass it's about time your luck changed. I was so sorry to read about your piggies, RIP little ones.

I will keep everything crossed that you find your new piggy very soon and that he goes on to enjoy a very long and happy life with his new wife.
 
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