• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Inoperable tumour

Wiebke said:
I would recommend that you have her vet checked in the coming week. This may include checking for arthritis in older piggies and not just the urinary or reproductive tracts. All the best!

Make sure that you spot clean her favourite sleeping patch and also check daily the foot soles of both front/back legs which are more exposed to soiled bedding (urine scald and then bumblefoot) in piggies that are less mobile and spending more time sitting in their own excrement.

All the best.
Click to expand...
She still runs out and stretches up to see what food there is.
It’s because of the tumour wrapped around her kidneys. We’ve only had little amounts of blood before this so she’s getting worse. She’s still herself at the moment, though, eating and chuntering.
 
Her tummy has quite a bulge and her bottom isn't spotless. But she was happily tearing off the cardboard. That's an old carrot cottage, if you couldn't tell.
 
It’s quite sad seeing that photo because it really brings home to me how big the tumour must be. We’re keeping an even closer eye on her now for signs of discomfort because it can’t be much longer, even though she’s still lithe and lively. Six months post-diagnosis! We’re all going to be so upset, but I worry in particular for my sixteen-year-old, who adores them and in whose room they live. They never moved out again after the diagnosis. (Summers used to be spent in the outside hutch and run, except when too hot; the rest of the year in the insulated shed.)
 
KHBz

Post in thread 'Ophelia and Bianca'

Well, we've just been to the vet. My younger daughter had extracted the hay last night and she has got away with no ulceration at all!

The vet felt the tumour which now extends the width of her wide lower body and was absolutely stunned at how 'well' she is! By now, Bianca is perfectly at ease on the vet's table, and happily applied pepper lipstick to her mouth... The vet even took a photo of her to send to the vet who diagnosed the tumour because she was so amazed at her condition as she doesn't seem in the slightest bit ill! She said that she must be a toughie. We are eight months...
  • Love
 
Hello all. Bianca continued to amaze the vets at the last visit in May, being so well in spite of such a large tumour. This morning, she trotted out when I called her, put her paws expectantly ontop of the corner cottage, obediently took her medicine, grabbed the pepper slice and devoured it. This evening, she didn’t eat her supper, didn’t eat her treat of fresh rose petals, and when she has moved, it was with obvious difficulty. She wanted to be on her own and is now lying still in a different little house, dark and tucked away.

She did take her evening painkiller. My question is whether we can give her a little bit more as if she doesn’t die tonight, we will have to take her to the vet tomorrow so that she doesn’t suffer any more. She is on 2ml Rheumocam twice a day. The vet has said that this isn’t a particularly high dose although it is a step up, I believe, from metacam.

We are all very upset to see her clearly, suddenly, not well at all. She has made it 11 months post diagnosis. Her sixth birthday would be the 24th July.
 
It is late in the UK, so I answer my own question: we leave her be and wait until morning.
 
I’m sorry I don’t have any medical advice but just wanted to send support. You sound like such caring owners and she sounds like a much loved piggy. I’m sorry you’re all going through this.
 
Aw poor Bianca, she and you have done amazingly this last year. I'm sorry that her time has now come, but hope for both your sakes the process doesn't take too long.
In similar circumstances I would probably up the metacam dosage to try to relieve discomfort, if my piggy wasn't already on the max dose. But I'm not familiar with rheumocam and how it compares with Metacam strength wise (did you mean 0.2ml rather than 2ml?).
Sending hugs and comforting vibes 💓
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top