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Lenny is so very very poorly

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This is what he is currentley getting ....

Easily 5-8 of those little syringes of the mush stuff so thats 5-8ml per feed. I do that every 2-3 hours but leave him overnight after a late night feed and then get up early for morning feed so by my reckoning thats easily 6-8 feeds. So a grand total of roughly 30-64ml of 'mush'. Also he is having a minimum of 2-4 cucumber slices....maybe a spinach leaf and maybe some hay (weeny amount). Water wise he is letting me syringe 5-10ml per feed so thats roughly 30-80ml of water although it has to be said that some of it runs out of his mouth. So he is getting enough as a bare minimum I would think and that seems to be what he is comfortable with.

Off to feed him now....will update later but thank you so much for all your help.
 
I'm just catching up and I'm so sorry to hear that Lenny is so poorly. You have been given lots of good advice and you are doing all the right things. I keep my fingers crossed that the meds help little Lenny :)
 
He has just taken 11 syringes of 'mush', 10-15ml of water and a piece of cucumber.

I think the infection may have gone to his back leg aswell (on same side). I have taken pics.... the top foot as you look at the picture....do the toes look fatter and redder or is it just me ? Also higher up the leg itself looks more swollen to me which would explain why he cant walk if both legs are sore.

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Any thoughts ?
 
The top foot looks a little bit swollen compared to the other.

I'm so sorry to see poor Lenny fighting like that. You are doing your best!

Big hug from me
Vicky
 
Lenny is standing up :) Only for short times but this is a big improvement as he was not able to stand up before. I hope this is good.
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Excellent news he does look a bit brighter today. Keep it up Lenny! x
 
I have just read this thread. As I was reading & looking at the pictures, my heart was sinking & breaking for you.8... I really was convinced that after a page or 2 you would be telling us he had gone over the bridge. However, from what you have written & looking at the most recent picture, he does look better than he did.

I know this is hard to read, but do consider telling him that he can go over the bridge when he is ready. It is very hard to do - I know because I have a sick pig at the moment & have told him the very same recently. I think that they need to know they have your 'permission' to leave us, especially when they are so unwell. I'm not trying to be negative, because I really do hope & pray that Lenny will get better, but sometimes they don't & that is why I am suggesting it.

You may well shed tears over telling Lenny this, but I have found it brings me so much closer to my boys - even if they are with me for a short time afterwards. It also brings a strange sense of peace and I do believe that sometimes our piggies need to know we will be OK if they leave us.

Sorry if I have upset you - I didn't mean to. I guess going through a tough time with a pig, I thought I would suggest what I have done with my boys - now & in the past.

I am so sorry that you have a poorly pig. It is so tough when they are so sick & we are trying to make the best decision for them. Me & my boys are all sending extra healing hugs to Lenny & love to you. Hugs & squeaks from my manly quintet to your Lenny. xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>

Michele
xx
 
what an improvement. Keep going Lenny piggy.

Lots of love from Mrs M and the gang.x>>x>>x>>
 
Just a thought .... vet prescribed metacam at 2 drops once a day (1.5mg/ml). Do you think it will be okay to give him a little more ? To be honest I have been giving him metacam twice a day.... so a bit more than the vet said but I couldn't sit by and do nothing. I read on a thread that 6 drops had been prescribed for something so clearly it is not toxic at higher levels.

I feel that if he wasn't in discomfort that we would make some stride forward. Going to phone the vets in the morning.
 
I just caught up with that. I would not give him more Metacam as prescribed, it might do more harm than good, I would stick to the prescribed dose.
I am so sorry that Lenny is so poorly, hope he will back on his feet, soon. x>>
 
hey, just a thought, and your probable doing it already while giving him his over doses of hugs, but while he is so in-active i would suggest lots of massage, to keep his blood circulation, as this will help attack any infection and reduce swelling, also if he is still lying a lot, i would alternate which side he lies on, so as to also help blood circulate, and to help all his muscles to get enough blood/oxygen to help aid recovery and strength, cause we all want to see pic's of him up and running aobut asap...are you listening lenny....xxxxxx
 
Just skimming through this, but I saw mention of Baytril instead of Septrin. Have to say I think i agree Baytril would most likely be more effective in this type of illness, although it is quite harsh on the digestion. I'd also like to suggest Zithromax, after seeing how well toerlated it was in Pimples digestive system, and how much more effective against a wide spectrum of bacteria it can be.

I do wonder if there's circulation issues as mentioned above, might be the original infection is circulation related, or a result of not moving much creating circulation issues coupled possibly with sore/ borken skin which allowed an infection in. Massage is good, and if you can find one a vibrating massage mat/ pad should be even better. I know such things exist, but I've yet to find a way of getting my hands on one in teh UK. One of those hand held back massagers under a cushion might do the job so long as you can keep his teeth away from the cable!

The not eating could well be down to the infection, piggies are experts at getting low and going off their food if they get an infection, abscess (which is of course a form of infection), etc. Syringe feeding is a must, and it seems he's perked up a bit which is good. I know people will say give x ml daily, but I'm always worried about being a bit vague as 50ml where 40 is water has a lot less food content than 40ml where 20 is water. I tend to weigh out a minimum daily food requirement (approx 30g seems to work OK so far as I can tell, but it depends on the food too) and then make it up in small batches through the day adding as much water as needed to get it in the piggie. I also syringe water, usually with Avipro probiotic in it especially when there's antibiotics involved, after each feed to help clean the mouth a little and to make sure there's enough fluids going in. At most I stretch feeds to every 6 hours, so there's 4 in a day as it's less stress on the piggie, but this isn't always possible, it's down to how he's taking it.

He does look very poorly in the first pictures, but if is feet hurt and he's generally pretty grotty feeling then that's not hugely surprising. It's good he's a bit more on his feet now, even if he's not yet wanting to use them! :)
 
Thanks again for all your advice and support.

Lenny has gone downhill overnight. He was really sick this morning at 6am. I wonder if that is because he is in pain because his last metacam was at 7pm last night so surely the effect would have worn off by this morning. I gave him his meds and tried to feed/water him but it was a struggle to be honest and that is the first time he has not be wanting food. I got a bit into him and am about to try again now and hopefully the pain relief will have helped and he will eat....fingers crossed.

Got an appointment today at 3pm with the vet and def going to ask about all the meds that have been mentioned in this thread and try and give it one last shot but the situation is worsening and I have to realistic :0
 
I'm sorry things have gone downhill. He has put up a good fight. You can't do any more than you are doing. My thoughts are with the two of you, wishing for an improvement. x
 
Really sorry to hear that Lenny is not any better, poor you. When they start refusing help like that, it might be time for him to go, and you might find he slips away peacefully before your vet trip. I've had many a piggy cuddled to sleep in my arms, bless them, they know when it's their time to go to the bridge.

Still fingers crossed here though

Sophie
x
 
Actually scrap that .... Lenny is almost dead. I am cuddling him.

He just died
 
I'm so sorry. Rest in peace Lenny, fere from pain now. :( Poor little love. x
 
Oh I'm so sorry - at least you were with him, I do believe they know you're there with them in the last few moments. Run free at the bridge Lenny.

Sending huge hugs

Sophie
x
 
I'm so sorry. Tears have come to my eyes. He touched a lot of us on the forum, he was a very brave little guy. He will have taken great comfort in your presence as he passed. Huge hugs to you.

Rest well, dear Lenny. xx
 
I took Lenny over to see his cage mate so he could say goodbye to him and George ran into their house and cryed like a baby....really crying. Was that fear do you think or grief ? Maybe I shouldn't have done that....seemed like a good idea at the time.
 
It is important they know that their friends have gone. It is the biggest thing I regret with Charlie, nobody got to say goodbye to him. Lottie died in the night, so everyone had the night to say goodbye. Jasmine was terrified when I found Tuppy, she was shocked, wide-eyed, quite frankly stunned - she was with her when she died.

It was a good idea, the right one. I would think George is going to be rather confused and shocked as to why his buddy is no longer responding to him, where he has gone. Animals are pretty sensitive in that sense, but to take the body away without letting the pigs friends see what has happened could confuse them further. They don't need to see them for long, although it is a hard one to call if it is distressing the pig. You can only do what is right for you and George, so if it's just a quick goodbye then maybe that is best. Leaving Lenny in there longer could be better for George, so he can get used to the fact that Lenny is gone, but if he is so distressed then it's your call, you know when enough is enough.
 
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It is best to let them see the piggy that has died, I think you did the right thing. If they're with them when they die they seem to accept it better and not pine, so it's important they have closure.

Sophie
x
 
Here is Lenny just last week about two or three days before he got ill. What a gorgeously handsome boy. Cant believe he could go so quickly.

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Absolutely beautiful. The guinea pigs at Rainbow Bridge have been joined by a truly gorgeous little soul. xx
 
Aww poor George. I think it is important as well to let a pig see his/her cage mate as much as it is upsetting. Twinkle and Sunshine saw Cuzzy. Sunshine was scared and Twinkle was whistling like a bird. My girls saw Elora when we lost her too as it was a sudden overnight passing.

When Pearl passed my girls didn't see her, I felt this best as Pearl died from a viral bug and gave her an upset tummy so I didn't want anything passed on. Although my girls went quiet for a while and did lose some weight. I think when you can allow a big to see the departed cage mate.

The pic of Lenny is gorgeous, is awful how quickly they can go down hill. :(
 
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