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Little Rodney

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Oh really I did read that it can be an effect of arthritis maybe it was brought on by me reducing the loxicom down.

Guess I will have to see what he says tomorrow. Need to stop beig pathetic really. It's just, I'm sure I have said before, I lost my dad 2 years ago & Rodney lost his twin brother 2 months or so after I had to have him put to sleep. Feel like we have been through a lot. He's so special to me, I've spent countless nights crying all over him.

I hope it is just something we can fix with medicine. Have your vets ever mentioned muscle wastage? I'm worried about that comment?

Billy is quiet, he's had grass & cucumber for dinner & is now sat in his bedroom dosing.
 
Muscle wastage can be a symptom of arthiritis.
If the pig is not putting weight on the legs properly because of the joint pain, then they are not using their muscles normally and the muscles will start to waste. Less mobile pigs put on weight, puts more strain on the arthriitic joints, more pain, move less, more muscle wastage = vicious cycle
Maple had arthiritis in all 4 legs and started to develop muscle wastage on both shoulders and hips (but he was still a heavy pig as he was overweight with fat in his tummy region due to being less mobile and snoozing a lot of the time) His arthiritis was diagnosed quite by chance when he was Xrayed for suspected bladder stone so we caught it quite early. So we upped his pain relief and put him on a diet (less pellets) We then made him work harder for his food (foraging and going up a small ramp for pellets). Extra Vit C didn't go amiss either!
x
 
Well Rodney has lost a lot of weight & if anything could do with fattening up, he's a shadow of his normal self! I really hope it isn't anything that needs surgery.

He wouldn't cry when he poos with a UTI would he? Is it not coming out a. Different part? I've tried to see if it is also when he wee's but the fleece seems dry when I check.
 
Aww hugs - I can see how much this is stressing you out and can symapthise as I've been there myself many times before a vet diagnostic procedure is conducted

If he has lost a lot of weight, it could indicate that he is in pain and/or not eating enough. The pain could be from a number of causes: e.g. the arthiritis. Or...he could have developed a bladder infection (arthriitic pigs aren't sometimes able to empty their bladder properly so run the risk of infections). Or as a result of a low-level uninary infection, he has developed a stone....or because he is in pain his fibre intake has dropped and he has developed a spur on his molars..These are all possibilities and probably a more likely diagnosis/complication than cancer given his current clinical symptoms/arthritis.

The best thing you can do for him right now is stop trying to predict the outcome and try and get a good night's sleep. You might be needed as "Nursey" to help get him stabilised in terms of eating/weight etc over the next few days and as I'm sure you're aware, syringe feeding every 4-6 hours requires a lot of energy!
John Chitty is one of only a handful of vets I would personally trust my own pigs with. Little Rodders is in good hands.

More hugs
x
 
Thank you, you are right, I just always expect the worst these days.

Billy cried for him a little when I went to bed which was a bit sad. Hopefully that's the only night we will be without him xx
 
Thinking of you and little Rodney today x
 
Good luck today, am hoping that this is related to his arthiritis and an increase in pain relief will help. If anyone knows about the correct dosing of pain relief it's John. I know you were having trouble with this before.
 
Thank you, you all make me feel a little better. I'm going to call at 10 & check he is ok & eating, he isn't being xray'd until about 2pm.

Miss him horribly! Billy does too, he looks a bit lost! X
 
aw bless. Keeping everything crossed for Rodney. John usually works at another vets Friday morning...so it may be a nurse you get the update from.
Thinking of you and your special boy x
 
Thanks guys, I couldn't get an update they insisted on contacting the vet who I know isn't looking at him until this afternoon so I said not to worry. Surely the nurses feed him! I just wanted to make sure he had been eating. I'll just have to assume if there was a problem they'd have rang ;(

Never had that before when I've rang for an update!
 
don't worry they call if they are not eating. John called me from his mobile personally last time when Haven was in and couldn't eat. She was syringe fed by nurses round the clock. I'm sure there id no issue. Please try not yo worry. They will proba be leaving a message with John on his mobile but it will be off if he is doing appointments. X
 
I just find it ridiculous they can't tell me how my animal is this morning, John isn't even there what is the point bothering him!

I will wait it out. Starting to regret the whole thing ;(
 
oh hun don't worry. They are probs just very busy. I know the nurses report to the vet with updates usually and then the vet tends to call. Only ever spoke to the nurse once when Haven was in a week at the vets...every other day it was John. I know everything seems worse when your stressed and worried but he is in good hands.
 
So upset.

He has bladder stones, one definitely requiring surgery. He wants me to collect him tonight & look at the xrays as there are a 'number of issues' & he said it isn't an easy question to answer. They have taken blood as he was quiet under anaesthetic (aren't they always?!)

I don't know what to do? Ask him to operate? I'm going to cry & be pathetic when I get there. This is horrific.
 
I would go along and see what John says. If he needs surgery then its best he gets it...but as John says their are complications let him explain in person and see what he says the options are. He probs wants to see you to explain properly and show you the xrays. X
 
You would go for surgery? I don't really have much choice do I. Maybe there are too many stones and one surgery won't fix him.

I feel this is my fault. I obv haven't fed him properly.
 
I would see what John says the complications are and see what he would recommend. But if he is strong enough surgery is the best thing. Some pigs are prone to stones. On my phone I cant tag people but I would tag pebble and Helen and see what they would say. Stay strong hun. What time are you collecting Rodney? X
 
Hey, this is not your fault. No matter how well you feed piggies they can still get bladder stones. I think you have to go with the vets opinion he is the expert and as you know a highly thought of vet. Hopefully things will become clearer tonight. I am really sorry this is not the news you wanted. But there is still hope. Huge hugs x x

tagging
@helen105281
@Pebble
@Elwickcavies
 
I am off to collect him now.

Feeling sick.

Don't want to look at xrays full of bad news ;( sick of looking at scans full of bad news!
 
jenniferanneharris said:
I would go along and see what John says. If he needs surgery then its best he gets it...but as John says their are complications let him explain in person and see what he says the options are. He probs wants to see you to explain properly and show you the xrays. X
Click to expand...

^^^ This ^^^
Without knowing what the complications are - all I can say is that John will appraise you of the pros and cons of going ahead with bladder surgery based upon the other factors he has noted...These could also include:
his current low weight,
his age,
any other stones seen on the Xray and more particularly where they are situated within his urinary system, i.e. kidney, ureTER, bladder, ureTHRA
anything else seen on the Xray eg calcium deposits or further arthritis in the joints
how he responded to the GA
his blood test results......etc etc.

You should not have to make a decision there and then unless John advises it is necessary for the wellbeing of Rodney - and given John wants to talk things through with you it suggests this is not an emergency situation and that there is not a requirement for an emergency op over the weekend.

I suggest you take a pen and paper with you and make notes on EXACTLY what he says ref: the complications (very important to be clear on the anatomical bits of the urinary system as mentioned above) and what the options are.... as it is easy to forget an important point at the time of the discussion.
x
 
I agree it is best to see what he says, Rodney is in good hands with John and he will be able to tell you honestly what your options are. It really does depend where the stone is and what John thinks the prognosis is if it is removed.
 
Someone very handsome is home :)

Basically, he has a stone & some smaller deposits forming around the lining of his bladder which is inflamed. He has taken bloods and wants the results of them before he decides what's the best way forward, surgery or to try to manage with drugs. His kidneys look great.

He doesn't even have arthritis. His right knee has some kind of reaction/tissue damage maybe but not arthritis. His problems walking are likely soft tissue damage from his stone. Pretty maddening my local vet guessed at that cos a guinea pig isn't worth diagnosing properly.

So he has loxicom twice a day for now, he's to have lots of fluids to try flush some smaller deposits out, and we are waiting until bloods are back probably tomorrow...

He said there is lots to be done & it can be very hard to manage, but he is not a lost cause.

Feel better now he's home, he's well chuffed & so is Billy. Altho we have a long road ahead ;/

Thanks everyone for keeping me going today! image.webp
 
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I had to wait ages for them to being me him as he was stuffing his face & they didn't want to disturb him :D
Altho he was eating spring greens which are high in calcium! Hope he enjoyed them, he won't be getting them again !
 
Pleased you have some answers hun.
Aw bless about Rodney. Hopefully the bloods will tell you some more. He's such a cutie. Glad he's home :-) your doing great x
 
So glad you have your little prince back home tonight. You have a great vet there, lots to be positive about. Rodney will get through this I am sure, he has a great Mum and Brother to look after him x
 
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