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Maggie

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How is she now? Amina makes funny noises when she grooms herself. It is so cute. :)
 
while I'm pleased, I'm also disappointed that I don't have an excuse to go and see the new night vet drool rolleyes
 
Poor Maggie, hope she ok x
 
Dragging this thread back up I'm afraid!

Maggie has intermittently made the snorty snuffle noises ever since, but literally just a couple of hours at a time, and it resolves itself - usually when she's stressed (she's a very stressy pig!)

The other day it went on for about 8 hours, much longer than normal, so booked her in to see the exotics vet down the road (that I'd originally tried to see, but she was on holiday when all this started). Took 2 days to get an appointment, by which time, no snorty snuffles.

She had a very thorough examination - her breathing wasn't 100%, and the vet theorised that maybe her respiratory infection travelled to her middle ear, and manifested itself with respiratory symptoms, which cleared up while the grumbling infection was still present in the ear. So, sent away with 2 lots of antibiotics, anti inflammatories, vitamin C, and a diet.

Tonight, I got home to snorts-a-plenty, with laboured breathing and a generally unhappy pig - previously, besides the respiratory noises, she's been completely herself, not remotely unwell. Cue trip to the emergency vet. The vet I saw wasn't an exotics specialist, but he was very thorough and I was very happy with him (I also think I know him, but can't quite work out how!). As we were waiting, her breathing was getting worse - more laboured, she was sitting hunched up with her eyes closed (which she'd never do outside the safety of her cage usually) and also started to look a bit cyanotic.

He agreed that her breathing sounds were awful, she was looking a bit grey and that she was struggling to breathe. He tentatively asked me what I wanted to do - I said do whatever you need to. He winced when he gave me the £300-£400 estimate, but breathed a sigh of relief when I told him money was no object :))

So, Maggie is staying in over night on oxygen to stabilise her, and the exotics vet will assess and investigate tomorrow.


Bloomin' pigs!
 
Sorry to hear this.......c'mon Maggie!

Two things Amanda:

Bisolvon - a pinch in water (syringe fed) "just the once"......is great for snotty sounds and URI's.
Heart meds - 1mg/kg fortekor and 2-8mg/Kg furosemide. Start off with 8mg/kg furosemide for 1-2 days once daily and reduce down by 2mg/kg daily.....keep the fortekor the same.. Shouln;t harm as long as she doesn;t dehydrate and worth a try!

x
 
Pebble said:
Sorry to hear this.......c'mon Maggie!

Two things Amanda:

Bisolvon - a pinch in water (syringe fed) "just the once"......is great for snotty sounds and URI's.
Heart meds - 1mg/kg fortekor and 2-8mg/Kg furosemide. Start off with 8mg/kg furosemide for 1-2 days once daily and reduce down by 2mg/kg daily.....keep the fortekor the same.. Shouln;t harm as long as she doesn;t dehydrate and worth a try!

x
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She's had the bisolvon previously when treating this as a respiratory infection and it did nothing as there's no mucus. Similarly she had frusemide initially too, but this is definitely not a fluid problem, it's an obstructed airways problem unfortunately!

They're going to scope her and probably CT her today, just waiting for a call from the exotics woman once she's assessed her to give me the plan of attack.
 
Rubbish :( Hope whatever it is is treatable.

These pigs put us through it, don't they!
 
Sorry she's not well again Amanda. I was going to say go with Pebble on this as it sounded like heart to me too and a trial of heart meds may help.
 
helen105281 said:
Sorry she's not well again Amanda. I was going to say go with Pebble on this as it sounded like heart to me too and a trial of heart meds may help.
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Will know more once she's had some more tests, but her history and physical signs are all pointing towards some kind of obstruction in her upper airway somewhere
 
Just in case you do try heart meds - I think the first time they prescribed them for a pig was for Woolly and me. I am happy to recommend their use in pigs. They really worked for Woolly, albeit only temporarily as I think her heart disease was just too advanced. You and/or Jemma are welcome to ring me to discuss if needed.
 
weesilvie said:
Just in case you do try heart meds - I think the first time they prescribed them for a pig was for Woolly and me. I am happy to recommend their use in pigs. They really worked for Woolly, albeit only temporarily as I think her heart disease was just too advanced. You and/or Jemma are welcome to ring me to discuss if needed.
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Thanks :) Maggie took her guinea pig gazebo with her initially when we saw Jemma, she asked if I made it, I said no, a friend did. She asked if it was you, I said nah, another pig nutter! :))
 
Oh Amanda I am so sorry to hear poor Maggie is poorly again. I really hope they can get to the bottom of this.
 
Sorry to hear Maggie is poorly again, hope they can find out what is causing it.
 
Heh - my talent only stretches as far as sleeping bags! Yep, there are a lot of us nutters out there!
 
I am sorry that Maggie is poorly again!

Sending her healing vibes!

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Got some answers today....and the problem isn't in her airways :...

The exotics vet saw her today, they GA'd her and scoped her - nothing in her throat, so they proceeded to give her a CT scan, the results of which, no one expected!

She's been examined thoroughly by at least 7 different vets, including 3 exotics specialists, and no one has picked up on the three MASSIVE masses in her abdomen, that are so large (at least 40mm diameter), that they're pushing on her diaphragm, meaning that she cannot fully expand her lungs - the respiratory noise is her snorting trying to get enough air into her lungs :...

The vets have no idea what these masses could be. They aren't cysts, as they're solid, not fluid filled. A FNA just resulted in some blood too, no fluid. They aren't adrenal tumours (common in guinea pigs apparently) as there's three, and they're in the wrong place (one is by her stomach, one by her kidney and one by her liver). They aren't "in" any particular structure, they're just in the abdominal space between the organs. CT showed nothing in her lungs or airways.

So...no idea what these are, the vet thinks they're probably metastatic tumours due to the fact that there's three in random places, and they seem to have a good blood supply.

It all basically came down to three choices - 1) palliative care 2) surgery or 3) euthanasia

I decided that euthanasia wasn't an option - she's too bright and well for that just yet. As for palliative care, while they can give her steroids to slow the growth (if they are tumours), they're not going to shrink, and she's struggling to breathe to the point where she's turning blue, so that's not a viable option. That just leaves surgery - so she's staying in over the weekend in the oxygen kennel, and the exotics vet will operate on Monday, and see what the hell is going on. If they open her up and she's riddled in mets, then I'll consent to euthanasia on the table. If they are removed and they are malignant tumours, well at least she can have palliative care for as long as she's happy, but being able to breathe(!), and if they're not malignant tumours (I've seen huge abdominal abscesses in rabbits before - fingers crossed?!) then great. That's just hoping she survives the surgery, but that's not something I'm thinking about until Monday.

I dropped some more food off for her today, and went to see her - she's very bright and bouncy on the oxygen (and very pink!) so I think I've definitely made the right decision.

I'll keep you all updated :)
 
Amanda I cannot believe this! How could it not have been picked up before? Poor Maggie. No wonder she cannot breathe well. I really hope they can be removed and she is okay. I will be thinking of you both. Please know I am here if you need to talk.x
 
Very sorry to hear about Maggie. I can't believe that after seeing so many vets and specialists that nothing was picked up. It's no wonder why she's been having difficulty breathing poor Maggie, fingers crossed they can be removed and she will be okay. Sending lots of healing vibes. Thinking of you. x
 
Sorry to read this, poor Maggie. Hope they can remove the tumours safely. Think you have totally made the best decision for her. I really hope they can sort you little girl out. Will be thinking of you and Maggie x
 
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