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Petunia is very very ill, been told to prepare for the worst

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Tallulah

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Hi

Petunia is my sixteen week old peruvian. She's been a picture of health since I got her about three weeks ago. On Friday she suddenly became really ill in the evening, lying on her side and straining as if in labour. She"s not pregnant and by sat morning she was mo better. She was in pain when I touched her, and with the nearest vet a bumpy half hour away I couldn't bring myself to move her.
however by the afternoon she was lookiing for company. I've been giving her water by syringe, and when I hold her she will eat. By sat eve she was chatting and holding her head up.

She's grown in strength, but the vet thinks she has a nurological infection. She's chirpy enough I'm her froont end but altthough she can move her back legs she can't use them. She always falls to her right, but her front end now stays upward at least. She is at least trying to move now but wirhout back legs working she can't even clean well.

She's definitely improved, I'm giving her fruit grass and soaked pellets and more water and she is gaining strength. She struggles to feed at times as if she can't find what's even being held in front of her, instead looking around it. But, today she has begun to eat grass from in front of her in her hutch.

The vet has prescribed metacam and marbocyl which I gather are anti inflammatories and antibiotics. He says however to be realistic, he very much doubts it will work. We're trying it for three days then if no improvement pts.
naturally am gutted, but will do wht's best for my little lady. Wondered if anyone had experienced anything like this? Any advice of what else I can do? She's picking up in herself, and today I can at least stand her on her back feet, although I realsie that's not a massive step: (
 
Sorry hun after putting one to sleep today who also couldn't use their legs I don't have any advice.

Good for you for giving her a chance and hope she makes it - really I do.

x
 
I am sorry; I can't help you, but I want to send vibes to poor little Petunia.

It must be so gutting for you to have yet another very ill piggy with a similar problem so soon.
 
I'm afraid I don't have any advice either but just wanted to say that I have my fingers crossed for Petunia xx
 
Could it possibly be brain haemorrhage? I've had two who had that. They both survived. But I went to the vet and they were injected with corticosteroid... Maybe it couldt help?

Mine were not in any pain though... If it's infact neurological infection, then she needs to get alot of antibiotics AND corticosteroid - and that's fast!

Hope the best!
 
Well no steroids but antibiotics at least. Would love it if she'd survive, would be amazing
 
That sounds exactly like what she has. I've had piggies lose their back legs before, and get them back after 24 hours, how interesting. Does anyone know what this osteo care is? Would calcium suppliments work?
 
That sounds exactly like what she has. I've had piggies lose their back legs before, and get them back after 24 hours, how interesting. Does anyone know what this osteo care is? Would calcium suppliments work?

Osteocare is a calcium supplement (with some other essential vitamins/minerals added too). You can buy it from chemists for a few pounds. I haven't used it myself but have heard of people around here giving it to their pigs. There are a few different versions but I assume that you need the liquid version, which would be easy to measure out and administer by a 1ml (needleless) disposable plastic syringe.

I'm sure someone else can advise further x
 
I'm sorry Petunia is so unwell, I'm not sure on cause/diagnosis/treatment suggestions based on what's been described, so no advice here at the moment, but I am thinking of you and your little girl. xx
 
Well, today she is using her back legs which is a big step forward.

i have been horrified to find that she seems to be on a huge metacam dose, my vet said 5ml a day. Am terrified I may have done her some harm, she seems to be making such progress. Can anyone adivise please? Am so worried.
 
When I've had metacam for an adult pig the dosage was 0.1ml daily, hopefully others will pop in with the dosage they were told to give.

Suzy
 
That's what I've just read.

Am horrified. Does anyone know if this may have harmed her? It's only been two days, and she seems fine.
 
I'd check the concentration of the metacam - mine's Meloxicam 1.5mg/ml. If your's is the same I'd ring the vet and ask what the risks are of such a dose. They may have meant 0.05ml which is a single drop or two. Fingers crossed for your little one. I had an elderly, very arthritic piggy who I dosed rather heavily for quite a while as she wasn't ready to go just yet and she kept going for ages on it.

Suzy
 
Well, he gave me a 100ml syringe...... He said 0.5 of antibiotics and ten times that of the metacam....
 
Well, today she is using her back legs which is a big step forward.

i have been horrified to find that she seems to be on a huge metacam dose, my vet said 5ml a day. Am terrified I may have done her some harm, she seems to be making such progress. Can anyone adivise please? Am so worried.

My very piggie savy vet prescribes up to 0.5ml but maybe your vet just thought she wasn't going to make it and dosed her up? Not meaning to sound cynical but just a thought or maybe she meant 0.5ml but did the label wrong as for after effects I can't advise on that I am afraid.
 
i think it must be the lower conc. Panic over....

Will just be delighted and excited that she is walking! It's a wobbly walk and she falls a lot but can now pick herself up and take steps.

I read this earlier, and I wonder if this is the issue...

http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/strokes.htm
 
Well, he gave me a 100ml syringe...... He said 0.5 of antibiotics and ten times that of the metacam....

Are you sure it's not a 1 ml syringe? biggest ive seen is a 10 ml and its about the diameter of a 5 cent (euro) piece, bit smaller than 2 pence piece?
 
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have double and triple checked and it is definitelt a much lower strenght, approx 25% of the concentration of the dosages I read.

In addition the syringe measures at just under 5ml, more like 3 and a lot.

Phew! i am such a worrier!!
 
There is also the dog and cat Metacalm my vet uses the dog strength for the 0.5ml cat strength is usually a bit more but up to 1ml twice a day i think
 
i think it's official I am a worrier! I am just so determined to see that she makes progress. I think she has made such progress, I am determined!! If it doesn't work at least we've tried. She is such a dear though, I am ever so fond of her.

Even if she does constantly bite me, even before she became ill she's been an incessant nibbler, she seems determined to eat me... It's not a bite intended to hurt, it is very much a bite intended to gather food....
 
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