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pig inpatient at vets

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piggie friends

Hi, I am new to the forum and hoping maybe someone has had same problem and their piggy recovered.

One of our 3 boars has been in 'hospital' since Saturday. Poor Nippy, who is about 10 months old seemed to have some kind of urine problem. The vet noticed he was dribbling urine essentially and was a bit dehydrated so gave him anti-b's and a painkiller. Nippy had lived happily with one of the boars, Raven, until Friday when they unaccountably started fighting. As Nippy was poorly and having to hide in the igloo, I reluctantly separated them for the night.

By Saturday morning, Nippy was not right - he seemed to be doubly incontinent, damp underneath where he had been sitting in the wet, and dragging a back let. I took him straight to the vets and he admitted him. They gave him a pain-killing injection every day, but stopped on Monday to see how he was doing. This morning, Nippy apparently had a discharge of yellowy sand, apparently something to do with the crystals they can later form in the bladder / bladder stones - not sure exactly. He has been eating a little and is trying to walk round but the back leg on the left is not right. He has had no injuries recently or fights or anything unusual, so we are at a loss.

My vets have been brilliant and I have been taking in little lunch boxes of veggies and herbs and going in for a cuddle whenever they can spare me a few mins to see him. I feel awful leaving him there - he is my littlest daughter's pet and she and my oldest boy have been very distressed.

Has anyone else been through this?

Thanks for listening, xx
 
i hope you don't mind me posting :) I haven't actually been through this, but i just wanted to say i'm thinking of you and your children. ((HUGE HUGGLES AND PIGGIE KISSES))) :-* :smitten: :smitten: maybe it would help of your kids could go in an have a cuddle to? :smitten: It does sound like it could be the begginnings of what could lead to bladder stones. O0 are you providing all his food? If so try and go for a low calcium diet, as a calcium build up can be a cause of bladder stones O0 so no spinach, parsley and other stuff like that O0 here's a chart that can help you work out the calcium to phosphorus ratio of some veg O0 Combine a variety of vegetables (and a few fruits) low in calcium, aiming at an overall ratio of between 1.5:1 and 2:1 (calcium to phosphorus). O0 http://www.guinealynx.com/calculator.xls
and this is an article about understanding the calcium to phosphorus ratio stuff xx0 http://www.guinealynx.com/polycitra.html
Hope that helps if the vet is pretty sure that thats what it is O0 Hoping your little one gets better soon, i have heard of quite a lot of piggies coming through this sort of thing :) (((hugs)))
 
so sorry to hear your piggy isnt very well, ive never been through this either but keeping my fingers croossed he is better soon, sending lots of hugs x
 
just want to add that i'm sure the vets is the best place for him, if anyone can get him better they can ;) :smitten: :smitten:
 
welcome to the forums from us in oz! :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: really hoping nibbles gets better soon. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: depending on how old you children are they might make nibbles to excited etc if they went into see him. as said the vet is the besy place for him sending hugs and prayers you way and please keep us posted. hugs and cuddles from me :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: and :-* :-* :-* from the girls.
 
Thank you so much cavy lover for websites - I will look into these with interest as have always fed a lot of fresh foods, chiefly spring greens, beans, kale, cauliflower leaves, sugar snaps, carrots and carrot tops, spinach once a week, and cucumber and apple for treats. I feed good hay, dried herbs like dandilions and those lovely herbal salads from the pet shop; I find they don't eat many prepared foods. Have only been keeping pigs for 8 months and they have transformed our lives and the childrens' relationships - they are wonderful. I can't bear to think its something I've done wrong through not knowing enough.

Thanks for all the kind wishes and thoughts - he looks awful though. Until I have had a cuddle with him, when he snuggles right up to me, he looks sooo depressed - it's awful leaving him there although I trust my vet and I know they are doing their very best. I have taken the children in at the weekend - I have 3 and the youngest is 6. As he is her pig, she had a quick cuddle, but we didn't want to hurt him more as we are not sure where he is tender.

I have heard there is a guinea pig hospital / or at any rate a vets that specialises in guinea pigs in Cambs, so will look into that if the vet remains baffled. Don't like doing second opinions exactly but feel I would do anything to save Nippy - he is so precious and Raven is quite down without him.

Thanks everyone - can tell you all adore your piggies too! Will keep you posted xx
 
so sorry for calling your piggy nibbles when it is nippy. hoping all goes well and are thinking of you all and sending prayers and hugs. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:hoping raven picks up soon too. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
i'm sure your not doing anything wrong, sounds like a great diet O0 but the thing id if he's prone to bladder stones etc. he needs to have a low calcium diet, see what your vet says anyway. But maybe keep spinach to once every 2 weeks, as this has a lot of calcium in O0 (((hugs))) Hoping your little one starts to improve :smitten:
 
Gps with renal gravel need to be given extra water via syringe every day.

Have a look at Piggy Power website.Someone on there has a piggy with this problem and isbeing maintained on a low calcium diet.It is working very well.The boar has been clear now now for nearly 2 months.
 
Thank you MaryH, but cannot find the Piggie Power site. Will look again tomorrow when less tired - sounds like a similar situation to Nippy's - good that it can be managed through diet.

But I am wondering tonight if this sudden loss of movement in one hind leg is more worrying. I know guineas can have strokes and also can have sudden unrelated hind limb paralysis, but presumably that affects both legs. If it is paralysis, Peter Gurney recommends giving them calcium to reverse this.

Guess an accurate diagnosis is what is needed - I am thinking of asking for an x-ray next, if Nippy still can't walk any better tomorrow. They have the facilities apparently at my vets - just found out looking at their site.

Thanks for everyone's help - this is a lovely site - can't wait to read some of the threads, when I feel a bit more like it.
 
awww (((hugs))) i know it's so worrying, he's in the best place he can be and i'm sure the vets will do all they can and they'll be able to make sense of it O0 ((((HUGE HUGS AND PIGGIE KISSES FOR YOU AND THE KIDS)))) :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :-*
 
wondering how nippy is today and whether there is any improvement in him and his leg? sending you, raven and your kids hugs and cuddles from me and the girls in oz. :-* :-* :-* :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: hoping all goes well and that he comes home soon! :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
I wonder if it's a vit C deficincy? You are feeding him a good amount of 'green' foods, but only once a week. Pigs really need veg every day. Sometimes vets will want to put to sleep guineas that aren't using limbs, but this is not nescessary. If your vets want to do this, take him to the CCT who will probably diagnose his problem.
Really hope he's feeling better soon.... :smitten:
 
If you are only feeding veg once a week there well could be a vitimin ,mineral and calcium in balance.Gps need veg at least once a day,in variety.Mine get 3 lots a day.

Have a look at

www.petergurney.com. there is good advice on there about paralysis.

I have known gps with paralysis for 9 months,who have sudenly regained mobility.I would never have a pig pts for this.
 
Yeah piggies need fresh veggies at least once a day ;) I give mine two portions either end of the day and a small snack in the middle of the day O0 Any news on the little guy? We all have our paws and fingers crossed for you here :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
Hoping your little one's getting there, thinking of you and your children :smitten: :smitten: (((huge hugs))) :smitten: :smitten:
 
Hi, thanks for all your kind wishes. I'm sorry to have to write that Nippy died in the night. The vet rang me this morning and told me that he had died in his sleep. I was absolutely in pieces. Later on, I went and picked him up and had to struggle not to get hysterical at the vets - they were very kind. I then had to face telling my eldest, who responded like me and has been crying for ages. He had a med appointment so had picked him up a bit early from school. We then had a little time at our friends' house, who had picked up my daughters from school and I didn't tell them until we were going home - they went through every stage imaginable too - at least they were getting it out so we can all deal with how rubbish we feel. This little piggie was sooo loved and he wasn't even one year old - he had such a short life.

When we got home, this may seem wierd, but they asked to see the body, so I unwrapped him so they could see. This seemed to help although we were all crying so much. They were able to have a bit of a cuddle and say goodbye. They have been printing out photos and letters to Nippy. We also brought Raven in at one point for a couple of seconds. He clearly recognised Nippy so we let him sniff the body. Perhaps that was the worst thing to do, but it felt like the right thing. Since then, Raven has had a hearty slapup meal of veggies and seems a lot less withdrawn than he had done.

I feel a bit numb writing this - I know from past experiences with my cats that it is gets better and then it just hits you again out of the blue. One thing, my children are all dealing with it and talking constantly about it all and that's a healthy way to go about it. He will be buried in the garden tonight with his letters and probably little presents from Millie. He won't ever ever be forgotten. He showed us how wonderful guinea pigs can be. :'(
:'(


No, re: veg, I fed twice a day every day, a wide selection, but some things were treats - don't worry, he had more fresh food than anything really. My worry is that it was the
wrong type of veg!
 
awww hunni you poor thing :'( :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: (MASSIVE HUGS) :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
RIP little one. 0:) I lost my little mimi 3 weeks ago and i was just hysterical and numb too, it's so hard :'(
The one comfort you can take is that he's running free up there, free of pain and discomfort :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
it'll be hard, i still find myself crying for ages even now, but it will get easier, although you'll always remember him and love him :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
I don't know what else to say, you did all you could and i'm sure he had a great life, sounds like you fed all the veggies he needed :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: i really am soo sorry (((HUGE HUGS FOR YOU AND YOUR KIDS))) Wish i could come and hug you LOL :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: Take care, i'm thinking of you :smitten: maybe our dear little ones have found each other and are playing :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: I'm crying now ::) :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Oh Cavy Love, it's just the pits isn't it? Just feel so rotten - I loved that little pig - I pointed him out to my littlest daughter when we went to buy them. He was a Dutch one and he had such a great personality - I loved the way he would 'wheek' at me when I opened the food or fed his night hay and also the way he would run screaming away if I tried to pick him up before I picked up Raven! He was a creature of habit.

Thanks for all your hugs - can see you've been there. So sorry about your little Mimi - did you have her long? I am sure they are in a long grass paradise together with all their friends. I know it's going to be tough getting over it - I'm still getting over my cats and that was 2 and 3 years ago! :'( :'( I don't think they ever leave us, our pets - we love them so much, don't we?
 
yeah it is :'( i felt really pathetic when i'd just lost her cos i was so down in the dumps i didn't get dressed till like 12! ::)
I know exactly how you feel, it's so hard :'( aww bless him he sounds so gorgeous :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: i'm sure they're together popcorning and finding the best food, my mimi was a greedy guts ;D :'( :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
You're welcome, i wish you didn't ahve to go there, it's horrible and i'm here if you ever want to pm me for a chat. (((huggles))
Thanks, i had her for 4 months, which made the heartbreak even worse in some ways :'( :'( :'( here comes the tear factory LOL ::) :'( I just loved her so much and really miss her, it hurts so much, i'm still in a state of numbness really.
we do love them so much, thats the only downside of loving isn't it :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
Try and think of how he was and the tears will fade and a smile will emerge :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
am so truly sorry to hear about nippy passing. :'( :'( :'( sending you hugs and cuddles :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: know what you mean, we have lost furbabies 3-8 years ago we'll think of them and start crying :'( :'( :'( they'll always be a part of you think of the good times and they will be in your hearts and be with you in spirit. 0:) 0:) 0:) and you never stop blaming yourself, what i mean is you always think what if i had done this or if they had had that? :'( :'( :'( glad your children are talking about it, we alduts could learn from them! hoping nippy had a good( as it could be) farewell, maybe plant a tree or plant in his memory. 0:) 0:) 0:) RIP sweet nippy run free and popcorn in paradise and watch over your family and raven 0:) 0:) 0:) find eternal peace :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: hugs and cuddles to you and your family :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: and the girls send raven :-* :-* :-*
 
It's not pathetic, it's grief pure and simple. So sorry to hear Mimi was a youngster too; when they are old it seems more natural, not easy but kind of how things are. I have been saying exactly that to my kids, that this pig was so loved and not all pigs are in this world.

Thank you for being so kind - I appreciate it so much. We all hurt so much. Can't write any more just now as have to comfort Millie - Nippy was her best friend, she says. x
 
Thank you Chloe, showed Millie your post - you are so thoughtful. Have to do send off / burial tonight - love the idea of a plant; we should do something to mark the spot.
Sorry to hear about your little ones too.... so sad. It's the what might have been that hurts so much. Millie wanted Nippy to have a family. I'm not keen to do breeding, but she had thought of the names of all Nippy's babies as children do. Am going now, a lot going on here. Thanks everyone, :smitten:
 
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