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Possible Seizure?

KatyKitchen

KatyKitchen

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
May 5, 2014
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Location
Leicester
Having lost Ebony only 6 weeks ago I've been keeping a close eye on her sister Elsa. So far she's coped fine but I noticed her scratching a lot yesterday. Just now she started chattering then seemed to shake a lot. A friend gave me some bagged hay the other day and I'm wondering if this has introduced mites to her? If so and it's already giving her seizures is she likely to be very ill? I'm still devastated over losing Ebony so I feel sick at the thought of losing Elsa too
 
@KatyKitchen If the hay has given her mites it is treatable so don't worry. A vet can prescribe a course of mite treatment for you.

If it is mites then she'll likely be scratching more. Is she still scratching?

How is she otherwise? Eating and pooping okay?

I've had a few pigs who have had seizures. One walked in circles with flickering eyes and the other was on his side thrashing his legs. Was her seizure anything like that?
 
She started chattering her teeth then was shaking. I've got an appointment tomorrow. She's fine at the moment eating and drinking normally.
 
The vet wasn't sure but treated her for mites however a larger problem has cropped up. She's got ovarian cysts and needs spaying. I'm really worried about her recovery after losing Ebony after her op. She's booked in for Wednesday but the kids are really anxious. I'm wondering whether to pay for the vets to keep her for a few days to monitor her recovery
 
Aw poor girl!
We have two with ovarian cysts but due to their age we’ve chosen not to have them removed and they’re just fine, so don’t rush if you’re unsure :)
 
KatyKitchen said:
The vet wasn't sure but treated her for mites however a larger problem has cropped up. She's got ovarian cysts and needs spaying. I'm really worried about her recovery after losing Ebony after her op. She's booked in for Wednesday but the kids are really anxious. I'm wondering whether to pay for the vets to keep her for a few days to monitor her recovery
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Has your vet considered injections instead of a spay?
 
Bless her. I've had a piggy have an emergency spay before just for the sheer size of the cysts. That said that particular vet no longer works at the practice otherwise I would recommend her as she was fab. You have to have trust in your vet to go through something like this
 
Lady Kelly said:
Bless her. I've had a piggy have an emergency spay before just for the sheer size of the cysts. That said that particular vet no longer works at the practice otherwise I would recommend her as she was fab. You have to have trust in your vet to go through something like this
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She's not got any symptoms other than the large lumps which i just thought was her eating a lot! The vet Bev said she seemed in pain when she examined her but she's fine at home. I might put this off for now and take some time to find out the options
 
The injections Gem is referring to are called Chorulon I think. If you have a search, there are several threads where using it instead of a spay are mentioned. I can't personally say anything about them as I have only ever had boars though. Best of luck with helping Elsa get better.
 
KatyKitchen said:
She's not got any symptoms other than the large lumps which i just thought was her eating a lot! The vet Bev said she seemed in pain when she examined her but she's fine at home. I might put this off for now and take some time to find out the options
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Yea when I took bumble in she was like that. She didn't have any lumps but had started staying a bit wet round her bum so I thought possible UTI. I booked an appointment and the night before I noticed that even very gentle strokes on the right side of her body made her freak out. Based on this ultrasound was suggested and they called me 30 mins later to seek permission to operate. It was all a whirlwind really. If she is managing the condition then I think you can allow yourself a few days to investigate options
 
KatyKitchen said:
The vet wasn't sure but treated her for mites however a larger problem has cropped up. She's got ovarian cysts and needs spaying. I'm really worried about her recovery after losing Ebony after her op. She's booked in for Wednesday but the kids are really anxious. I'm wondering whether to pay for the vets to keep her for a few days to monitor her recovery
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I am very sorry; mites can crop up when the immune system is lowered in the wake of a loss. It's happened with piggies of mine, too.

You have got three options for treating ovarian cysts:
- chorulon injections. These hormone injections are most effective with hormone based ovarian cysts (not all are; the most hormonally active are generally small growing cysts) that cause the typical cyst symptoms like being constantly in season and displaying disruptive behaviour; crusty nipples and thinning hair on the sides.
- a spay. Best with non-hormonal large cysts. It is a major operation, but I've now had two of my own spayed; both have come through the op well despite being a frail 4 years and 5 years of age.
- draining. This option is most suited for frail older sows where an operation is risky. It is not a permanent solution as it will need repeating every few months. But it is a procedure that can be done without GA.

You are always welcome to speak with your vet about the different option to work out the best one for Elsa. Committing to a major operation after the loss of a piggy is always a tough one.

If you need them, here are our post-op care tips: Tips For Post-operative Care
 
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