• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Potters Tablets

Status
Not open for further replies.
PAMELAKT

PAMELAKT

Adult Guinea Pig
Joined
Nov 23, 2010
Messages
2,470
Reaction score
1,033
Points
790
Location
Portsmouth UK
Hey guys,

The vet has decided Rodney has arthritis in his back legs. He is well, moving around fine, still being a little selective with veg but eating well & happy as normal. This has followed on from a poorly spell of being off his food, and then developing a sudden inability to put weight on his back foot. He seems pretty recovered from this however, but I don't want him to be uncomfortable, and don't want him to become poorly again with it.

I looked into this and read about Potters tablets, and these arrived yesterday. However getting the little chubby bundle to eat anything with tablet in is proving very hard! He can sniff the thing out a mile away. I've just managed with difficulty to get some in using warm mashed pellets and a pippett but I'm sure there must be an easier way.

Any tips? Tried wrapping it in a spinach leaf, didn't fall for it....
 
Oh ok that would have been much easier than mashy pellets! Haha.

Are you finding them helpful? I thought he was only allowed 1/4 tablet so only gave 1/4 but not sure I even got al that in....
 
Well we give half a tablet. Amelia Jane has arthritis in her left leg and is on loxiom. I really do feel the potters has helped her but I have no proof. It seems to make the loxicom last longer.
 
Still a bit of an ordeal, he absolutely hates it. How much water do you use? And how many syringe full does it take up? X
 
Just enough water until it looks diluted. Only one syringe is used. Are you using a 1 ml syringe?
 
I do it the same way as piggy fan and they are amazing tablets...made such a difference in about 10 days with one of my older girlies
 
It's a 1ml syringe yes. I used too much water & it needed about 4 syringes which was too much. Do you get the whole 1/2 tablet in?

Chino thank you - I will stick with it I really want my little man to be comfortable. Xx
 
I first really crush up the half tablet, put it in an egg cup and add 0.9ml water and mix. Then suck the whole lot up through the syringe. The reason I do 0.9ml water is so when you suck it up and get to the more sludgier bit at the bottom...you have a bit of space in the syringe to potentially suck that up too (if that makes sense :/ ) aww bless him but they do work wonders.
 
I crush mine and mix mine up with a crushed vit c tablet and mixed with a tiny spoonful of CC food. Goes down a treat :)
 
I'm interested in these Potters tablets as Frank has arthritis but would have same problem - Frank and Fluffy both look at me suspiciously when i come near them with a rolled up leaf of basil or mint. Fluffy in particular hates any medicines.
 
NASH said:
I'm interested in these Potters tablets as Frank has arthritis but would have same problem - Frank and Fluffy both look at me suspiciously when i come near them with a rolled up leaf of basil or mint. Fluffy in particular hates any medicines.
Click to expand...
It is actually meant to taste pleasant so hopefully that will make it easier.
 
Have been getting it in without too much hassle now, but think I need to go back to the vet again as he is now not happy on one of his front legs tonight. Seems to be stiff.

What medicine are your guys on? And is it permanent?
 
Amelia Jane is on loxicom. Yes it is permanent. Well done for managing to administer the potters. I am sorry to hear his leg seems stiff.
 
Is that what happens with Amelia Jane? Stiffness? He isn't even 4 til October :/

He doesn't like the potters, but I am managing to get it in just about....
 
Just realised loxicom is metacam which Rodney already had the other week, I thought they could up only have this for a week or so as it can be damaging long term?
 
Amelia Jane does not show signs of stiffness. She is in pain when she eats her poops as she has to bend and it effects her leg. I thought she had a urine infection as she squeaks then and sometimes when she wees. The vets could not find anything until she had an xray and they found arthritis. She was about four. She is six now.
 
PAMELAKT said:
Just realised loxicom is metacam which Rodney already had the other week, I thought they could up only have this for a week or so as it can be damaging long term?
Click to expand...
I did not know that. Amelia jane has been on it for two years now.
 
Just spoke to my partner. He said he told the vet it would not be safe for her to be on loxicom long term. The vet said if it is helping her it is needed and she is on a low dose.
 
It is worth talking about long term metacam use with your vet. I have a 3.5 year old boar with arthritis and he is on metacam every day now. i spoke to my vet about the risks of this and he said that there are risks of long term use eg if your piggie has kidney disease, then long term metacam MAY make it accelerate / worsen. But as ever there is not enough proper studies for piggies and there are quite a few piggies around on metacam. You have to weigh up whether you think it is worth it - the changes I have seen in my boar are significant on metacam - he is much more mobile and happy so I am going with that for the moment.

Lots of vibes for Rodney.
 
lauraboara said:
It is worth talking about long term metacam use with your vet. I have a 3.5 year old boar with arthritis and he is on metacam every day now. i spoke to my vet about the risks of this and he said that there are risks of long term use eg if your piggie has kidney disease, then long term metacam MAY make it accelerate / worsen. But as ever there is not enough proper studies for piggies and there are quite a few piggies around on metacam. You have to weigh up whether you think it is worth it - the changes I have seen in my boar are significant on metacam - he is much more mobile and happy so I am going with that for the moment.

Lots of vibes for Rodney.
Click to expand...
That sounds like the same with Amelia Jane. They really need it amd suffer without it.
 
I have just started Rhubarb on these tablets. I was told 1/4 of a tablet crushed up in water a day. I just get one tablet & crush it between 2 teaspoons the put the powder into a clean medicine bottle then add 2 ml of water to make up 4 days supply. I then give her 5 ml a day for 4 days then start again. She's so far had 9 days of these & no change as yet but I think it will be a month or two before any change if any will be seen. 60 tablets is approx 8 months supply so I'll keep going till they are finished & if no change then maybe look for something else. I have arthritis myself & have taken cod liver oil & seatone capsules before to good affect but as Guinea Pigs are supposed to be vegan then I don't suppose these should be tried on them. When I talked to my vet about this she thought it would be better in the long term for Rhubarb than anti inflammatory meds such as Metacam.
 
Spoke to vet on phone he says it could be a vit c deficiency and I am to buy vit c tablets, but he matches none of these symptoms and usually eats a very varied diet. He says it's unusual for arthritis to shift from one leg to another.

What are your guys arthritis symptoms?
 
It is possible as some pigs can have issues with absorption. I would give Oxbow Daily C a try.
 
He told me to buy from chemist so I have bought some & just gave him this via syringe but it is a chewable tablet really & didn't dissolve well.

How do you give the oxbow? He won't touch anything if it smells funny, I can't see me getting him to eat it in food. I just don't see how it can be this he has always eaten a large variety of veg. Altho saying that since this leg carry on he is being selective....
 
It's a chewy tablet, apparently some pigs like it but mine did spit it out. I would crush and mix with some water.
 
Frank is on metacam and like humans he has good days and bad days, his stiffness is in his right shoulder.
 
I just don't know what's going on really, he's had his potter & vit c & is happy enough just seems a bit strange on his feet...
 
Know what I just noticed. It's his nail!

He has a funny nail on one of his front feet, been like it ages. On the last vet visit he got tissue & tried to wipe what he thought was poop off & I think he has hurt his gammy nail in the process.

I THINK this is the front foot issue anyway, I'm Watching it.... In the meantime he is pottering about & eating quite well.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top