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Queso Update: Radiology Scans, Waiting To Know If Arthritis Or Cancer

CheeseMommy

CheeseMommy

Junior Guinea Pig
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We are so devastated. The vet things it's most likely a degenerative bone disease that is giving him arthritis. We had no idea that it was this bad for him. And here we have been trying to make him walk so he can lose weight, even though he's apparently tubby to average and doesn't need it according to our vet.

Their radiology department is backed up, so we have to wait a week for a definitive answer. I was wondering if anyone else has had this issue with their guinea pig and perhaps a scan looked similar? I'm hoping for piggy owners who are more experienced with taking care of elderly arthritic piggies or if maybe you think this does look like cancer.

ANY suggestions on treatment or ways to make him more comfortable would be greatly appreciated.

We are so heartbroken our little baby is in pain. :(

(See his knee on the right *his left knee* -- don't mind the little chip in his belly. We think it's a mineral or piece of his plastic hidey hole he just bit off before they took the xray.)

IMG_20170726_121132.webp
 
Hi, so sorry for your little fella. I can see the damage to his knee on the xray but cant say as to what has caused it. Cancer in piggies is not common tho, so I hope that is of some consolation.

I have a 7 year old piggy recently diagnosed with arthritis in his knees. he still gets around very well tho but sometimes is stiff when getting up from lying down. he is now on loxicom (which is the same as metacam) for life and it is definitely helping with his stiffness. I have seen someone mention in a post somewhere about glucosamine suppliments to help joints but do not have personal experience of this.
 
One of my old ladies had a simply shocking knee on X-ray - so was given lowish dose of metacam for the rest of her days. It made her so much more comfortable.
 
This is hard to answer, if he responds well to meds there is no reason he cant keep going. If, however, the disease progresses and there comes a time when you and your vet feel his pain cannot be sufficiently managed then you may have to make a very hard decision. As I say tho, the meds have made a big difference to my piggy, Ambrose, so hopefully Queso will do just as well.
 
I don't think the arthritis itself is life shortening. Long term you have to balance quality of life against side effects of medication. Mrs Fudge was on metacam for well over a year and her pain was under control that whole time. Eventually her heart gave up (she was over 6 and I don't think the metacam had any bearing on that). Violet also was on metacam for several months due to arthritis. She had so much improvement in her mobility it was amazing.
 
I have absolutely no information or experience regarding cancer in piggies, but if it does turn out to be arthritis, my Beans has very severe arthritis in her back legs, knees and hips. It went unnoticed for so long because she is so good at just getting on with things but got to the point where she was struggling to walk and move her back legs. She is now on Loxicom and Tramadol and she is doing amazing. She's also on glucosamine to help with the joints, she does still seem a bit stiff sometimes but she's definitely 100 times better.

I don't know if any of that is any help but hopefully it turns out that it's nothing sinister and it can be managed x
 
a degenerative bone disease is not a cancer.. it is a generic disease which affects the whole skeleton and the bones on Xrays don't seem deformed...
bone cancer in piggies: never heard anything about it but I know bone cancer in humans and the scan looks totally different. Moreover: a cancer makes you lose a lot of weight...
Are you sure this vet is expert in orthopedic/physiotherapic issues? I am convinced that the whole inner body is in a great inflammation and only a proper diet, some supplements, antioxydant vitamins and a lost of weight, plus the right medicines might help him.
(If you know some trusted radiologist or a physiotherapist, show him this scan: all the radiologist for humans are able to recognise a desease of a bone...)
 
I've had a couple of pigs with arthritis and Metacam and glucosamine supplements helped them a lot.

Their lives weren't shortened by it and in the case of Anselmo he got a new lease of life on the Metacam. Quite often he would "jog" around his cage and I caught him standing up at the bars quite a few times.
 
A quick update!

Queso's vet prescription: Half a capsule of Cosequin and .43 ml of Meloxicam daily
Vet suggested: One daily of both Oxbow Multi-Vitamin Support and Joint Support Supplement

The multi-vitamin is the only way I've found to get him Omega 3, which I've researched can prevent further arthritis damage and even HEAL some damage. The Joint Support has Glucosamine which helps joints!

Be careful for over-feeding sugary treats if you're giving multiple supplements as I see they all have molasses cane sugar for taste.

Last night we gave Queso his Cosequin and Meloxicam, we also gave him a warm bath in the sink because he had been sitting in his urine. I think the combination of water therapy, anti-inflammatory, pain killer, and the VERY LOW heat of the water and blow dryer helped him TREMENDOUSLY!

This morning I came in for their daily breakfast and after two weeks of him barely getting up for breakfy, he actually came RUNNING (still limping) out of his tunnel and he WAS WHEEKING! This means so much to me because it has been so long since I have heard him wheek. It was just like this ray of light! He was so happy and ate up his Joint Support biscuit.

Also, just a note for anyone else who has this problem, be careful about your Vitamin C intake. Vitamin C can help heal and prevent arthritis, however, giving too much Vitamin C can also cause bone spurs and arthritis. So just be careful!

I will keep you all updated! :)
 
CheeseMommy said:
A quick update!

Queso's vet prescription: Half a capsule of Cosequin and .43 ml of Meloxicam daily
Vet suggested: One daily of both Oxbow Multi-Vitamin Support and Joint Support Supplement

The multi-vitamin is the only way I've found to get him Omega 3, which I've researched can prevent further arthritis damage and even HEAL some damage. The Joint Support has Glucosamine which helps joints!

Be careful for over-feeding sugary treats if you're giving multiple supplements as I see they all have molasses cane sugar for taste.

Last night we gave Queso his Cosequin and Meloxicam, we also gave him a warm bath in the sink because he had been sitting in his urine. I think the combination of water therapy, anti-inflammatory, pain killer, and the VERY LOW heat of the water and blow dryer helped him TREMENDOUSLY!

This morning I came in for their daily breakfast and after two weeks of him barely getting up for breakfy, he actually came RUNNING (still limping) out of his tunnel and he WAS WHEEKING! This means so much to me because it has been so long since I have heard him wheek. It was just like this ray of light! He was so happy and ate up his Joint Support biscuit.

Also, just a note for anyone else who has this problem, be careful about your Vitamin C intake. Vitamin C can help heal and prevent arthritis, however, giving too much Vitamin C can also cause bone spurs and arthritis. So just be careful!

I will keep you all updated! :)
Click to expand...
what a great news!! Now please, be patient with your little... patient! I worked and still work with people affected by these troubled, even caused by degenerative serious diseases. Supplements definitely WORK, although the official school is still a bit sceptical. Also a proper diet WORKS and may change things. Go on reading and studying the most you can and remember that guinea pigs are used as cavies because their hormonal balance and their responses to therapies are similar to us. Search news and info about what is used for us humans. I was reading on another forum about a lady who uses agopuncture and physiotherapy for her arthritic piggie, the vet laughed, but the piggie now is running again...
Use vit C, not in a whole big dose, but divided in single little doses. Then, read and learn even more... there is a link between the joint pain and the diet, the sugars, the level of insuline and other hormones. You have nothing to lose, I mean, the situation is serious, but it cannot be worse. Also water therapy might help a lot...
Let us know what you will do and the effects you will obtain.I am very happy for this post you have written! Really happy!:yahoo:
 
I want to try to update this thread as much as I can when I remember to, as it could be helpful to someone else too.

Queso is still doing great! He moved him into a new cage, all alone (but next to the others). He's back to his old self, except now he has a limp. The vet did talk a little about doing a knee replacement surgery. It would probably be around $2000. It's not something we're considering right now, but its nice to know it's a last resort type option.

I hadn't realized Queso had been slowly declining when we introduced the other pigs. Everyone said let the boars work everything out on their own, but it always seemed like he was getting humped a lot on some days. I am really beating myself up about it... I should have saved him, I just didn't know it could hurt him. It was never horrible, but knowing what I know about his knees it just makes me sad.

But, it's so nice to see him coming out to get food now! I can hear his little voice again! And today I've even seen him sitting right by the little window of his cage to look at me like he used to love to do.

The vet did advise us to slowly decrease his meds next week to find a lesser cocktail that could still help. I will try to keep you updated.
 
I am so pleased he continues to do well:) Please dont be too hard on yourself it can be very hard to spot early signs of illness in piggies as they continue to go about their lives without complaining. Once you realized something was wrong you took him to the vets and are doing everything you can. Piggies can live very happy lives with arthritis on meds so I think he has a good future ahead:)l
 
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