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Unusual squealing/subdued piggie

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PottyForPiggies

PottyForPiggies

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My little babypig Stewart (well, 8 months old, so not so much a baby any more!) has been making some strange noises in the past couple of days. They're not constant or even very frequent (not frequent enough to be while he's passing anything), but they are very strange. He's been a bit subdued, but I have thought that could be because he's been squabbling with his older friend and that he was a bit sad. But every night, maybe once or twice, I'll hear a disgruntled squeal. Usually it's when he's cleaning himself or eating a big bit of hay, but I don't know what's causing it. I've checked him over and he's got nothing outwardly worrying. Nails short, teeth in tact, no lumps, bumps or hair loss, no discomfort when I poke or prod. He's eating and drinking as normal, and seemed to perk up after a cuddle yesterday although he's still very subdued :(

It's not much to go on, but does anyone have any suggestions?
 
Have you weighed him? Has he lost any weight? I think i would be tempted to have him out on a white towel feeding him his fave watery beg and waiting for him to poo or wee, listening for noises when he does and looking to see what colour his wee is, i am not sure if any problems with a UTI etc would make him scream every time he went, maybe just sometimes....?

Vet trip will be the best way forward.

xx
 
Are you sure he's alone when he makes these sounds? My two squabble a lot, and the bigger of the two will often chase the smaller out of hideys or away from the hay when she's feeling bossy. The little one usually emits quite a squeak when this happens, sometimes without the other even touching her. Often, she'll start squalling and warbling before the other one has even got close, if she thinks she's going to get chased off. Plenty of times I've heard a shrill wheek and turned around to see them sitting apart, trying to look innocent.
 
The Alcotroll said:
Are you sure he's alone when he makes these sounds? My two squabble a lot, and the bigger of the two will often chase the smaller out of hideys or away from the hay when she's feeling bossy. The little one usually emits quite a squeak when this happens, sometimes without the other even touching her. Often, she'll start squalling and warbling before the other one has even got close, if she thinks she's going to get chased off. Plenty of times I've heard a shrill wheek and turned around to see them sitting apart, trying to look innocent.
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I'm watching him right now, he's less than 6 feet away from me: his friend is in the guinea pigloo and he is on his own, nowhere near his friend. It's not a shrill 'leave me alone, I'm no threat' wheek, but more like someone's stood on his foot wheek. It makes no sense :(

He feels small but he's the smallest of my piggies, so he always feels tiny after cuddling another one! He's been eating and drinking like mad, I just can't work out these noises :(
 
I've just weighed Stewart and he's a tiny 800g; he's lost 100g since I last weighed him (which I'm embarrassed to say was 3 weeks ago 8... ) I'm worried about my little man :(
 
Don't know if this is any help. I have a piggy who once squealed 3 times while raising his behind but nothing came out. However, when I took him out on a white towel on my lap to monitor while waiting to take him to the vet he peed and pooped with no squeals. Took him to the vet anyway and nothing wrong. A member on here (SuzyGPR I think) suggested it might have been a sperm rod which he eventually disloged and ate.
 
Lilly said:
Don't know if this is any help. I have a piggy who once squealed 3 times while raising his behind but nothing came out. However, when I took him out on a white towel on my lap to monitor while waiting to take him to the vet he peed and pooped with no squeals. Took him to the vet anyway and nothing wrong. A member on here (SuzyGPR I think) suggested it might have been a sperm rod which he eventually disloged and ate.
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Wow, that sounds very attractive - they are curious animals aren't they!
 
Hi. I was thinking the same as Toffeewoffee - UTI. Normally they will squeak while passing pee or poo (often rearing their back ends up while pooing as well). There is not always blood in the wee (they might have crystals or sludge in the bladder). I would suggest a vet visit and ask the vet to scan the bladder to check. This will also be able to rule out any bladder stones that may be forming.

Just watch out what veg you are feeding (spinach, parsley and kale if fed excessively can cause sludge/stones in the bladder)

Hope that this helps

xx
 
Little Stewpot (his cute nickname cause he's daft as a brush) is off to the vets in half an hour, please send healing wheeks and love his way x
 
Healing wheeks, see if you can get a fresh wee sample to take with you for testing, sit him in a washing up bowl and feed lots of veg or carefully syringe some water and wait, then suck it up in a syringe and pop it in the fridge until you go.

Good luck xx
 
After the vets visit, I'm sad to say our vet now thinks Stewart is a dental piggie :( He gave him a thorough once over, and said that his back teeth appear to be growing horizontal instead of vertical and that he would need some clipping.
However, I'm worried about putting him under at the weight he is, and I can't believe this but I had to fight my vet for syringe food! He didn't think it was beneficial and didn't think it would do any good (as you can tell, my regular vet wasn't available), and after all of it I got given 1 single 20g sachet. Upset doesn't even begin to cover it.
 
Have PM'd you hun!

Normal Pellets mashed up will be ok until you can get some more CC.

xx
 
Thank you, I'll be trying to help him get his chunky little Rex bum back :) x
 
OK, like hell is this a dental issue. Not only is he eating hard veggies with no difficulty, but he's been sat on the white cuddle mat and his squeaking is while he's been pooping (not difficult for him, there were tons!) and his pee came out straight away as a yellowy-brown. It hadn't had chance to dry so no chance of it being a later thing.
This is a urinary problem, and I am never seeing that vet again.

However, just to make sure I've got a referral to a specialist dental expert in Harrogate. It won't be cheap, but if he doesn't improve with treatment for the UTI then he'll be going there.
 
Did the vet even check his urine? Poor thing, I'd be asking for my money back for a false diagnosis for one and another consultant with a better vet. That's bad.

Sending some vibes, he does need to get some antibiotics into him though for a UTI.
 
UPDATE: This is definitely a UTI. He's sat on my knee and sends his wheeky love, and has just left me two bright red wet patches on the newly clean white sheet (and one of the sofa, little ! :p) and some very smelly poops. Officially fuming with that vet and going back to see someone decent as soon as possible.
 
Septrin is an excellent AB for UTIs. He will probably also need metacam as well for pain relief. At least you know now what it is and can let the vet know. It would be a good idea to get some probiotics (if you dont have some already) to put good bacteria back into his tummy.

Mine have all had bladder issues at some point and I have 2 that have ongoing bladder problems at the moment - it is so heartbreaking hearing them squeaking when they are weeing and pooing, so I know how you feel

xx
 
Well the good thing is he's been back this morning (refused to leave the vets until I got seen!) and I've got him some Septrin and some Loxicom as pain relief. He's very unhappy but he'll be back to normal before I know it :) x
 
Oh gosh, only just seen at this, and oh my goodness, what? That vet you saw yesterday in a moron! I hope you didn't pay for todays visit?

xx
 
I paid £55.67 for today's visit, including my medications. I'll be writing one very unhappy letter :( x
 
He's very very startled, not pleased and throwing a tantrum with his hutchmate because he's not feeling well, but he's had his first batch of medicine. It obviously hasn't kicked in yet, as it breaks my heart to hear that tiny little uncomfortable wheek from across the room :( Still peeing blood but I'll keep you all updated, with the piggie and the vet complaint :(
 
I'm wondering if the dosage I've been given for the loxicam is right... I've been told to give 0.1ml once a day of Loxicam 0.5mg/ml, does that sound right? He's still squealing when passing nearly 2 hours after the first dose :( Any suggestions?
 
Well done for standing up for yourself at the vets. Really hope he is better real soon.

Keep us posted on how you get on

xx
 
I normally go on drops with metacam/loxicom rather than mls. My vet says that I can go up to 5 drops twice a day if needed. I tend to do 4.

xx
 
Update for the morning, little Stewpot is much better than he was yesterday :) I'm waiting for him to have his breakfast before he has his meds, so there's some uncomfortable wheeks as the pain relief has worn off but there's far fewer pink spots. He's so active, running round and exploring everything :) x
 
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