Urgent Need Advice!

[GPTV]

Sorry she doesn't seem to be improving that much, i think if it was me i would try getting a conscious xray done, maybe a tight fitting shoe box with her in & a heap of dandelions or grass to munch on will help relax her whilst being xrayed?
As gizzy mentioned before it does need an experienced vet to decipher the plate results, it might be worth asking the vet to send/email a copy of the plates to a heart specialist. Check with @helen105281 but i think a very experienced heart vet/clinic is the 'Vets &Pets' practice in Broxborne. EN10 6SU. it might be worth seeing if they can give your vet any guidance?

has pneumonia or infection definitely been ruled out?

is there any way that you could make a good clear recording of her heartbeat (mobile phone?) at the vets & send the file to broxborne vets, it might be be possible for them to pickup any extra abnormalities to help in her treatment? i think the lady there has a talent for picking up heart problems.

i'm afraid i only had limited heart issues experience & helen10281 was my best most experienced adviser so i would try any of her suggestions first.

try asking the vet if they would be prepared to go any higher with the fortekor dose, as my Ellie was started on the 1.25mg daily dose & my vet said he would see how it went & try increasing a bit if necessary.
if your vet agrees i guess it would do no harm to try the vetmedin also if there is still no change in her symptoms?

sorry i cant really offer much more advice, but sending bucketfulls of healing vibes & hopefully you will soon get her sorted

fingers & paws all tightly crossed here for you both. xx

 

[Adelle]

Thank you for that, you have been very helpful! Infection hasnt been ruled out but pneumonia has as her lungs are crystal clear.. Its just the heart and fluid surrounding in the chest cavity thats the problem. I'm hopefully going to get her xrayed tomorrow and see whats what. I'll mention infection too. I just dont want to go ahead with vetmedin when its not her heart.. I.e could be a tumour pressing on it etc. i dont mind the fortekor even if its not heart as i was told this would also help her kidneys. Her breathing is better today but probably because shes maxed out on frusemide. She popcorned earlier too so I'm sure shes comfortable. I just need something to stop this fluid build up and this dose of frusemide is only meant to be in a crisis. Thank you all xx

 

[Adelle]

Sorry she doesn't seem to be improving that much, i think if it was me i would try getting a conscious xray done, maybe a tight fitting shoe box with her in & a heap of dandelions or grass to munch on will help relax her whilst being xrayed?
As gizzy mentioned before it does need an experienced vet to decipher the plate results, it might be worth asking the vet to send/email a copy of the plates to a heart specialist. Check with @helen105281 but i think a very experienced heart vet/clinic is the 'Vets &Pets' practice in Broxborne. EN10 6SU. it might be worth seeing if they can give your vet any guidance?

has pneumonia or infection definitely been ruled out?

is there any way that you could make a good clear recording of her heartbeat (mobile phone?) at the vets & send the file to broxborne vets, it might be be possible for them to pickup any extra abnormalities to help in her treatment? i think the lady there has a talent for picking up heart problems.

i'm afraid i only had limited heart issues experience & helen10281 was my best most experienced adviser so i would try any of her suggestions first.

try asking the vet if they would be prepared to go any higher with the fortekor dose, as my Ellie was started on the 1.25mg daily dose & my vet said he would see how it went & try increasing a bit if necessary.
if your vet agrees i guess it would do no harm to try the vetmedin also if there is still no change in her symptoms?

sorry i cant really offer much more advice, but sending bucketfulls of healing vibes & hopefully you will soon get her sorted

fingers & paws all tightly crossed here for you both. xx

Forgot to add the quote as per usual!

 

[helen105281]

I am not sure about the vets in Broxbourne, one of the vets there did diagnose 2 of my pigs in the past but I have not heard of many pigs being diagnosed with heart issues there recently. Normally I would give you the number of my friend who wrote the article as she is usually happy to have conversations with vets but she is not available at the moment due to serious illness. My own vets are a possibility, they recently gave heart meds to a lady I was helping based on an xray she had done elsewhere.

 

[helen105281]

I have also heard of much higher doses of diuretic being used to get a pig through a crisis period. Some vets will do doses of 10mg at the start and then taper it back down. I think that may even be twice a day. This should only be used in the short term though.

 

[Adelle]

I am not sure about the vets in Broxbourne, one of the vets there did diagnose 2 of my pigs in the past but I have not heard of many pigs being diagnosed with heart issues there recently. Normally I would give you the number of my friend who wrote the article as she is usually happy to have conversations with vets but she is not available at the moment due to serious illness. My own vets are a possibility, they recently gave heart meds to a lady I was helping based on an xray she had done elsewhere.

The vet called me end of surgery, iv to take Fudge in at 12 and she'll do the xray there and then so she doesnt have to have a prolonged stay. I also mentioned infection and if theirs no sign of any tumours, shes going to start her on antibiotics and vetmedin, then we'll see how we go. I have this horrible, horrible feeling there is something nasty going on as shes had a couple of lumps on her skin develop lately that have come in quite fast. They arent abcesses or bites, theyre smooth and under the skin. I'm sort of putting 2 and 2 together... But heres hoping we can try something. Could you possibly send me details @helen105281 of a good piggy heart vet that could interpret the xrays? Thank you.

 

[helen105281]

Messaged you.

 

[flintstones]

Hope today goes well. x

 

[helen105281]

Good luck today.

 

[Adelle]

Hope today goes well. x

Good luck today.

Thank you for the good luck wishes! Fudge was a good girl for her concious xray, she took one from above but couldnt take one on her side as she wouldnt co-operate obviously.

There was no obvious sign of any masses, but not 100% accurate as there was a LOT of fluid in her chest. It was also hard to see the heart clearly to tell if its enlarged. She thinks due to the large volume of fluid that it isnt infection, and more likely due to heart failure or a mass that she cant see.

I am hopefull as surely heart failure is a better outcome than a big nasty tumour? At least we can try get this under control with meds. She was prescribed vetmedin, 1/4 of 1.25mg tab daily. I'll split this into 3 doses like i do with her fortekor. Which she will be staying on too.

Heres hoping xx

 

[helen105281]

I think once you get her ideal balance of meds she will do well, it can just be very tricky getting to that stage. Did the vet give any extra diuretic?

 

[Adelle]

I think once you get her ideal balance of meds she will do well, it can just be very tricky getting to that stage. Did the vet give any extra diuretic?

No just adviced to use diuretics as i have been. She wasnt even breathing the worst she has been either.. Shes been raspy/gurgly twice but was relatively okay today in comparison. Diuretics must do something but maybe not enough. Iv been giving her 4mg every 8 hours for 3 days.. Do u think with what we found today i should up that? Or keep it as is and hope vetmedin does something?

Thanks again for all your help

 

[helen105281]

I would usually be inclined to say up it a bit but I would be happier for your vet to confirm that. I am not sure what Vetmedin does exactly so maybe wait and see if that has an effect.

 

[biscandmatt]

glad you have some more details now and best of luck x

 

[Adelle]

I would usually be inclined to say up it a bit but I would be happier for your vet to confirm that. I am not sure what Vetmedin does exactly so maybe wait and see if that has an effect.

glad you have some more details now and best of luck x

Fudge wasnt doing too well yesterday breathing wise and demeanor despite being in 5mg frusemide every 8 hours. I felt like she was going downhill and that i'd be lucky if she was with me another week, she looked like she was giving up. I went to the vets (on my own as i didnt want to stress her) and asked the vet for the antibiotics we discussed as i knew it was the only other option we had left and i didnt want to leave it until it was too late. She was prescribed 0.2ml twice daily of 2.5% Baytril solution for a week. She had 2 doses yesterday and went to give her 1 this morning and she seems brighter today, breathing less hard and fighting me off for meds as she could smell her veggies on the table. Her poos are a little mucousy surrounding healthy poos but I'm putting that down to baytril. Today seems like a good day for her (touch wood) xx

 

[helen105281]

Glad you have seen some improvement. Have you got probiotic to give after the Baytril?

Are you continuing the heart meds? Heart pigs can be prone to respiratory infections sadly.

 

[Adelle]

Glad you have seen some improvement. Have you got probiotic to give after the Baytril?

Are you continuing the heart meds? Heart pigs can be prone to respiratory infections sadly.

Yes i have fiberplex, and still giving heart meds, she had only had 1 day of vetmedin before yesterday so wasnt stopping it that early. Hope she stays on the right path. Just about to write another thread about my other sow now- the joys!'

 

[Adelle]

So fudge has been on vetmedin since friday, baytril since saturday, and had diahorrea on an off since sunday. I stopped the baytril on sunday, and the diahorrea stopped. She then passed two normal but small poos that evening, and had more diarohea moday morning when i woke. A couple small poos again during day, diahhorea before bed, then more very small ball like hard poos today. I'm not thinking its the vetmedin, but dont understand the pattern as all her meds are split into 8 hours, given at 8am, 4pm and 12am. She has a small
Amount of veg with dioralyte on after each meds- shes had this for a couple weeks with no problems. Anyone any advice?
She was picky with food when diahorrea started, but is eating normally again today- veg, hay and pellets. Her droppings are still hard and ball shaped, very small amounts of them too. Hes maintaing her weight (15g heavier than normal) but is a little dull- just sitting in her hidey instead of laying down and sleeping. Iv started her on metacloprimide to keep guts moving which has increased output slightly.

Thanks in advance