Hops_in_Heaven
Junior Guinea Pig
This concerns the leader of my five pig herd, Bliss. She's about three years old now, I believe. She used to be so bossy and curious, always leading the group to something interesting. Last year, I noticed that she didn't zip around as much, opting to move at a slower pace while swinging her head around a lot. Sometimes, I would hold a veggie in front of her face and she wouldn't notice it right away.
Aside from that, she was fine. Her eyes weren't cloudy or weeping or squinty. Her teeth are even. Her ears weren't crusty, nor her nipples. No weird lumps. Good feet. Her fur was shiny and not falling out. No itching. Her weight was even. She was healthy, as far as I could determine.
Last year, I brought them in for their annual checkup and mentioned Bliss's speculated vision problems. When I mentioned the veggie thing, she laughed me off and said their eyes are on the sides of their face. When I mentioned the head swinging, she said she was just being alert because she was the leader. She looked into her eyes and said there were no signs of cataracts so she has no reason to have trouble with her vision.
This year, Bliss's strange behaviour has continued. When I introduced Caramel to the herd, I placed Bliss and Caramel on either side of a lettuce pile on neutral territory. Bliss wasn't able to find the lettuce by herself. She just wandered off in the completely wrong direction. It wasn't until she heard munching that she was able to reach it.
This year, when I brought Bliss in for her annual checkup, the vet told me first thing that Bliss had vision problems. I told her casually, oh I knew that. She was shocked. She said I should have come immediately and demanded to know why I hadn't. I replied that I noticed the problem last year. She said she needed to make note of what I just said in her records. I went on to say that I had brought it up to her and explained how that conversation had went. She said she had no notes of my mentioning vision problems so of course it hadn't happened and that she wouldn't tell me that she was swinging her head to be alert. I then had to demand she look at Bliss's weight last year and compare it to this year. It was the same. But weight isn't the best indicator of health, she said. Fur quality was. Okay, well, then how was the rest of her condition? Perfectly healthy. I had been monitoring it myself this whole time and I had mentioned it to her last year whether she believed me or not.
Then I mentioned how Cuddles, who was also there for a checkup, was crazily chasing my other pigs around and rumblestrutting as though she were in heat for three weeks straight. It could be due to Caramel joining the herd but I was worried about it being a sign of some potential health problems. Could she check? She just looked at her and said yep, no hormone problems here. Put her in one of those hamster balls to get her excess energy out.
And earlier this year, I brought Tickles in because her back feet were slightly red. She just went, that's the natural pigmentation of her skin. Like I was overreacting. I just wanted to make super sure she wasn't developing any foot problems.
My pigs go in every year for an annual checkup and I take them in when they have issues that crop up. When Cuddles got a hay poke and Tickles's feet, mentioned before. I give them health checks of my own and weigh them regularly. I did mention Bliss's eyesight last year, even if she didn't make any notes of it. I'm annoyed that she might even think I'm neglecting them. Plus since she suggested I put Cuddles in a hamster ball, I'm a little concerned at her guinea pig knowledge.
I just wanted to vent. Thanks for reading this.
Aside from that, she was fine. Her eyes weren't cloudy or weeping or squinty. Her teeth are even. Her ears weren't crusty, nor her nipples. No weird lumps. Good feet. Her fur was shiny and not falling out. No itching. Her weight was even. She was healthy, as far as I could determine.
Last year, I brought them in for their annual checkup and mentioned Bliss's speculated vision problems. When I mentioned the veggie thing, she laughed me off and said their eyes are on the sides of their face. When I mentioned the head swinging, she said she was just being alert because she was the leader. She looked into her eyes and said there were no signs of cataracts so she has no reason to have trouble with her vision.
This year, Bliss's strange behaviour has continued. When I introduced Caramel to the herd, I placed Bliss and Caramel on either side of a lettuce pile on neutral territory. Bliss wasn't able to find the lettuce by herself. She just wandered off in the completely wrong direction. It wasn't until she heard munching that she was able to reach it.
This year, when I brought Bliss in for her annual checkup, the vet told me first thing that Bliss had vision problems. I told her casually, oh I knew that. She was shocked. She said I should have come immediately and demanded to know why I hadn't. I replied that I noticed the problem last year. She said she needed to make note of what I just said in her records. I went on to say that I had brought it up to her and explained how that conversation had went. She said she had no notes of my mentioning vision problems so of course it hadn't happened and that she wouldn't tell me that she was swinging her head to be alert. I then had to demand she look at Bliss's weight last year and compare it to this year. It was the same. But weight isn't the best indicator of health, she said. Fur quality was. Okay, well, then how was the rest of her condition? Perfectly healthy. I had been monitoring it myself this whole time and I had mentioned it to her last year whether she believed me or not.
Then I mentioned how Cuddles, who was also there for a checkup, was crazily chasing my other pigs around and rumblestrutting as though she were in heat for three weeks straight. It could be due to Caramel joining the herd but I was worried about it being a sign of some potential health problems. Could she check? She just looked at her and said yep, no hormone problems here. Put her in one of those hamster balls to get her excess energy out.
And earlier this year, I brought Tickles in because her back feet were slightly red. She just went, that's the natural pigmentation of her skin. Like I was overreacting. I just wanted to make super sure she wasn't developing any foot problems.
My pigs go in every year for an annual checkup and I take them in when they have issues that crop up. When Cuddles got a hay poke and Tickles's feet, mentioned before. I give them health checks of my own and weigh them regularly. I did mention Bliss's eyesight last year, even if she didn't make any notes of it. I'm annoyed that she might even think I'm neglecting them. Plus since she suggested I put Cuddles in a hamster ball, I'm a little concerned at her guinea pig knowledge.
I just wanted to vent. Thanks for reading this.
Frolic seems to have taken up that mantle, and so well that I briefly wondered if she was now in charge. But she still pays her respects to Bliss. I really enjoy their dynamic.