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We Have A Diagnosis For Peanut Butter

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Lilly

Adult Guinea Pig
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The lab results are in. He has benign prostatic hyperplasia. I had to look it up with dogs in the search to get any non-human info. At least it's not prostate cancer, which was the other worry. Unfortunately the only cure is neutering which is a risk for any piggy but at his age of 3 years old, it is very risky. The Tardak injection he got to kill off testosterone only lasts a month. So, in 10 days time he will be evaluated to see if he is fighting fit to undergo the op. He regained some of his weight loss & is now 1200 grams. I need to get him to add another 40 grams to reach his pre-illness stable adult weight. I've tried putting rolled oats in his bowl but he diligently flings it out. Anyone have any advice on how to fatten up a piggy in 10 days?

I've read the excellent sticky on neutering by @Abi_nurse to prepare myself. Also Guinea Lynx provides a great link to a Cavy Spirit article on the subject listing some very detailed surgical info. Unfortunately both those sites say a boy pig is ready to go in with girls 3-4 weeks post-op so I have to wonder how good their info is. @Wiebke you need to have a word with them!

This is either going to be the worst or the best Xmas/New Year depending on PB's surgery outcome. For the moment though, with his pain under control, I have my bright, cheeky, noisy boy back.
 
At least you know where you are with the diagnosis, although for sure it's still a worrying time! Healing vibes to Peanut Butter x
 
At least you know where you are with the diagnosis, although for sure it's still a worrying time! Healing vibes to Peanut Butter x
:agr: Oh yes, it is a great relief to have an accurate diagnosis and a solution. We think now his 3 month "UTI" last year with a different vet was possibly related to this. It was only my stance on "I'm not trying this & that again" & my willingness to spend money on every test available to get this diagnosis. All his tests, lab fees, meds & consults so far have cost me $1000AUD (about 500GBP). And the cost of the surgery? A measly $108 (about 50 pounds).
 
I am glad that you have got a diagnosis and that there is the chance of a permanent cure. It is tough when you are living in a country where experience with small operations is only a fairly recent development, but thankfully the odds of a good recovery have improved a lot. The biggest problem is an adverse reaction to anaesthetics in the immediate post op phase and later on, abscesses.

That said, the majority of boars have always survived. We had our first boar neutered at the beginning of the eighties without any advice about post op care or when he would be ready to join his wife again...

The majority of boars is safe after four weeks, but crucially not all. With pregnancies after five weeks you are down to the last 1% - a very small but crucial difference! :mal:

Make sure that you ask how soon your boy can have painkillers post op and have hand feeding stuff on stand-by, just in case.

Best of luck!
 
Ouch :( Still, you can't put a price on happy, healthy piggies :) Well done you for standing your ground x
 
I am glad that you have got a diagnosis and that there is the chance of a permanent cure. It is tough when you are living in a country where experience with small operations is only a fairly recent development, but thankfully the odds of a good recovery have improved a lot. The biggest problem is an adverse reaction to anaesthetics in the immediate post op phase and later on, abscesses.

That said, the majority of boars have always survived. We had our first boar neutered at the beginning of the eighties without any advice about post op care or when he would be ready to join his wife again...

The majority of boars is safe after four weeks, but crucially not all. With pregnancies after five weeks you are down to the last 1% - a very small but crucial difference! :mal:

Make sure that you ask how soon your boy can have painkillers post op and have hand feeding stuff on stand-by, just in case.

Best of luck!

Thank you for the re-assurance & advice. As PB has been getting a whiff of gas every month of his life for his dentals I am hoping he will do well especially as I am going to discuss with the vet the gassing procedure as depicted by @Abi_nurse in the sticky.

Ouch :( Still, you can't put a price on happy, healthy piggies :) Well done you for standing your ground x
I had to apply for VetPay to do it! Thank goodness I was approved. We don't have pet insurance here for anything other than dogs & cats. But this is a new fortnightly third party credit scheme here (at minimal interest) that my new vet's practice and the Uni of QLD small animal hospital now offer. The bill has to be at least $250 (just over 100 pounds), 14% is added to it, and you make fortnightly equal payments for 1 year to pay it off. I just could not see either PB or myself going through another 3 months of fiddling about trying various things - I wanted answers!
 
Thank you for the re-assurance & advice. As PB has been getting a whiff of gas every month of his life for his dentals I am hoping he will do well especially as I am going to discuss with the vet the gassing procedure as depicted by @Abi_nurse in the sticky.


I had to apply for VetPay to do it! Thank goodness I was approved. We don't have pet insurance here for anything other than dogs & cats. But this is a new fortnightly third party credit scheme here (at minimal interest) that my new vet's practice and the Uni of QLD small animal hospital now offer. The bill has to be at least $250 (just over 100 pounds), 14% is added to it, and you make fortnightly equal payments for 1 year to pay it off. I just could not see either PB or myself going through another 3 months of fiddling about trying various things - I wanted answers!
Wow that's a good scheme there, I think we are lucky in the uk as a lot of vet practices will let you pay in instalments for vet bills, not all I may add. My vet is letting me pay back 340 gbp in instalments. Interest free.
Good luck to you and peanut butter. Hope all goes well for you in the future x
 
Wow that's a good scheme there, I think we are lucky in the uk as a lot of vet practices will let you pay in instalments for vet bills, not all I may add. My vet is letting me pay back 340 gbp in instalments. Interest free.
Good luck to you and peanut butter. Hope all goes well for you in the future x
I remember reading about your poor boy. Am so sorry you had to lose him in the end. Hope this does not happen to PB, but like you did wih
Jack I have to give my boy every chance I can.
 
I remember reading about your poor boy. Am so sorry you had to lose him in the end. Hope this does not happen to PB, but like you did wih
Jack I have to give my boy every chance I can.
Yes we have to give are animals the best chance we possibly can always, I'm sure PB will be fine. Hugs to you both xx
 
I'm glad you had a diagnosis. Poor Peanut Butter. He is lucky to have such a wonderful owner x
 
Good luck Peanut Butter :luv: hope it all goes ok.

Not sure but i think sweetcorn is a rapid weight-gain food, but i'm not sure on the negative side of eating too much of it. hopefully if its only a short term weight gain you're after for the op it will help with no detrimental effects.
i love the way that owners on here take the time, patience & funding to try to make their pets recover/give them quality of life. :clap:
it makes me happy that i'm not the only one that thinks these lovable little critters are not disposable pets... just addictive little furballs :hug:

Fingers&paws all crossed for a speedy recovery now you have a diagnosis.

Love from the girls & i. xx
 
Good luck Peanut Butter :luv: hope it all goes ok.

Not sure but i think sweetcorn is a rapid weight-gain food, but i'm not sure on the negative side of eating too much of it. hopefully if its only a short term weight gain you're after for the op it will help with no detrimental effects.
i love the way that owners on here take the time, patience & funding to try to make their pets recover/give them quality of life. :clap:
it makes me happy that i'm not the only one that thinks these lovable little critters are not disposable pets... just addictive little furballs :hug:

Fingers&paws all crossed for a speedy recovery now you have a diagnosis.

Love from the girls & i. xx
I also think vets try harder when they realise the owner is committed to getting their pets well rather than having cost the number one consideration. When my pooch had to have eye surgery & the vet stated the cost, he was ever so sheepish about it, but when I said she was insured he became very cheerful & brisklike. Same with Peanut Butter & the new vet. When she said how much all that lab testing was going to cost, I said I would be applying for VetPay, one could visibly see her demeanour change from neutrality to a "right, let's do everything we can" attitude. It makes me think these vets have seen too many cases of where people want medical care for their pets but then realise they can't pay for it. As I said to PB's vet, I don't take on an animal unless I can afford to care for it.

Thanks for the sweetcorn tip. I just want quick short term weight gain so will try that. Had heard oats were good but he won't eat them.
 
I'm glad you got an answer for him. I know humans with benign prostatic hyperplasia, but had never heard of it in a guinea pig! I guess we're all mammals and prone to some of the same illnesses! I hope all goes well with his neuter. Wishing him a smooth op and a speedy recovery!
 
I'm glad you got an answer for him. I know humans with benign prostatic hyperplasia, but had never heard of it in a guinea pig! I guess we're all mammals and prone to some of the same illnesses! I hope all goes well with his neuter. Wishing him a smooth op and a speedy recovery!
Even the vet had trouble finidng anything in the medical literature about it & had to consult 2 other vets, one of whom came in to examine PB's prostate before she did the culture for the lab. But yes all mammals can be prone to the same illnesses. Apparently it is common in older intact dogs where it can range from mild controllable symptoms to severe needing neutering just like PB. A vet's receptionist once had a male rat that developed mammary cancer!
 
I am pleased you got a diagnosis Lilly, you are a credit to PB and glad you have the full support of your vets now. Sending him lots of healing vibes x
 
Even the vet had trouble finidng anything in the medical literature about it & had to consult 2 other vets, one of whom came in to examine PB's prostate before she did the culture for the lab. But yes all mammals can be prone to the same illnesses. Apparently it is common in older intact dogs where it can range from mild controllable symptoms to severe needing neutering just like PB. A vet's receptionist once had a male rat that developed mammary cancer!
It may be more common than we know in guinea pigs, but many vets don't think to test for it and many owners don't pursue testing far enough to reach an unusual diagnosis, as they don't know what to look for or where to go. Guinea pigs are prone to a lot of other diseases that humans get (heart disease, preeclampsia during pregnancy, scurvy) so it makes sense that there would be others.
 
It may be more common than we know in guinea pigs, but many vets don't think to test for it and many owners don't pursue testing far enough to reach an unusual diagnosis, as they don't know what to look for or where to go. Guinea pigs are prone to a lot of other diseases that humans get (heart disease, preeclampsia during pregnancy, scurvy) so it makes sense that there would be others.
That was my thought, that this might go undiagnosed in un-neutered boys because the symptoms are so similar to UTI, cystitis, stones.
 
This morning Peanut Butter has a very gurgly stomach, something I've not heard with him before. Sounds like gas if it were in a human. I massaged his tummy with an electric toothbrush for a while not having anything else to hand. He seemed to enjoy it but I can't say it stopped his tummy noises. He is due at the vets tomorrow for his neutering plan. Should I take him in now instead or get some gripe water as a temporary measure?
 
I swear by Gripe water but I would also call your vet to see what they think is the best thing to do.
 
In that case yes I would and keep up with the massage too. Also make sure he has plenty of hay and cut out the veggies.
 
He ended up seeing the vet yesterday anyway because he had a strange thin wet looking poop & a small patch of diarrhoea. A swab of faeces under the microscope revealed heavy yeast infestation. We went ahead with the surgery today anyway because he was once again in pain despite the Tramadol.Turns out one of his testicles was twice the size of the other & that's gone off to the lab for analysis so another week's worry waiting for the results. The surgery went well & he was eating straight away. He continues on Tramadol for pain. He is to have Baytril for 5 days as the vet thinks risk of infection high with their lower bits so close to the ground. This is not good as it will encourage the yeast to proliferate so pro-biotics & Nystatin (anti-fungal) for 10 days & then poop re-test. He is staying isolated in his hospital cage tonight but can rejoin Hazelnut tomorrow. At least the sutures shouldn't be a worry. Some sort of glue type that won't be chewed on & doesn't need removal.
 
Glad the op went ok Lilly. Hopefully the Nystatin will help clear up the yeast, if not he may need a longer course once off the Baytril. I have had 2 pigs on Nystatin (Buzz and Nigel) and it worked well.
 
Glad the op went ok Lilly. Hopefully the Nystatin will help clear up the yeast, if not he may need a longer course once off the Baytril. I have had 2 pigs on Nystatin (Buzz and Nigel) and it worked well.
Thanks Helen. We will be re-testing his poop so yes he may have to stay on it longer. It is so good to know it worked for other piggies. This morning PB's poops were thin but firm & plentiful. No diarrhoea either. .
 
An interesting bit of good news> While he was under his head was X-rayed to re-check his teeth. Vet said his molars were actually in brilliant condition for his age. She confirmed his overbite was the cause of his incisors overgrowing & we just need to keep those clipped regularly.
 
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