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What Would You Do In My Position?

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Hi Sian, with my Fred me and the vet stopped the antibiotic once the course was finished and kept a close eye on the abscess area to ensure it didn't return.

Glad the boys are doing better and the roller-coaster is almost over. I'm introducing my boys to there new friends a week on Sunday, as I'm off on holiday before hand. Can't wait to see there happy piggy faces. Have you thought anymore about potential suitors?

As for the stop smoking, I did this year's ago and it really was the best decision I ever made. I thought 1.99 was expensive for cigarettes that was Until I bought 10 for my brother 4.64?! Couldn't believe it. Definetly the right move, I had quite a few false starts the most important thing is never give up giving up and always continue with your quit. If I had a lapse which I had for years afterwards I would always consider myself a none smoker and move on. I haven't had a lapse in many years and I can honestly say I don't miss it.
 
Sian25 said:
My vet always mentions putting a needle in it to check for infection.. Is this necessary? I hate the thought of them being jabbed in their abdomen! Plus last time a needle was stuck in milan.. I was told there was no pus and it was scar tissue.. A few days later it was bursting with pus!
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The needle should detect any pus but will not detect any low grade infection. I am afraid there is no foolproof test.
 
flintstones said:
Hi Sian, with my Fred me and the vet stopped the antibiotic once the course was finished and kept a close eye on the abscess area to ensure it didn't return.

Glad the boys are doing better and the roller-coaster is almost over. I'm introducing my boys to there new friends a week on Sunday, as I'm off on holiday before hand. Can't wait to see there happy piggy faces. Have you thought anymore about potential suitors?

As for the stop smoking, I did this year's ago and it really was the best decision I ever made. I thought 1.99 was expensive for cigarettes that was Until I bought 10 for my brother 4.64?! Couldn't believe it. Definetly the right move, I had quite a few false starts the most important thing is never give up giving up and always continue with your quit. If I had a lapse which I had for years afterwards I would always consider myself a none smoker and move on. I haven't had a lapse in many years and I can honestly say I don't miss it.
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I'm unsure how long the course is as the vet has not mentioned how long we are on the Zithromax for. They started it 2 weeks ago today.

I've not smoked at all today but finding it hard.. Before I lapsed yesterday, I quit for 5 days but today seems to have been tough even though I've been kept mad busy with work all day!

Does anyone know where to get aubiose bedding for my boys litter/hay trays? I have one local horse supply shop but they don't sell aubiose. Everywhere I've found online has pretty expensive postage! I'll pay if necessary, but was wondering whether anyone knew where was best to get it from?
 
Sian25 said:
Does anyone know where to get aubiose bedding for my boys litter/hay trays? I have one local horse supply shop but they don't sell aubiose. Everywhere I've found online has pretty expensive postage! I'll pay if necessary, but was wondering whether anyone knew where was best to get it from?
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Is there a particular reason why you want Aubiose Sian ?
 
Sian25 said:
Just because I'm using carefresh at the moment and it's getting too expensive. Do you have any suggestions for anything better than aubiose?
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I've stopped using Aubiose in the main part of my hutch . It's a pity as I can get it from an equine supplier so don't have to pay the delivery costs ! I still use it in hay trays as it's great for this. I use Finacard for the main part of my hutch and highly recommend it !

Cardboard Animal Bedding, Paper Horse Bedding, Nesting Material : Finacard
 
PiggyOwner said:
I've stopped using Aubiose in the main part of my hutch . It's a pity as I can get it from an equine supplier so don't have to pay the delivery costs ! I still use it in hay trays as it's great for this. I use Finacard for the main part of my hutch and highly recommend it !

Cardboard Animal Bedding, Paper Horse Bedding, Nesting Material : Finacard
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It's the hay/litter trays that I want the aubiose for. I use ziggys liners in the main part of the cages. I will pay the postage for it if I can't find any with free/low postage but it's a pain
 
Sian25 said:
Is that like aubiose? Thanks for this, p@h is just down the road from me
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I would imagine so. Aubiose is a hemp based bedding - as is this one . It says in the info that it is safe for guinea pigs too.
 
Sian,Can you get megasorb?it is great for litter trays and is very soft.it would be great to use with your boys,less likely to get into there bits,£7.00 a bale,do not use news paper in littertray,just put megasorb in on its own.Aubiose can be harsh on feet and boys bits.bliss is very similar to Aubiose if you feel you must have a subtract similar to it.Finacard is great for use in whole hutch.Glad boys are plodding along.x
 
Thanks everyone for the help on bedding.

Unfortunately Milan seems to be going down hill. He weighed 1.09kg when the Zithromax was started and pretty much maintained his weight (with a small amount of fluctuating) for the first week. However this past week, he's been loosing up to 15g per day and now he's only weighing 1.029. I've been syringing the last few days but evidently it's just not enough. Does anyone have any advice? I'm really worried about him and can't understand why only the second week he has started to lose weight. I give him emeprid for the first 4 days as the label from when it was prescribed said for 4 days.. Can it be given longer? And should I give him some more? Although I only have a small amount left.

He's been quite off his nuggets for the whole course of Zithromax but has still enjoyed his Ings hay (I normally have timothy hay to mix too but I ran out last week) he seems to be eating less of his Ings hay so I rushed out and got him some alfalfa king timothy that he seemed to tuck into at first but now he's not so bothered. I have a vet appointment on Wednesday - I made this appointment on friday and wanted him seeing to on Tuesday ideally but the vet was fully booked.

He is still eating his veg and the bits of readigrass that I have given him.. I know readigrass can cause bloat if too much is given, but how much is too much?
 
Awww so sorry your pigs not doing well...
Just letting you know your in my thaughts...
 
Sian25 said:
Thanks everyone for the help on bedding.

Unfortunately Milan seems to be going down hill. He weighed 1.09kg when the Zithromax was started and pretty much maintained his weight (with a small amount of fluctuating) for the first week. However this past week, he's been loosing up to 15g per day and now he's only weighing 1.029. I've been syringing the last few days but evidently it's just not enough. Does anyone have any advice? I'm really worried about him and can't understand why only the second week he has started to lose weight. I give him emeprid for the first 4 days as the label from when it was prescribed said for 4 days.. Can it be given longer? And should I give him some more? Although I only have a small amount left.

He's been quite off his nuggets for the whole course of Zithromax but has still enjoyed his Ings hay (I normally have timothy hay to mix too but I ran out last week) he seems to be eating less of his Ings hay so I rushed out and got him some alfalfa king timothy that he seemed to tuck into at first but now he's not so bothered. I have a vet appointment on Wednesday - I made this appointment on friday and wanted him seeing to on Tuesday ideally but the vet was fully booked.

He is still eating his veg and the bits of readigrass that I have given him.. I know readigrass can cause bloat if too much is given, but how much is too much?
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@Wiebke @furryfriends (TEAS)
 
Do ypu mean 1.9 to 1.2 .l
If not he has not lost a lot of weight. Are you weighing at same day if day
.
 
Garden said:
Do ypu mean 1.9 to 1.2 .l
If not he has not lost a lot of weight. Are you weighing at same day if day
.
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No, 1.09 to 1.029 so he's lost 61g. I know it's not a massive amount but it's going down day by day which is worrying. Yes I've been weighing at the same time each day
 
Sian,sometimes that antibiotic can diminish cavies appetite,have you ben able to syringe mashed up pellets?i found Jerries weight has been easier to maintain with this you can give emperide for longer if you feel it helps,your guinea has not lost loads of weight,Jerry lost 100kgs in one day,but then his bloat had gone down.i only give a small fist full of readigrass for two pigs twice aweek as a treat.hope your two get better soon,aww.x
 
eileen said:
Sian,sometimes that antibiotic can diminish cavies appetite,have you ben able to syringe mashed up pellets?i found Jerries weight has been easier to maintain with this you can give emperide for longer if you feel it helps,your guinea has not lost loads of weight,Jerry lost 100kgs in one day,but then his bloat had gone down.i only give a small fist full of readigrass for two pigs twice aweek as a treat.hope your two get better soon,aww.x
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I've syringed mashed up pellets and critical care alternating. He's took the syringe feed but not willingly, he's put up a bit of a struggle. I know it's not a massive weight loss but I'm worried he will continue to lose the weight each day (although he's only lost 1g since last night which is better than the last few nights). I think it may be a psychological issue of mine as my partner doesn't agree but I think he feels skinny. I don't want my boy loosing too much weight! He's eating veg as normal, but only seems to be picking at his hay and not really touching his pellets. I've only been syringing about the equilavent of 20 pellets a day. Unsure of whether I should be syringing more? He hates being syringe fed and I don't want to stress him if can be avoided.. Especially as he had to have a bum bath today as he was very smelly.. I dont think he's been moving around as much so he's sitting in his wee more plus his grease gland cleaning was overdue. He's always had a very active grease gland!
 
hi Sian,it is a worry when they loos weight isnt it? I have used harringtons pellets as easier to mash,i use two handfuls of pellets,two scoops of pro c,and cover with boiling water,then mash with a fork.this usually provides 45mls of syringe feed.i feed Jerry at night,because he is a dental pig,encourage eating for himself during the day.I weight him every day ,he has been syringe fed since January,it has taken trial and error for me to get correct amount of ffeed to maintain his weight,with adjustments.each cavy is different.all i can suggest is weight daily until you can calculate amount needed to maintain weight approx at what he normally weights.xx
 
change his position if you can,one of my poorly cavies had a pressure sore on her hock,due to not being able to move herself.that is bumblefoot.Good luck,I'm not sure if this is helpful to you.xx
 
eileen said:
hi Sian,it is a worry when they loos weight isnt it? I have used harringtons pellets as easier to mash,i use two handfuls of pellets,two scoops of pro c,and cover with boiling water,then mash with a fork.this usually provides 45mls of syringe feed.i feed Jerry at night,because he is a dental pig,encourage eating for himself during the day.I weight him every day ,he has been syringe fed since January,it has taken trial and error for me to get correct amount of ffeed to maintain his weight,with adjustments.each cavy is different.all i can suggest is weight daily until you can calculate amount needed to maintain weight approx at what he normally weights.xx
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It really is a worry and well done to you for doing so well with the syringe feed. To syringe 45ml to my boys, I think id be sat doing it 24 hours of the day.. It takes me about 3 minutes to feed each ml then I struggle to suck it up in the syringe. I've been adding pro C into it too. Butttt you said 2 scoops of it.. The instructions on the back say 1 scoop per 300g of food or 200ml water.. Can you give more pro c per 300g? May sound stupid but I wasn't sure whether you could overdose them on it?
 
He is moving round and does go to drink and pick at his hay but just not moving round as much as normal.. No popcorns round etc but he's still exploring during floor time etc. I'm trying to get him moving as much as possible anyway as I'm conscious of bloat
 
the professional pro c is double the strength of pro c green sold in pet shops,so i plac two of green colour.vet suggested it Believe me.Jerry hates being syringe fed,after 4 months of it he is used to it!he is not critically unwell,its his teeth....so he is hungry as cannot consume enough food to maintain his 1.4 kg weight!
 
Not got one of Hugo but here's Milan sat on my knee right now :) He's really tucked into his pellets overnight.. I've just weighed him now (although I weigh him of an evening) as I expected him to have put on weight since he's been eating nuggets but he's 6g less than he was last night when he was weighed! :(

image.webp
 
I wouldn't worry too much, 6g can account for the difference between a full bladder or not! Weigh again this evening like normal and he should be back to the baseline weight. Glad to hear he's been eating again! Have you tried him with a few oats? Some piggys are keen, others not so much, but they're great for weight gain.
 
Milans appetite really has improved today so hopefully this will show in his weigh in this evening. I will update!

In the mean time, we have a vets appointment tomorrow.. The boys have been on Zithromax for 2.5 weeks now.. Both boys have scar tissue according to the vet and she did say that the scar tissue will feel hard and the pus will feel squashy. Milans abcsess area feels very small and hard so I'm hoping the Zithromax has worked in his case and he no longer has his abscess. On the other hand, unfortunately Hugo's does feel quite squashy so I'm pretty sure that he still has infection going on. I want to be prepared for the vet visit tomorrow so if she suggests surgery for Hugo.. Do you think this is too soon for the antibiotics to work properly? This will be his 3rd GA in 2 months so if possible I really want to avoid any surgery. Is there still time for the Zithromax to work or if it is still infection after 2.5 weeks does it seem like surgery will be the only option?

@furryfriends (TEAS) @Wiebke @Abi_nurse @VickiA @eileen @Poppy'sMum @flintstones
 
Sorry Sian, I don't know the answer. Hope all goes well at the vets tomorrow for you.
 
VickiA said:
Sorry Sian, I don't know the answer. Hope all goes well at the vets tomorrow for you.
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Thank you! Obviously Sara will have more of an idea about whether Hugo's lump is infection but it doesn't feel good to me, I really am hoping for the best though. It's frustrating and upsetting that they're still going through all of this when they should be living happily ever after with their wives by now. I really did make the wrong decision for them and should have took them to a rescue to be paired with other boars.

Milan never fails to give me a shock either.. Lying sprawled out in his cage! 'Milan. Milaaan. MILAN!'.. No movement! Silly boy! It's a good job he's not a wild guinea pig in Peru haha, he doesn't wake up to anything sometimes!
 
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