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What's wrong with Elmo?

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iamsnape

iamsnape

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Yesterday I noticed the pigs making an odd noise - or one of them. It wasn't pained so I thought I would give it a little bit to see if it passed. Didn't hear it again yesterday.
However today, I've heard it again and found out that it's Elmo. It's basically a noise that sounds like a weird grunt. I took him out of the cage and listened to his breathing, which is a bit laborious. He's been making the noise again, especially when being picked up, and has also coughed a few times.
I just gave him 0.5ml of baytril seeing as all vets insist on being closed on Sunday. Also, I had a listen to his chest (without a stethescope) and it doesn't sound as quiet as it normally does, but nothing like when Noah had a URI. Everyone's telling me I should see how he does on baytril (I have about a weeks worth here), to see if he improves, but I'm thinking he should go to the vets tomorrow.

Any idea what this problem could be? His eyes/nose are fine, pooing fine, eating/drinking normally. Just weird noises.

But yeah, unless anyone here says otherwise it'll be a vets appointment for tomorrow morning. Should I take both the boys or just Elmo?
 
It's kind of a cross between a cough and a hooting noise - I've just considered the risk of their being a heart problem. :(
 
It could be heart but there are other possibilities too such as URI or allergy. Definitely get a vet appointment as soon as you can. If it does turn out to be heart don't panic as I have a few pigs doing well on heart meds.
 
The noise sounds similar to this but with a bit of grunt to it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzS8G3Gh_nI

Last friday (not the friday just gone but the one before) I switched them to dust extracted shavings from fleece, if that makes a difference. There's been no sneezing, even from my allergy pig Noah.
 
helen105281 said:
It could be heart but there are other possibilities too such as URI or allergy. Definitely get a vet appointment as soon as you can. If it does turn out to be heart don't panic as I have a few pigs doing well on heart meds.
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Thank-you, I will be making an appointment first thing tomorrow now that I think it could be a heart problem...the lethargy makes me think it's a URI but I'm now well and truly panicking. How do they test for a heart problem in pigs?
 
I have a piggy whose nasal passages are not properly formed. He makes a funny sort of grunting noise, and sometimes hoots too. He is prone to URIs and sneezes a lot. You would not tell by looking at him, but it has been confirmed by a vet.

I think a vet check would definitely be a good idea for your piggy. Even if it is only to put your mind at rest :)
 
Jerrybelly said:
I have a piggy whose nasal passages are not properly formed. He makes a funny sort of grunting noise, and sometimes hoots too. He is prone to URIs and sneezes a lot. You would not tell by looking at him, but it has been confirmed by a vet.

I think a vet check would definitely be a good idea for your piggy. Even if it is only to put your mind at rest :)
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Thanks, we are going to go in the morning. Terrified!
 
Don't be terrified. I have 7 heart pigs in total and they are all doing just fine. This could be something else though, even the result of the switch to shavings as your pig may have an allergy, even to dust extracted ones. Ask the vet to listen to their chest and if possible carry out an xray or ultrasound. This is usually the way they diagnose a heart condiition, some vets will also agree to a heart med trial and if the pig responds well and improves on the medication then you have your answer. If this is a URI and the vet says that they can hear fluid on the chest, please ask for a diuretic such as Frusemide. PM me if you need any other information.
 
helen105281 said:
Don't be terrified. I have 7 heart pigs in total and they are all doing just fine. This could be something else though, even the result of the switch to shavings as your pig may have an allergy, even to dust extracted ones. Ask the vet to listen to their chest and if possible carry out an xray or ultrasound. This is usually the way they diagnose a heart condiition, some vets will also agree to a heart med trial and if the pig responds well and improves on the medication then you have your answer. If this is a URI and the vet says that they can hear fluid on the chest, please ask for a diuretic such as Frusemide. PM me if you need any other information.
Click to expand...

Is the sign of allergies normally a hooting sound? I thought it was sneezing as Noah is an allergy pig and he sneezed none stop until I switched beddings. I hope I haven't managed the achievement of finding 2 allergy pigs :))

Thank-you for your help, should I turn down the offer of baytril if they try to prescribe that?
 
It can be yes, but it is also a heart symptom. I personally would turn down the Baytril in favour of Septrin for a URI but Baytril is broader spectrum and this is why vets use it. You could ask for Zithromax? The vet at the clinic I volunteer at is now prescribing it for URIs and my local vet does too.
 
My vet never offers baytril for URI's says its no good, I think your doing right thing getting him checked out its better to be safe then sorry. Keep us posted on how he is :)
 
We're home :) With good news and bad news.

Bad news first: Elmo ripped his nail off diving around in the carrier :( The vet tidied it up and when I got home I bathed it in salt water (mild) and dabbed it with a styptic pencil, no longer bleeding and he's not showing signs of pain which is good, I'll keep my eye on it.

Good news: Elmo got a clean bill of health. He gets a bit scared of strangers so when she first took him out his heart was beating quite quickly, she checked his heart, lungs, mouth, eyes, nose, teeth, through, ears, etc weighed him and then let him calm down. She checked Noah over too (seeing as I was paying I thought I might as well get him checked up) who was very well behaved and also fine. Then she checked Elmo again and repeated the full physical exam, apparently his lungs are clear, his heart sounded fine (it wasn't beating as fast the second time but with the way it was beating the first time round she said a heart problem would have been indicated through breathing/noises). She said we could prescribe anti-biotics in case, but she wouldn't recommend it as he seems perfectly healthy all around. So I am going to keep an eye on him and if I get concerned again, we'll go back.

He hasn't made the noise today which is good! And to be honest I have baytril here so should I feel he needs an anti-biotic in case, I could always do that and know it won't cause any harm. I'll glad we went and they both got checked though, as I'm going on holiday in 2 weeks and like to know that they're healthy when I go.
 
Glad his checkup went well! Try not to worry too much about the nail. Linney did the same thing once (though she did it running up the ramp back into her cage.) She ripped one nail off right at the base. It bled like crazy! I clean it up and got it to stop bleeding, and that was it. It never got infected. For a long time I didn't think it was going to grow back, but it finally did and you would never know it from any of the other nails. HTH and hope this set your mind at ease!
 
This morning I have realised something - apart from one occasion where I was holding him, I've only heard him make this noise in his pigloo. He was doing it again a minute ago. Should I take the pigloo out and monitor it for a few days, see if he carries on? The vet suggested that it might be a behavioral sound and whilst I haven't heard it before, might it be linked?
 
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