Why Do They Always Get Sick When My Vet Is On Holiday?

[garfieldette]

Hi

Sorry, I need to get this out. Its been a rough week, my moms funeral was on Wednesday so its been a bad week and now I am worried about my kids and my vets away till the 13th of August. Apologies in advance for the long rant.

Lara, my 4.5 year old girl has had an ongoing problem with her teeth, but now my vet thinks there is more going on (just posted in health thread about her). But she is getting worse, choking even when not eating or drinking and its so distressing to see her do it. But none of the other vets at the practice know about gps and I don't know if a new vets would know any better and doesn't have the past experience with her problems that my vet has. So its stressing me out not knowing whether we can wait for the 13th or I should do something now.

Got up this morning to find Mo (4.5 years old) with a damaged eye. Rushed her to the vets and she had hay stuck in there but had scratched at it all night so now its ulcerated. Have had to fence her into part of the cage on her own so I can give her eye drops 3 times a day and she is not happy and just caught her ripping up and eating the vet bed by the bars. I'm also worried how long I can keep her on her own before it will cause problems for her going back into the group. She is also begging to be syringed water constantly at the moment. Worried if she has a problem or its just jealousy as I have to syringe Lara water constantly.

Now little Tigger (15 weeks old) keeps sneezing. No discharge from eyes or nose although if I stare at her long enough I think her nostrils look a little red. I have changed nothing recently so now sure if this an allergy or bigger problem.

So far, thank god, Honey appears to be OK, although she has got huge (15 weeks old). But with me being at home all day at the moment, and them constantly crying for food I thinks its my fault as I have been way to soft and given in to the demands. I better start toughening up!

Sorry, just really needed to get that out. Vets should not be allowed holidays.

 

[katanamoon]

Oh no! It sounds like you're going through a horribly tough time I'm so sorry to hear about your mum xx

I'm afraid I don't have any helpful advice but just wanted to send love and healing wheeks from myself and the piggies (I'll leave the wheeking to the pigs though...).

 

[garfieldette]

Oh no! It sounds like you're going through a horribly tough time I'm so sorry to hear about your mum xx

I'm afraid I don't have any helpful advice but just wanted to send love and healing wheeks from myself and the piggies (I'll leave the wheeking to the pigs though...).

Thank you. I think normally I could cope with it but at the moment I am stressing. I have to say that having Tigger and Honey has been a godsend through all this. They have been such a comfort on difficult days, watching them bouncing about and wheeking when I come in. Its nice to hear them happy that I am home. Knowing that they all rely on me to look after them has given me a reason to get up in the morning on my difficult days.

 

[piggyme234]

Sorry you are having a rough time. Does Mo need to be alone so she is easier to catch or so she doesn't injure herself or for something else? I have had to separate Louisa from her friends as she had a lump removed and she needs to be restricted from running around and climbing on stuff. She bossed Jemima around a little more than usual and there were a few dominance related scuffles when she was reintroduced but she was fine after 24hrs and that was after being apart for a week. This was until she pulled out some stitches and I have had to confine her again, she is not happy. The begging for water is probably just that she feels she is missing out, when Charlottes arthritis is playing up Tara always tries to steal the medicine because she thinks that she should be able to have whatever Charlotte is having, if it's just water give her a little and she will probably realise it isn't that interesting.
I am not sure what to advise about Lara, you know her the best. As her records are at your current vets could you not perhaps take her to see the most competent of the other vets if you are worried about her just to put your mind at ease until the regular vet gets back. A different practice may be no better than the other vets at the current practice unless you can find one that is recommended. The cat and rabbit clinic in Northampton is not a huge distance from you and they are highly recommended especially for teeth.
With Tigger, is her breathing sharp or raspy if you put your ear against her side? Is the bag of hay you got most recently as little more bitty or dusty than the previous bag? Is it constant sneezing or just every now and then? If it is not raspy and the sneezing is only every now and then it is probably not too serious. If you are still concerned then get her looked at.
Try not to worry too much, I know it's hard when they are poorly and everything spins out of control. Ever symptom feels like it is the start of some dreadful, expensive, life threatening thing especially when you have one that is really quite ill, you start to freak out about the others. I was in the vets last friday with Louisa(check up on wound) and Tara(uti, not eating), Saturday with Louisa when she pulled out her stitches, Monday with Louisa and Tara again and Tuesday with my two new babies that had scabs which I was convinced were fungal but they had just been scrapping. I will probably be back in tomorrow with one of the cats who is now not eating. I am broke but Tara is eating, Louisa is healing, slowly and the babies scabs are nearly gone.
Hope all of yours are better soon.

 

[garfieldette]

Does Mo need to be alone so she is easier to catch or so she doesn't injure herself or for something else? .

I have her alone so she is easier to catch. Plus a saw one of the babies trying to lick her eye better which I thought was a bad idea.

if it's just water give her a little and she will probably realise it isn't that interesting..

I hope its just jealousy and boredom but she will take up to 20 syringes before she gives up.

The cat and rabbit clinic in Northampton is not a huge distance from you and they are highly recommended especially for teeth.

Oh I wish I could get her to them to have a look at, but getting to Northampton is not an option at the moment.

With Tigger, is her breathing sharp or raspy if you put your ear against her side? Is the bag of hay you got most recently as little more bitty or dusty than the previous bag? Is it constant sneezing or just every now and then? If it is not raspy and the sneezing is only every now and then it is probably not too serious. If you are still concerned then get her looked at..

Tiggers breathing seems fine, she is making no other noises and seems full of life. She seems to have stopped so far today. Since Mo got hay seeds caught in her eye I think I will chuck this hay out and get a new different bag to see if that helps both of them.

I was in the vets last friday with Louisa(check up on wound) and Tara(uti, not eating), Saturday with Louisa when she pulled out her stitches, Monday with Louisa and Tara again and Tuesday with my two new babies that had scabs which I was convinced were fungal but they had just been scrapping. I will probably be back in tomorrow with one of the cats who is now not eating. I am broke but Tara is eating, Louisa is healing, slowly and the babies scabs are nearly gone.

So sorry you are going through it too. I does feel like it all comes at once sometimes. Heeling wheeks for all your furbabies.

 

[piggyme234]

I have her alone so she is easier to catch. Plus a saw one of the babies trying to lick her eye better which I thought was a bad idea.

I had one that liked to lick eye ointment and shampoo, yuck. I am sure she will integrate back in the herd without too much hassle.

I hope its just jealousy and boredom but she will take up to 20 syringes before she gives up.

Thirsty wheeker, maybe she is lazy and doesn't want to use the bottle if you will do the work for her

Oh I wish I could get her to them to have a look at, but getting to Northampton is not an option at the moment.

If you get in touch with the excellent adventure sanctuary I am sure they can find someone to help with transport.

So sorry you are going through it too. I does feel like it all comes at once sometimes. Heeling wheeks for all your furbabies.

Thanks, I did have to take Isobel (the cat) to the vets. Looks like she has a tummy bug, hopefully it should clear up soon.

 

[sport_billy]

Really sorry you are having such a tough time. There is a very good vet we use in Wombourne who is very knowledgeable with teeth issues and very good at dental work and all things piggy if you feel you need to see a vet earlier than the 13th. Her name is Rosie and details are on the Vet Locator.

It may be worth putting Mo back in with her friends and herd her into a chube or something to catch. Piggies will tend to each other when they have injuries such as hay pokes often. Treacle used to clean round Cookie's poorly eye after her poke.

 

[madguinealady]

Sending you hugs.I lost my mum in January and it hurts like hell.Sorry you are having such a rough time.Know what you mean about the animals.I have had a bad year and some days the only reason I don't go back to bed when my kids go to school is because I have animals to look after.Message me any time you want if you need a rantbor just a good moan

 

[garfieldette]

Really sorry you are having such a tough time. There is a very good vet we use in Wombourne who is very knowledgeable with teeth issues and very good at dental work and all things piggy if you feel you need to see a vet earlier than the 13th. Her name is Rosie and details are on the Vet Locator.

It may be worth putting Mo back in with her friends and herd her into a chube or something to catch. Piggies will tend to each other when they have injuries such as hay pokes often. Treacle used to clean round Cookie's poorly eye after her poke.

Thank you for the Wombourne tip. Its nice to know there is an alternative nearer than Northampton (apparently Simon is away till the 18th anyway so I can stop feeling guilty about not rushing her down there). Lara seems to have perked up a bit today. She is choking a lot less and has ventured out of the ramp tunnel quite a few times today to eat pellets, hay and her favourite watermelon.

I will put Mo back in with the others tomorrow. My masterplan to trick her into getting her eye drops while she is at the bars to be syringed worked twice, now she is wise to it. Ive had all of them chewing on the divider to get to each other so if I have to chase her around anyway, she might as well be with the others the rest of the time.