We just don't know why...

[Bear Bear]

Last night, I took Nibbles to the vet because she was very lethargic, not eating, and seemed very thin. The doctor did a full exxamination, which included examining her teeth, and found nothing. I was sent home $175 poorer with a sick pig and no answers.

After two hours of sitting at home worrying and offering every type of vegetable imaginable (and rejected every time), I took her back to emergency and had an X-ray done. The vet said that everythign looked normal EXCEPT her intestines. They were kind of coiled in a weird shape... like a spring shape. She asked me if Nibbles could have gotten access to any string. I'm pretty positive the pigs didn't have access to anything other than what I put into their cage, so she ruled out the string theory.

Aside from that, she could not find anything wrong with my poor Nibbles. I've been moitoring her all night/day and saw that she IS pooping and peeing. I'm very worried because she is still very lethargic and refuses to eat. Her poops are skinny and dry looking...also very small and definitely not the normal size and shape. I have been trying to force feed her critter care avery few hours. It seems like she'll eat some, but start spitting the rest out. I know she isn't getting enough. She did manage to eat a few small pieces of Red Leaf Lettuce, but that's about it. As far as water intake, she had been trying to make an effort to drink, but not much.

The vet said the next step would be to do some blood work, but that would be taking more of a risk and she doesn't really want to do that.

So..aside from the hand-feeding, I really don't know what to do but jsut hope for the best. She isn't sneezing, no crusty aroudn the eye, no wheezing or coughing...so the vet ruled out a URI.

I tried signing up for GuineaLynx, but they won't accept my e-mail address because it's from a free-email provider. :( I hate to say it, but the future looks grim...

If any of you have any suggestions, I will glady and most gratefully take them. I'm pretty desperate right now...

[rabbitsncavyluv]

It sounds like she may have advanced bloat/ intestinal torsion?

The only real option is surgery to correct it, but I'd really only recommend it if you have an experienced vet.

I can copy your post over at GL if you'd like.

[Bear Bear]

Yikes. I was afraid it might be bloat as well...

It would be so wonderful if you could C/P my thread there. I'm really at a loss right now...

I just tried syringe feeding her some water. I think I got her to drink a few mLs, but then again I'm not sure how much of that ended up on the towel. :(

[FoolOnTheHill]

To me it sounds like it could be a mouth or tooth problem. I had the same situation with my Ozzy, he would seem to want to eat and gnaw at the waterbottle but when I handfed him chunks of veggies it would drop out of his mouth. His poops also turned just what you described.
If I were you I'd get the vets to check her mouth more thoroughly. We had Ozzy anesthetized and got his teeth filed which solved it. I think it would be better to double check the possibility before you get involved with blood tests etc.

Hope she feels better soon - but time is of the essence when pigs don't eat. You must keep forcing food into her. We got a liquid feed, " Science Selective" whilst Ozzy recovered, try either that or Critical Care which I think is the US option.

[Ly&Pigs]

Get some plain pedialyte and critical care.

[Guinea Lover 27]

Gosh - just wanted to say that we hope your piggy gets to feeling better. Sorry that you are having to deal with this and wish the Vet could have provided you with better more clear answers!

[salana]

Please update us on Nibbles. I hope she is doing better.