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Conditions Bianka Bella medical concerns thread

Artista

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So the B gps saw their regular vet. Tech came out to parking to take them in, each in their own large cat size carrier. I ran errands since with covid, no waiting inside. Thankfully it wasn't hot, just a bearable warm.

Vet called me. First Bianka. Raving about how gorgeous she is, doesn't look like the average gp she sees. Perfect health. I'm shocked. Mooshy came with pricey issues off the bat, same with Bella.

Bella- seems to have a little fungus on her feet so feet soaks with Davies antifungal shampoo followed by antifungal cream. I watch Saskia LA Guinea Pig Rescue vids on YouTube on how to treat things. She felt a mass on each kidney. At that time she said it could be those ovarian cysts grew fast in a year. But wasn't sure so I okayed radiographs. Found on her back her heart from the front is a little larger than last year. But the side view is the same. She's not concerned saying it could be a positional issue. Heart sounds fine. Kidneys though have something going on. So they are doing labs. Results should be given within a week. My heart sank. I know she rests more/sleeps more, some days drinks a lot than others. She didn't see ovarian cysts but Aug 2019 it was 5 mm on one, 8 mm on the other on ultrasound at Adobe Hospital, different exotic vet. But the worry is what is up with her kidneys. I pray medication fixes them and it's not cancers. She said mass so that wouldn't be renal failure. My mind is just going nuts. :(
 

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Praying it's like lipomas, fatty deposits. I know from Saskia that they're common around where the kidneys are. Bilateral would be a stretch for cancer I think.
 

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I will definitely be keeping Bella in my prayers. One of my pigs who passed away years ago had a lipoma in her kidney region. I was working for a veterinarian and I decided to have an ultrasound run on her. The radiologist who did the procedure felt that it wasn't something that needed to be addressed. We kept an eye on it and it never continued to grow. At that time she was about 4 years old and she did just fine until she passed away at almost 8 tears of age.

I know it's very difficult but please try to keep optimistic. I also went into a panic when my vet discovered the lump during a routine exam. I'll keep good thoughts for Bella and hopefully she'll have a long and happy life just like my pig.
 

Artista

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I will definitely be keeping Bella in my prayers. One of my pigs who passed away years ago had a lipoma in her kidney region. I was working for a veterinarian and I decided to have an ultrasound run on her. The radiologist who did the procedure felt that it wasn't something that needed to be addressed. We kept an eye on it and it never continued to grow. At that time she was about 4 years old and she did just fine until she passed away at almost 8 tears of age.

I know it's very difficult but please try to keep optimistic. I also went into a panic when my vet discovered the lump during a routine exam. I'll keep good thoughts for Bella and hopefully she'll have a long and happy life just like my pig.

Thanks so much. I'm trying to keep positive. She's my baby that gives me kisses. The wait is extra long..
 

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I have absolutely no experience with sows, @Artista, so I have no advice at all. Just know that we're all out here holding our breath and thinking about your little ladies. Crossing my fingers that everything will be just fine.

Leo and Simon are sending the B's their best wishes and wheeks.
 

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I have absolutely no experience with sows, @Artista, so I have no advice at all. Just know that we're all out here holding our breath and thinking about your little ladies. Crossing my fingers that everything will be just fine.

Leo and Simon are sending the B's their best wishes and wheeks.

Thank you.
 

Artista

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So I misunderstood. Doesn't have masses. Kidneys are more enlarged than a year ago. But all her labs are all normal. Dr thinks it could be really early kidney disease. No infection as labs clear. So Bella is on a every 6 mo labs visit to monitor kidneys. Thank God I have pet insurance and Bella was noted no preexisting conditions. 100 deductible met for both easy. 90% reimbursement. No pre auths. Just pay 61 a mo for both meet annual 100 deductible for each, then get reimbursed 90%. So I'm both relieved and worried what's up with her kidneys. I sure hope it's not early bilateral kidney disease. She's 3, not old..
 

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So glad the labs came back looking good. And the insurance is certainly paying off! I hope the next labs are just as good.
 

Artista

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So glad the labs came back looking good. And the insurance is certainly paying off! I hope the next labs are just as good.

Yeah but the part of her kidneys being enlarged from last year radiograph (when she was looking for ovarian cysts) has me worried that it could be very early kidney disease. This early wouldn't show on labs per my vet. So....ugh
 

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Are there any dietary changes that can be made now to help protect the kidneys?
 

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Are there any dietary changes that can be made now to help protect the kidneys?

I don't know. She gets a decent amount of lettuce. Oxilates is mentioned but it's from veggies or plants I don't feed. There aren't many veggies you can give daily to begin with. If I can anything with oxilates then it's basically lettuce and radicchio. That's what she loves the most. Dietary wise I'm careful. Yellow on the nutrition chart except swiss chard are dailies. The only blue I give daily to bella is yellow squash. Hates zucchini. Basically all bella gets daily is a piece of yellow squash, pepper, cherry tomato, small amount of shredded carrot, and piece of cuke. I give a lot of red leaf lettuce and radicchio. So really nothing bad. A couple times a week I give a small piece of frozen cauliflower. Bella likes frozen strawberry, bell pepper, cauliflower. I don't buy frozen. I buy fresh and cut it up, put in ziplock freezer bags. Great for peppers as sometimes it's good quality, other times, ick. I'm very picky about picking out the best looking veggies so my produce shopping is long for me.

Bianka though is easy going. Eats everything I give her. She loves zucchini so I give her that. Unfortunately bella doesn't so I give yellow squash piece daily even though it's blue on that chart.
 

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Bianka's claim to Nationwide took a couple weeks to process. Probably her age and only exam and fecal test. $100 deductible met. $14 left. They paid 90%.

For Bella I submitted medical records from that visit last month. So it's taking longer to decide. She wasn't diagnosed with anything let alone preexisting conditions but who knows. Vet did comparison from past visits briefly but nothing diagnosed. Just monitoring. So they should pay.
 

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It sounds like Nationwide has good insurance coverage. I hope Bianca is feeling well.

I think we should be able to use our Health Savings Accounts for our pets. They’re family members and it would be so nice to know that there was savings set aside for just in case.
 

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It sounds like Nationwide has good insurance coverage. I hope Bianca is feeling well.

I think we should be able to use our Health Savings Accounts for our pets. They’re family members and it would be so nice to know that there was savings set aside for just in case.

If they pay Bellas claim then yes. :D. Both look and act just fine.
 

Artista

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Bellas claim with Nationwide is still in process. Received it Oct 27. They are slammed or so they say. Each 30 days I've gotten a letter that it could take another 30 days. So hopefully this month I'll get a decision.

Here are some new pic...

20210111_130006.jpg

20210111_090112.jpg

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20201229_224647.jpg

20201221_213940.jpg

20201202_112722.jpg
 

Artista

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Guinea Pig Papa

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They sure are taking their sweet time with your claim. Nice to see new pictures of the ladies. They are way too adorable!
 

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Those two little girls are just adorable. I just love the looks on their little faces. I feel your irritation with how long it's taking to run your insurance claim. We purchased something on September 7th and still haven't received it yet. I keep getting emails that say they need more time. I'm a pretty patient person but after a while you start to wonder just how long they intend to make you wait.
 

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Have you heard anything yet from Nationwide?
 

Artista

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So it's warm, has been since yesterday. Cool breeze coming in now. Bellas poops have been small for awhile now. She isn't as excited for wheatgrass, dinner veggies and her pellets anymore. Is lying down zzzzz a little more than usual.

Last I weighed her was April 14. 1024 gm. Today it's 970, a 54gm difference in this time. I'll start the daily weighings and hope she's different tomorrow unless I should get her in the vet soon?
 
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