Diarrhea Essy's Medical Thread

[PiggieLove13]

She eats Oxbow western Timothy hay, usually oxbow pellets, but they were out of stock(pretty weird...) so I had to buy Katee premium Timothy fiber diet. She eats mostly romaine lettuce(1/2 a cup at a time) and sometimes a carrot or two(the baby ones, 2-3 times a week). Occasionally I give her a couple slices of cucumber when it's in the fridge(1-2 times a week). Unfortunately my parents are super stuck up and don't want to take me to the vet(I can't drive yet). They say I don't have enough money..people tell me to save up $1,000 for vet bills, but I literally have $2 right now. My parents owe me at least $20 and more for helping around the house. But they don't think it's even worth it to pay $35 dollars for medication(last time my mom spilled over half of the liquid medication all over the car and didn't even pay for more or pay me). I am TRYING to sell photos online(I like photography), but I am waiting for my parents to look at a website. They would rather let my piggies suffer and die than pay a measly $35 dollars for medication. I really dont want to give away my pigs because I can't make money... :'(

 

[bpatters]

One thing you can do is stop the romaine lettuce. It causes excess urinary calcium in some pigs, although not in others. And it doesn't have any more calcium than the other lettuces. No one knows why, but red or green leaf lettuce is a safer choice.

Kaytee food is poor quality. You need to get her back on the Oxbow as soon as possible.

I think you shouldn't count on just medication at a vet visit. At the very least, this pig needs an x-ray, and possibly an ultrasound.

 

[jaycriae]

If you celebrate Christmas, you could consider asking for vet money as a gift. In addition to cutting out the lettuce, I recommend putting their water through a Brita filter if you have one, or using bottled water- sometimes tap water has other stuff in it that can irritate piggy systems, including calcium.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PiggieLove13]

If you celebrate Christmas, you could consider asking for vet money as a gift.

I tried that and they said they aren't taking me to the vet. I am serious, they don't care. My mom said "Do you know what your cousins do to their sick animals?" I said "Eat them?" She answered, "They shoot them." I understand that they live on a farm, but it doesn't mean we have to be like them. She would rather Essy suffer and die than 'waste' my money on taking her to the vet. She even wishes that I hadn't bought medicine for Marilyn. She says it's life and that they're just rodents and have no souls. I think they do go to heaven. My mom says she cares about me but apparently she doesn't care about them. She said I shouldn't have gotten them if I can't pay for them. I am selling Christmas cards and I believe that I will get at least $80. Once I have the money, I will show them. I will MAKE them take me or I will bike miles with Essy wrapped in fleece in a carrier to the vet myself. I swear, I would rather suffer and die than have her suffer and die. They are my life, and when one of my pigs died a while back, I changed so much that I can feel the darkness and emptiness without my baby boy Chester. I won't let that happen again. It's getting worse, and I am not letting my stubborn, heartless, and soulless parents stop me.

 

[jaycriae]

That's really too bad, I'm sorry your parents won't listen. I can tell you love your pigs very much and it's not fair that both you and Essy have to suffer because of your parents' not understanding, and I wish you the best of luck.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[PiggieLove13]

Thanks @jaycriae. I checked on her and she didn't drink much water. She probably drank 2 oz in 10 hours, so I've been offering her water and she's been drinking a lot more. I might have to use a syringe to put water into her system. But first I am going to get a mix of lettuce and carrot peelings, spray them with water, and she if she'll eat them. She didn't eat much pellets, but a little bit of hay. I have her in a carrier with some fleece and her favorite stuffy, a comfy blue whale. I think she is losing weight too. She seemed slightly skinnier. She weighed 2.5 lbs a month ago, and now she weighs 2 1/8 lbs. I hope I can take her for a checkup soon, even if it's all I can do...I think I'll snuggle with her and watch some Netflix. Thanks for your help. I'll keep you guys updated on what happens. Also one more thing, I noticed more blood was present in her pigloo. Thanks again guys.

 

[PiggieLove13]

UPDATE: Essy seems to be doing better. I clean out her cage every day, replace old food and hay, give her fresh filtered water with pure cranberry juice, and wash and change her fleece cozies regularly. I am currently raising money so I can take her to the vet for an x-ray and urinalysis, and if she needs surgery. Here's the link if you would like to check it out or spread the word: [edited] . Thanks for all the support guys!
~PiggieLove13, Coco, Essy, and Marilyn <3

You can'd do gofundme links on here. Sorry.

 

[jaycriae]

I'm very glad to hear she's doing better, and I hope that trend continues! Good luck to you both.

 

[PiggieLove13]

UPDATE: Extremely bad news. I think Essy might have malocclusion. She is very weak and cannot hold herself up anymore. Yesterday she was running around and squeaking, this morning she was even eating, drinking, and walked around. I am syringe feeding her with oxbow pellets, some vitamin C drops, and water. I also help flush the mush down with warm water. She can swallow, but it's hard and she's drooling. Her front teeth seem a little long, but not too long to worry too much about. I'm worried about her molars. My parents took me to the vet once to get her Batril and Bene-bac. I just looked down and she's gone....My second pig has died and I don't want to believe it....why?! She was so sweet.... Rest in peace Essy. Go find my boy Chester and tell him I love him. Don't ever forget that I love you Essy. eat some carrots for me. :'(

 

[jaycriae]

I'm very sorry to hear that. It sounds like she had a good life with you, though, and you cared about her very much. At least now she is at peace.

 

[PiggieLove13]

Thanks guys. I'm making a photo album for her and Chester, who passed away a year ago. I appreciate everyone's support.
~PiggieLove13, Coco, Marilyn, Essy(RIP), and Chester(RIP) <3

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

My heart goes out to you. I am so sorry to hear about Essy. We all know how you feel, And it hurts so terribly. Rest in peace Essy. Ater all you've gone through, you deserve it.

 

[PiggieLove13]

@Guinea Pig Papa, thanks. Now I know how she died. I overdosed her Bene-Bac probiotic. If I had just read the directions on the back instead of just assuming the amount, she would still be alive. I gave her 1 gram a day, but the directions said 1 gram/10 pounds. I feel like such an idiot, I killed her because I was too lazy to make sure of the amount I was giving her. I could have at least read the container or called the vets and asked. With Chester I didn't kill him with something I gave him, but with Essy it's different. Marilyn and Coco don't even seem to notice that she's gone, probably because they dominated over her. I took Essy to Pines Pet Cemetery to cremate her. I also cremated Chester because I thought that once I move to college, I can take them with me and not leave them in some box covered in dirt. The cemetery looked nicer than any human cemetery. Almost every gravestone had some flowers or plants nearby. In the future I won't be so blind. I can literally feel the pain in my heart.

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

I am so sorry, PiggieLove13. I can't even imagine how that must feel. My heart seriously hurts for you. I didn't have the option of having Poopy cremated, so he is buried in his own little cemetary in my sideyard where he used to like to sit in the sun and munch grass. I ordered a custom made gravestone for him on eBay. I really didn't want to bury him as I'm dead set against it for my own weird reasons, and it took some convincing from other people to make me realize that he isn't really there. At least I know he is close and I can go and talk to him if I need to. ( And I need to fairly often). His brother Sly will go next to him when he passes with his own gravestone, so that they can be together again. Please, know that Essy is not suffering any more and that has to count for something.

 

[miniver]

I'm not sure you can overdose with a probiotic. I think it would cause gas, not act like a poison.
I use a human probiotic with my best-guess at the dosage. My stone pig has been on it more than once and has had no side effects.