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Sick Penicillin G Injections

heftysmurf

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I have been super depressed. Went to other vet likely to lose an eye 1200 usd surgery cost. He is eating real good though and think the metacam helps. I have another appt Wednesday to check for surgery at another place. So sad and worried. I really appreciate you asking how he is doing. Just sad ��
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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Did any of the vets give you an idea as to what had happened to his eye?
 

heftysmurf

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Likely hay poke infection.
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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The oral antibiotics and even the ointment or drops should help tremendously with this. What is he on right now?
 

heftysmurf

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Tereamic baytril and metacam. It's kinda why i am going for another vet. So bummed out and worried about my little buddy.
 

heftysmurf

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He is eating eye looks like it's done �� thinking surgery guys try to save up assume money.
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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Try to think positive. While the eye might seem like it's lost and and he may not see out of it again it IS possible to save it.

Do you have drops to put on his eye?

Here is a somewhat graphic video of a pig with a severe eye problem. Through plenty of work, the eye was saved.

https://youtu.be/LmC_kzpSJiE
 

4boipigs

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Try to think positive. While the eye might seem like it's lost and and he may not see out of it again it IS possible to save it.

Do you have drops to put on his eye?

Here is a somewhat graphic video of a pig with a severe eye problem. Through plenty of work, the eye was saved.

https://youtu.be/LmC_kzpSJiE


I too have a pig who was 'saved' with daily eye drops. One vet said the eye would need to be removed if I didn't act fast, but with daily eyedrops (4x a day), my senior pig is doing quite well.
 

heftysmurf

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That video is amazing. So happy for that little guy.
How i get lucky with my poor buddy
 

heftysmurf

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I have now noticed Smokey has a redish tint to his pee :-( I am thinking I should stop the Baytril for now.
I see a white item behind his bad eye.
He is only eating so/so weight is around 2lb 7oz but he doesnt eat the normal destroy everything in site way.
I am giving him between 10 and 20 ml of Critical Care daily.
He still vibrates for me but is way more yelpy than he ever has been doing it.
He is right besides me right now eating some pellets.
Praying for my little buddy
I am starting to get scared about my Wednesday vet visit.
 

4boipigs

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How many vets have you been to and how many are actually exotics vet or experience with pigs?
 

heftysmurf

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Two. The one scared me with Penicillin shots but they seem to be the best. (broken link removed)
I have an appt with them Wednesday
I also went to https://www.allcreaturesanimalhospital.org/ but they just said remove the eye.
Irony, I load up a tube of critical care he is next to me eating.
He is not as much in love with fresh stuff now. Eats some but wants pellets and hay mainly.
Drugs I have.
Metacam... running low but have a refill when I looked at the bottle.
Baytril - had two more doses left. Also has a refill available
Trymecin eye ointment. Have plenty.
Ofloxacin eye drop.
Some eye drop lube (expensive 38 bucks)
I have been spacing them out but think his eye is shot.
The two things that to me are most worrying are the pinkish pee and wimpering.
Giving .4 ml dog metacam.
Rotating the drops on the eyes.
He is a fighter and actually eating a piece of cantaloupe right now.
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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If the pee isn't RED, try not to worry too much about it. And from what I can see, (broken link removed) is probably the one I would stick with. Guinea pig pee will actually oxidize a brownish red when it dries. I didn't really understand the difference until Scooter peed blood the day I lost him. There is a distinct difference. Their urine colour can even be affected by what they are eating.

If hay and pellets are what he wants the most, and his weight seems to be staying stable, those are the most important things he can eat other than vitamin C. Fresh bell pepper slices are a great way to give him vitamin C, but stay away from fruit as much as possible. They are too high in sugar and he can develop diabetes from too much.

I didn't realize it but you are very close to me, albeit in a different country. Try not to worry too much.
 

heftysmurf

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Thanks Papa and 4boipigs as well.
He hates all peppers and I give fruit just for the C and have been desperate to get him to eat.
Most his life had been romaine and occasional carrots (wish he would eat those now)
Yeah you are right over the river.
My wife wants to say its essential travel to go get Swiss Chalet ( we no longer have any and its her fav)
And dont get me started on her Tim Horton's addiction.
The only thing about the first one is the Penicllin shots which was the start of all of this.
The main reason I went to the other is that they made me angry when I couldnt get Baytril from them.
I gave him some shots but it seemed to really mess with his eating and had to stop.
It was just stunning to see the pee difference and the wimpering.
He still does the vibration thing for me which gives me some hope.
I will say this about the 1st one. A pig his size can handle .4 ml of metacam and they are the only place that prescribed at that level.
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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He's in obvious discomfort, so the whimpering is not surprising. I know how heartbreaking it is, believe me.

Have you tried cherry tomatoes? They have vitamin C. There are a few veggies that are high in vitamin C but also high in calcium and must be moderated. Romaine can also cause excess urinary calcium for some reason, but it's not higher in calcium per se. Green leaf lettuce is a much better, safer choice.

I don't mind Swiss Chalet, but I DO understand the Timmies addiction. At least you have those over there. :)
 

heftysmurf

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I have been buying pints of them and he eats one sometimes.
He used to just destroy stuff.
He never liked green lettuce either.
Its kinda funny all the (broken link removed) stuff he hates even when he was just a pup.
I just hate how GO get all messed up almost out of the blue.

I joke with my wife "the management of Tim Horton's appreciates putting the kids through college."
 

heftysmurf

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Saw the exotic vet (vs the one that said just remove the eye)
He said you can give the remaining shots if you want and he is desperate to avoid surgery.
The problem with baytril is it is harder to get from stomach to eye than it is blood to eye.
They gave crazy treatment on top of potentially giving the shots again.
They took a little blood and made plasma that I am to do every 4 hours and than use drops and terymycin.
They even made him an e-collar. -5523674911623466068.jpg
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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Injected antibiotics are almost always better than oral, for that very reason. It's entirely up to you whether you do the shots or not but if he isn't improving without them, is it worth a try?

Good idea with the collar, it will keep him from scratching his eye and making it worse. I would also consider switching him to Orchard grass hay, and it's softer and he's MUCH less likely to get a hay poke or irritate it further.

Definitely keep the updates coming.
 

heftysmurf

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Penicillin is still scary. The one forum I posted said DONT DO IT and a Google search of that combo scares me still but am thinking yes more and more.
You must have monitoring of my house as he is on the Oxbow Orchard grass now. I save the rough stuff for when I put him outside and its just on the ground.
I want to thank you Papa because I was feeling really down and was thinking of what no pet owner ever wants to do but you have made me hopeful.
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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We are all here for our love of these furry little creatures. I am definitely no different.

I'm glad your vet wants to avoid surgery. That means he feels this is definitely not a lost case yet. Smokey would still have a great life without an eye, as so many other pigs have done. Your vet feels this is far from over so you should, too.

If it ever came time to have to let him go, trust me when I say you'll know. Smokey is, from what I can see, not even CLOSE to that point and you are doing everything you can. Keep on keeping on, and you'll see him through come what may.
 
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