Sick Chico and Amigo's med thread

[4boipigs]

Since the forum killed their original thread, I decided to make a new one! This is for my first boar pair, Chico (tricolor Abyssinian) and Amigo (brown/white American). Age unknown for both - vet took a guess of 'middle age'. I got them from an animal shelter in July 2020. Chico had scurvy and was about 1.5lbs if I remember right. Literally skin and bones. He is now 2.5lbs. He continued to have some sort of eye/URI issue until a few months ago. Amigo was overall okay. His history is just the UTI in Feb 2021.

Right now, no concerns but there is something about Chico I always wondered about. One of his nipples is black and has black around it, and is bigger/more prominent/pointy and hard than the other. The other nipple is normal flesh color and not really noticeable. I think I mentioned it to the vet before but either they don't think it's bad or didn't notice. I'm curious about cancer or anything else it may be, if male pigs can get 'breast cancer' like humans can. I'll have to ask the next time we go to the vet, which I hope won't be for a very long time.

 

[bpatters]

Male pigs can get breast cancer, but it's not as aggressive as the human kind, and the removal isn't a terrible surgery. It does need to be removed, however, as it can grow large enough to be painful and cause difficulty moving a leg.

 

[4boipigs]

I should make an appt to have them checked it at our 'cheaper' exotic vet instead of their regular vet which is $105 for an exam, per pet...Chico and Amigo have been to the vet probably 4 times since I got them almost a year ago.

 

[4boipigs]

Here is Chico's black nipple

 

[4boipigs]

Amigo is being a butthole and suddenly doing nothing but chewing the coroplast. Can this hurt him and how do I make him stop?

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

Chewing can be a sign of pain. Is he acting out of sorts other than the chewing?

You really don't want him ingesting any of the coroplast.

 

[4boipigs]

I truly believe he and Chico chews on stuff just to drive me insane. He is only chewing the side of the cage that faces towards me (the other side faces a window), in certain spots. I have a lot of binder clips so I'll be putting them over the areas he is returning to. It is just a few particular areas I see he nibbled. Chico is not doing it at all, but Chico is an angry bar chewer (when he wants food).

 

[4boipigs]

Here's both of the dumbdumbs resting together today. I can't get over how much better Chico looks compared to his shelter pic. You really can't tell it's him.

Amigo hasn't been chewing the coroplast today.

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

Awwwwww what handsome boys!

 

[ItsaZoo]

Partners in crime!

 

[4boipigs]

Amigo is going to back to chew a particular spot of the coroplast, so I put a binder clip over that...and he nibbles on it for a bit and stop. Driving me crazy. Chico is the bar chewer, and now Amigo thinks this is such a brilliant idea. They're only doing it when hungry or anticipating food.

 

[4boipigs]

Amigo still nibbles the binder clips. The bars appear to have rusted where they have chewed the most. I've only had the c&c cage since Oct of last year I think.

Also pretty proud that Chico finally stuck his feet out for me. They've been with me just shy of a year.

 

[4boipigs]

This is the second time I have seen blood. The first time a few weeks ago, I thought it was from the cherries I fed them. But it is back. It doesn't look like the dried blood from when Amigo had a UTI. This is all where Chico sleeps (they are very particular on who sleeps where). Chico doesn't have any wounds on him. I had just given them a vitamin c cookie so thought maybe it was from his mouth. However his teeth look okay and he eats fine. Should we be tested for a UTI again?

 

[Guinea Pig Papa]

They don't look like bloody pee spots. I'm not honestly sure what those look like. Almost like something was oozing as he walked. Possibly from his nose?

 

[bpatters]

They don't look like urine spots to me, either. Have you checked his anal sac and penis sheath to make sure there hasn't been a hay poke?

 

[4boipigs]

They don't look like urine spots to me, either. Have you checked his anal sac and penis sheath to make sure there hasn't been a hay poke?

I'll try to look again. I am not the best at checking out that stuff. I haven't seen any blood on him either. Strange that I would only notice it twice in a few weeks. Their bedding is either light color or bright, so blood is easy to spot. Maybe it is not constantly occurring.

 

[4boipigs]

His pocket did have some gunk (old poop?) So I got rid of that. Didn't notice anything off.

 

[4boipigs]

Haven't seen anymore blood. I cleaned out everyone's pocket, and Chico was the only one who had a bunch of stuff in there. I will gladly take Chico to the vet for bleeding, but I want to figure out *where* it's coming from. I don't want to go and pay, and have the vet tell me he doesn't see anything and to monitor him.

 

[4boipigs]

Chico is wheezing quite badly right now. His nose looks clear so I don't think he's congested. He had a cough too. Sounds like Bruin, honestly. Chico has hooted for very brief moments recently (a minute or less) but now he won't stop. Guess he'll have to go to the vet tomorrow if it doesn't stop.

 

[4boipigs]

Chico just coughed again and now he is not wheezing. Does anyone know what this could have been? Chico is my fav pig of them all and I will literally do anything for him.