Hi all. I have only posted here once or twice. We have had our piggies for about a year now and things were going great. However, we started having some problems with our male in the last two months. I am wondering if anyone could offer advice, or even just some sympathy! I am feeling a bit overwhelmed right now and so, so worried about my guy!
I first noticed that Marbles' eye was protruding. He was hiding a lot, not his usual curious self. I finally made an appointment with our vet. She first gave him antibiotics for a possible infection behind the eye (perhaps with his tooth.) He seemed to feel better for a while, but the eye didn't recede. Then he injured the eye, causing an ulceration. He was in so much pain. We took him back almost immediately and got an antibiotic ointment for the eye. That worked, until he ulcerated it again. It was at that point we decided to have the eye removed. It seems that he had a tumor in the eye globe itself, so we were relieved to have it taken care of. The surgery was a week ago Monday (we are now nearly two weeks post surgery.) He came home and seemed to be OK with daily shots of pain meds. He was eating some and seemed to be getting better. However, he has almost completely stopped eating now. He hadn't eaten for about two weeks prior to the surgery because of the pain (he would eat when given pain meds.) I am now wondering if his teeth have become overgrown, keeping him from eating.
Tonight I mushed up pellets in water and force fed the poor thing. I need him to eat. I will make a vet appointment for ASAP to see if we can get his teeth trimmed. I don't have many options for vet care and I do love our vet, but she has already said it may take anesthesia to take care of his teeth. I worry about putting him under while he is so thin and not doing well. His front teeth do look long, but everything I have read recommends the vet trimming them, so I am not going to attempt trimming them myself.
I will continue to force feed him (although he didn't get all that much in him) and get him in to the vet. Does anyone have any ideas on how to make food more palatable to a piggy who isn't eating? Any ideas on how to help make him stronger? He needs hay, and used to eat a ton, but barely will touch it now. Any thoughts, ideas, or advice, or even just commiseration? I don't want to lose my boy!
I first noticed that Marbles' eye was protruding. He was hiding a lot, not his usual curious self. I finally made an appointment with our vet. She first gave him antibiotics for a possible infection behind the eye (perhaps with his tooth.) He seemed to feel better for a while, but the eye didn't recede. Then he injured the eye, causing an ulceration. He was in so much pain. We took him back almost immediately and got an antibiotic ointment for the eye. That worked, until he ulcerated it again. It was at that point we decided to have the eye removed. It seems that he had a tumor in the eye globe itself, so we were relieved to have it taken care of. The surgery was a week ago Monday (we are now nearly two weeks post surgery.) He came home and seemed to be OK with daily shots of pain meds. He was eating some and seemed to be getting better. However, he has almost completely stopped eating now. He hadn't eaten for about two weeks prior to the surgery because of the pain (he would eat when given pain meds.) I am now wondering if his teeth have become overgrown, keeping him from eating.
Tonight I mushed up pellets in water and force fed the poor thing. I need him to eat. I will make a vet appointment for ASAP to see if we can get his teeth trimmed. I don't have many options for vet care and I do love our vet, but she has already said it may take anesthesia to take care of his teeth. I worry about putting him under while he is so thin and not doing well. His front teeth do look long, but everything I have read recommends the vet trimming them, so I am not going to attempt trimming them myself.
I will continue to force feed him (although he didn't get all that much in him) and get him in to the vet. Does anyone have any ideas on how to make food more palatable to a piggy who isn't eating? Any ideas on how to help make him stronger? He needs hay, and used to eat a ton, but barely will touch it now. Any thoughts, ideas, or advice, or even just commiseration? I don't want to lose my boy!