Squeekie's med thread

[Helena29]

Hey all,

I just weighed my male piggie who is about 5 years old and he weighs exactly two pounds. Is that too little?

 

[Crystalkate]

My female guinea weighs exactly 2 pounds...she has a bit of a chubby belly.

 

[madelineelaine]

My one year old female weighs 2.5 pounds, and my male weighs 2 pounds if not a teeny bit more.

 

[Helena29]

Ya, he's always been tiny -especially compared with his BFF. My piggies nick-names are little guy and big guy because there is such a difference in their weight. But Squeekie really does feel much lighter recently. So, now I'm going to weigh more regularly and monitor him more carefully. I also read that older piggies sometimes weight less. Is that true?? Could he weigh less just 'cause he is older?

 

[Paula]

Older pigs start declining in weight, yes; but that's generally due to a decline in health, too. There's no way to know if your pig has lost too much weight or not if you haven't been weighing regularly. I'd recommend you start weighing him regularly (at least weekly) and that way you can monitor his weight. Be sure you weigh at the same time (approximately) every day so you can get consistent results - guinea pigs' weights will fluctuate quite a bit depending on the time of day.

I will say that if your pig seems to have lost weight and you can physically see/feel that change, he probably has lost enough that a vet visit would definitely be in order.

 

[Helena29]

Thanks, I will definitely start weighing him once a week at the same time each time. I agree that since he is older, I should monitor more carefully. I've already taken steps by posting in this forum and I'm very greatful for all the advice I get here. He has a great appetite and runs around ... so I'm thinking he is fine. If he starts losing weight, I will definitely take him to the vet!! Thanks for your help!!

 

[Helena29]

Sick, maybe - advice please

Hi all,

So, I wrote a while back because I felt my piggy Squeekie and I thought he felt much lighter. At that time, he weighed 2 pounds. My mom just had surgery so my dad can't help me. He has the thingee to weigh my piggy. Anyhow, I've also noticed that his poo is smaller, I think. I mean, my other piggy has these nice big U shapes poos. But Squeekies are like half a U. Then today, I heard this noise and I had no idea what it was. Then, I went to my piggies cage and realized it wes Squeekie. BTW - both of my piggies are about 5 years old.

I know I should weigh him again, and possibly take him to the vet. But my mom is still in the hospital. So, unless it is urgent ... I'm hoping to wait.

Afterall, Squeekie is eating and running. Asking for food, drinking water. Maybe nothing is wrong. I just don't know. I'm wondering if he is impacted, has a URI, or has heart problems (because of the strange sound he has been making for over 5 hours now) Should also mention that this is not a sound I have ever heard before. His eyes definitely look fine and I don't hear his sneezing. He sneezes maybe 4 times a day - i think that is normal. I don't see liquid coming out of his nose either - but what if he is just really good at hiding it??? Lastly, the noise he makes seems to be louder when he eats, and much less when he sleeps.

I should add that my piggy has been looking up ALOT. And it is hard to explain the sound he makes, but it might be a clicking sound. Except it sounds deeper than just clicking. It is kinda like a combination between the looking for food sound with a click. Maybe. I tried to video tape it. But the sound didn't record which is super frustrating. I searched on you-tube and didn't hear anything close to being similar.

I'd appreciate any and all advice. Thank - you

 

[foggycreekcavy]

It's best to weigh weekly. It's impossible to tell if a pig is eating normally without weighing.

If the shape and size of his poops has changed, then he should see a vet. How long is your mom in the hospital? Can your dad make an appointment for you to take Squeekie in?

 

[Helena29]

So, I was searching through this forum (URI's) and I came across the "crackly beathing": you-tube video. Yay - because that is exactly what Squeeky sounds like.
Also, after looking through this forum, I don't think it is a heart problem. My piggy doesn't have the other symtoms.
I'm hoping it is just hay or something that got into his nose. Will be monitoring very carefully now.

 

[Helena29]

My mom will be in the hospital 'till the end of the week = three days max. If the crackly strange breathing sound continues, I will likely and hopefully take Squeekie to the vet Saturday. Maybe sooner, if my dad is available. But he needs to be with my mom now. In fact, so do I. Humans before pets, as much I love my pets ... humans before pets. If Squeekie stops eating, I'll take a taxi and get squeekie to the vet on my own ASAP.

 

[Helena29]

PS - I really think he is eating normally because he finishes all the pellets in the bowl. And he eats all veggies I give and even asks for more. His appetite is great!!

 

[Helena29]

Hey all,

Great News!! Squeekie is breathing normally again. Woohoo!!

 

[foggycreekcavy]

That's a relief!

 

[Helena29]

URI & LUMP (and possibly seizures, soft small poo, wet underneath)

Hey All,

So, it turns out I have a very sick piggy on my hands and now as a cavymommy, I'm exhuasted. My Squeekie who is 4 1/2 (thought he was older, but looked at calender and realized I brought him home March 13th, 2008) doesn't like taking his medication, so I have to drive to a friend twice a day to help me give him his meds. I have lots of questions about his conditions. I went to the vet and found out he has an URI and a lump. The vet said, twice actually, that she thought I brought him in to see her in time, but she wasn't sure. Squeekie, is on Batril, Met-cam, and bena-bac. I brought him in because he sounded congested and had crackly breathing. I first noticed it at the beginning of June ... but I was working so I wasn't home all the time and my mom was in the hospital as well. Then it went away for about a week, so I thought he was better, and then it came back. Piggies really are very good at hiding their symtoms. I feel badly that I didn't bring him to the vet sooner, but I thought maybe some hay got in his nose or something. I was waiting to hear lots of sneezing, liquid out of his eye, or crust on his nose ... but I didn't detect any of that. Then, this past Thursday I saw crust on his nose and actually did hear him sneeze and I decided he should go to the vet. He does have other symptoms too, that I wish I had paid closer attention to earlier on. He has had soft poo for quite a while now (months). I thought maybe he was diabetic because he was drinking alot. For about a week, he has been very wet underneath .., it's yellow - not dark brown or red. Is he wetting himself during his sleep, when he has that seizure type behaviour? He really soaks himself.

In the last week, I've noticed that about once to three times a day he has "maybe - seizures" ... his eyes go back and forth like in REM sleep, his ears twitch, and then his bum goes up and down until he hits the wall of his cage and he scares himself and wakes up. A few times I've even seen his head go back ... it's very scary to watch. I keep wondering if he will wake up. Lastly, the vet had to cut his teeth, which he hated I might add, poor thing, ... probably due to not eating enough pellets. He eats about 5-10 pellets a day. Basically, he nibbles at the pellets but is really living on vegetables. He does seem eager to eat veggies ... I take that as a good sign. The lump is near his back leg. I wonder if all these symptoms put together really mean he has cancer. What do you think? Any personal stories anyone wants to share?


So, here are my questions:
1) Is the soft small poo a symptom of URI or something else?
2) What foods should I feed him to encourage bigger poo, especially while on anti-biotics?
3) Do you think all his symptoms mean he has cancer?
4) Do guinea pigs with URI's often sleep more deeply, and twitch and have seizures (I'm not sure if it actually is a seizure, but I know my other piggy doesn't do what Squeeky does)?
5) What can I do to help him get through this?
6) Can I wash him, even though he has a URI, or will being wet from a bath, chill him and make him sicker?
I'm hoping he continues to eat veggies and drink ... and hopefully the anti-biotics will cure his URI and then I can deal with his lump. He has been on the anti-biotics for two days now, and there is no change. I know some lumps are benign while others are cancer. ..
Thanks for all info ...

 

[bpatters]

Re: URI & LUMP (and possibly seizures, soft small poo, wet underneath)

Not in any particular order...

One, the tooth problems are more likely due to lack of hay than lack of pellets. Pellets really don't do anything to keep the teeth ground down, and are, in fact, the least important part of a pig's diet. How much hay is he eating, and what kind?

Two, which teeth did the vet cut? Problems with the front teeth are overwhelmingly caused by problems with the back teeth. Did the vet examine the back teeth at all, including a dental x-ray?

Three, the soft poop could be due to lack of hay and too many vegetables. I'd increase the hay and decrease the veggies. The first thing you usually do with soft poop is cut back on veggies.

Fourth, where is the lump? Can you move it if you push on it side-to-side? And does it feel squishy? Is it painful to him if you push on it or move it? It could be anything from an infected gland to a benign fatty lipoma to cervical lymphadenitis to a tumor to an abscess.

Fifth, the deep sleep and the ongoing URI make me think that he might be a heart pig. See https://www.guinealynx.info/heart.html for more information. Usually they do a full body x-ray to see if the heart is enlarged, but sometimes the diagnosis is just a default one -- they try heart meds, the pig gets better, therefore it must be heart disease.

 

[Helena29]

Re: URI & LUMP (and possibly seizures, soft small poo, wet underneath)

Just wanted to add that Squeekie still runs to get veggies. He is kinda lethargic but is not sleeping in corner all day. Squeekie seems kinda jumpy, he startles easily ...

 

[Helena29]

Re: URI & LUMP (and possibly seizures, soft small poo, wet underneath)

Thanks for your imput and advice, it's very helpful!!

Not in any particular order...

One, the tooth problems are more likely due to lack of hay than lack of pellets. Pellets really don't do anything to keep the teeth ground down, and are, in fact, the least important part of a pig's diet. How much hay is he eating, and what kind?

Two, which teeth did the vet cut? Problems with the front teeth are overwhelmingly caused by problems with the back teeth. Did the vet examine the back teeth at all, including a dental x-ray? There was no dental x-ray done.

Three, the soft poop could be due to lack of hay and too many vegetables. I'd increase the hay and decrease the veggies. The first thing you usually do with soft poop is cut back on veggies.
- He is eating hay - Oxbow Timothy ... but I will encourage more hay eating by offering other varieties. But since he is barely eating pellets, I figure I have to give veggies. I just want him to eat.

Fourth, where is the lump? The lump is near his back leg, I can feel it if I pet him underneath, kinda on his side. Sorry, it's hard to explain. It is like a ball, the size of a pea, or small marble, I guess. He doesn't scream if I touch it. I haven't tried to squish it so I'm not sure if it is squishy or not.
Can you move it if you push on it side-to-side? And does it feel squishy? Is it painful to him if you push on it or move it? It could be anything from an infected gland to a benign fatty lipoma to cervical lymphadenitis to a tumor to an abscess.

Fifth, the deep sleep and the ongoing URI make me think that he might be a heart pig. See https://www.guinealynx.info/heart.html for more information. Usually they do a full body x-ray to see if the heart is enlarged, but sometimes the diagnosis is just a default one -- they try heart meds, the pig gets better, therefore it must be heart disease.

Thanks for that bit of advice ... I was actually wondering about that. I guess if this URI doesn't go away then it could be indicative of that. Will read up on that more thoroughly.

 

[foggycreekcavy]

Often pigs with dental problems drink a lot of water.

What did the vet say about the lump?

Do you weigh him? I would weigh him daily. If he loses any at all, I would start handfeeding with a syringe.

I would not wash him while he has a URI.

 

[Helena29]

The vet said just to watch the lump for now. All I know is it wasn't there a little over a year ago. The vet said she couldn't do anything about the lump until his URI is gone. He was actually perfectly clean today, so I haven't washed him and hopefully will not have to ... possibly a good sign that he didn't wet himself today. However, his breathing is still crackly. He is eating on his own, not enough, but he is eating - just his faves. So, I am not hand-feeding him. The lump isn't squishy and he doesn't seem to care if I touch it.

 

[foggycreekcavy]

If he is not eating enough, it's best to hand feed. If he doesn't get enough to eat his immune system will be even worse, and it will be harder for him to fight the URI, even with antibiotics.

It's hard to tell if they are getting enough to eat, that's why weighing is so important.