Lethals Two possible lethal white borns today

[RodentCuddles]

@PiggieWigglies , We go their molars checked when they were a couple days old. At that point the vet said that she saw that Delta had all her molars and Dede only had two bottom ones.

For Dede, her two molars aren't much use what so ever...she have a plate full of CC available at all times which she licks/drinks up...she can't eat anything else unless of course it's a smoothie.

While I trust my vets for most guinea pig stuff (they are amazing at de-sexing the boys! have never had any problems and that's give or take 30 boys!)...I'm not sure that I'd trust them to trim Dede's molars. So am going to be phoning around.

 

[PiggieWigglies]

So since she barely has any teeth, what do you feed her? Can she eat long fat pieces of hay or veggies?

 

[RodentCuddles]

She can't eat any hay or sliced veggies like Delta, only CC.

 

[PiggieWigglies]

Awww. Poor Dede. How are Dot and Deka?

 

[RodentCuddles]

Dot and Deka are both doing well and went off to a foster home (okay...our only foster home..but we have a couple more who are going to foster as we took in 24 rescued guineas on monday). Next time I see them, they'll be 6 weeks old and then off to their new home.

 

[RodentCuddles]

4 weeks old today!! (1 month whoop!)

Feels like so much longer....I remember when they were born...In fact, we saw them being born...I had said,"Gosh, I really hope that all white baby isn't a girl or else I'll have a time not keeping her!"......that was little Dede I could see, then Detla came out....little did I know what was I was in for.
Ever since Precious, I've LOVED all white animals.....hence adopting my big NZ White girl Alice....That little guinea really changed my life.



Little Delta is up to 216 grams, and Dede is still at 163 grams...I'm still having such a hard time helping her to gain weight.

This is their cage as of today - you can see little Dede's plate, it gets filled up 3 - 4 times a day.

 

[lunarminx]

My sister had a cat years ago that was always under weight( not under fed) and the vet use to sell this high calorie jel like paste to give to her. I wonder if there is something like that your vet may know of that would be safe for pigs.

 

[bpatters]

It's not just a matter of getting increased caloric amounts into lethal pigs. A big part of the problem is that their GI tracts are not developed as well as normal newborns, so they're unable to use all the food they actually eat. From what I know (admittedly not much, as I'm pretty ignorant about horses), this phenomenon is actually worse in foals. Lethal foals have non-functioning colons, and because they suffer terrible pain if allowed to live, they're usually humanely euthanized shortly after birth.

 

[lunarminx]

Aw, its a shame but I think if they are put down as not to suffer, that is better then letting natural takes its course. We all know mother nature can be cruel at times.

 

[RodentCuddles]

Tomorrow at 9am the girls are going in for another teeth check up and a possible teeth trimming depending on what their teeth are like.

As of today their weights are;

Dede 174 grams
Delta 253 grams.


A lady who runs a Chinchilla rescue, and makes pellets for guineas, rabbits & chincs has devised a formula that I can make up like CC but it wont cost over $70 a week.

The ingredients are as follows: grass meal, lucerne meal, linseed flake, rosehip, hawthorn, chamomile, nettle, dandelion, hibiscus, oat straw, and Vitamin C. Fibre 39%, Protein 16%, Fat 3%

Does that all sound okay? She's giving me 150grams to test out and try with Dede to see if she'll eat it.

 

[Artista]

So adorable! Happy 1 month and cheers to many more!

 

[Rain Shadow]

It's not just a matter of getting increased caloric amounts into lethal pigs. A big part of the problem is that their GI tracts are not developed as well as normal newborns, so they're unable to use all the food they actually eat. From what I know (admittedly not much, as I'm pretty ignorant about horses), this phenomenon is actually worse in foals. Lethal foals have non-functioning colons, and because they suffer terrible pain if allowed to live, they're usually humanely euthanized shortly after birth.

Yes. Breeding for Frame Overo in Paint horses causes it. The foals are born pure white and they have a very underdeveloped digestive system that makes it so they can't process anything. Trying to eat causes them colic which is a very painful stomach ache basically that in severe cases causes the horses intestines to twist. Because the horse can not get any nutrition at all they always die within 72 hours and are normally euthanized at birth because their is no medication or surgery to help them.

 

[RodentCuddles]

Back from the vets.



Delta was being her little feisty self and didn't want to work with the vet. From what he could see, most of her molars are there but he couldn't get the best look as Delta wasn't having any of it. Her front teeth he said currently don't currently need trimming as they're not too long yet, but for us to keep an eye on them and bring her back every so often or when something's different.

When he looked at Dede's teeth he saw four little molars!!! Am so happy for her! He said he could see 2 on the bottom AND two on the top! I've got my fingers crossed that they'll grind themselves down since they have top & bottom directly above and below each other. One pair on each side.


Because we didn't get the vet to check the girls sight and hearing when they were a couple days old, we asked him to just incase they do have some sight and/or hearing. From as far as he could tell they are both completely blind and deaf; but (as I like to think) they've still got an amazing sense of smell and can sense vibrations.

My happy little girls are currently doing well, they've gotten use to the time table...when Dede smells the other guinea's food she starts wheeking until I re-fresh her new plate of CC...she doesn't bother with fresh veggies at all and just ignores them.

 

[PiggieWigglies]

Yay! Glad they both have some molars! Keep us updated. What sweet little girls.

 

[RodentCuddles]

I forgot to put that it's still the same RE front teeth - Delta with 3 and Dede with 0.

 

[melynda]

Aww little Dede! What great news for her!

 

[huhney]

It sound like they are doing great and good news about the molars

 

[DawnM]

You are AMAZING!! All I can say is WOW what a good piggy parent.

 

[RodentCuddles]

Thank you @DawnM

Little Delta got a wee bit excited and threw some pillows around when I told her that she and Dede are 5 weeks old today!



I'll post more pictures today on Dede's Guinealynx thread.

 

[DawnM]

Yes I seen the pictures on my facebook earlier. I was looking at them going wait a minute I know that pig lol