URI paranoia sets in...

[pookczek]

I just made my first vet appointment for Penny and Sally - next Wednesday at 7pm. We've only had Sally for 2 months and Penny for 1 month, but with all the messages I'm reading about sneezing, my paranoia is somewhat heightened. Since the day she came home, Penny's been known to sneeze a bit, but continues to gain weight and has the energy of a border collie (no signs of a URI). Sally has never been to the vet - her prior home didn't think it was necessary.

If there are negative changes in either piggies weight / food consumption / behaviour, I will take them to the pet hospital ASAP. I just couldn't coordinate an appointment sooner as I work during the day.

 

[Denise]

It's a good idea for a general check up even if there are no signs of illness. Don't be paranoid. An occassional sneeze is not a sign of illness, it's just like you or me, just a sneeze. Now others may say a cough is different.

 

[Slap Maxwell]

The sign of my pig's URI was lethargy and wheezing. I just took her back to the vet. And $80 later, she looks better.

 

[RubyPiggie2]

Hopefully she dosen't, it dosen't sound like she has URI. Slap's Maia had the same symptoms as my Pippy, so I think lethargy is a big symptom for URI (of course wheezing), so she sounds OK though. The vet will clarify.

Am I the one who created the paranoia? >.<

 

[pookczek]

No, Ruby, you didn't make me paranoid
I've been reading guinea lynx, and becoming ultra-sensitive to any noise that my pigglees make.

 

[Denise]

I did too, for a very long time, Pookczek, but you will soon be aware of the "normal" noises your pigs make and the "not-so-normal" noises they make, and you will relax.

 

[pookczek]

no worries... for now

The vet visit went well! The vet described Sally as feisty, which prompted me to tell her why I was only able to give Sally one dose of ivermectin orally (the second dose went all over her head). Sally has a bit of dry skin on her ears, but otherwise was given a clean bill of health.

The respiratory noises (coughing) from Penny were unexplained - no abnomalities were found. The best that the vet figures is that she has a low grade bacterial infection or a hypersensitivity to environmental allergens. I'm just supposed to monitor her and contact the vet if the frequency of sneezing or coughing increases, or if she becomes lethargic or her appetite goes away.

The best part is that they are going to be carrying Oxbow products (which I haven't been able to find in the Edmonton area). Yeahhhhh!

So, I can put my worrying on hold... and just keep watching

 

[sasha]

When Joey, who has since died, got one I noticed fairly early and he was fine, and I could tell right away when I got my two new pigs that one of them was sick- she didn't even look that bad, but comparing her to my other pig that I'd had for a few years, you could just tell. I've found every time I learn something new that I should have being doing and wasn't, or some medical condition I didn't know about I would race over to the cage expecting one of them to be suffering from it. I think its only natural, especially after seeing how crazy some people get with their first kid. Pediatricians must set aside a block of time every day for the newborns with paranoid mothers.