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Specialist Advice For A Diabetic Pig Please.

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Midge&Panda

Adult Guinea Pig
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Finny is a very large boy weighing in at around 1700g. He has a large back end but his front portion isn't excessively large (looks like an old fashioned light-bulb). He has cataracts in both eyes and very high sugar levels (urine). Over the weekend his stomach swelled rather alarmingly so off to the emergency vets where he was x-rayed. Nothing off any note was found just a small pocket of gas but because he was pooing extremely well bloat wasn't thought to be the issue. He left the surgery with infacol and advice for a tummy massage. He was booked in for a check-up the next day. We saw our regular vet who was /is pretty sure the problems is hormonal/ diabetes. So after researching diabetes in pigs has prescribed glibenclamide tabs 2.5mg (1/4 tab daily) and another check-up in a week. We have tried to control his condition through diet but it seems to be not very successful at the moment. Any advice concerning diabetes in pigs would be more than welcome. Many thanks x
 
Diabetes can be difficult to sort out. Has your vet actually taken blood to diagnose it? Even a spot blood sample (from an ear prick) even if not a full blood sample?

What is his diet at the moment? The symptoms your describing don't make sense.

x
 
No blood at the moment, he has gertie, plenty of forage and at the moment plenty of green leafy salad cucumber and occassionaly cabbage. He has limited sweet food virtually no fruit and pepper about once a week. He shares a hutch with a sow who suffers with bladder problems. So his diet is rather restricted. He went in for an op at Easter and weighed about the same after the op his weight went down to about 1450g but within the last 3-4 weeks it has crept back up again. He doesn't even have grass because of the issues with bladder sow.
 
I would seriously consider cutting out the Getty for a start. This contains a lot of colours and preservatives which can (on occasion) cause glucose in the urine. I would then discuss with your vet about at least doing a spot blood glucose check (just a needle prick on the ear) to check his glucose level in the blood. Or potentially a full blood sample. I think your vet needs to confirm a diagnosis officially at least with a blood sample before starting treatment on a whim. Sorry.

I would avoid things like carrot too. Restrict pellets (or Gerry if your not willing to change). Lots and lots of hay, which you are doing.

x
 
No other symptoms at all, just the cataracts and odd body shape with the weight. Carrots are restricted to about a 2in piece once a week. He does drink a fair bit but then he's always done this even before his other symptoms. He's a bit gassy but not bloat. His poos are always large and well formed. He is a bit of a mystery
 
Hmmm - I have no experience of diabetic piggies - but as a person who is on the watch list with a pre-diabetic condition that ultimately will develop into Type 2 diabetes.......I can offer the following insights.

Diabetes is the result of an inability to keep blood sugar levels in healthy balance within the body - normally insulin is required to regulate this and it acts on cells to increase their capacity to utilise available glucose in the blood to convert ti to energy.
In Type 1 diabetes, there is a fundamental inability of the pancreas to produce sufficient insulin, often because the pancreatic cells are being destroyed. This is called insulin-dependent diabetes. In Type 2 diabetes, the body's cells become resistant to the action of insulin, the pancreas produces more and more insulin to counteract this, the cells become more and more resistant.......and finally despite loads of insulin being produced, the cells cannot respond , blood sugar levels increase and diabetes develops.. This is insulin-resistant diabetes.

So it really depends upon what type of diabetes your piggie has as to how to manage it.
Glibenclamide acts by increasing the ability of the pancreas to produce insulin. Therefore it is normally given for Type 1.
Other drugs (a common one being metformin which is what I have been prescribed) act on the cells metabolism to enable them to utilise the glucose without the need for more insulin and are used for Type 2.
If you piggie has Type 2 then I am not sure that the drug prescribed will actually help rather than contribute to the porblem. However if your piggie has Type 1 then it may be worth a shot. This next week will be the time to monitor closely to see if there is any improvement.

Obviously diet and reduction of sugar intake is also important regardless of which type of diabetes your piggie has.
Personally, should I ever have a diabetic pig, I would be looking mainly at a "natural forage" diet of hay and other dried forage (eg dandelion delight, clover and plantain mix). Fresh veggies would be restricted to lettuce, celery cucumber and fresh herbs such as parsley, dill and cilantro (ie no peppers, corn, fruit,root veg ). I would feed veg every other day (or maybe every 3 days) , with maybe the occasional treat added in of a few leaves of spinach or kale. (not broccoli florets) and would supplement with daily Vit C.

As for dried food - a very small amount of the lowest sugar-containing pellets fed (if at all) on the days where no veggies are supplied. The emphasis would be on the diet becoming mostly hay, hay and more hay - with care taken on the "cut" (time of harvest relative to growth cycle) and "type" of hay. I can;t provide more detailed information but from what I understand, first, second and third cuts of hay can vary dramatically in their sugar levels as can the type of grass.

I have already introduced this type of dietary regime to some of my piggies with long-term medical problems and it has reduced the incidences of obesity, pain when pooing and urinary issues in pre-disposed pigs. The only harmful effect is to my ears and heartstrings when they are wheeking for goodies which I know they cannot have!

I'm going to tag @Glynis as I know she has had a diabetic piggie and perhaps she can offer more insight than me.

HTH
x
 
Thanks for all the advice, he's is bedded on fleece and mountains of good quality meadow hay, he has timothy as well as the oxbow 'oat , wheat and barley'. We have to be careful with other food stuff because of him sharing space with bladder sow. Lettuce (mainly romaine) and cucumber are the main greenstuff that he has. Also finding out that he has gas problem further restricts what he has.
 
I would suggest further diagnosis before treatment. Typing of he does have diabetes would be difficult. And I would first be starting with diet management (with close glucose monitoring) before other drugs. Although I know he is already on a somewhat restricted diet.

x
 
I'm so sorry been a busy week!

@Pebble you nailed it!
I cut out all fruits and veggies with extra sugar content. Water and hay in abundance and be super careful what dry food you use. I know oxbow brought one out that was suitable for diabetics (I emailed them but they couldn't send to OZ cause of restrictions :no: whereas it's now available) and I think there's another one on the market that's also suitable but can't think of the brand.
Weigh daily and take urine sample tests like a diabetic hooman would. I'd not put on a diet but I would suggest you get Finny to exercise if possible. I see he has problems this could be change of diet and his system adjusting. Not too much lettuce etc may help.
Give him my love he's very special :love:
Keep me posted please and if I think of anything else I'll let you know. Hugs xxxxxxxxx
 
About 18 mths, The vet diagnosed diabetes due to this and very high glucose levels in his urine. He was always big drinker and I think this made her sway to diabetes. He's never had a blood test to confirm this. We do restrict his sweet foods he will have a small piece of fruit or pepper once a week. Always plenty of forage/ hay in his hutch. He didn't have a good start in life he was rescued from a breeder where he was kept in a cat box with another 2 boars. I think this is where his great love of food comes from.
 
Aww ok poor baby :(

I'd personally ditch all fruits etc. this may bring his glucose levels down which will prolong his life. I'm only saying this from experience.

Does he cope ok and not bump into things? More kisses for him :love::love:
 
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