• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Corly-Nova

Status
Not open for further replies.
Beautifulmess

Beautifulmess

Adult Guinea Pig
Joined
Sep 22, 2009
Messages
2,163
Reaction score
62
Points
570
Location
Stafford, Staffordshire
Well, this is an update on the ongoing problems with Corly-Nova.

I joined Pool House Vets in Lichfield (The hospital one) and since then have been 3 times, 1 for Mali, 1 for Zuki and Zambi and 1 for Corly.

Corly has an overnight stay to see if they could get blood from him and urine samples, he's too weak to have blood taken so they're just doing urine, they did get a small amount of blood and it tested for diabeties.

All in all, it isn't good news for Mr Corly-bum :(
At least I know whats wrong, but it's horrible since I only just lost Mali from some gut problem.

Zambi and Zuki are doing fine, they are no longer sqweeking whilst weeing and Kenya and Callis have really had nothng wrong with them ever lol. They are pets at home pets.

xx
 
What's wrong with him? Diabetes.. Did they check his urine first for Glucose then a pin prick test for Glucose?
 
She said bladder stones don't make pigs lose weight to the extreme he has, she can't check for failures because she can't get ebnough blood without killing him, she got enough to check for glucose and is very high and she said all the symptoms now lead her to think diabities, she's trying to get a urine sample, but he's now incontient so she's just waiting for him to leak enough on his waterproof map until she can test it with a sugar strip thing.
 
Beautifulmess said:
She said bladder stones don't make pigs lose weight to the extreme he has, she can't check for failures because she can't get ebnough blood without killing him, she got enough to check for glucose and is very high and she said all the symptoms now lead her to think diabities, she's trying to get a urine sample, but he's now incontient so she's just waiting for him to leak enough on his waterproof map until she can test it with a sugar strip thing.
Click to expand...

If she did a pin prick test then she would have had either a positive or a negative, not a glucose count. The only way she'd get detailed results would be to do a full bloods, and you've said that she couldn't take the blood. So if he's been diagnosed with diabetes then you need him on a diabetic diet for pigs. Has she advised what diet he now needs? Generally if they're not too far gone, being on the right diet does the trick. Hopefully his diabetic diet is well on its way and thus in turn you'd see an improvement.
 
As far as she has said, theres nothing you can do for a pig who's diabetic, she isn't 'specialised' in them so she only knows what she knows from experience and her own pigs but its a hell of a lot more than my other vets.

Can I find out about this pig diet from somewhere online? I'll try anything to help him. It cost £70 to put him in hospital over night. x
 
Beautifulmess said:
As far as she has said, theres nothing you can do for a pig who's diabetic, she isn't 'specialised' in them so she only knows what she knows from experience and her own pigs but its a hell of a lot more than my other vets.

Can I find out about this pig diet from somewhere online? I'll try anything to help him. It cost £70 to put him in hospital over night. x
Click to expand...

Thats a good price for an overnight stay. If you pm me I'll give you my number and advise on the diet he needs or you can call my mobile 07816468309
 
The vets is actually pretty good, I was recommended them from someone on this site, they charged £20 for 5ml Baytril and 2 pig consultations (30 minutes) instread of £13 per pig then medicine on top.

I'll give you a call now.
 
I'm now in two minds about Corly. I finally got some Septrin from the vets as her Baytril dose didn't work like usual although it was hard to do, she kept saying it won't do anything baytril can't do... does this mean she isn't really a savvy pig vet? I'm considering asking to see the other recommended vet next time, although, she's a lovely vet, compassionate and such, I need someone who links their knowledge of pigs to my rodentologist (not all of it) but enough and also, this website. 100's of you are all over septrin aren't you for bladder infections and URI's. Both Zambi and Zuki have the same which she treated with baytril, but yet nothing... Shall I ask for Septrin for them as well? x

Does ANYONE have any information about Septrin and URI's? Perhaps if I show it her she might realise why I asked for it. xx

I still think the vet practise is the best I've been too, if not for knowledge but general all roundness, they don't argue with you, make you feel stupid or seem uncaring. It's my second FEMALE vet, so perhaps thats why, the first one was scared of the pigs.
 
The septrin vs baytril thing is all about licensing. Baytril is licensed for use in guinea pigs, septrin is not. It doesn't mean that it's not safe to use in guinea pigs...it's all about the money. It costs a hell of a lot to license a drug for each species so they just don't bother.

Maybe mention to your vet that you know it's off license, and you still want to try it, they'll **** have a form for you to sign but that's about it. If anyone brings anything that's not a cat or dog to sign an off license drug form & explain the licensing and stuff, and then the vet can prescribe whatever drug suits the pets needs

Good luck!
 
has he had an x-ray and contrast done on his bladder ?

as bladder stone pigs do lose weight they go really thin on their back end, and they go off eating= gut problems and then dental problems, i really really would ask the vets for an x-ray IF nothing is found on the x-ray this is when a contrast needs to be done both at the same time, septrum is better on the guts of guinea pigs and gets into tissue better, he also needs to be on metacam every day for the pain and imflamation in his bladder, i would give septrum at a dose of 0.5ml twice a day and for one week after surgery if he needs it

i would also recommend using the vets i go to which is charter vets congelton they are fab with bladder problem pigs and have delt with diabetic pigs too x
 
Last edited:
She suggested one when we had him in over night but because SHE said weightloss wasn't caused by bladder stones. THe other reason was it was costing us £70 to have him overnight for blood and urine work, at the end of the month my boyfriend was in his overdraft (I would never be able to afford that right off the bat myself) in the end it came to £40 so we've booked him for a xray when we come back from holiday (week of 18th). He's on 0.3ml of Septrin for 8 days (2 times a day). He's eating still, but will only eat wagg, we've been trying to convert him to Excel but doing it slowly because 1, I don't want him going off food again and2. I don't want to upset his stomach. I've seem him eat hay here and there but nothing like the other pigs who clear a hay rack twice a day.

Congelton will be too far away once I move to Lichfield so I'm going to try katie from this current vets who I've been told by several people is the best vet to see in this practise.

He's on septrin and cranberry juice because I can't force my vet to do what I THINK is right since I can't prove where I'm getting the information from :S I use Paul as a fall back, he told me to push for Septrin as well as this thread and another lady. I don't know if I said but if I did say Corly had a bald patch, I was wrong, it was where they shaved his neck at the vets LOL.

The reason Paul couldn't find anything wrong with him is 1. His teeth were perfect, 2. he didn't think he was badly underweight even though he's 850g and WAS 1245g in April. 3. He still has saddle bags which are fast going tbh if not gone now. I can't find the lump the vet said she could feel in his upper neck.

I hate this conflicting advice and trust... I follow the vet a little more than Paul only because although i trust Paul he can't do everything a vet can do and the best advice he gives me for urine infections in cranberry juice which isn't a cure. xx
 
Okay, so today I've seem vast improvement, he started his septrin yesterday and has emptied a bowl of food, eaten all his bedding hay and even eaten all of the veg I've given him :) he seems more active and alert.!
 
I don't have enough i don't think. Unless you mean reduce the days he's on it and up the dose? I have 5ml. If this works for him, I'll be confident enough to turn around and ask for more for the other two pigs who have URI type things too, or Urine Infections (wheek when peeing) cranberry juice stops the wheeking?
 
Cranberry juice is effective against UTIs because cranberries contain two substances that, working together, have antibacterial properties. One of these substances, fructose, is a type of sugar found in fruits. Proanthocyanidins are a kind of tannin, an astringent substance found in plants. The fructose and proanthocyanidins in cranberries work as a barrier against bacteria, keeping them from taking hold in the walls of the bladder. Drinking cranberry juice delivers these substances directly to the bladder. It's uncertain whether fructose and proanthocyandins are effective only in preventing UTIs or if they can also help cure existing UTI infections.

Source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/27538-cranberry-juice-uti/

The ABS should stop the squeaking after a few days. Metacam is a good Anti Inflammatory for the first couple of days if it's a stubborn UTI.

Barley Water is a blessing - buy Pearl Barley from the Supermarket normally next to the lentils. Boil it for 30 - 45 minutes, make sure to stir and add water as needed.

Drain the Barley - into a bowl, what I normally do is mix some Cranberry in with it and syringe to pig.

The Barley Water works by soothing the bladder.
 
flintstones said:
Cranberry juice is effective against UTIs because cranberries contain two substances that, working together, have antibacterial properties. One of these substances, fructose, is a type of sugar found in fruits. Proanthocyanidins are a kind of tannin, an astringent substance found in plants. The fructose and proanthocyanidins in cranberries work as a barrier against bacteria, keeping them from taking hold in the walls of the bladder. Drinking cranberry juice delivers these substances directly to the bladder. It's uncertain whether fructose and proanthocyandins are effective only in preventing UTIs or if they can also help cure existing UTI infections.

Source: http://www.livestrong.com/article/27538-cranberry-juice-uti/

The ABS should stop the squeaking after a few days. Metacam is a good Anti Inflammatory for the first couple of days if it's a stubborn UTI.

Barley Water is a blessing - buy Pearl Barley from the Supermarket normally next to the lentils. Boil it for 30 - 45 minutes, make sure to stir and add water as needed.

Drain the Barley - into a bowl, what I normally do is mix some Cranberry in with it and syringe to pig.

The Barley Water works by soothing the bladder.
Click to expand...
Well since I syringe Zuki and Zambi every evening with whatever cranberry juice they'll take they've stopped looking uncomfortable and wheeking whilst peeing so it should be working.

My last vet who claimed to be pig savvy kinda yelled at me for giving them cranberry juice... obviously not as savvy as he likes to think!
 
He's slept a lot today but I think it's the heat currently as they're all a bit sleepy. I've cut his hair shorter to let his skin breath a bit. His bowls gone down more and so has his water, he still isn't that interested in hay UNLESS he's eating the stuff in his bedding which does seem to disappear quite quickly lol. He's 860g atm, I'll update the weight tomorrow so I can see how it's changing, he has gained though, was 840g last week. WITHOUT syringing.
 
Okay, I'm back from my holiday, Corly was up and down during it and even had access to a garden which he barely cared about. Was in it a few days (10 minutes here and there) but rarely ate. He picked up around Wednesday/Thursday where he started eating whenever we did and being all active which tbh isn't like him lol.

Yesterday, he stopped eating, peeing, he can't poop properly (e.g I have to clean him out and it isn't impaction) and he won't drink even though I'm forcing it down him. We've been told it's kidney failure and if he isn't gone in 3-4 days to take him back for an xray if he's strong enough or for sleep (pts).

I've been feeding him dioralyte so he doesn't get too dehydrated but its hard when he won't swallow. He only just manages to take the water but refuses food although last ngiht I managed to give him very small pieces of skinless tomato which he took down i hope, as I found a mass of food in his mouth yesterday (chewed greens) which I cleaned out.

At this point, I know he's dying so I don't really need any advice, perhaps how I can make him more comfortable, I don't usually ever put animals down but unlike Africa, Corly doesn't have a drive to live, Africa died slowly over a month of liver failure, yet he still ate, begged, popcorned and sqweeked although it was like a frog by the end and he went in his sleep. Corly just sleeps and looks sorry for himself, he's been on my lap from 3-5 hours yesterday as I was waiting for him to urine but his bladder feels empty (no pressure or bloat or anything down that end) and even when I press nothing comes out.

*sign*
 
I'm very sorry to hear about Corly - sometimes it's kinder to let them go. Kidney failure is not a pleasant death if that is what's going on. He could also have a blockage which an xray would show up. If he's that the lifeless the vet should be able to Xray without Ga.
 
Yeah, he's started taking food now so I'm going to ring the vets but the way he is I'm not sure how well he'll deal with a journey of near 1.5hours on a bus and my vet has already said if he gets any worse from a few weeks ago she'd suggest putting him to sleep which I'd rather not travel for if a local vet would do it.

He keeps making hooting noises?
 
I can't advise one symptoms - I would say though he has a better chance of being saved if you take him to a Cavy Savy vet. He will most likely to be fine during the Journey.

I know when Bette was dying which was Kidney Failure brought on by Diabetes - she wasn't eating and stunk to high heaven's we travelled an 1 hour and 20 minutes on Public transport to the vet - she was put to sleep but I can honestly say I did everything I could in the end setting her free was the kindest thing I could do but it wasn't for lack of trying.

I suggest you take him to the vet well he has some fight left - a Savy vet.
 
Symptoms
No urine
Strink sausage poos, small - dehydrated, he's on that blackcurrent stuff
Wheezing - hooting, dry stuff around his nose.
Wouldn't eat or drink from yesterday but seems to be taking it now, but slowly.
Left things in his mouth instead of swollowing them.
slow, sleepy, tired, 600g in weight.

I am positive whatever is happening, has gone too far for him to be saved now, he's been to the vets countless times and things from diabeties to failures have been mentioned and kidney failure has been itemised. He does smell unusal but i don't think it's terrible, smells more sweet (sickly).
 
Does anyone know the number of that Cavvy place in Cambridge? Paul did give me the number but I can't find it and can't contact him because he's out.

He's also cold btu is wrapped in a fleese right now.
 
Last edited:
So sorry to read about Corly, sending hugs your way.
 
He's still here, I've left the fleese in his cage so he can choose, I found him in it this morning so it must be more comfortable for him than hay. I'm still getting food down him and water, he's filled out a lot more but is still not peeing. Vets say kidney failure, so we've just got to wait. I choose not to put him down, 1. We don't have the money, 2. He's in no pain, 3. I can give him pain medicine and make him as confortable as I can until nature tells him it's his time... I'm afraid thats just the way I am. Although he's tired he still likes being held and loved and even tries to get out of the fleese when I get up so he can follow me, bit like a dog.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top