kaplanj0920
New Born Pup
Hi all,
I’m a frequent reader of this forum but rarely have posted. I’m not sure exactly what I’m looking to gain- advice, support or really just somewhere to vent.
I have two boars (Hans and Giles) who live in a 6x2 C&C with a 2x2 loft in our tiny old flat. They are kept on fleece. The boys will be 4 around December time.
Recently it has felt like one thing after another and I’m drowning in anxiety. I even took the day off work today because I’m sick with worry about Giles. Giles is displaying symptoms of a UTI that I recognise from Hans. He is straining while using the toilet and making a hiccup sound when he poos. His poos are also decreased in amount and softer. We have a vet appointment today . He also occasionally makes hooting sounds that clear out with a cough like sound but this is unrelated.
Hans’ history:
He started off April with hay poke, then I noticed what I thought was blood in his urine, then he started limping. The vet felt a mammary gland tumor and that’s where the blood was from. We actually tested a bit of the lump before removal to make sure it was a cancerous tumor (it was). One week later he had surgery to remove the lump and it was a tough recovery. We got the biopsy after the tumor was removed only to check if the margins were clear (they were). Hans was stitched underneath the skin so no stitches had to be removed but I had to clean the site daily and he was on metacam, baytril and gabapentin. As soon as we stopped the baytril, boom bloody urine and squeaking. A UTI from a weakened immune system from the surgery. Finally put on a week long course of a different antibiotic (not bactrim because of a manufacturing shortage). This cleared and then we found a Sebaceous cyst which now gets drained monthly.
I should also add that last month the boys were scratching and got diagnosed with mites (likely hay) so I’ve spend lots of money and time replacing and deep cleaning the cage only for the three treatments of ivermectin to not work. They received a dose of selamectin last Thursday in hopes this works better.
After noticing Giles is now falling ill I am just really struggling to cope with it all. I’m having flashbacks to force feeding Hans critical care and I worry about doing it again with Giles. The thought of it is making me well up. I also worry Hans will get whatever Giles has.
I feel like a bad owner and like I’m doing something wrong as it feels like it’s constantly one thing after another for the last four months.
I worry if this is also a UTI that it is because they are on fleece and have been for about a year. I change damp areas daily and full cleans every 5 or 6 days but the laundry is constant I can no longer cope. I’ve ordered wood shavings which will come on Saturday and I sadly will be switching back for hopefully easier maintenance.
Side note: the boys both get half a tablet of feliway cyst ease every other day , vitamin c every day and a Sherwood preventative tablet each every other day. Vitamin C they’ve had most of their lives but the other two I started more recently. Cystease was cleared for Hans but is there a chance it’s effecting Giles badly? What am I doing wrong?
Please keep my boys in your thoughts and thanks for reading my ramble.
I’m a frequent reader of this forum but rarely have posted. I’m not sure exactly what I’m looking to gain- advice, support or really just somewhere to vent.
I have two boars (Hans and Giles) who live in a 6x2 C&C with a 2x2 loft in our tiny old flat. They are kept on fleece. The boys will be 4 around December time.
Recently it has felt like one thing after another and I’m drowning in anxiety. I even took the day off work today because I’m sick with worry about Giles. Giles is displaying symptoms of a UTI that I recognise from Hans. He is straining while using the toilet and making a hiccup sound when he poos. His poos are also decreased in amount and softer. We have a vet appointment today . He also occasionally makes hooting sounds that clear out with a cough like sound but this is unrelated.
Hans’ history:
He started off April with hay poke, then I noticed what I thought was blood in his urine, then he started limping. The vet felt a mammary gland tumor and that’s where the blood was from. We actually tested a bit of the lump before removal to make sure it was a cancerous tumor (it was). One week later he had surgery to remove the lump and it was a tough recovery. We got the biopsy after the tumor was removed only to check if the margins were clear (they were). Hans was stitched underneath the skin so no stitches had to be removed but I had to clean the site daily and he was on metacam, baytril and gabapentin. As soon as we stopped the baytril, boom bloody urine and squeaking. A UTI from a weakened immune system from the surgery. Finally put on a week long course of a different antibiotic (not bactrim because of a manufacturing shortage). This cleared and then we found a Sebaceous cyst which now gets drained monthly.
I should also add that last month the boys were scratching and got diagnosed with mites (likely hay) so I’ve spend lots of money and time replacing and deep cleaning the cage only for the three treatments of ivermectin to not work. They received a dose of selamectin last Thursday in hopes this works better.
After noticing Giles is now falling ill I am just really struggling to cope with it all. I’m having flashbacks to force feeding Hans critical care and I worry about doing it again with Giles. The thought of it is making me well up. I also worry Hans will get whatever Giles has.
I feel like a bad owner and like I’m doing something wrong as it feels like it’s constantly one thing after another for the last four months.
I worry if this is also a UTI that it is because they are on fleece and have been for about a year. I change damp areas daily and full cleans every 5 or 6 days but the laundry is constant I can no longer cope. I’ve ordered wood shavings which will come on Saturday and I sadly will be switching back for hopefully easier maintenance.
Side note: the boys both get half a tablet of feliway cyst ease every other day , vitamin c every day and a Sherwood preventative tablet each every other day. Vitamin C they’ve had most of their lives but the other two I started more recently. Cystease was cleared for Hans but is there a chance it’s effecting Giles badly? What am I doing wrong?
Please keep my boys in your thoughts and thanks for reading my ramble.