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Ginger

  • Thread starter Thread starter rw3399
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wishing you luck at the vets O0 perhaps a hot water bottle or head pad wrapped in a towel would help. and you stick up for ginger if they suggest to pts say you'll report them for not giving ginger the proper treatment. just because ginger is 8 it is not a death sentence O0 she is a grand elderly lady and should be treated as such :smitten:
:smitten: :smitten: damn vets :tickedoff: :tickedoff: :tickedoff: sending hugs and healing vibes to you both :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: girls send :-* :-* :-*
 
Hi rw3399,

I have just been catching up on this thread. I am sorry you are having so much trouble with Ginger but she is an old lady and you are doing a grand job. She is very lucky to have a mummy who cares for her so much!

One note on the bumblefoot, one of my sows has had bumblefoot for a long while now, on and off. I have also tried that cream from GG and although it helps with the swelling I have actually found that putting any cream on the foot actually makes things worse in the long run as it prevents the scab from forming by keeping the skin soft.

If the foot is bleeding or not scabbed over then I would follow Mary's advise of washing and applying baby nappy rash cream as this acts as a barrier against urine. It works for me.
The only think I would add to that is to consider the bedding she is on. I have had to change mine over to fleece because bits of hay and megazorbe (for example) can get stuck in the wound and cause infection.

Once the wound has dried and a scab has formed the best thing to do is to just leave it alone (just keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't get infected). It may or may not heal completely over time. Fluffy's has a few time but then reappears a few months later. However once a scab has formed she can walk on it without any pain and she is absolutely fine.

Bumblefoot is a right pain to get rid of though!

Good luck at the vets and let us know how you get on x :smitten:
 
Thanks. The scab has now formed again with nothing in the wound so I'll try what you said Laure and leave it alone. She is on soft, thick bathroom mats which I have bought and are changed every 2 or 3 days. It's the other front leg I am more concerned about because that is definately uncomfortable and sore for her.
 
I guess it's probably just arthritis at her age. It sounds like you already had her on the potters tablets but she might need something stronger.
I guess she might have been overusing the other leg because the bumblefoot leg was hurting.

Aw bless her. good luck at the vet tomorrow!
 
goodluck at the vet :D i hope everything runs smoothly enough and she gets better... :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: ;D ;D :D :D ;) ;) :) :)
 
Ginger update - just come back from the new vet and was very pleased with the service and cost. She examined her legs and spine and said she has arthritis in her back legs and spine which is more than likely the cause of her being off her back legs. She gave her a steroid injection because she is so stiff and also an antibiotic injection for th ullcer on her foot. I have to take her back in the morning for another steroid injection. She said she wanted to give her a few sharp doses to relieve the stiffness before thinking of further treatment. She was amazed how old she was and she said how well I was doing with her. All this information and treatment for the price of £8.10 (I couldn't believe it). The other vet who I used to take her to would charge £16.00 just for a consultation. Thanks again for everyone's support and advice!
 
wooo hooo that is great news (no happy icon) :) :) :) so glad this vet is so good with ginger and that ginger is now getting the pain relief she deserves. O0 not sure on steroid injections but with the antibiotic injection did ginger get a probiotic? i am really happy for the both of you if it wasn't 05.26am saturday morning i would woo hoo but have done it quietly. O0 sending hugs and healing vibes to you both :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: and :tickedoff: :tickedoff: :tickedoff: with those other vets. go ginger girl O0
 
She didn't have a probiotic but her appetite has increased already and her legs are a lot less stiff. She is trying to move around for herself. I had a look on guinea lynx about steroids and they can be helpful in musculasketal problems. I'm not 100% certain that it was an antibiotic injection but she gave her something separate for the ulcer on her foot. Maybe this is her lucky break xx
 
Ginger went back this morning for another steroid injection but a smaller dose. Her front leg has more movement in it and she went to her water bottle this morning herself which she hasn't done for 4 or 5 days. She also has warmth back in the foot which has been cold for the last few days. She goes back Wednesday for another check up.
 
am so happy for you and ginger :) :) :) hoping she continues to improve and am so happy you have found a piggy savy vet who respects ginger's age and believes in treatment for her. O0 so glad she feels able to move around now she must be feeling pleased with herself and happier. O0 sending hugs :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: and you have done a wonderful job with ginger, she is so lucky to have you O0 girls send :-* :-* :-* to you both.
 
That is fantastic! Well done. And well done Ginger too. And what a super vet. Stick with this one.
 
Ginger update - front leg still nice and loose with no pain but she won't put it in its natural position - she is still sticking it out to the side. I don't think she will ever get her proper posture back because I think there is a curve in the spine. I don't really know what to do for the best now with her at home. I keep moving her around every couple of hours and bending and straightening the legs which doesn't bother her. I don't know whether to get her out on the carpet and put her legs back into their normal positions and she how she can stand like it for - would this help with muscle strength? I think she has lost so much muscle in her back legs I don't think she will be able to stand again to be perfectly honest. She does seem more alert since the steroid injections and seems able to lift herself up more rather than just lying around. I don't know whether to suggest Metacam to the new vet because she isn't in pain now - just very weak. If anyone has any suggestions/advice or has had a piggy with bad arthritis I would be very grateful for some advice. Me and Ginger thank you all for your encourging words :)
 
So glad you have found a decent vet.,it makes all the difference.

I believe you have already tried the swimming therapy?,this will sometimes help.It depends on the gp though because some hate water and some will relax and enjoy it.You could try massaging the legs a few times a day as well.There is a product available from health food shops called Potters Tabritus tablets.I have used these on gps with mobility/muscular problems and they do often help.
 
Yeah I have got the Tabritis tablets but stopped them whilst she has been having the steroid injections in case they conincided with each other at all. I was given 1 with water daily but the mobility started to get so bad I didn't know whether to increase them to 2 daily - one morning, one night? I have tried swimming therapy but the back legs just dangle and do not move. Her front legs do doggy paddle but it's hard at the moment because I'm trying to get the scab on her foot to fall off so am avoiding getting it wet. I have put her on her back twice and done the bicycles I have read about on the forum - how often should I do these? I think another of the main problems is the circulation is very poor in her body now and only 1 of her 4 feet is nice and warm :(
 
when Kelly our late dog did a disc in her back we were doing massage on her leg for 30 minutes 6-8 times a day and we were also manually emptying her bladder. perhaps go back to the vet and discuss the circulation, the massaging and the tabritis tablets and if there is anything else you could do to help ginger. sending you both hugs and healing vibes :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: girls send :-* :-* :-* come on ginger girl O0
 
I've bought Ginger a vet bed and I think she's impressed! Even though she has only been on it for just under 1 hour she is a lot warmer than she was. Maybe this might help her stiffness and mobility problems?
 
I'm now going to praise the vetbed - what a great idea! Ginger loves it and she's even trying to wobble around a bit and trying to eat from her food bowl. I can't believe how dry it is keeping her and all her feet are toasty warm. She seems a lot more relaxed and snuggly on it :)
 
am so glad ginger is feeling a bit better. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: you go girl, GIRL power to the max O0 okay dumb question time what is a vet bed? sure them on ebay and they just looked like a piece of material to me :-\ :-\ :-\ am really happy ginger is feeling like walking. sending hugs and healing vibes :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
It's made from double strength polyester and this traps the air between the two layers which becomes warm which means your animals stay warm too. Can be used for cats and dogs. Also if they have accidents the materials is absorbant and leaves the top layer they lay on dry. It's recommended for older animals or animals that are recovering from operations. Maybe it might be an idea for Zoe and Missy? They come in different colours and sizes plus they can be washed in a machine. Pets at home sell them so they might be on their website? There's lots of info on them on Google.
 
i priced vet beds on ebay and they are only available from the UK to buy 2 and for postage would cost 41.00 pounds which would be 79.7102AUD and i am pretty sure zoe would not lie on it as i have bought her beds before only to have her prefer to bury herself under the straw. will look around here in south oz and see what i can find. thanks for the information. O0
 
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