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Gradual weight loss & ovarian cysts

furryfriends (TEAS) said:
The problem is, when they’re not eating much, they start to get gassy. Just keep going with the little and often feeding. When I have piggies, who struggle to take much, or are eating slowly, I keep a tally chart of every 1 ml they take. You will then see just how much they are having, which is usually much more than you think. Is there another vet you could try after the new year holiday?
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I have a list of how much and the time and date of their cc feedings on my notes app. Really helps me so I can keep track of how much they’re getting & when to feed them next!
Minnie usually takes a lot at one sitting. It was just like all of a sudden she just didn’t really want too much of it anymore. Then the next feed she didn’t want anything to do with it.

I’m honestly not sure. I’ve been to soo many vets in the recent weeks and spent a lot of money for them to send me with medicine and say everything looked okay. This vet had been the only one that seen Minnie’s teeth were overgrown & they’re also really cheap and reasonable. I called a different vet and I wouldn’t be able to get in to them until a little over a week from now. Also I guess since I’d be a new patient, I could only bring one Guinea pig to be seen? I’d be driving two hours so I’m not sure why it’s a 1 pig rule for your first time. I don’t have any other vets that I know about that other than ours now that know what they’re doing with dentals. :/
 
It makes me question everything though since they’re not getting better. Penelope is usually better a week after her molar trims and Minnie has never had issues. I feel like I’ve hit a brick wall.

Here are Penelope’s X-rays. Just to clear any confusion, Penelope is the one who usually has molar trims once a year and had one a few months ago and is now having issues again randomly! These X-rays were taken 2 weeks ago during their last teeth trim.
 

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It’s just so hard when you haven’t got a vet who can identify the problem and resolve it. It’s often a very small issue, but until that is addressed, things will just get worse. I’m only able to do what I do, because of our amazing vet. Most of the guinea pigs that are surrendered to us have been seen by numerous vets, with no success, and are eating immediately after just one appointment with our vet.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
It’s just so hard when you haven’t got a vet who can identify the problem and resolve it. It’s often a very small issue, but until that is addressed, things will just get worse. I’m only able to do what I do, because of our amazing vet. Most of the guinea pigs that are surrendered to us have been seen by numerous vets, with no success, and are eating immediately after just one appointment with our vet.
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I agree. Also her X-rays coming back clean makes it so difficult cause something is obviously wrong with their mouths.

I am incredibly jealous of everyone that gets to see Simon & Kim. I wish I was able to bring my girls to see them. They sound fantastic but unfortunately there’s no one here I have found. Our regular vet doesn’t seem bad and is knowledgeable with them but you’re absolutely right. Something is obviously still wrong.
 
Another weird thing, if Minnie chooses to eat from the soon or syringe then it’s fine. She’ll have problems chewing and stick her tongue out and whatnot occasionally.

However, she’s not eating now so I’m having to syringe her as well. BUT everytime I put the syringe in her mouth, she sticks her tongue out and tries to push it out. Then I do get some in there and she’ll chew it but I just don’t get it? She’ll also push out all her extra saliva and food in there when I try to put more syringe in her mouth.

I’m not giving her too much. I’m giving her .1 each time and she can take up to .5-1Ml in one go when she’s choosing to eat. She chews quite fast but syringe feeding her is so weird and difficult? I don’t know if it’s like the syringe touching her tongue and maybe her tongue is entrapped now? 😖

She has a lot of saliva in her mouth and some of it comes out when she’s pushing out my syringe.
 
Puddles1999 said:
I had been thinking that but she doesn’t have any visible signs of oral thrush and all the vets she’s seen said she doesn’t have it
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How are they examining the mouth? It could be at the very back of the mouth. I’m still thinking there could be a sharp spur cutting into the mouth, that hasn’t been spotted and as it’s getting bigger, it’s causing more issues.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
How are they examining the mouth? It could be at the very back of the mouth. I’m still thinking there could be a sharp spur cutting into the mouth, that hasn’t been spotted and as it’s getting bigger, it’s causing more issues.
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I’m honestly not entirely sure. The last few times they’ve been there, I’ve had to do drop off appointments and she calls me when she sees them & after looking at their mouths.

Her bottom molars were growing over her tongue almost completely entrapping her tongue. That’s the only overgrowth I know about though. She didn’t say anything about them growing the other way outward but you’re right, she could’ve missed something. Right after we brought her home and for the past 2 weeks minnie had been loving her critical care. She would eat a ton of it. So she was doing a lot better but still not eating hay. Now we’re back to not eat critical care & chewing issues again.
 
Is there specific signs of oral thrush to look for? She doesn’t have any visible signs of sores on her lips or the tiny bit of inside her mouth you can see by her incisors. She is just pushing this syringe away as soon as I get it in her mouth but won’t do this when she willingly eats. Which is so odd to me unless she’s just absolutely refusing me feeding her
 
I noticed Penelope goes to the hay and is trying to eat but her teeth are making a clanking noise. I know they teeth chatter but this sounds different.
 
Hello @Puddles1999
I'm slightly new to this forum! While I can't offer you and advice or feedback on your situation, I can validate your experience.

It sounds like what you and your piggies went thru/are going thru is really stressful. In and out of vet appts, not getting many answers, thinking they're problems are taken care of, only for new ones to arise. Money, considering if others would care for your piggies better, all of it. Since October, I have been in and out of vets for my skinnies. They had ringworm and it took 2.5 months to clear. It was my first case, and I'm a solo pig parent, so I was terrified and paranoid it would spread, on top of running out of money to fund this operation. I would stay up at night researching every possible thing to do, incase it wasn't ringworm, etc etc. Feeling so helpless and like I am still not doing enough. I asked myself several times if they would be better under someone else's care.

Since their ringworm cleared early Dec. one of my skinnies, Pinky has become sicker and sicker. Peeing blood, not eating, not drinking, loosing weight, and I just feel so sick watching him go through this. with the help of vet visits and meds, those issues went away within 1-2 weeks. After his last vet visit confirming all my fears and paranoia with his health, the vet cleared him and said he was doing great.

The next morning, I notice he's making loud chewing noises and just overall chewing his food weirdly, and drinking a lot of water at once. I have been monitoring his behavior when he eats, still cautious if he might be choking, or having complications.

Today I saw in his mouth, he has an abscess looking-like thing in his mouth that gets more pernouced from the outside, when he eats. I feel like I can't catch a break. These things just seemed to come completely out of nowhere, and I'm worried for him, I am wondering if he's just declining.

All of this to say. You're not alone. You are doing the absolute best that you can, and don't forget it! Your piggies love you, no matter how sick they are, they love you and are grateful for you! It's never easy seeing your babies go through these things. I tell myself if just being around them and loving them is all I can do at the moment, then I'm gonna do it <3

I hope little Minnie and Penelope feel better soon. I'll keep an eye out for updates.
 
Puddles1999 said:
I had been thinking that but she doesn’t have any visible signs of oral thrush and all the vets she’s seen said she doesn’t have it
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When my Squeaks got oral thrush in June, the spots were barely visible even to Kim Maddock. But I asked for itrafungol just in case, and he started to get better the next day. ( His main symptoms were not eating and severe drooling)
 
Qualcast&Flymo said:
When my Squeaks got oral thrush in June, the spots were barely visible even to Kim Maddock. But I asked for itrafungol just in case, and he started to get better the next day. ( His main symptoms were not eating and severe drooling)
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That might be something I will consider asking the vet to start her on. Is it a medicine or a cream? Penelope has not been drooling until yesterday. I just got her out for her feeding time and her whole bottom chin and down her chest is so wet from drool. She also stinks from her saliva.

When the vet looked at her two weeks ago, she said there was nothing unusual in her mouth other than her overgrown bottom molars. (More on the right side.)
 
This is Penelope tonight at her feeding.
Her chin is very wet due to drooling when she’s sat in her cage. She doesn’t drool when I’m feeding her but her chin is pretty wet when I get her back out for another feeding.

I noticed she chews okay and she doesn’t do the whole stick her tongue out motion that she did when her teeth were overgrown. Instead she takes her paw and gently wipes it over her mouth. She also doesn’t wanna drink out of a water bottle because she doesn’t wanna open her mouth that big for the nozzle. Seems like her mouth is really painful. Her incisors are slanted though.

I have attached a link to the video of me feeding her tongue and her doing that paw thing. Towards the very last second, she started cleaning herself lol. It’s where the date is stated on the bottom of this message. :)

December 31, 2023
 
Puddles1999 said:
That might be something I will consider asking the vet to start her on. Is it a medicine or a cream? Penelope has not been drooling until yesterday. I just got her out for her feeding time and her whole bottom chin and down her chest is so wet from drool. She also stinks from her saliva.

When the vet looked at her two weeks ago, she said there was nothing unusual in her mouth other than her overgrown bottom molars. (More on the right side.)
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Itrafungol is a prescription only oral medication x
 
I had a look into Penelope’s mouth & it looks like she has these small whiteish crystal looking things on the side of the inside of her mouth. Maybe it’s just what their mouths look like?
I just really feel like she has oral thrush or something since her moth is so painful. Her face is constantly puffy so I know she’s in pain. On top of her constant drooling now as well.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
White patches, inside the mouth, are indicative of oral thrush. We treat very successfully using itrafungol, which is a prescription only medication.
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I’m not sure if it’s straight white patches. There very small and they look almost like tiny crystals. I don’t know how to describe it. It could be possible that’s just what their mouths look like? I can try to get a photo.

Penelope has a vet appointment tomorrow. I’m going to ask to treat her for oral thrush just in case. Unfortunately she can’t see Minnie so I have no one to see Minnie right now. The other vet at the clinic can’t see Minnie until a week from now.
 
Well update
The vet just called and she said she has an ulcer on the right side of her cheek. Her very back right molar was a bit overgrown which was suspected to be causing the slanted incisors. She suspects she may have bitten her cheek? The ulcer was not there two weeks ago when she seen her for a molar trim so that’s why she said maybe she bit her cheek.

The vet said the ulcer can cause drooling and Penelope is drooling a lot. She swapped for yeast for possible thrush and nothing came back. We are going to put her on an anti fungal just in case.

The X-rays came back fine and her jaw seems to be aligned. She is going to take another look and see if there was an abscess where that ulcer is. It should have shown on the X-ray but she just wants to be sure. She said Bactrim would do a pretty good job fixing that if she did have an abscess. She doubts there is one but is checking.

So she’s going to be put on anti fungal just in case and still metoclopromide and meloxicam.
 
So possibly exciting not so exiting news.

I had mentioned possibly missing a spur or something we’re not seeing. She called me back and she said she found a spur up on the very top molar on the left hand side. She had to pull the soft tissue back to even find it. The tissue was growing over the spur! Poor baby. The whole area over there was very irritated. We think that this will help her tremendously and hopefully get her feeling a lot better. She will be sore for a while but the vet and I felt so relieved to find that.
 
Penelope has seemed more lively and has been coming out from her sleeping areas more often.

However, she still pulls that left side of her lip up even when I’m syringing critical care. I have to give her smaller bits and it takes an hour to get 10ml in to her. Her chewing seems fine and then she’ll randomly pull her lip back and what looks like trying to move the critical care/whatever is in her mouth over.

That left side is where the spur was growing into her cheek and that is also where the vet said she had an ulcer. It has been 5 days since she saw the vet. Is this normal behavior for an ulcer? I know ulcers are very painful. I just thought it would’ve been getting better by now.

She’ll even do it with liquid or medicine. To me, I think the food or liquid is touching the ulcer and it hurts and she’s trying to move it. I could be wrong. Just don’t know much about ulcers in their mouths.
 
It looks very uncomfortable for her :(

She’s also still on .15ml of meloxicam every 12 hours and it doesn’t seem to be helping her much.
 
piggl said:
I am so sorry to hear that.

You are doing so well for your girls, and I am so sorry that Mocha has lost her battle, you did so well for her ❤️🌈

How are you other lovely girls doing?
I did see your other message, but I unfortunately just have no experience or any helpful advice for you, as much as I wish I did.
Death, Dying, Terminal Illness; Human Grieving and Bereaved Companions: Information and Support for Owners and Their Children
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Thank you. My boyfriend and I are devastated. She had a vet appointment in a few days. We feel horrible that she has passed. It’s hard walking in their room now and only seeing two guineas. :(

Minnie seems to be doing better. She had a molar trim a week ago and she went from 680g range to 750g now. Penelope is acting more herself. She has/had that ulcer in her mouth so it made eating really complicated. She’s still trying to eat hay but not back to her full healthy self yet. Hopefully we get there soon. Thank you for checking on my other two. ❤️
 
Unfortunately minnie took a turn for the worst this morning. She’s been doing great. Gained weight back and has been eating hay and begging for critical care. I just had a screenshot of Minnie begging with Penelope on the cameras an hour before she started acting weird.

Her abdomen has always stuck out a bit but nothing crazy. She’s always carried the weight there. I did X-rays at the er clinic tonight and she had fluid all in her abdomen. I have no idea why. She was just fine and super happy less than 24 hours ago.

She became not herself this morning and was lethargic and wouldn’t eat or touch anything she normally loves. I rushed her to the er vet and she passed away. I was by myself with her and I am having a horrible time coping. We just lost mocha a little over a week ago. Now I only have one Guinea. The room feels so empty. The cages feel so empty. I am heartbroken and crushed.

I have no idea what to do about Penelope. They were all only 4 years old. I feel like I did something wrong. I wouldn’t think she would’ve had some sort of stomach or abdominal or whatever cancer at 4. They should both still be here with me, happy. I want to take a break from guineas after Penelope but am thinking of adopting a girl around her age for her. I feel bad she is now single.
 
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