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Hyperthyroidism treatment

ADC

ADC

New Born Pup
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Hi All, I haven't been on this forum for a few years but recently researched hyperthyroidism as one of my piggies - Cosi - has been slowly but persistently losing weight since May 2022 when she weighed 1.10 kg. By July she was 840g. My vet thought it could be hyper- thyroidism but, as she also had a lump on her kidney or ovary, the weight loss could be due to this. She said she didn't think she was in pain and I should therefore continue to feed her well and keep her comfortable. By December her weight had dropped to 750g. I've not had a sick piggy before where I've felt so helpless and it's hard to just watch her shrinking! She continues to have a huge appetite and is always drinking. I researched more and found out about liquid medicine for cats that can be used for guinea pigs. I therefore went back to my vet at the end of December and pushed to try this as a last attempt to save this sweet little piggy who seems so determined to hold on and keep going. I've been dosing her with the prescribed amount of 0.08 ml of Thyronorm per day. I was thrilled when her weight increased from 750g to 800g in 3 weeks! Unfortunately though, she has dropped down to 770g today. It's so disappointing and upsetting! 😔Looking at other threads here has been helpful and also made me wonder if the dose my vet has prescribed is too low?🤔 Does anyone with experience of administering this treatment agree? My vet hasn't treated a guinea pig with this condition before and I must say I don't have a lot of confidence in her. (She is great with dogs and cats!)
 
I am sorry that your piggy has lost weight again. Has your vet done a blood test to check that Cosi does in fact have hyperthyroidism and not something else? I think that @eileen has a piggy with hyperthyroidism and gives her piggy a dose of thyronorm twice a day as guinea pigs have a fast metabolism although I’m not sure of the dose.

My cat had hyperthyroidism before he had his thyroid gland removed a few weeks ago and had his thyronorm twice a day. He was on 0.5ml twice a day although obviously a piggy wouldn’t be given a dose as high as that
 
Thanks for your reply Claire. No she didn't do any tests. She felt for a lump in her neck and couldn't feel one. She thought her shiny coat indicated it wasn't diabetes. She proposed an x-ray and possible surgery to remove the lump near her kidney but I didn't want to risk the anaesthetic at her weight.
 
I had Finley who was on 0.5mls of thyronorm twice aday.Finley maintained his weight at 750mgs.He lived happily for 18months.He passed away at 7 years old.ive also got a 100mls bottle of thyronorm that's in date....has 70mls left if you need any...I can post it.
 
Thanks so much for the offer, which I will keep in mind. I have plenty at the moment but if I do up the dose considerably I may need more. 750g is exactly what Cosi weighed when I started her on the Thyronorm, but I've only been giving her 0.08mls once a day. It's encouraging to hear Finley did so well on it! Did he ever increase in weight for short spells? I immediately noticed Cosi was less jittery and restless. However, over the last couple of days she has reverted to this again - constantly fidgeting. She is the friendliest piggy and loves being petted and I really long to see her restored to her once chubby self.
 
My 7 year old sow Delilah was just diagnosed with thyroid cancer via needle aspiration and is getting 0.15ml of thyronorm once per day. This was only a few days ago so I'm still learning about it myself and too early to say whether or not it works, never had this issue or medication before. Sorry to hear your piggie has thyroid troubles too, I hope she improves!
 
Aw I hope Delilah does well too. Can I ask what weight she is at the moment, as you're giving her a similar dose? Cosi took a few days to gain a little weight on it so hopefully you'll see a change soon. I haven't weighed Cosi yet today and hardly dare as it's distressing to see it drop off.
 
I have recently had one of my pigs diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. She was on 0.1ml twice daily and was around 750g in weight. She had a swollen thyroid gland when examined and put on weight once she started the meds. Unfortunately, something else is amiss now and she’s off to the vets this afternoon - I have a feeling she won’t be coming back alive.😞
 
I'm so sorry to hear your pig is poorly😔 I do hope there is something the vet can offer to help, but it sounds like you are doing everything possible. I feel your sadness 🙏
 
Thank you. Unfortunately she had to be put to sleep. 😞 She was a good age (6) and had suffered declining health for a while. I know she is at peace now. I hope your pig responds to a higher dose of Thyronorm. I too have half a bottle if you want it.
 
ADC said:
Aw I hope Delilah does well too. Can I ask what weight she is at the moment, as you're giving her a similar dose? Cosi took a few days to gain a little weight on it so hopefully you'll see a change soon. I haven't weighed Cosi yet today and hardly dare as it's distressing to see it drop off.
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Delilah currently weighs 870g, she was 1050g just a couple of weeks ago, it's gut wrenching weighing her and getting a lower number every time despite my best efforts. She is still eating but her appetite is much less, she's not eating enough and the syringe feed doesn't seem to go anywhere, she fights me extremely hard, it takes 3 hours just to get one small feeding into her. From what I've read, piggies with thyroid issues tend to have great appetites but still lose weight regardless, that's not really what's happening with Delilah though, I think something else is going on.

She's on a bunch of medications atm, she has heart disease as well as arthritis so gets cardisure, frusol, gabapentin, metacam and thyronorm. She had a URI at Christmas and was on antibiotics (sulfatrim) for 3 weeks which completely got rid of all her symptoms, that's how her weight went all the way up to 1050g, she was doing fantastic and had no issues. Since stopping them all her breathing symptoms, eye and nose discharge, weight loss have all come back, so I took her back to the vet last week and that's when they felt a lump on her thyroid. They did a needle aspiration and pinkish fluid came out, apparently that's consistent with a tumor, likely cancerous. So it hasn't been confirmed by lab tests but they assume its that.

The vet thinks all her issues are thyroid cancer so doesn't think she has a URI but I am convinced she does, I don't think it's a coincidence she did so well on antibiotics and then as soon as they were stopped now shes back at square one, she has lost tons of weight and won't eat, plus has respiratory symptoms again. I want to put her back on them but the vet is reluctant, I can't see the harm in it at this point tbh, if she continues this way then she doesn't have much time regardless, I atleast want to try it, even just for a week.

Of course another piggie of mine, Dolly is refusing to eat atm too, her eyes are weeping, crusty, red and inflamed, so she probably has an infection too, so I'm battling both of them. Dolly is at the vet tomorrow though, hopefully I can figure out what's going on and get them both sorted out, I hope the vet will hear me out on antibiotics for Delilah. I hope your piggie will get better too, I totally understand the feeling of putting everything you have into them but seeing them decline anyway, I'm also avoiding weighing her too much because my heart struggles to take seeing a lower number. From what I've read and experienced with thyroid issues it's a nightmare to control. ☹
 
Dilly's Piggies said:
Delilah currently weighs 870g, she was 1050g just a couple of weeks ago, it's gut wrenching weighing her and getting a lower number every time despite my best efforts. She is still eating but her appetite is much less, she's not eating enough and the syringe feed doesn't seem to go anywhere, she fights me extremely hard, it takes 3 hours just to get one small feeding into her. From what I've read, piggies with thyroid issues tend to have great appetites but still lose weight regardless, that's not really what's happening with Delilah though, I think something else is going on.

She's on a bunch of medications atm, she has heart disease as well as arthritis so gets cardisure, frusol, gabapentin, metacam and thyronorm. She had a URI at Christmas and was on antibiotics (sulfatrim) for 3 weeks which completely got rid of all her symptoms, that's how her weight went all the way up to 1050g, she was doing fantastic and had no issues. Since stopping them all her breathing symptoms, eye and nose discharge, weight loss have all come back, so I took her back to the vet last week and that's when they felt a lump on her thyroid. They did a needle aspiration and pinkish fluid came out, apparently that's consistent with a tumor, likely cancerous. So it hasn't been confirmed by lab tests but they assume its that.

The vet thinks all her issues are thyroid cancer so doesn't think she has a URI but I am convinced she does, I don't think it's a coincidence she did so well on antibiotics and then as soon as they were stopped now shes back at square one, she has lost tons of weight and won't eat, plus has respiratory symptoms again. I want to put her back on them but the vet is reluctant, I can't see the harm in it at this point tbh, if she continues this way then she doesn't have much time regardless, I atleast want to try it, even just for a week.

Of course another piggie of mine, Dolly is refusing to eat atm too, her eyes are weeping, crusty, red and inflamed, so she probably has an infection too, so I'm battling both of them. Dolly is at the vet tomorrow though, hopefully I can figure out what's going on and get them both sorted out, I hope the vet will hear me out on antibiotics for Delilah. I hope your piggie will get better too, I totally understand the feeling of putting everything you have into them but seeing them decline anyway, I'm also avoiding weighing her too much because my heart struggles to take seeing a lower number. From what I've read and experienced with thyroid issues it's a nightmare to control. ☹
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It sounds like you are doing everything possible for Delilah and Dolly. How did you get on at the vets? I would feel like you about putting Delilah on a repeat of the antibiotics as well as continuing with the Thyronorm. She has had a lovely long life! It's wonderful when they reach 7 -8 years. The eldest sow I've had reached 8 before her health declined. Cosi is only 3 so I feel much too young to be battling this thyroid illness. She is bright and happy again today and still at 770g. If her weight drops again I'm going to speak with the vet about increasing her dose of Thyronorm. Don't they take up a lot of our time and worry when they are sick! One of my other sows has had a sore eye so I was putting drops in six times a day for a week! Thankfully it has healed well.
 
ADC said:
It sounds like you are doing everything possible for Delilah and Dolly. How did you get on at the vets? I would feel like you about putting Delilah on a repeat of the antibiotics as well as continuing with the Thyronorm. She has had a lovely long life! It's wonderful when they reach 7 -8 years. The eldest sow I've had reached 8 before her health declined. Cosi is only 3 so I feel much too young to be battling this thyroid illness. She is bright and happy again today and still at 770g. If her weight drops again I'm going to speak with the vet about increasing her dose of Thyronorm. Don't they take up a lot of our time and worry when they are sick! One of my other sows has had a sore eye so I was putting drops in six times a day for a week! Thankfully it has healed well.
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I'm super glad to hear Cosi hasn't lost any more weight, I really hope she will stabilise now and gain some... Out of curiosity as you have much more experience with this issue than me, does Cosi tend to follow any patterns with her weight loss/gain and how is her appetite and drinking? Delilah tends to lose big chunks over like a week and loses her appetite, stops drinking, stabilises then gains a little as her appetite goes up and then it repeats, but the general trend is downwards, just wondered if Cosi is similar.

The vet visit went well, thanks for asking, they agreed to try the antibiotics again for Delilah so I'm crossing my fingers she responds! I see others here on a much higher dose of thyronorm too so I guess there is quite a bit of room to up the dose? I'll keep that in mind for Delilah too later down the line if she doesn't get better. Her weight has stabilised too at 870g right now and her appetite has picked up, knock on wood. Dolly was diagnosed with a respiratory infection and is on medication now so hopefully she recovers too, she's in worse shape than Delilah right now which is crazy with everything she has going on, she's a strong pig!
 
Yes, exactly that with the weight pattern! Looking at Cosi's weight chart for the past 8 months, there are regular bumps where she has gained 30g only to lose 40g the following week, so that the trajectory is downwards overall. Because of this I currently have a niggling question mark over the effectiveness of the Thyronorm. I was thrilled when her weight increased 50g over a fortnight when I started her on it, but I'm not sure now whether that was yet another of these bumps🤔 Cosi is always super eager when I bring their daily veg - hanging out of the cage! She is always ravenous and constantly eats her dry pellets throughout the day. She also drinks a load of water - after every mouthful of pellets she guzzles water! I have to refill the bottle twice a day. I'm also getting through twice the amount of dry food compared to a year ago😲

That's good news that Delilah's weight has stabilized and you have more antibiotics to treat her URI. I do wish both Delilah and Dolly (great names!😍) speedy recoveries 🤗
 
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