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Jasmine slowly losing weight

Oh dear. Weighing in a carrier. Hmmm. Hope she’s feeling better soon anyway. How long were you told the injections would go on for previously?
 
Aw, Jasmine is such a beauty ❤️ I would have a word with your normal vet next time, it’s a shame when you get such bad practice, that vet had clearly not read up on Jasmine’s back history and was not that well informed
 
Siikibam said:
Oh dear. Weighing in a carrier. Hmmm. Hope she’s feeling better soon anyway. How long were you told the injections would go on for previously?
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It was a course of three injections with a two-week wait in between last time. The vet said he'd used up the bottle, so it would be the last one. I'm not entirely dissatisfied; the vet had to pick up from someone else and the person on the desk may not have realised when I made the appointment either. It's just a shame I had to push for it!
 
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Jasmine has had another check-up today, with another due in two weeks. She's settled in very quickly at home and hasn't been losing any more weight, but hasn't really been gaining any either. On average, she's about 900g when she previously weighed a very steady 1030g before December.

The vet can still feel a cyst on her left ovary. However, her hair is slowly growing back again and, at present, she doesn't have any symptoms which indicate they're a problem. The vet doubts that they're causing her weight loss. It may be that, if the cysts are bothering her, then she will need to be spayed, but that's for another time!

In the last scan, they noticed there are some cysts on her kidneys as well, so we're treating those next to see if anything changes. Jasmine's been prescribed 0.4ml once a day for two weeks of Fortekor 5 (a crushed up tablet in, I'm assuming, water). While it won't get rid of the cysts, it should increase blood flow to the kidneys which should in turn help her to absorb more proteins (or something) and gain her weight back.

There shouldn't be any side effects, but unfortunately for Jasmine, it's aimed at dogs and cats, so it has a meaty flavour! I just have to get it down her, much to her displeasure, but as she's on long-term metacam and the grass is growing again, it will at least help get rid of the taste!

It was also a surprisingly cheap visit today; it looks like they're still counting her visits as post-op care.

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Jasmine has her next appointment on Wednesday. She hasn't pooped much today nor really touched her hay, but she's otherwise happy in herself. Her weight is still ~900g, so no improvement there despite feeding her oats and a bit of extra fruit. This is what her poops look like today; I'm not happy with their shape!

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Oh no, poor Jasmine (and you) :hug: Really hope the appointment helps and she’s munching and pooping normally again very soon. So pleased she’s still a happy girl though bless her ❤️x
 
Jasmine didn't seem quite herself this morning, so I've got an emergency appointment for her this afternoon. I'm hoping the potential tummy upset is due to the oats; I hear they can make piggies a bit gassy, so I've stopped those.

Anyway, as soon as I got off the phone to the vet, she was zooming round the cage! Whatever may have been making her uncomfortable must have been relatively brief! Silly sausage!
 
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Oh bless her! :luv: Fingers crossed for her at the vets xx
 
Glad you’ve managed to get her in, poor little beautiful fluff. Hope it goes well, me and Cleo (and the other piglets!) send lots of love :hug:x
 
The vet confirmed that Jasmine had a bit more gas than normal in her digestive tract, so she's been given 0.09ml of a gut mobility aid, Cisapride, to take twice a day for five days. She happily took it from the syringe, but isn't yet convinced by the taste. :D

Jasmine is back in again tomorrow evening for her catch-up appointment anyway. The Fortekor she's been taking doesn't appear to have had any effect as her weight is still stable, but we shall see what the vet says. :) She's otherwise happy in herself!

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Update on the latest vet appointment

Jasmine had another ultrasound today as there's not been any gain in weight, she's been a bit uncomfortable around her midriff, and to take another look at her kidneys and ovaries. Jasmine didn't like it, but she stayed still enough to not need GA. :D She is to keep up the Fortekor for her kidneys and is now on 0.4ml of Cerenia twice a day too for 7 days to help with some bladder sludge they noticed.

The vet said that the ovarian cysts have grown a little larger since her last scan, and her uterus has thickened and distended a bit further, so she recommends a spay while she's happy in herself and before it gets worse. It's booked for Monday 7 June, so if there's an emergency, it'll be during a week day and not after hours.

While this sounds like a sensible option and I trust the vet, I can't help but feel like I'm signing her death warrant after my experience with Pickle last year. :( I consider myself to be quite resilient and not particularly emotional, but I keep tearing up a bit at this.

Has anyone got any pre- and post-surgery tips? The vet said to feed her some Critical Care to help fatten her up a bit, and I'm going to look through the guides and ensure my first aid kit has everything we need. I think the loss of Pickle has traumatised me more than I realised.
 
HeatherW said:
Update on the latest vet appointment

Jasmine had another ultrasound today as there's not been any gain in weight, she's been a bit uncomfortable around her midriff, and to take another look at her kidneys and ovaries. Jasmine didn't like it, but she stayed still enough to not need GA. :D She is to keep up the Fortekor for her kidneys and is now on 0.4ml of Cerenia twice a day too for 7 days to help with some bladder sludge they noticed.

The vet said that the ovarian cysts have grown a little larger since her last scan, and her uterus has thickened and distended a bit further, so she recommends a spay while she's happy in herself and before it gets worse. It's booked for Monday 7 June, so if there's an emergency, it'll be during a week day and not after hours.

While this sounds like a sensible option and I trust the vet, I can't help but feel like I'm signing her death warrant after my experience with Pickle last year. :( I consider myself to be quite resilient and not particularly emotional, but I keep tearing up a bit at this.

Has anyone got any pre- and post-surgery tips? The vet said to feed her some Critical Care to help fatten her up a bit, and I'm going to look through the guides and ensure my first aid kit has everything we need. I think the loss of Pickle has traumatised me more than I realised.
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Try not to worry too much. You’ve got it all sorted with your vet and you will be on hand to do the post op care. You are doing it for all the right reasons and there is no reason to believe it won’t go well.

Personally I prefer to syringe Emeraid to CC as you need a much lesser volume compared to CC and I’ve never had a piggy who didn’t actively enjoy it. If you can get her used to it before the the surgery, even better, as you can help her to gain a bit of weight before the surgery and she will be familiar with the taste and texture before you need to support feed her. I’d also make sure you get plenty of post op pain relief for her and ask if you can have some gut meds prescribed so that you have them to hand in case you need them.
 
VickiA said:
Try not to worry too much. You’ve got it all sorted with your vet and you will be on hand to do the post op care. You are doing it for all the right reasons and there is no reason to believe it won’t go well.

Personally I prefer to syringe Emeraid to CC as you need a much lesser volume compared to CC and I’ve never had a piggy who didn’t actively enjoy it. If you can get her used to it before the the surgery, even better, as you can help her to gain a bit of weight before the surgery and she will be familiar with the taste and texture before you need to support feed her. I’d also make sure you get plenty of post op pain relief for her and ask if you can have some gut meds prescribed so that you have them to hand in case you need them.
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Thanks! I'll have a look at Emeraid. I've just mixed some CC in a bowl and Jasmine's eaten a bit of it of her own accord, and I've given her some grass to go with it. :) Thankfully, with all these meds, I've got reasonably good at syringe feeding, and Jasmine's got used to having to take the stuff she doesn't like. :D

For gut meds, do you know what I can expect to be prescribed? She's currently taking a little Cisapride as a gut mobility aid and on long-term dog Metacam as pain relief (and I've just got a new 100ml bottle of the stuff, so we definitely won't run out soon!).
 
Not sure about the gut meds, since Zantac was withdrawn and I’m not sure what’s replaced it, but I think Metoclopramide is still available and we have usually had that
 
Aw, poor little Jasmine x
I can well understand how you feel but try not to worry too much. I think you are better getting the spay done sooner than later on. Jasmine is quite healthy atm so she has a very good chance of getting through the operation. If you trust your vet be guided by her, we’ll all be rooting for her on 7th June x
I have always found Emeraid better than the other too which Bill and Ted both hated. Emeraid is a little cheaper too. It‘s on offer this week on eBay 400 gm for £21.00 which is a bargain
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Well, Jasmine is currently on four types of meds, one course of which finishes today. I deliberately give her the metacam last to help wash away the taste of those she doesn't like, and give her lots of head kissies to encourage her while I syringe them into her mouth.

The funny thing is that it's got to the point where she will accept the meds she dislikes pretty readily and yank on the syringe because she's such a junkie and will do anything for the metacam! :))
 
HeatherW said:
Well, Jasmine is currently on four types of meds, one course of which finishes today. I deliberately give her the metacam last to help wash away the taste of those she doesn't like, and give her lots of head kissies to encourage her while I syringe them into her mouth.

The funny thing is that it's got to the point where she will accept the meds she dislikes pretty readily and yank on the syringe because she's such a junkie and will do anything for the metacam! :))
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They are all a Metacam junkies! 🙄
 
On the scales today and Jasmine is 878g. This is despite the bowl of CC which she helps herself to and a long couple of days of lawn time recently. :(

Should I step in with assisted feeding? If so, how much and how often? She's perfectly happy in herself and definitely eating, although her poops are not as numerous as I'd like. I asked the vet about giving her a probiotic, but as there's no proof they actually do much, the vet didn't want to prescribe.

I want to make sure she's in the best possible condition for her spay on Monday 7th! Any tips welcome!
 
Betsy said:
Jasmine is eating so that's good but it appears not enough to maintain her weight. If she were my piggy, I'd be inclined to start syringe feeding to see if she will take it. If she does, she may just need a top up to help her keep her weight up.
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Any ideas on how much and how often?
 
HeatherW said:
Any ideas on how much and how often?
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As much as she will take. As she's eating a bit for herself you don't really want to discourage this by fully syringe feeding. Try a top up 3 times a day first and see if that maintains her weight, if it does then that's enough, if it doesn't then give her it a bit more often.
 
I weighed Jasmine on the scales after an afternoon on the lawn yesterday and she was back up at 905g. The Emeraid arrived today and Jasmine readily tucked into it! She quite happily munched through a full scoopful by herself (mixed with water, of course!), so I've given her another portion in a bowl to work through in her own time overnight. I'll see how much she gets through before syringe feeding her.

The piggies had fully clean sheets and hidies this evening, and even Jasmine managed a zoom and a popcorn (mostly a headshake)! :D
 
HeatherW said:
I weighed Jasmine on the scales after an afternoon on the lawn yesterday and she was back up at 905g. The Emeraid arrived today and Jasmine readily tucked into it! She quite happily munched through a full scoopful by herself (mixed with water, of course!), so I've given her another portion in a bowl to work through in her own time overnight. I'll see how much she gets through before syringe feeding her.

The piggies had fully clean sheets and hidies this evening, and even Jasmine managed a zoom and a popcorn (mostly a headshake)! :D
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So pleased to hear Jasmine is tucking into the Emeraid. It must taste delicious, as all the piggies in this house love Emeraid. If there’s any left over after feeding an “invalid” I can always find a willing recipient to polish it off. And they always try to clean it off each other’s whiskers, too.
 
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