• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Skinny pig diagnosed with heart disease

A

AttaTUDYnal

New Born Pup
Joined
Feb 17, 2022
Messages
5
Reaction score
4
Points
70
Location
Ontario, Canada
Hello fellow peeg lovers!
I write today as we have just received the sad news that our sweet skinny pig, Toodie, has heart disease. She is 4 years old and has been in excellent health up until this past weekend. Based on her X-rays, and in consultation with other exotic vets, our vet has concluded DCM.
We have started her on a diuretic to tap down the fluid around the heart/lungs and will introduce heart medications in the coming days. I am told that her prognosis is usually around 6 months…and to say we are devastated is an understatement.
I guess I’m just looking for some advice/experience about what to expect. I know that these things happen - genetics, etc. but I’m just beyond sad.
She is eating and drinking and being her normal sassy self. Her breathing remains pretty fast though. (And Toodie wanted me to tell you her stinky sister shows no compassion, kicking her out of every “hut” in their house haha.)
I welcome any advice you can give.
 
Hello and welcome to the forum. I’m so sorry you have received this diagnosis for Toodie. I don’t have any advice on this but wanted to send you a hug 🤗. Hopefully someone with experience of this will be along soon. Take care. ❤️
 
weepweeps said:
Hello and welcome to the forum. I’m so sorry you have received this diagnosis for Toodie. I don’t have any advice on this but wanted to send you a hug 🤗. Hopefully someone with experience of this will be along soon. Take care. ❤️
Click to expand...
Thank you so much. I’ll take all the hugs I can get. These special little souls sure steal our hearts. ❤️
 
Hello and welcome to the forum. I am so sorry for the diagnosis. I'm afraid I have no experience or advise but I too am sending you lot's of (((hugs))) All I can advise is to spend as much time together as you can, take lots of photo's and make lots of memories x
 
Claire W said:
Hello and welcome to the forum. I am so sorry for the diagnosis. I'm afraid I have no experience or advise but I too am sending you lot's of (((hugs))) All I can advise is to spend as much time together as you can, take lots of photo's and make lots of memories x
Click to expand...
Thank you so much. It truly means a lot. We just don’t get enough time with these little sweet peas. I told her her little heart had just so much love inside, it grew too big.
 
((HUGS.)) I am so sorry for the diagnosis. Diuretics and heart meds I think are the mainstays of treatment, so it sounds like your vet is on the right track. It's hard living with a diagnosis like this hanging over your heads, but remember that pigs aren't concerned about the quantity of their life, they just understand that they're happy today, so try to enjoy all the happy todays you can have together. Thinking of you guys and welcome to the forum!
 
Hi and welcome!

Not the news you want to hear but the diuretics and heart meds will hopefully do the trick and buy your piggy some more life time.
 
I am sorry that you have received this prognosis for Troodie. Sending big hugs. :hug:

Our piggy Georgie was diagnosed with heart failure early last year and received diuretics and heart meds, so your vet is definitely taking the right course of treatment. Georgie had a few more happy months with us and his ladies and he never showed any signs of distress or suffering. We spoilt him for those months, giving him all his favourite treats and making sure he knew that he was loved. As @Freela says piggies measure their lives in happy days and have no concept of life expectancy. I hope you have many more happy days with Troodie.
 
Freela said:
((HUGS.)) I am so sorry for the diagnosis. Diuretics and heart meds I think are the mainstays of treatment, so it sounds like your vet is on the right track. It's hard living with a diagnosis like this hanging over your heads, but remember that pigs aren't concerned about the quantity of their life, they just understand that they're happy today, so try to enjoy all the happy todays you can have together. Thinking of you guys and welcome to the forum!
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for the kind words. And you’re quite right - happiness is the key! Which is such a huge part of why we love them so; always so happy to see us and to cuddle.
 
YvonneBlue said:
I am sorry that you have received this prognosis for Troodie. Sending big hugs. :hug:

Our piggy Georgie was diagnosed with heart failure early last year and received diuretics and heart meds, so your vet is definitely taking the right course of treatment. Georgie had a few more happy months with us and his ladies and he never showed any signs of distress or suffering. We spoilt him for those months, giving him all his favourite treats and making sure he knew that he was loved. As @Freela says piggies measure their lives in happy days and have no concept of life expectancy. I hope you have many more happy days with Troodie.
Click to expand...
Thank you for this reply. I’m glad you got more time with Georgie. I worry about the suffering part and it eases me some to know he didn’t seem poorly through his journey. I pray my Toodie is as lucky.
 
AttaTUDYnal said:
Thank you for this reply. I’m glad you got more time with Georgie. I worry about the suffering part and it eases me some to know he didn’t seem poorly through his journey. I pray my Toodie is as lucky.
Click to expand...
Sorry that i misread and then misspelled your piggy's name as Troodie. Knowing that you have given your piggy the best life makes it a little easier when you lose them. Georgie was doing normal piggy things right up until the end, wheeking for his food and generally enjoying life. He passed away very suddenly (as is often the case with heart failure), he was lying in the hay tray with his mouth still full of food and Mavis was sitting next to him. As peaceful an end to to his life as we could have wished for.

I think that piggies pick-up on our emotions so try not to be too sad and instead focus on having happy times with Toodie.
 
Welcome to the forum
Sending hugs to you, I’m so sorry Toodle has been diagnosed with heart disease. I have no experience of this but just wanted to show support x
 
Welcome to the forum. I’m sorry that the diagnosis wasn’t one you wanted. But just remember - Toodie doesn’t know what you know. Hope that she will carry on living the life of luxury with you for some time to come.
 
Hello and welcome, i have no experience of CDM in guinea pigs but wanted to offer hugs and to say i am sorry, you must be so sad, i have recently lost a 3.5 years old piggy to suspected stroke and i know how heartbreaking it is, so i really do empathise with you. Hopefully the meds can give your little one some more good todays. More hugs! x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top