Slightly off behaviour- should I be worried?

[CTWC]

Just as regards to the Metacam has one of the experts checked the dose and type she's on?

 

[LucyP]

Thanks that means a lot. Heading back to the vets now as she’s still not right and much as I hate to stress her and wanted to manage this at home, we don’t want to miss anything. I know the digestive issues and appetite can take a while to straighten out but it’s her general demeanour I’m not feeling happy about.

 

[LucyP]

Just as regards to the Metacam has one of the experts checked the dose and type she's on?

Yes they have thanks very much for asking as it’s often confusing I know with metacam. the vet approved it and told us the dose to use. It’s the dog version. Thank you

 

[LucyP]

Update- the vet can’t find any obvious cause for her symptoms but can’t rule out an infection, so we have an antibiotic if we want to try that. He said these kind of digestive/bloat wobbles in pigs Winnie’s age can be the sign of something underlying but without further tests or clues there’s no way of knowing. Her x ray (albeit an emergency one with blurred images) did not show any obvious clues.

So we’ll keep working on her weight/intake appetite, maybe try the AB and see how she goes.
She took 15ml feed in the night but is still not eating enough hay on her own.

 

[LucyP]

Btw the antibiotic she has been prescribed is co-trimoxazle. As this is a bit speculative (in case she has respiratory infection or UTI) rather than a solid suspicion of infection, it’s a bit of a stab in the dark and we’re going to wait another day before starting is as her poos have been getting better each day and we know in the past she’s had a reaction to some ABs. The other option is blood tests and further scans but given her age and current condition and previous issues, we don’t really want to do that.

 

[Wiebke]

Btw the antibiotic she has been prescribed is co-trimoxazle. As this is a bit speculative (in case she has respiratory infection or UTI) rather than a solid suspicion of infection, it’s a bit of a stab in the dark and we’re going to wait another day before starting is as her poos have been getting better each day and we know in the past she’s had a reaction to some ABs. The other option is blood tests and further scans but given her age and current condition and previous issues, we don’t really want to do that.

Co-trimoxazole is one part of the active ingredient in the old bactrim/septrin, if that helps you?

All the best. Vague symptoms are always so hard to diagnose and deal with for a vet as well as us owners.

 

[LucyP]

Thanks Wiekbe, seems like a sensible choice for a possible infection and hopefully not too bad on the gut but we know it can be and as she’s still struggling to eat it’s a worry. We have pro C and fibreolex so could try one of those but I know it may still knock her appetite.

Yes it’s the vagueness that’s tough isn’t it, and we don’t want to put her body through intense investigations unless it would change the course of action. At the moment we don’t know if we’re dealing with an acute issue or something more chronic. He did say there was no sign of bloat today which is good but it could come back so we need to be careful there too.

The other vet says that piggies are a ‘mystery wrapped up in an enigma’ and I think she’s not wrong!l. It’s so frustrating for all. Poor little bub.

Thanks

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks Wiekbe, seems like a sensible choice for a possible infection and hopefully not too bad on the gut but we know it can be and as she’s still struggling to eat it’s a worry. We have pro C and fibreolex so could try one of those but I know it may still knock her appetite.

Yes it’s the vagueness that’s tough isn’t it, and we don’t want to put her body through intense investigations unless it would change the course of action. At the moment we don’t know if we’re dealing with an acute issue or something more chronic. He did say there was no sign of bloat today which is good but it could come back so we need to be careful there too.

The other vet says that piggies are a ‘mystery wrapped up in an enigma’ and I think she’s not wrong!l. It’s so frustrating for all. Poor little bub.

Thanks

Having been there often enough, I totally feel for you! vague symptoms and mystery weight loss are my least favourite health problems because so many different things can be behind it.

No, septrin/bactrim is generally easier on the tummy. We see a lot less posts about problems with it compared to baytril (enrofloxacin), and it is not just down to the fact that baytril is still by far the most prescribed antibiotic for guinea pigs; we also have a bit of an informal control group going in our regular members and how often they run into antibiotic trouble with their own piggies. However, any antibiotic can cause an adverse reaction but thankfully even with baytril the majority of piggies are not badly affected.

 

[LucyP]

Having been there often enough, I totally feel for you! vague symptoms and mystery weight loss are my least favourite health problems because so many different things can be behind it.

No, septrin/bactrim is generally easier on the tummy. We see a lot less posts about problems with it compared to baytril (enrofloxacin), and it is not just down to the fact that baytril is still by far the most prescribed antibiotic for guinea pigs; we also have a bit of an informal control group going in our regular members and how often they run into antibiotic trouble with their own piggies. However, any antibiotic can cause an adverse reaction but thankfully even with baytril the majority of piggies are not badly affected.

Thanks, that’s really helpful.

PS her bestie Dottie seems to have found their trip to the vets totally exhausting! Some massive yawns and flop downs from her…

 

[Merab]

Hope the antibiotics do help her.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks, that’s really helpful.

PS her bestie Dottie seems to have found their trip to the vets totally exhausting! Some massive yawns and flop downs from her…

View attachment 267626

Dottie reminds me of my adult Tegan (the baby in avatar picture on the left) and Dottie was Nerys's name (the large teddy in my avatar) when I adopted her.

(Tegan 'Little Beauty' 2011-19)

 

[LucyP]

Dottie reminds me of my adult Tegan (the baby in avatar picture on the left) and Dottie was Nerys's name (the large teddy in my avatar) when I adopted her.

(Tegan 'Little Beauty' 2011-19)
View attachment 267638

That’s so funny! Tegan and Nerys both look lovely. Tegan looks so chilled in that fleece! Dottie came to us via hazelcroft rescue (where the owner Sarah spoke very highly of you btw!). Dottie has settled in well and gone from a terrified piggy to quite the entitled lady who will headbutt whatever hidey or hammock she’s in when she wants to be hand fed (she seems to think her residence comes with 24 hour waitress service). She’s a real character and a sweetheart and I think Winnie definitely appreciates her company on all these vet trips.

 

[Wiebke]

That’s so funny! Tegan and Nerys both look lovely. Tegan looks so chilled in that fleece! Dottie came to us via hazelcroft rescue (where the owner Sarah spoke very highly of you btw!). Dottie has settled in well and gone from a terrified piggy to quite the entitled lady who will headbutt whatever hidey or hammock she’s in when she wants to be hand fed (she seems to think her residence comes with 24 hour waitress service). She’s a real character and a sweetheart and I think Winnie definitely appreciates her company on all these vet trips.

My two runty girls Llinos and Llawen are from Hazelcroft (they are both just around 600g). I met Sarah when we went to pick them up and was impressed by her, too. They are now coming up to 4 years already - how time flies!

 

[LucyP]

Oh how lovely, and what little ones they must be! Dottie and Winnie are both under a kilo and look very sweet together. Our others have been big lumps who are really adorable in their own way!

I went to syringe feed Winnie in the night but after a tiny bit she decided to tuck into the hay with great enthusiasm instead, so I left her to it happy to say she seems much perkier today and bright eyed again and has gained a few grams. Poos are getting closer to normal as well. We haven’t actually started the ABs yet as the vet agreed they were speculative rather than definitely indicated, so we thought we’d let her keep going as she is for now, and see how the next day or so goes. Her watery eye is currently looking normal again. What a puzzle they are but we must take the good days when we have them!
Thanks again

 

[Wiebke]

Oh how lovely, and what little ones they must be! Dottie and Winnie are both under a kilo and look very sweet together. Our others have been big lumps who are really adorable in their own way!

I went to syringe feed Winnie in the night but after a tiny bit she decided to tuck into the hay with great enthusiasm instead, so I left her to it happy to say she seems much perkier today and bright eyed again and has gained a few grams. Poos are getting closer to normal as well. We haven’t actually started the ABs yet as the vet agreed they were speculative rather than definitely indicated, so we thought we’d let her keep going as she is for now, and see how the next day or so goes. Her watery eye is currently looking normal again. What a puzzle they are but we must take the good days when we have them!
Thanks again

These are my little 'Birdies': Dryw 'Wren' (now coming up to 6 years old, she's another rescue born) with cousins Lleian 'Smew' and Llinos 'Linnet' who will be turning 4 years in July; they were born just a week apart to a pair of closely bonded sisters (?) who were rehomed as a pair. They are my little madcap firecrackers.



You can find a picture list of all my Tribe piggies with their stories since I joined the forum in this link here (which is also in my signature) in order of arrival in this link here: Wiebke's Tribe Photo Gallery

I have a bit of a blog here: Wiebke's Tribe: Sows and the City Boars

 

[LucyP]

Winnie says thanks to everyone for all the support this week. She’s back to begging from atop her wicker - not too shabby for a pensioner piggy

 

[Wiebke]

So lovely to see!

 

[LucyP]

Thanks for all your advice.

 

[CTWC]