Pound Shilling & Pig
Adult Guinea Pig
I'm going through a bit of a hard time with the pigs at the moment. As some of you know I took Hazelelnut to the vets last friday, then had to have her pts on Tuesday. What I didn't mention was on Friday I took 2 other pigs along as well, Sunflower and Strawberry Moon. Infact the appointment had been for them and Hazelnut was added as an emergency extra.
Anyway Sunflower has been losing weight very slowly for a long time, just 2 or 3 grams a week but every week for a few months. She also has crusty nipples and more hormonal behaviour than you would expect but not all the time. She is alpha pig in her large herd and always mounts whoever is in season when they stand ready. She doesn't bother otherwise and has no fur loss but I have my suspensions about the small hormonal ovarian cysts they can get and has decided the time had come to speak ti the vet. The vet couldn't feel anything and didn't want to stay at this time. So that was that. I weighed her on Sunday and she was down a gram from the week before. Then on Wednesday evening I realised she had stopped eating and was withdrawn. She had lost 100g since Sunday! I started syringe feeding and booked an appointment on Thursday for Friday. Then something unexpected started to happen.
Thursday evening her eye was starting to protrude and her conjunctiva swell. By Friday morning it was even worse. The vet suspected there was an abscess or tumor behind it and admitted her as an emergency to remove it as she was in a lot of pain. She said the conjunctiva was being pushed out too.
After losing Hazelnut I was expecting the worst and hated leaving her in pain and fear but the opp went well. Strangely, but fortunately there was nothing behind the eye pushing it out or any issues with her teeth and roots. The vet said it must be an issue with the eye itself, something going on inside it causing it to expand but couldn't say what without sending it away for histo, which I cant afford right now. There had been no external trauma to the eye. She also said that in the few hours between my appointment and the opp, the conjunctiva had started to become neuctotic. I am amazed at out fast this developed. I don't know if this had been brewing for a long time and the cause of her slow weight loss or if she has hormonal issues too, she still has a lot of recovering to do and then we will see. She is only eating a little on her own but taking syringe food well so I am feeling hopeful. Here are some photos
First 2 photos i took Wednesday evening when syringe feeding
Thursday evening
A close up
Friday morning
Friday evening post op
My vet was wonderful and treating Sunflower meant she had no lunchbreak and finished late too.
Anyway Sunflower has been losing weight very slowly for a long time, just 2 or 3 grams a week but every week for a few months. She also has crusty nipples and more hormonal behaviour than you would expect but not all the time. She is alpha pig in her large herd and always mounts whoever is in season when they stand ready. She doesn't bother otherwise and has no fur loss but I have my suspensions about the small hormonal ovarian cysts they can get and has decided the time had come to speak ti the vet. The vet couldn't feel anything and didn't want to stay at this time. So that was that. I weighed her on Sunday and she was down a gram from the week before. Then on Wednesday evening I realised she had stopped eating and was withdrawn. She had lost 100g since Sunday! I started syringe feeding and booked an appointment on Thursday for Friday. Then something unexpected started to happen.
Thursday evening her eye was starting to protrude and her conjunctiva swell. By Friday morning it was even worse. The vet suspected there was an abscess or tumor behind it and admitted her as an emergency to remove it as she was in a lot of pain. She said the conjunctiva was being pushed out too.
After losing Hazelnut I was expecting the worst and hated leaving her in pain and fear but the opp went well. Strangely, but fortunately there was nothing behind the eye pushing it out or any issues with her teeth and roots. The vet said it must be an issue with the eye itself, something going on inside it causing it to expand but couldn't say what without sending it away for histo, which I cant afford right now. There had been no external trauma to the eye. She also said that in the few hours between my appointment and the opp, the conjunctiva had started to become neuctotic. I am amazed at out fast this developed. I don't know if this had been brewing for a long time and the cause of her slow weight loss or if she has hormonal issues too, she still has a lot of recovering to do and then we will see. She is only eating a little on her own but taking syringe food well so I am feeling hopeful. Here are some photos
First 2 photos i took Wednesday evening when syringe feeding
Thursday evening
A close up
Friday morning
Friday evening post op
My vet was wonderful and treating Sunflower meant she had no lunchbreak and finished late too.
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