Request for heart pig stories

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Webs
Cavies 'n Cobwebs

Post   » Mon Aug 03, 2015 3:51 pm


Finally got round to the update! Poor Barley is now added to the list. Read about his problems so far here.

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angiemthomas

Post   » Mon Sep 07, 2015 12:01 am


I have lasix if anyone wants it. I dont need it

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forEliandEdwin

Post   » Sun Oct 30, 2016 9:28 pm


1 - breed, age and sex of pig

Abyssinian, 1, male

2 - brief description of symptoms that made you suspect heart problems

Ever since I bought him (very young, maybe a month old max), his breathing was very visible in his body and he often made snorting noises but never any signs of eye, ear, or nose discharge. He lived like this for almost over a year until his sudden, unexplained death when he was watching his cage mate be cared for pre-dental surgery.

3 - diagnostics done and the results

We had an exam the first month we had him. The vet said he was completely healthy, despite what we thought to be labored breathing.

4 - treatment, med and dosage

n/a

5 - results of treatment

n/a

6 - other med issues

n/a

M+M

Post   » Sat Jan 21, 2017 8:18 am


1 - breed, age and sex of pig
Short haired, 5 years old, female
2 - brief description of symptoms that made you suspect heart problems
Was prone to occasional bumblefoot, at around 4 1/2 she obtained pea eye in her left eye. 28/09/2016 we took her to see our vet because her breathing was heavy, she was very lethargic but still eating and drinking.
3 - diagnostics done and the results
Treated for 7 days with Baytril for suspected URI. By 05/10/2016 , there was no improvement, breathing worsened, she progressively stopped eating. Rushed to the vet the next day, an x-ray showed an enlarged heart, fluid in the lungs and gas in her intestines due to her swallowing air.
4 - treatment, med and dosage
- 1/4 tablet of Fortekor (2.5mg)
- 1/2 tablet Vetmedin (2.5mg) 2x a day
- 0.3mL Frusemide (10mg/mL) 4x per day
5 - results of treatment
Eating well, very energetic, breathing is improving unless there are big changes in temperature, hind feet a normal colour.
6 - other med issues
ovarian cysts which we are currently looking into hormonal treatment for
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1 - breed, age and sex of pig
Short haired, 5 years old, female
2 - brief description of symptoms that made you suspect heart problems
Hooting, difficulty breathing, gassy, heavy sleeper, elevated heart rate
3 - diagnostics done and the results + 4 - treatment, med and dosage
Trialled on the same dose of Fortekor and Vetmedin as written above. Original Frusemide dosage had to be upped from 0.4mL 2x a day to 0.3mL 4x a day after fluid still present in lungs.
5 - results of treatment
Much more vocal, energetic, the hooting stopped
6 - other med issues
Had a bladder stone removed early in 2016 without issue, reoccurring periods of calcium sludge, recovered from an ear infection, ovarian cysts found for which we are seeking hormonal treatment.

Ali86

Post   » Tue Apr 11, 2017 6:07 pm


Teddy
Male guinea pig
Age 1 yr 3months
Symptoms: frequent hooting in morning and evening, followed by sneezing and sometimes laboured breathing. Otherwise no other symptoms as weight normal, eating and drinking well.

Took him to the vet, vets sent him for chest x ray and initially thought it was URI, treated him with abx, after course had finished he still had the hooting sounds. I took him back to vets and they put him on further 6 weeks of abx, still had hooting sounds and sneezing. Vets also listened with stephoscope and noted no murmurs and not tachycardic ( also didn't pick up fluid on lungs at this point)

I kept taking him back to vet as wasn't happy that it was chest infection and said I suspected heart failure. Finally got round to doing a CT scan and it showed enlarged heart with fluid on lungs.

He has been started on Furosemide twice daily and anti inflammatories, he hasn't been started on ACE inhibitors yet but I'll ask about that when I take him back in next week as I've noticed that his feet are red, which I've read could be due to high blood pressure?

I think people need to push, as heart problems don't seem to be easily diagnosed and I took mine to an exotic vet specialist and it still wasn't diagnosed for a months. If I hadn't have researched this I would have taken the vets initial diagnosis and thought it was normal.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Apr 11, 2017 8:28 pm


I am so glad we have a heart page and several contributors to it to help point people in that direction. I hope there are no further hurdles to getting additional heart meds and I hope that the meds make a difference.

Red feet can be irritation also.

If you want to discuss your guinea pig, start a thread on your guinea pig in the med forum and post all your medical issues there.

pinta

Post   » Sat Apr 29, 2017 4:52 am


As you say, even with exotic specialists it's hard to convince them to consider heart. I have a skinny I suspected needed heart meds but my only symptoms were observational. Low activity and weight loss. Since my vet retired I went to see a vet I knew was cavy savvy and he put the skinny thru myriad tests and got nothing that pointed towards heart. The only test he couldn't do was a blood test because he couldn't get any blood. He okayed heart meds but at a dose I considered too low(based on my prior vet's dosage). He was shocked I wanted to go "that high". I tried his dose for a couple of days - nothing. Tried my old vet's dose and within 24 hours there was an improvement. Emailed the other guy to let him know and sent him links to GL heart page and other links I found via Google supporting the higher dose in rabbits. He was appreciative for the links.

squeaky3

Post   » Thu Aug 31, 2017 12:19 pm


1 - breed, age and sex of pig

Abyssinian or Aby/Peruvian cross, 6.5 years approx, male

2 - brief description of symptoms that made you suspect heart problems

Brother died of similar about 6 months ago, had noticed more and more laboured breathing and no signs of URI. Held him up to my ear and could not hear the 'whoosh' noise of the lungs, heart was there but faint as well. No clicking or wheezing. Listened with stethoscope and still no lung noise (at all!)

3 - diagnostics done and the results

Got two people to listen, one thought they heard a click, but not the kind you get with infection. No nasal cavity noise. Vet didn't think the breathing was that bad and it could either be heart failure or lung tumors. Didn't have xrays as although he was eating and drinking, he has slowed down considerably and may not have recovered from sedation.

4 - treatment, med and dosage

Frusemide injection (not sure of dose) then 1/8th of a 40mg Frusemide tablet twice a day. This was all the vet had and he said he'd never heard of Frusemide used on a guinea pig before (!) he gave me 5 tablets as a trial to see if the breathing improved (it did, almost immediately) so not really sure what the next step will be...

5 - results of treatment

Breathing much improved within 40 minutes. Lots of urine output (it was normal output before) and increased thirst. I can now hear the whoosh noise of the lungs again.

6 - other med issues

A bladder stone and sludgy urine, which he has had all his life, the bladder stone for about 2 years. Ocassionally abraids(?) the bladder lining and he bleeds a little for 24 hours but it doesn't seem to bother him much and he hasn't bled now for over 6 months. Elected not to have surgery as he seems prone to sludge. Not sure yet what implications this will have with being on a diuretic and having increased output.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Sep 10, 2018 11:12 pm


Received by email (anonymous contributor):

Heart Condition

Male
Age at Diagnosis: 3.5 years
Weight: about 1.2KG He is a big boy.
Age Presently: 4.5 years. Weight has stayed the same.

Presentation: heavier breathing, nasal drainage one nostril.
Investigation: Check up, blood CBC, Echocardiogram
Diagnosis: Enlarged heart. One valve is not working ‘well enough’. Fluid gathering.
Treatment: 0.45ml every 12 hours of Furosemide 10mg/ml solution by syringe into mouth for the fluid gathering issue and 0.55mg = 0.22ml Pimobendan (fixed oil) in 2.5/mg/ml solution suspension

Presently, 1 year later: breathing improved, heart function improved, echo shows not only stability but also some improvement.

He goes in every 3 months for a full day inspection by the vet and the cardiologist. So for him, for now, this treatment appears to work and may work for others.

dancbtmkr

Post   » Wed Oct 28, 2020 3:41 pm


Magoo aka Chubby Bear

1. In tact male, approx 6 years old (estimated rescue) may of 19.
first it was a rattle that would cough out, that went on for a while. Then it got worse. Pig was sedentary, good appetite but aways wanted to lay down or sit.

2. Rattle got worse and now lung noise and gurgle. Vet said it was URI, and baytril perscribed and the usual things like hand feeding, subcu, etc. It had little effect and he was drowning. This went on for days and he was lifeless and I had to do something as the AB wasn't the answer. After extensive research and this web site we went on our own and administered Benazepril 1mg/kg twice daily, and lasix starting at 3mg or so of lasix. The results were immediate. The rasp was gone in 48 hours. As time went on he went up and down depending on the weather, humidity, his overall heart health etc. We added Vetmedin at the dose recommended on this site when he got consistently worse. He was largely healthy during that time. After 6 months of this, one day the rasp was back and we did the normal up of the lasix but it wouldn't touch it anymore. His journey came to an end on 10.30.19. Those 6 months he was largely healthy and led his normal life like pre CHF.

3. After this experience I remember a couple other pigs that had similar symptoms and I was unaware of GP heart issues. One of which died post OP of a bladder stone. He had the rattle. Now I know. TY GL

Traudl64

Post   » Tue Nov 03, 2020 1:10 pm


Liesl
1 -10 years old american intakt sow at death
2-at the age of 6years chronic small wightloss, breathing very hard
3-x-ray:enlaged heart
4 Furosemid 5mg 2x day
Prilium for dogs 0.1ml 1x day
5-doing better for 3.5 years. the last month she has lost wight again and was sleeping a lot

Cosimo
1-5 year old neuterd boar at death
2-breathing very hard
3-ultrasonic of the heart enlaged heart
4-Furosemid and Prilium
5-he passed away soon

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