Request for ARTHRITIS treatment protocols
1 - breed, age and sex of pig
Lucy, an english smooth, 6 year old female pig.
2 - brief description of signs leading you to suspect arthritis
Sitting in a hunched position, puffed out coat, not moving as much, weight loss.
3 - diagnostics done and the results
I was concerned that it was something to do with her tumours (see below). The vet manipulated her hind legs and massaged the lumbar spine and found she was in a lot of pain. They took blood for a separate purpose (to check electrolyte levels because she is on hydrochlorothiaside for calcium in the bladder) and found the levels to be within normal levels.
4 - treatment, med and dosage
Metacam dosage was increased from 0.3 x1 a day, to 0.6 x1 a day.
PT was recommended on the hind legs and lumbar spine
5 - results of treatment
I've noticed a different in Lucy; she is 'lying down' (relaxing) more, spends less time hunched and puffed and seems brighter.
6 - other med issues
Lucy has a number of masses (a tumour on the liver, a tumour on the spleen and a mass on the ovaries).
She has some alopecia after a bout of mites in the household.
She has had recurrent bouts of UTI
She has problems with calcium deposits in the urine.
Lucy, an english smooth, 6 year old female pig.
2 - brief description of signs leading you to suspect arthritis
Sitting in a hunched position, puffed out coat, not moving as much, weight loss.
3 - diagnostics done and the results
I was concerned that it was something to do with her tumours (see below). The vet manipulated her hind legs and massaged the lumbar spine and found she was in a lot of pain. They took blood for a separate purpose (to check electrolyte levels because she is on hydrochlorothiaside for calcium in the bladder) and found the levels to be within normal levels.
4 - treatment, med and dosage
Metacam dosage was increased from 0.3 x1 a day, to 0.6 x1 a day.
PT was recommended on the hind legs and lumbar spine
5 - results of treatment
I've noticed a different in Lucy; she is 'lying down' (relaxing) more, spends less time hunched and puffed and seems brighter.
6 - other med issues
Lucy has a number of masses (a tumour on the liver, a tumour on the spleen and a mass on the ovaries).
She has some alopecia after a bout of mites in the household.
She has had recurrent bouts of UTI
She has problems with calcium deposits in the urine.
Storm is a year old American Short hair and she is female. Last month I noticed she was hopping and not using her back legs. She was also hiding a lot a laying down more often. We took her to the emergency vet because we were getting worried and it was worsening. The vet did x rays and blood work. We found out she has degenerative bone disease and it affects her knees and ankles in the back legs. It causes arthritis in her legs. We got a second opinion because the first vet made it seem like I would have to put her down soon. The second vet was amazing and gave us a bunch of different treatment options. Currently Storm is on Metacam twice a day .2 in the morning and .2 at night. We're gradually reducing the amount to find a middle ground with her. She also takes a vitamin/mineral supplement like Sherwood's joint and immune support tabs or like Oxbows. It has the same vitamins and mineral as the tabs but in liquid form. She gets .35 of that once a day. Plus we do physical therapy on her feet. Which is just holding her and moving the feet up and down to stretch them. So far she is doing amazing and is moving around more in the cage, eating more and is overall more active. She has a new cage mate who keeps her going.
1 - breed, age and sex of pig
Wilbur, MN 5+ (adopted as an adult June 2014) American GP
2 - brief description of signs leading you to suspect arthritis
Weight loss, increased respiratory rate/effort, fluffed coat; usually flops on his side to sleep, but started sleeping hunched up sternal
3 - diagnostics done and the results
Initially worried about a recurring URI/heart issue (see his thread). Rads showed busy lungs +/- pulmonary nodule (most likely his soft tissue mass on his shoulder), degenerative disease of his left knee, bloat starting. Lungs clear on auscultation, no murmur. Bloodwork unremarkable.
4 - treatment, med and dosage
Metacam 1.5 mg/mL, 0.13 mL every 24 hours, cisapride 1 mg/mL, 0.5 mL every 12 hours (just dropped to 0.4 mL every 12 hours last week), Oxbow Joint tabs
5 - results of treatment
Gained 50 grams; ideally, I'd like him up 50-100 grams more. More active- less using his Pigloo as a "turtle shell", talking more
6 - other med issues
URI in October 2017- rechecking X-rays and doing an abbreviated chest ultrasound this week to see if lung changes still present
Pea sized mass on right shoulder, subcutaneous soft tissue mass on sternum
Mites prior to adoption
Wilbur, MN 5+ (adopted as an adult June 2014) American GP
2 - brief description of signs leading you to suspect arthritis
Weight loss, increased respiratory rate/effort, fluffed coat; usually flops on his side to sleep, but started sleeping hunched up sternal
3 - diagnostics done and the results
Initially worried about a recurring URI/heart issue (see his thread). Rads showed busy lungs +/- pulmonary nodule (most likely his soft tissue mass on his shoulder), degenerative disease of his left knee, bloat starting. Lungs clear on auscultation, no murmur. Bloodwork unremarkable.
4 - treatment, med and dosage
Metacam 1.5 mg/mL, 0.13 mL every 24 hours, cisapride 1 mg/mL, 0.5 mL every 12 hours (just dropped to 0.4 mL every 12 hours last week), Oxbow Joint tabs
5 - results of treatment
Gained 50 grams; ideally, I'd like him up 50-100 grams more. More active- less using his Pigloo as a "turtle shell", talking more
6 - other med issues
URI in October 2017- rechecking X-rays and doing an abbreviated chest ultrasound this week to see if lung changes still present
Pea sized mass on right shoulder, subcutaneous soft tissue mass on sternum
Mites prior to adoption
- Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
You referenced Wilbur's medical topic. It appears to be this one, so I'll add it here:
https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewt ... =2&t=74997
Good to know he is improving.
https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewt ... =2&t=74997
Good to know he is improving.