Should I worry? Lazy "rag doll" pig

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rshevin

Post   » Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:39 pm


Your explaination of the abdominal muscle problem makes perfect sense to me and also with my understanding of her physical issues. I don't know what the Lain name for oblique muscle is but oblique is commonly refered to in English, particurally when doing situps.

Be VERY careful holding her from now on. The muscles in the belly provide a lot of support and protection for the intestines. I would suggest letting her walk into a box, towel, pillow, etc from now on when picking her up. I can't believe she gave birth to a healthy pup without obliques!

I'm no expert but I've never heard of this condition before. I wouldn't be surprised if she has other muscular defects, including heart problems though. The closest thing I can visualize that's common is a hernia, which is when the abdominal muscle wall either doesn't close completely before birth or weakens due to age and exertion. The only one I've ever seen and felt in real life was limited to a single spot on the belly, not the entire abdomen so this doesn't seem as likely to me as what the vet described.

Best of luck. I don't know what else to recommend other than care with carrying her. I'm sure an x-ray wouldn't hurt.

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poppypiggy

Post   » Thu Nov 16, 2006 3:13 pm


It sounds like I have managed to explain the issue to you, rshevin - Poppy can't do the situps! Lol!

Jokes aside - I will of course handle my beautiful Poppy even gentler and more carefully from now on, that's for sure! But the more I think about it, the stranger it seems that she is lacking these muscles. The possibility that she might have other muscular defects sounds logical. I really have to watch her carefully.

And just think about that she gave birth to baby Molly! Doesn't that sound like a little wonder?

I agree on the x-ray, Mum, but I think I will wait untill the ultra sound vet is back from Utrecht, and discuss it with her. I just looked at the clinikcs homepage, and it says that she has spesialized in internal medicine and cardiology in small animals, so she might be the best vet in town on the topic.

Next week I might be able to show a picture of this extraordinary piggy that doesn't do the situps!

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rshevin

Post   » Thu Nov 16, 2006 3:47 pm


I'm curious, can she stand on her hind legs to beg for treats? If I'm visualizing the anatomy correctly, standing would mostly use the back and butt muscles but going back down would use the abdominals but probably the rectus abdominus that the vet mentioned (that's the one that goes straight down your middle to create a "six pack"). I agree this is a very strange condition indeed.

Fweeprluvr

Post   » Thu Nov 16, 2006 5:32 pm


I've seen piggies with bellies that hang out past their ribcages, and pigs that seem to have a straight line from shoulder to hips. I personally am not convinced that you have a pig that is different from other pigs.

My heart pig has had the same symptoms (without the floppiness) of being calm since a baby. She is 12 months old now, and was diagnosed (with an X-ray) at 10 months as having an enlarged heart that is pushing up on her trachea and causing her to cough. She is on Lotensin now an ddoing better. So it does happen in the younger ones too.

Mum has a heart pig that has had multiple litters in the past (before she owned her) so I don't think that just because she was able to give birth, she is not a heart pig.

The other vet sounds promising, I hope that one can help more.

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poppypiggy

Post   » Fri Nov 17, 2006 2:59 am


rshevin - I don't think she ever has begged for treats by standing on her hind legs. But she can jump, like up to the upper level in a smaller cage we sometimes use in the kitchen (the C & C is in the livingroom) - I think the hight is about 30 cm (10 inches?). She seems to be much more reluctant to come down, but she does. Must be a challenge without the obliques, even if the rectus abdominus is strong as steel.

In the C&C there is an upper level, and she never goes up there, not even for favourite food. She tried a few times when the cage was new, but not anymore. And if we put her up there she will just stay unntill we lift her back down to the main level again, unlike the others who are running up an down a lot; especially when we put treats up there, of course. Molly is a bit reluctant too, but that is because she usually stay close to her momma. If she wants to, she can easily move up an down as she likes.

Fweeprluvr - it is interesting to hear that you have a heart pig about the same age as Poppy. I have the impression that heart issues are unusual in young pigs, but apparently not unheard of. And when thinking it over I tend to agree with you that the fact that she gave birth to a healty pup does not prove that nothing is wrong with her heart. And besides I don't know how excausted she might have been shortly after the delivery. I just found Molly with her in the morning.

I will consult the other vet when she's back, thats for sure!

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Mum
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Fri Nov 17, 2006 9:31 am


I have a pig here who came into the rescue with heart problems at about 6 months old.

Some heart issues are congenital I think.

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poppypiggy

Post   » Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:16 am


I just wanted to post a picture of Poppy - I have not done this before, so I hope I do it right, and that the picturre is not too large!

Here she is!

Image

Mum - it might be the case with Poppy. She is too young to have developed a heart issue because of an unhealty life, I would think.

Fweeprluvr

Post   » Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:29 am


Perfect sized picture.

Perfectly beautiful piggy.

:)

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poppypiggy

Post   » Fri Nov 24, 2006 6:01 am


Thank you! I am very proud of her! :-)

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rshevin

Post   » Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:25 am


Mum, heart problems in a young pig does bring back my idea of congenital heart valve or the "hole in the heart" issue. I can only imagine how hard and expensive it would be to diagnose that in a tiny pig heart. The point is moot really because as long as you find a treatment that works, it doesn't matter exactly what causes the syndrome does it.

Poppy is a very cute piggie! I love the crazy hair.

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Mum
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Sat Nov 25, 2006 12:18 pm


She's beautiful!

Some pigs just seem to be born with congenital heart issues.

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poppypiggy

Post   » Tue Nov 28, 2006 10:28 am


Thank you, rshevin and Mum!

I have just talked with the "ultrasound vet" I have mentioned before, and she is perfectly willing to examine Poppy. She said that she doesn't have any experience with heart problems in guinea pigs, just cats and dogs, but then she added that a cats heart and a pig's isn't that different when it comes to structure, so if there are any enlargements she hoped to be able to tell.

I think I will bring in Mango as well. She is about the same age as Poppy, an just slightly smaller.

I will print out the heart pigs tread and bring with me, but are there other things I should think of?

I will keep you updated when we are back!

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