"Peanutbutter" Possible abuse/starvation

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InstantNoodles

Post   » Fri Nov 09, 2007 11:32 pm


Let me tell you a story.

My husband was excited for me with my new adoption of Hazel & Noodle. He was bragging about how much I knew (ha!) and how much I loved those little babies. One of his co-workers said, "Oh my daughter has a guinea pig but she doesn't want it anymore" and Fareed offered to take her from them. When he explained this to me, I was wary of accepting a 3rd pig as I foresaw all sorts of extra vet bills that we really don't need (for I am trying to remain responsible and not keep more than I have the money to adaquately take care of).

Tonight he brought home "Peanutbutter" a white abby or possible Peruvian mix. I wanted to cry, I did cry. She has no use whatsoever of her hind legs . They are spread out behind her and she drags them. There is no muscle tone and they feel "dead" I am watching her right now and she seems thrilled to have lots of Timothy hay, fresh food and green leaf lettuce. The cage is atrocious and the little shit actually wants it back! She can have it once quaranteen is over. I will show you photos. I honestly cannot tell if she has A: broken leg/s B: broken back or C: malformed due to inbreeding. The mother of course never noticed a thing wrong other than "She limps a little" She is also quite light and once I get a new scale (the old one took a dive last week) I will weigh her. Here are some photos and any advice as to what this looks like/sounds like would be appreciated because she won't be able to see a vet until Monday (she seems 100% happy and is defecating normally from what I can see though I fail to understand how she's eating her cecal pellets unless she's eating them off the floor).

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User avatar
GuineaPinny

Post   » Fri Nov 09, 2007 11:38 pm


Peaches didn't have such severe difficulty, but her back legs were once much less mobile. She could barely use them. The causes they thought were either an injury from a fall, extended scurvy, or extended malnutrition. She started being able to walk with a good diet, regular vitamin C, and meloxicam. She was on Bactrim too, but I don't know that that did anything for her movement.

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InstantNoodles

Post   » Fri Nov 09, 2007 11:40 pm


I also noticed the weirdest thing, her nose hair seems to be thinning at the tip and her front paws have no hair until you reach the "wrist point" at which her hair begins. Every since pig I have ever had has had front paw hair right down to their toenails...

Joannt
Wheekness for Pigs

Post   » Sat Nov 10, 2007 12:48 am


My Evey has wrist hair that does not go down to her toenails on all four of her little legs. I don't think that is always indicative of a problem, per se. (At least our vet never commented that there was anything amiss...)

Little Peanutbutter is so cute. I don't have any real words of wisdom except to echo what has already been said. Give little PB extra scruffles from us. I am sure she is happy to have landed in your care.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Nov 10, 2007 7:32 am


What a cutie. I'm hoping a good diet helps too. Since this is likely a persistent problem, I don't know that seeing a vet would help (if there is an injury that could be found by xray, there would not be any treatment anyway, so far as I know).

I hate irresponsible people. I think the pig will fare much better with you and hope it is able to live a normal life.

glade
Even Republicans Give!

Post   » Sat Nov 10, 2007 8:04 am


I am so glad she is with you now!

I am no expert at all, but being that there is no hair/loss or sores on her back legs/end, it makes me think that this is a newer occurance, and hasn't been going on long. Which makes me think more of an injury.

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WHEEKness

Post   » Sat Nov 10, 2007 8:34 am


Pigherder has a pig who was a former classroom pet until he was dropped. He at first seemed to be paralyzed, no use of his back legs. She made him a little cart. After something like a few months, he recovered use of his legs, I think fully!

What about supplementing with extra vit. C for a while? I know you're giving nice greens, but it's safe to assume she has a deficiency. Am I remembering correctly, to give 50 mg per day for a week, if you suspect a deficiency, and 100mg/day for full-blown scurvy?

Good luck to you and PB.

User avatar
Topaz

Post   » Sat Nov 10, 2007 8:46 am


Aw, Pb is adorable. I'm so glad she's with you now.

I wonder if the girl dropped her or something? I also wonder if the fur on her front feet could be worn off due to dragging herself around?

Poor girl. I hope she regains movement of those back legs.

User avatar
InstantNoodles

Post   » Sat Nov 10, 2007 9:39 am


I assume that there are good clear instructions on how to properly dose with Vit C for her however, where do I find the supplements to buy? She sort of uses her back leg on one side and she hops around. They didn't have any food for her saying they "just ran out" but they had a huge bag of Timothy Hay so I wonder if she was just living on that or if maybe she wasn't being consistantly fed pellets (or even rabbit pellets).

Lynx, should I still vet-check her even if it wouldn't necessarily help with the leg situation?

Oh and she needs a new name, any suggestions?

User avatar
snowflakey
E's Moriarity

Post   » Sat Nov 10, 2007 9:43 am


What a cutie. Poor girl. Peanutbutter is a crappy name. She needs to sever all ties with the former substandard establishment beginning with a new name. How about Polyfill? Polly for short (j/k).

I think a vet visit is very worthwhile. I think vit C is also a very good idea. You can get liquid drops at GNC stores, but I feed the Oxbow C tabs, which my pigs eat like candy. 50mg/day I think would be good for suspected scurvey.

Brandilynn
Who's your Branni?

Post   » Sat Nov 10, 2007 9:45 am


She is beautiful.

Also, read up on The Roxy Roller. Pinta created a rolleycart also, and Roxy ended up having movement in her back legs also! (I forget why she had no use in the beginning).

I would vetcheck her, because there might be SOMETHING they can do.

User avatar
PooksiedAnimals
Supporting my GL Habit

Post   » Sat Nov 10, 2007 9:49 am


God - scary how anyone can look at that pig and think that's normal. Poor pig! How lucky that she found you.

I agree with Wheekness to add extra vitamin C to her diet, at least short term. Its amazing what scurvy can do to the legs, and how quickly they can recover. Given her affinity for the greens and hay, its probably safe to say she wasn't give a balanced diet in the past.

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