Lily, the fluffy, fluffy Texel

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Jul 30, 2009 5:29 pm


Your pics are pretty good. Would you like me to add them to your thread?

Still could be a mammary tumor. Or an abscess. Did the vet do a fine needle aspiration?

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tara8301
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Post   » Thu Jul 30, 2009 7:06 pm


Now that I'm looking at the two pics side by side, it does look like the right nipple that is crusty is larger than the other.

We actually didn't get to see the vet. Shortly after we got there they had an emergency -- a lady brought in her little beagle that got hit by a car. Then, after we got into the exam room, apparently there was another emergency brought in where one dog got attacked by another dog. So one of the staff came in and said it would probably be best to reschedule. We're going back on Monday morning, and hopefully can get to see the vet then!

Lynx, you can add the pics. With as much difficulty I had with it, I'm glad they turned out relatively decent.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Jul 30, 2009 10:02 pm


Thanks!

I hope you get some answers at the exam.

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tara8301
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Post   » Mon Aug 03, 2009 11:27 am


So just got back from the vet. She did x-rays and aspirated the lump. Fortunately on the lump, she said she didn't find anything alarming and that when she looked at it under the microscope, both stained and unstained, it was all fat.

Unfortunately, the x-rays weren't as positive. Lily does have fluid in her lungs and an enlarged heart. On the films, you could see where her heart was compressing her trachea a little. The vet said that normally the heart should take up 2-2.5 rib spaces; Lily's took up about 4. So it's enlarged all around. I guess it's a good sign then that her activity level hasn't changed.

We got some meds -- Enacard and Furosemide (or enalapril and lasix). 1/4 of a 2.5 mg tab of the enacard every 48 hrs. and 0.3 mL of 12.5 mg/mL furosemide every 12 hrs.

The vet also said she thought she might see a bladder stone on one of the x-rays, but couldn't see it well on any of the others so she wasn't absolutely sure.

We're going back in 7-10 days (haven't made the appt. yet) to get another set of x-rays to make sure the meds are working and perhaps maybe get a better view of the possible stone.

She said in her 'Guinea Pig Bible' there wasn't even any mention of heart problems in pigs! But she looked at veterinary resources online and found that they were very common, so she's not sure why nothing was mentioned in the book. I believe she also said that Lily was the first heart pig she'd ever seen.

I am glad though that Lily has finally got diagnosed and that it is treatable!

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tara8301
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Post   » Mon Aug 03, 2009 2:08 pm


Lynx, could you perhaps edit to add something to the title of this thread to include Lily's heart pig-ness? I really don't know where else to turn for info since Lily's vet seems to be as new to this as I am! And I figure I'll get nothing but good advice here since others have much more experience with heart pigs. Y'know, maybe just add heart pig in parentheses or something?

I haven't given her any of the meds yet because I was sort of waiting to see if anyone would reply in regards to the dosage. I'm sure the vet gave us the proper dosage, but I just wanted to check with others. Plus, I have a really weird work schedule right now that probably wouldn't allow the furosemide dosage every 12 hrs, at least not for a day or so. I live alone and don't really know of anyone that I would trust to dose her just yet, especially since I haven't done it yet either!

So, anyone have any good advice for a newly diagnosed heart pig mom?

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Aug 03, 2009 10:13 pm


There is a heart sticky here in the medical forum and a heart page in the guide. www.guinealynx.info/.html
If you add your dosing and diagnostic info to the heart sticky, you can link back to this thread.

Glad to hear the lump is only a fatty lipoma (hope I spelled that right). Sorry about the heart problems and possible stone. At least you are on top of things!

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Bugs Mom

Post   » Mon Aug 03, 2009 10:26 pm


Horray for the good prognosis on the lipoma-boo if there is a stone.

Your Lily's heart is exactly what my Lady Bug's was like. Your vet sounds as thought she's cooperative. It will be important to give the med doses as close to 12 hours apart as you can arrange. You'll eventually learn to tell just by looking at Lily what kind of day she's having and if the meds need adjusting up or down. Thank goodness hearts are very treatable.

Good luck with sweet Lily.

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tara8301
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Post   » Mon Aug 03, 2009 11:55 pm


Ok, added to the heart sticky. It seems like my schedule will be regular enough for at least the next week to get her started on meds in the morning.

I work in a hospital lab and people call off a lot. And when they call off, I get called in. So that's why my schedule can be kinda wonky. But when I start back to school in 3 weeks I'll be on a regular schedule then and will definitely be able to get the 12 hr. doses in at the right time. If I do happen to get called into work and can't give her one of her doses, what should I do? Like I said, I live alone and I know of *maybe* one person I'd trust to give her meds if I couldn't (but I'd make her go to Guinea Pig 101 before even thinking about it!).

My fiancee wasn't too happy about this diagnosis because now he thinks we won't be able to do anything if I have to give Lily medicine every 12 hrs. He *still* doesn't understand my love of pigges and was whining about how this isn't fair to him... boo...

ETA: Oh, btw, can anyone give me a link for those bigger enclosed cages? I can't remember what they're called, so I don't think a search will do me any good. But I know I've seen them mentioned on here before and I thought it would be a good idea to invest in one so I could take the pigs with me if I needed to go somewhere for longer than 12 hrs. They're bigger than normal pet store cages and have a little separate "kitchen" and I think the bottom is made out of canvas.

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Bugs Mom

Post   » Mon Aug 03, 2009 11:59 pm


If you're just a couple of hours off the schedule then go ahead and give the meds. If you're like 6-8 hours off then just skip them. It should be ok as long as it's not a frequent occurence.

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tara8301
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Post   » Tue Aug 04, 2009 12:11 am


If I start tomorrow morning, the doses will be around 6 am and 6 pm. When I get called into work, it's usually for the evening shift, which is 2:30-11. So I guess if I gave her a 6 am dose and got called in for that shift, I should just wait until the next morning for her next dose? It shouldn't be a frequent occurrence and will definitely stop once I start classes on Aug. 24. The only reason I told them they could call me in whenever is because I'm on summer break. After I start back to school I have a normal schedule of 7 am - 3:30 pm on the weekends and class from 8 until 3:30ish.

pinta

Post   » Tue Aug 04, 2009 1:18 am


Fortekor is more benign than Enacard. I suggest asking your vet to switch to Fortekor. Fortekor is a newer version of Enacard.

Also consider Vetmedin.

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tara8301
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Post   » Tue Aug 04, 2009 2:18 pm


Whenever we go back to the vet to get more x-rays I'll ask about the fortekor and vetmedin. Any pertinent info about either I should tell her?

I found those other cages I mentioned. http://www.midwesthomes4pets.com/catego ... &catid=142 Would one of those be sufficient if I needed to take the pigs somewhere with me for a few days or over the weekend? It says they are 8 sq. feet, though I'm sure that includes the little kitchen area. Apparently you can hook two together though, if you've got the room.

I would just consider cable tying some extra grids, but the main place I'd take them (to my fiancee's) has other animals and I'd be afraid to leave the top open. It seems as though the biggest complaint about the Midwest cages is that they can be difficult to clean since the bottom is made of canvas. But I'm thinkin' that if I put newspaper and fleece down like in their C&C it might not be so difficult.

I hope that if I invest in one of these, or some other suitable alternative, that my fiancee will be a less stupid about it.

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