Calcifer

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Dec 14, 2018 8:30 pm


Depending on what you are feeding, the 1cc syringes with the restrictive tip cut off(lower syringe) can make softened pellets and CC easier to feed (food mixes can get stuck at the "shoulder" of small and larger syringes). With the restrictive tip cut off, the plunger can actually be pushed all the way through.

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Gpigsrock

Post   » Tue Dec 18, 2018 9:47 pm


I'll ask my pharmacist or vet for some larger syringes next time I'm in. He seems to be drinking less water on his own and is just waiting for the pedialyte instead, which can be kind of an issue if nobody is home to give it to him.

He's been getting the 0.3ccs of the Lasix and the 0.2ccs of Benazepril but his breathing still hasn't gotten any less laboured. My vet did not mention adding Vetmedin, but wanted to try increasing the Lasix. Right now I'm holding him and he's breathing very hard, and it seems worse than before I went on my trip (it had gotten a bit better just before I left). He's drinking less Pedialyte, too. This just seemed to happen today, I didn't notice any changes in his behaviour yesterday.

Gpigsrock

Post   » Tue Dec 18, 2018 9:53 pm


I'm going to mix up some critical care for him right now, and I'll see if I can take him to the vet tomorrow. If nothing else I'm definitely calling to ask again about adding Vetmedin.

Gpigsrock

Post   » Wed Dec 19, 2018 6:30 am


Overnight his condition worsened significantly, and he's now struggling to breathe (less than 60 breaths a minute) and making a clicking sound when he inhales. He refused to take his medicine this morning, I would assume because he can't breathe, and I didn't want to stress him out any more so I didn't force it. Is it worth it to take him to the ER vet 30+ minutes away? Grady Animal Hospital is the closest 24 hour veterniary hospital to my location (I've taken Cal there once before for bloat) but with the traffic it would be longer, and they don't exclusively deal with exotics. My vet office opens at 8, and the vets don't arrive until 9 usually.

Gpigsrock

Post   » Wed Dec 19, 2018 8:31 am


Cal passed away a few minutes ago, just as I tried to move him to take him to the vet...

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Wed Dec 19, 2018 8:42 am


I'm so sorry. You've really hung in there with him.

If you decide to have a necropsy done, refrigerate (but don't freeze) his body until you can get him to the vet's office.

Gpigsrock

Post   » Wed Dec 19, 2018 8:49 am


Would it be worth it to have a necropsy done? I've never had one done for any of my pigs before.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Wed Dec 19, 2018 11:00 am


Only if you want to know for sure what happened to him.

You might be able to have a partial necropsy done -- one where they only do a gross examination, or one where they only take tissue and serum samples for culture to see if they can identify an organism.

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GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Wed Dec 19, 2018 12:26 pm


I am so very sorry you lost Cal. I know you did everything possible for him.

Rest in peace, Calcifer. You are loved and missed.

Gpigsrock

Post   » Wed Dec 19, 2018 1:06 pm


I think I'll just hold a funeral for him, hopefully he can be buried next to Guinea, another beloved pig that died over a year ago. They weren't cagemates or anything, I just loved her as much as I loved Cal.

One thing I'm wondering though, do all guinea pigs have a seizure when they pass away? I can't say for sure, but he was definitely moving very strangely this morning. At 6:30 he was resting on my lap and he kept jerking his head up when I wasn't even touching him, and he was doing that again just moments before he died. I've never witnessed the moment of death before today.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Wed Dec 19, 2018 1:37 pm


No, not all have seizures, but some do.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Dec 19, 2018 9:22 pm


I am so sorry you lost him, Gpigsrock. I know you were doing all you could to help him pull through.

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