She's home. We have cisapride, reglan, metacam, and chlor. As usual the vet argued with me how she "doesn't see antibiotic intolerance". Fine.
She Lost 2 ounces. How come whenever I leave the pigs for "hospitalization" they come back with weight loss? She looks freaked out. She's in a 2x2, but since she's not moving, I'm not sure it even matters.
I'm really frustrated. Feeding her is impossible. I've very stressed out. I don't know what to do. She won't cooperate and I don't want to hurt her. I'm scared I can't do this. Also is it normal for her to make a huge mess of herself?? She ate veggies but it's all over her dewlap. Like ALL over, down her front. She's soaked in veggiemess. How do I clean that?
The doc said she's doing fine, but her poop is not fine. It's not normal. It's thin and has those broken off ends. I'm really frustrated. Why would they tell me she has normal stool when she clearly does not?
They did do a mouth exam under sedation and there is an xray, it seems the roots are growing. I might be more convinced now that it's teeth, her eye looks a bit bulgy and she said her ears were gross, which might be caused by a reaction of infection caused by the teeth.
What can I do about the poops, feeding, cleaning, etc. I feel very helpless now. Also her ears are red and feel very warm.
Henry - crusty eyes, lethargic
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Sef
- I dissent.
I've had to pin-jaw pigs to get them to handfeed. As Lynx said, corral her in the crook of your arm and then get a stronghold by placing your index finger and forefinger (middle finger) on either side of her head right at the jaw line (except, be mindful of those teeth). This worked well for Winston, who always fought me with handfeeding big-time. I think there's a picture of how to do this on the handfeeding section here...I can find the link if you need it. It's tough love and feels cruel, but it's the only way to get a stubborn patient to eat.
I don't know about the messy part. I do know that when Zachary was sedated for his cystocentisis (that was botched) and teeth exam + bloodwork, he was very funky after he came out of it and slobbered somewhat. He also seemed dazed and wheezy for a day.
The poops sound like lack of food to me, but I'm no expert. Zach has also had that. I increased fiber intake by handfeeding CC and canned pumpkin. And lots of hydration. Just try to do the best you can, SC. It can be hard, I know. I wish I were in your area and could help out (not that I'm any help, but I'd be happy to try).
I don't understand this part about the ears and the eye bulge. What the-? I know root elongation can cause lots of strange secondary problems, but you say Henry was eating okay until the Cipro. I also know that Zachary's gut was totally messed up after his last round of Bactrim, and that was with both acidophilus and Bene-bac supplements. AB's can really wreck havoc on their systems.
Does the Metacam seem to be helping at all?
I don't know about the messy part. I do know that when Zachary was sedated for his cystocentisis (that was botched) and teeth exam + bloodwork, he was very funky after he came out of it and slobbered somewhat. He also seemed dazed and wheezy for a day.
The poops sound like lack of food to me, but I'm no expert. Zach has also had that. I increased fiber intake by handfeeding CC and canned pumpkin. And lots of hydration. Just try to do the best you can, SC. It can be hard, I know. I wish I were in your area and could help out (not that I'm any help, but I'd be happy to try).
I don't understand this part about the ears and the eye bulge. What the-? I know root elongation can cause lots of strange secondary problems, but you say Henry was eating okay until the Cipro. I also know that Zachary's gut was totally messed up after his last round of Bactrim, and that was with both acidophilus and Bene-bac supplements. AB's can really wreck havoc on their systems.
Does the Metacam seem to be helping at all?
Yeah, we seem to be the only ones who think AB's cause problems. No one else wants to hear it.
I will manage the handfeeding, it's just dreadful since I don't want to hurt her. But this messy eating is -- I can't leave her filthy, but I can't bathe her, ugh. I just tried a wet cloth that I squirted on her, but now she's wet and messy.
She did stop eating as soon as we put her on Cipro, so maybe that's what officially did her in, but the dental xray was there showing elongated roots (I didn't know what I was looking at so I'm just going on what they tell me), she had the eye goop, and they said her ears had a lot of stuff in them that they normally don't see in GPs. (But then again, they normally don't see AB intolerance in GPs either.)
So maybe the teeth are a problem, today her right eye looks bulgy. She's always had a bit of a bug-eye, but it's very pronounced today.
I suppose the metacam is helping. She's just laying there though, completely still. Not moving for nothin'. I'm going to leave her be until tomorrow morning. She's probably angry and tired.
I will manage the handfeeding, it's just dreadful since I don't want to hurt her. But this messy eating is -- I can't leave her filthy, but I can't bathe her, ugh. I just tried a wet cloth that I squirted on her, but now she's wet and messy.
She did stop eating as soon as we put her on Cipro, so maybe that's what officially did her in, but the dental xray was there showing elongated roots (I didn't know what I was looking at so I'm just going on what they tell me), she had the eye goop, and they said her ears had a lot of stuff in them that they normally don't see in GPs. (But then again, they normally don't see AB intolerance in GPs either.)
So maybe the teeth are a problem, today her right eye looks bulgy. She's always had a bit of a bug-eye, but it's very pronounced today.
I suppose the metacam is helping. She's just laying there though, completely still. Not moving for nothin'. I'm going to leave her be until tomorrow morning. She's probably angry and tired.
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Sef
- I dissent.
Sending supportive thoughts your way. God, I remember what an uphill battle it was getting Winston to eat. He just would NOT let me handfeed him, and I felt like such a mean piggie mommy by literally force feeding CC. I would say out loud to him, "You are NOT going to win the battle of the syringe." Poor old fellow.
Tell Henry that she needs to perk up now and eat, eat, eat!
Tell Henry that she needs to perk up now and eat, eat, eat!
I hate handfeeding when I'm not afraid to hurt them, but I can get rough and bully them. I can't do that with Henry right now so I'm just living in fear.
I'm also very annoyed with my regular vet. I called four days in a row and she has not called me back. What the hell? I'm just disappointed in this whole experience so far.
Thanks for listening everyone.
I'm also very annoyed with my regular vet. I called four days in a row and she has not called me back. What the hell? I'm just disappointed in this whole experience so far.
Thanks for listening everyone.
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Sef
- I dissent.
What the heck is going on with GL tonight?? I can't seem to stay logged in, for some reason, and then I have double and triple posts. Argh.
s
Anyway. Last time I tried to reach one of our vets, I finally had to say, "Can you tell me when she'll be available and I'll call back then?" Playing vet-tag gets old after a while, especially when you really need to hear back. Nothing worse than sitting aorund waiting for that call.
Is your regular vet in town? I was thinking you said something about her being out until Tuesday, but I could have that all wrong. ?
s
Anyway. Last time I tried to reach one of our vets, I finally had to say, "Can you tell me when she'll be available and I'll call back then?" Playing vet-tag gets old after a while, especially when you really need to hear back. Nothing worse than sitting aorund waiting for that call.
Is your regular vet in town? I was thinking you said something about her being out until Tuesday, but I could have that all wrong. ?
You can't really see swollen gums. They are like cuticles that have grown up. Xrays are necessary to "see" that the gums are swollen.
2 oz. weight loss is normal for a pig that's been to the vet for major surgery when you consider that a pig grazes all day and yours was deprived of food for probably 1/2 a day. Also remember your pig no longer has the weight of a uterus.
I would be concerned for AB intolerance with the Chlor. If she doesn't show interest in food and acts as though she is ill, it may be the chlor. Hard to tell if the pain from surgery is causing problems or the spay.
Chlor is pretty heavy duty for a post surgery AB. Normally Baytril is what is used as a preventative against infection. Since she was spayed and the problem removed - why the Chlor? Since she had a problem with Cipro, I'd wonder if she had a problem tolerating all ABs. I had a pig who required injections when she needed ABs because she couldn't tolerate anything orally.
My vet only uses Chlor as a last resort because of the amount of pigs that have crashed (couldn't tolerate )on it. I have one pig on it now but he seems to be doing okay. I figured I'd see problems within 12 hours of his first dose if he couldn't tolerate it. It's been 2 days and so far so good.
AB intolerance is a very real thing. Happens with humans as well. I can't tolerate sulfa drugs - they make me sicker than what I am actually sick from.
I would ask to switch to a different AB and doublecheck that she really needs one.
Normally soon after surgery they seem to be doing great but the next day, not so great. This is usually due to the effects of the sedation. It takes a while to totally wear off and for the pain to kick in.
Don't hesitate to take her back for a hydration subcue if she isn't drinking well. Dehydration causes lethargy and couild be confused with AB intolerance.
2 oz. weight loss is normal for a pig that's been to the vet for major surgery when you consider that a pig grazes all day and yours was deprived of food for probably 1/2 a day. Also remember your pig no longer has the weight of a uterus.
I would be concerned for AB intolerance with the Chlor. If she doesn't show interest in food and acts as though she is ill, it may be the chlor. Hard to tell if the pain from surgery is causing problems or the spay.
Chlor is pretty heavy duty for a post surgery AB. Normally Baytril is what is used as a preventative against infection. Since she was spayed and the problem removed - why the Chlor? Since she had a problem with Cipro, I'd wonder if she had a problem tolerating all ABs. I had a pig who required injections when she needed ABs because she couldn't tolerate anything orally.
My vet only uses Chlor as a last resort because of the amount of pigs that have crashed (couldn't tolerate )on it. I have one pig on it now but he seems to be doing okay. I figured I'd see problems within 12 hours of his first dose if he couldn't tolerate it. It's been 2 days and so far so good.
AB intolerance is a very real thing. Happens with humans as well. I can't tolerate sulfa drugs - they make me sicker than what I am actually sick from.
I would ask to switch to a different AB and doublecheck that she really needs one.
Normally soon after surgery they seem to be doing great but the next day, not so great. This is usually due to the effects of the sedation. It takes a while to totally wear off and for the pain to kick in.
Don't hesitate to take her back for a hydration subcue if she isn't drinking well. Dehydration causes lethargy and couild be confused with AB intolerance.
When my pig was recovering from ovarian cyst surgery I picked her up by lifting her in something solid, rather than squashing her struggling body.
Anything the same size as the pig will do. I used the bottom half of a plastic igloo but any improvised tray/ cardboard box can be cut to give an walk in and an out ,with sides so they can't turn round.
This could then be tipped at an angle in ones lap so the pig then is standing on her back legs and gripping the front making it easier to capture the head between your hand and force the syringe into the unwilling mouth.
Anything the same size as the pig will do. I used the bottom half of a plastic igloo but any improvised tray/ cardboard box can be cut to give an walk in and an out ,with sides so they can't turn round.
This could then be tipped at an angle in ones lap so the pig then is standing on her back legs and gripping the front making it easier to capture the head between your hand and force the syringe into the unwilling mouth.
Well I AM concerned about a/b intolerance. I've not had one pig who tolerated Baytril, not ONE. I said this to Dr. Brown last night and asked her what to do or how to know if she's not tolerating chlor, and you know what she said? "My advice to you is not to worry about it."
I'm so p*ssed about this whole thing. She's not going to give me another drug because I already talked about it all last night. She said she needs the chlor because she found stuff (she used a real word, not stuff, but I forget) in her ears that she doesn't normally see, and if it is teeth, it might be causing infections and problems in her ear/nose area. And the chlor will fight that.
And of course I ATTEMPT to call Dr. Duggan because I don't like any of this, and she has not once called me back. How aggressive can I be with her? Is she mad at me? Does she not want to call because Henry didn't go to her for the spay? WTF?
I'm so p*ssed about this whole thing. She's not going to give me another drug because I already talked about it all last night. She said she needs the chlor because she found stuff (she used a real word, not stuff, but I forget) in her ears that she doesn't normally see, and if it is teeth, it might be causing infections and problems in her ear/nose area. And the chlor will fight that.
And of course I ATTEMPT to call Dr. Duggan because I don't like any of this, and she has not once called me back. How aggressive can I be with her? Is she mad at me? Does she not want to call because Henry didn't go to her for the spay? WTF?
SHOP AMAZON