*URGENT* Passing blood...squeaking
-
Sef
- I dissent.
He's getting acidophilus sprinkled on his veggies, but it isn't doing any good.
I'm really feeling like Zachary is giving up, guys. He will NOT eat hay (even though Kleenmama sent him all kinds, and he did eat it for a couple of days--then stopped), will NOT eat his wheatgrass. He eats veggies and nibbles at some of the pellets I put in his bowl, but it's not enough fiber to keep his gut in balance. That's part of the problem now, I think.
The poops are a huge mess, with them getting all over his butt, all over his feet. He hates for me to clean him off...fights me tooth and nail. It's just becoming a major struggle to help him, at this point. I don't know what I'm going to do, I really don't.
Book that I have by Hillyer & Quesenberry talks about the use of metronidazole, and either cisapride or metoclopramide for enteritis. It's a 10-year old book; not sure if this protocol is still appropriate.
I'm going to call tomorrow and make an appointment for him, to see if the vet wants to do a fecal smear (not that it will necessarily show anything) and also look at his teeth. Over the past several days, Zach has started making strange facial expressions when he eats, like he's having trouble chewing. That's all he needs on top of everything else.
This is really not going well.
I'm really feeling like Zachary is giving up, guys. He will NOT eat hay (even though Kleenmama sent him all kinds, and he did eat it for a couple of days--then stopped), will NOT eat his wheatgrass. He eats veggies and nibbles at some of the pellets I put in his bowl, but it's not enough fiber to keep his gut in balance. That's part of the problem now, I think.
The poops are a huge mess, with them getting all over his butt, all over his feet. He hates for me to clean him off...fights me tooth and nail. It's just becoming a major struggle to help him, at this point. I don't know what I'm going to do, I really don't.
Book that I have by Hillyer & Quesenberry talks about the use of metronidazole, and either cisapride or metoclopramide for enteritis. It's a 10-year old book; not sure if this protocol is still appropriate.
I'm going to call tomorrow and make an appointment for him, to see if the vet wants to do a fecal smear (not that it will necessarily show anything) and also look at his teeth. Over the past several days, Zach has started making strange facial expressions when he eats, like he's having trouble chewing. That's all he needs on top of everything else.
This is really not going well.
-
Sef
- I dissent.
Thanks. It has not been a good day.
Do you think I should photo-copy the article by Hillyer & Quesenberry and take it with me when we go? I have no idea how effective metronidazole is, or if he would tolerate it, or what cisapride/reglan would do when he's pooping but it's such a soft mess. Thought they were both for slow motility. Maybe I don't understand how they work. ?
Can anyone here suggest something I can use to clean Zachary's feet? These darn poops are getting stuck to his feet, and then they dry into a hard mess. This is despite cleaning his feet several times a day. His feet are getting red and irritated. Plain soap on a wash cloth isn't very effective without really scrubbing, and it hurts when I do that. Is there anything that would work better?
And any suggestions on how to get him to eat hay?? I have tried everything -- cheap hay, good hay, timothy hay, orchard grass, bluegrass, alfalfa, oat hay. Nothing. The only thing I haven't tried yet, is Oxbow's botanical hay. Maybe I'll pick some up tomorrow and give that a try, although he didn't like it when I bought some a few months ago (none of our boys did).
Do you think I should photo-copy the article by Hillyer & Quesenberry and take it with me when we go? I have no idea how effective metronidazole is, or if he would tolerate it, or what cisapride/reglan would do when he's pooping but it's such a soft mess. Thought they were both for slow motility. Maybe I don't understand how they work. ?
Can anyone here suggest something I can use to clean Zachary's feet? These darn poops are getting stuck to his feet, and then they dry into a hard mess. This is despite cleaning his feet several times a day. His feet are getting red and irritated. Plain soap on a wash cloth isn't very effective without really scrubbing, and it hurts when I do that. Is there anything that would work better?
And any suggestions on how to get him to eat hay?? I have tried everything -- cheap hay, good hay, timothy hay, orchard grass, bluegrass, alfalfa, oat hay. Nothing. The only thing I haven't tried yet, is Oxbow's botanical hay. Maybe I'll pick some up tomorrow and give that a try, although he didn't like it when I bought some a few months ago (none of our boys did).
-
Sef
- I dissent.
He did get a foot soak last night with some diluted chlorhex, but wasn't at all happy about it. It's not bad enough that has to feel like crap all the time, but then I come along and bother him constantly with meds, and foot soaks, and subcues, and handfeeding, and messing with his ears, etc.
I have to wonder if we are being incredibly selfish by having him live like this. :(
This is so depressing.
I have to wonder if we are being incredibly selfish by having him live like this. :(
This is so depressing.
-
Mum
- I GAVE, dammit!
sef, only you can tell if he's had enough.
A nice warm foot soak shouldn't be so bad. But if even this is too much for him then perhaps you do need to have a good look at the quality of his life.
I really don't want this to come across the wrong way, and I know how much you adore this pig.
I'm going through a similar decision making at the moment, but I can honestly look at the pig in question and say that 95% of the time he seems very happy and content.
A nice warm foot soak shouldn't be so bad. But if even this is too much for him then perhaps you do need to have a good look at the quality of his life.
I really don't want this to come across the wrong way, and I know how much you adore this pig.
I'm going through a similar decision making at the moment, but I can honestly look at the pig in question and say that 95% of the time he seems very happy and content.
-
Sef
- I dissent.
I know, and I do appreciate what you're saying Mum. I just don't know the answer. He has days like this, but then he'll also have times when he is wheeking for food, chewing the bars on his cage, enjoying being held by his dad, etc. The last "good" day that he had, though, was last week before this stuff with his bowels started up.
Before that, he had gained a little weight, seemed really perky and energetic, and his poops were looking better than they had in a long time. Vet was impressed and said how good he looked, last time we were in, and we were feeling encouraged for the first time in two months.
And now this.
It's this roller-coaster of ups and downs that is so tough emotionally...makes it so hard to know if we're doing the right things.
Before that, he had gained a little weight, seemed really perky and energetic, and his poops were looking better than they had in a long time. Vet was impressed and said how good he looked, last time we were in, and we were feeling encouraged for the first time in two months.
And now this.
It's this roller-coaster of ups and downs that is so tough emotionally...makes it so hard to know if we're doing the right things.
-
Mum
- I GAVE, dammit!
It's incredibly hard - I do know that.It's this roller-coaster of ups and downs that is so tough emotionally...makes it so hard to know if we're doing the right things.
Maybe keeping a list of good days vs bad days will help. It seems to me that the good days should out-number the bad days.
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