Request for heart pig stories

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Leb
Supporter in '08

Post   » Mon Mar 17, 2008 11:09 am


1 - American male about 1 year 3 months currently.

2 - At 8 months started breathing deeply, body had rocking movement, no longer active and stopped eating.

3 - Chest sounded bad, x-rays showed something in or around the lungs, but hard to read. First sonogram was inconclusive possible enlarged heart? Blood tests checked out okay, and a fine needle aspiration didn't draw out any fluid. Didn't respond to antibiotics. Finally a second sonogram with a new machine gave us results; Mitral Valve Regurgitation was the diagnosis.

4 - A combination of Enacard (Enalapril) and Lasix regulated his heart. Lasix is .40 cc's twice a day. Enacard is half a pill twice a day.

5 - He is now happy and active and doing well on treatment.

6 - Only other medical issues, was treated with Advantage and revolution for lice and mites. When I first got him he had bumblefoot in front paw. While I apply creams it remains slightly scabbed still. It was worse when he was really sick and better when the medicine started working.

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LAWomans
"Live Long and Prosper"

Post   » Wed Mar 19, 2008 5:44 pm


Flower - Aby sow - 4 1/2 years old

When I got Flower she was underweight and thin, plus she was a "nice quiet, lap pig". There were no other symptoms, but I suspected heart issues.

An x-ray was taken and she does have an enlarged heart. I started her on .5cc Lotensin twice a day. She has been on it about five weeks. She has gained weight and her activity level has dramatically increased. She also gets 1cc of children's vitamin C daily.

brookec2323

Post   » Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:31 pm


1 - Gizmo - sheltie mix? - 3 yr old unaltered boar

2- First noticed a lack of appetite followed by weight loss and lack of energy. He was about 1350g in his prime and dropped to around 1250g when we first took him to the vet.

3- The vet first suspected some sort of infection and a moderate amount of gas in his stomach (shown in X-rays). She prescribed baytril, benebac, metacam, and critical care feedings. His weight continued to drop even with 5-6 feeding a day. He began showing signs of a UTI (squeaking while urinating). She prescribed a longer dose of baytril. UTI cleared, but still no other improvements and was showing signs of a baytril intolerance (considerable weight loss). X-rays were done which showed no signs of stones and bloat was cleared up. We switched to bactrim. Appetite improved slightly, but he began wheezing and coughing during feedings, and his breathing was heavy all of the time.

I suggested heart problems to the vet, she was unsure but agreed to post X-rays online to get other vets opinions. The anesthetized him to try to take blood, but were unable, they took side view X-rays at this time as well. The trimmed his incisors while he was under. It took awhile to get a response to his films online and in the mean time he went down to 950g and his breathing progressively got worse. She said there was mixed opinions online as to whether he had and enlargement, but the good news was he had no fluid build up. With a little coaxing she agreed to start a trial of enalapril.

4- We began on 0.5mg of enalapril every 48 hrs. No lasix b/c no fluid. After the second dose he showed improvement in his breathing and activity level, however, he would decline again well before the 48 hrs was up. After 3 doses at the 48hrs, we decided to up him to 0.5cc every 24 hrs. By the 3rd dose I noticed a marked improvement in appetite, activity, and breathing.

By week two he is pretty much back to his old self. Still needs to put on some more weight. I am hand feeding 1 or 2 times daily, however for the past week he has been eating enough on his own to maintain or gain weight between feedings. He has been seen zooming. And popcorned for the first time last night over his evening veggie plate. His weight yesterday was back to 1100 g.

5- He is currently not on any other meds.

This forum and this thread saved Gizmo's life. Thank you all so much, and I hope that his story will help others in the future.

cookiewise

Post   » Fri Apr 04, 2008 4:56 pm


Amanda Davies' case studies make very interesting reading, as do the other sections on cardiovascular disease (https://www.guinealynx.info/heart.html).

The description of Heddwyn was of particular interest to me.

His symptoms are described thus:

"Quiet boar, slept very soundly. Gurgled badly after neuter surgery, recovery was prolonged, started rattling on a regular basis."

Two of those words concern me: "gurgled" and "rattling".
I realise she is describing sounds in words - a very difficult thing to do, but can anyone give me a bit more information on 'gurgling' and 'rattling'?

Do these descriptions refer exclusively to involuntary sounds heard in the lungs/chest cavity - or do they perhaps pertain more to the other, voluntary behavioural noises piggies make?

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Mum
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Fri Apr 04, 2008 5:14 pm


Heddwyn is my pig (yes, my case studies), and these sounds are all involuntary!

Heddwyn, incidentally, is thriving on his lotensin, even at a good 6+ years old.

The sounds are very difficult to describe: think of the breathing sounds somebody makes with pneumonia, if you've ever heard that.

cookiewise

Post   » Fri Apr 04, 2008 5:53 pm


Thanks Mum

I have heard the clicking sound of pneumonia - in piggies and people - but never the other noises described. Yay for Heddwyn thriving on Lotensin - it certainly sounds like the wonder drug for heart problems.

I am really interested in behavioural changes in piggies and am monitoring (and filming) some odd new behaviours in my 5 year old boar Scruff.

Following his dramatic weight loss at new year (he was 1.3kg and is now thankfully stable at 1.08kg) I initially thought he may have heart issues.

He has taken to resting lying on his side, sometimes with a foot in the air; sometimes on his comfy chair, other times in the middle of the pen on a big pile of hay; often this 'resting' is accompanied by grumbling squeaks - especially when he tosses and turns a few times to find a better position.

The speed at which he jumps up and tears off when reminded he is a prey animal however, make me think that perhaps his relaxed and very laid back behaviour is symptomatic of contentment.

It's funny - in any of the younger pigs I'd find this behaviour terribly cute; in the Scruffmeister any noted change inevitably triggers a mild flutter of panic for me.

I suppose I'm still on edge after my losses in January because he eats well, is bright and lively (particularly when any of the lovely sows are in heat!!). He's just very bony and a bit slow to waken up at times.

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Mum
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Fri Apr 04, 2008 5:58 pm


He's just very bony and a bit slow to waken up at times.
Typical of a heart pig :-p

If you have a thread on this guy, we should add this on to it and not continue the discussion here!

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Apr 04, 2008 9:49 pm


cookiewise, please ask questions about your pig on your "Neutering After Effects" thread (this will help keep this thread more focused on heart pig stories vs. questions).

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Jaycey
Supporter in 2014

Post   » Tue Apr 15, 2008 5:45 am


1 - Ace, American, pink eyed, orange coloured 3 and 1/2 years, unaltered boar
2 - lethargic, noisy breathing, eye troubles, URI
3 - x ray taken, heart looks ok (less than 60%), fluid in chest, so undiagnosed as yet
4 - Lasix (Prednicare) 1/4 1 mg tablet once a day, Baytril 0.4ml once a day
5 - still ongoing, awaiting Lotensin being prescribed
6 - Pea eye, dandruffy hair, eye problems (Osseus something, sorry can't remember the full name)

I'll update this when I get better results but I'm sure that Ace is a heart pig, he has alot of the symptoms but his heart looks fine on his xray

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Jaycey
Supporter in 2014

Post   » Tue Apr 15, 2008 7:25 am


Ah crap, I posted it wrong. I'm a fool when it comes to medication names.

For number 4 it should say:

Lasix 10 mg 1/4 tablet once a day (but I decided to give him half on a morning and half on an evening) - he's not on this at the moment
Prednicare 1 mg 1/4 tablet once a day - currently taking
Baytril 0.4ml once a day - currently taking

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AliceMcmallis
Supporter in '08

Post   » Tue Apr 22, 2008 10:15 am


1 - Chloe, American, approx. 4 yrs old, intact female

2 - Pea eye, excess gas, lack of muscle tone, lack of energy, heavy breathing, weight loss, bumblefoot, hooting - in that order over an approx. 4-6 month period with the last four symptoms appearing within the last few weeks.

3 - Had a physical while she only had pea eye, gas, lack of muscle tone - was to monitor symptoms. Recheck and x-ray with heavy breathing, weight loss, etc. X-ray showed unambiguously an enlarged heart and fluid in lungs, plus large pockets of gas and bloating in the bowel.

4 - We will begin her on Lasix 2.5 mg twice a day and Fortekor (benazepril, dosage currently unknown) for the heart.

5 - results of treatment not known yet.

6 - No previous notable history of illness; Chloe is currently getting simethicone, cisapride and massages for the gas, fuciderm application, chlor hexidine solution soaks, Metacam and soft bedding for the feet, and is being supplemented with Critical Care.

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Mum
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Fri May 02, 2008 8:08 pm


Updating Llewelyn's history from October 2006:

1 - breed, age and sex of pig: Llewelyn, approx 4, neutered male

2 - brief description of symptoms that made you suspect heart problems: recent weight loss, severe gurgling after neuter surgery which responded well to lasix, much quieter than previously. Yesterday brief rattling, heart murmur, this morning faint hooting.

3 - diagnostics done and the results: heart x-ray taken a year or so ago was normal. Not doing a new one at the moment

4 - treatment, med and dosage: lasix 3mg twice a day for about a week, lotensin 1mg twice a day

5 - results of treatment: TBD

6 - other med issues: arthritis in one knee

Weightloss continued over the past 18 months. In spite of handfeeding lost a huge amount of weight. Molars overgrew, and he had to have surgery - which was cut short when he started to gurgle. Came home and added in lasix 2mg twice daily, continued with lotensin at 1mg twice daily (he weighed 1lb 10 ounces). Was euthanized today. Necropsy showed:

Severe cardiomyopathy: both ventricles were so thickened there was almost no room left in the chamber.
Severe ascites and fluid around his heart.
Very large red cyst on one kidney, another very large clear cyst on the other kidney.

Llewelyn was estimated to be 6 or 7 years old.

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