Ack! Why did Jackie lose weight?

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rshevin

Post   » Fri Aug 01, 2008 12:44 pm


Poop is supposed to be a lot better, but it wouldn't hurt to give both.

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snowflakey
E's Moriarity

Post   » Fri Aug 01, 2008 12:50 pm


Seems like a straightforward thing to try for mister sticky and stinky butt.

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salana
GL is Just Peachy

Post   » Wed Aug 06, 2008 10:35 pm


So I've been giving Jackie acidophilus (I couldn't get a hold of Benebac) and giving him limited amounts of pellets. It seems to soften his poop a little and it still smells a little bad, but not like the trash compactor at my job, like it used to.

He's been dropping a lot of weight. He is now down to 1lb 13.8oz. He breathes heavily and his heart pounds. Sometimes his feets feel really hot, but I took his temp today and it was normal, 101F.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:14 pm


Not rereading but I imagine you've checked out heart issues?

HollyT
Get on your bike.

Post   » Wed Aug 06, 2008 11:24 pm


Frizzle was on three months of flagyl.

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salana
GL is Just Peachy

Post   » Thu Aug 07, 2008 11:20 pm


His last X-ray was normal.

I am wondering if he possibly is hyperthyroid (maybe secondary to something else). His heart beats fast, his breathing is fast and hard, he has lost a bunch of weight, he has diarrhea, he drinks a lot of water, he frequently feels very warm to the touch, and he's always been my least heat-tolerant pig. It can be 78 and he'll lie around like he's dying of heatstroke. His hair has thinned out some in the past year, too.

He's going in tomorrow, so I will definitely push for bloodwork. What else should I ask them to look for on bloodwork? I know T4 and TSH for thyroid, and they'll do a basic CBC and such.

Plus I should get an X-ray to look at his heart.

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Mum
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Thu Aug 07, 2008 11:53 pm


You should get an xray to check his heart. Or you could give him a trial of lotensin, which seems often to be a better diagnostic indicator of heart disease.

Heavy breathing, heat intolerance, weightloss, and a fast heartbeat do sound like heart disease to me.

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salana
GL is Just Peachy

Post   » Fri Aug 08, 2008 6:42 pm


Stinkpot Jackie is back from his vet visit. Suzi is very upset that he returned.

So, his heart looked the same size (3 ribs) as it did before. But on his X-ray he had some pretty noticeable arthritis in his back. My little baby is a dirty, arthritic old man! The vet thinks that his general uncomfortableness and heavy breathing could be from pain, but wants to sort out the poop problems before giving him Metacam because NSAIDs + stomachs = not fun.

Jackie generously donated several poop samples, which she's sending off to test. He also has 7 days of Bactrim to try. Her theory for why he loses weight is that his guts are just so full of bad bacteria that food just doesn't make it into his system.

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Bugs Mom

Post   » Fri Aug 08, 2008 6:49 pm


Poor Jackie. All kidding aside he sounds like he just may not be feeling up to snuff : ) I hope the tests can give you some positive answers and treatments options.

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snowflakey
E's Moriarity

Post   » Fri Aug 08, 2008 7:33 pm


It's tough when our perpetual adolescents morph into old men. My best wishes to Jackie, Mr. Tuna Butt.

Robyn3939
Lethal Lover

Post   » Fri Aug 08, 2008 10:06 pm


I hope Wacky Jackie feels better. Tell his Mom to give the poor guy some lovin'.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Aug 08, 2008 10:57 pm


I sure hope he gets sorted out too! Sometimes I wish we could do gut transplants and completely repopulate a gut with the perfect bacteria.

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