[kiminca]

That is so sad. I couldn't even look at all the pictures. I need to go hug my baby now!

[Pigglies]

I remember with the other piggies at the vets, they had pain medicine injected as well as injectible ivermectin as that was the fastest to work. But then again, the other piggies had a lot more area of skin that wasn't all raw and sore.

[Charybdis]

Yes injectable ivermectin may have been preferable but honestly they are so raw all over. And they are tiny, btw, malnourished and probably suffering from Scurvy too. The only thing they have ever had to eat is cheap pellets and water. Their skin is stretched so tight over their little bones and so irritated that I couldn't imagine putting a needle in it.

[critterluv02]

Chary, if the build up on their skin is from yeast, I had good results just using powdered Lactobacillus Acidophilus on their pellets. The yeast was falling off Maggie May in large chunks. She was starting to have fresh pink skin revealing itself before she died. Be sure if you go this route that you make sure they still like the pellets with the powder on them. The three girls here were not phazed by it at all. They ate the pellets just the same.

Good Luck!

[Charybdis]

That is a new idea.

I'm not sure if it is classified as yeast. T would know. As far as I understand it, it is caused by the mites' saliva. But I suppose it could be a secondary skin infection. I guess the vet can enlighten me.

[kleenmama]

My only thought, Chary, is that although it will be excruciating to get something on their feet, it will be over in a minute and the relief will be long lasting. Ya know? Each time they scratch they are doing more damage, creating more pain, yadayada. Same with an injection of Valium. A second of pain, hours of relief.

Set out some critical care to see if they will eat it. It's got tons of good stuff. Sprinkle it on wet veggies. Have a dish of watered down stuff.

[Charybdis]

Those are good points, KM. I think the foot wraps are a must, just not sure about the injections. We'll see what the vet says.

[critterluv02]

Chary, Lynx has posted my photos somewhere and sent me these links to post here so you can see the wrap that Pumpkin is wearing. I tell you, it has done the job. She is so much more comfy and after 2 days, she hasn't damaged it a bit. She can scratch till her heart's content and does absolutely no damage to herself, no more crying and breaking my heart either. She moves around fine. With any wrap, just be sure you don't do it too tight that it might cut off circulation, even if you decide to wrap their feet.

Keep in mind that the body wrap also prevents her from chewing on herself.

Here are the photos. I hope I do this right.

[Charybdis]

critterluv, thank you for the photos. Those will come in handy. I'll have to wait to do the body wrap until someone can come over and help me tomorrow. I did manage to wrap their feet, though. What a trial.

The vet thinks that they will be ok. Thanks to all of the generous donations, I was able to get them some Torb, Bactrim, Dex, vetwrap, and Cavy Performance (they wouldn't eat the Cuisine and that's all I had).

We are working out a plan to get the females but I must move some of these pigs out of here first.

[kleenmama]

This is so sad when I am sitting here with all these empty cages. I've gone from over 30 pigs to 8. And I have no car to even come down and get them. The only pig left from both of the CA runs is Oscar, so I've pretty much decided he's mine I guess.

I'm so glad you got the feet wrapped. I can't even imagine how stressful that must have been, knowing they hurt and are so scared and tired and just pretty much done in. But it has to help in the long run. Just to protect those open sores. Jeez, it makes my skin crawl just to think about what those pigs must have been feeling.

Hang in there, Chary. There is a special place in heaven for angels like you.

[Lynx]

Charybdis, if you do a body wrap and there are open sores, be sure to use a sterile telfa pad on the injury. Gauze placed directly on an open wound may stick. Pic of telfa pad and name of pad on www.guinealynx.info/supplies.html#bandage

[critterluv02]

Lynx, is Telfa the shiny stuff in the photo? That is what my vet used under Pumpkin's wrap. I have never seen it before so didn't know what to call it, but it is just like the shiny stuff in the photo.

[Lynx]

Yes, that is what I used.

I went to a human medical supply store to purchase it. The particular brand I mentioned was what my vet used and what I got at that store. For Nina's feet, it could be cut into smaller pieces (comes much larger).

Purchase of a telfa pad by a well known manufacturer at Walmarts was a waste of time, as once it is cut, the cover just floats around. This brand stays intact.

[Teresa]

In my case, we injected the valium, because we didn't want to wait for the oral med to kick in -- they were seizing.

[Charybdis]

I'm happy to report that they seem better this morning--more alert and mobile instead of sitting with their face to the corner. Wrapping their feet is a chore, though. The vet also trimmed their nails so that they are not so sharp. I still haven't gotten anyone to come over and help me wrap the sores around their sides. Maybe tomorrow.

They look so pitiful with their little blue booties.

[Charybdis]

Ok, here's the Catch-22.

I talked to animal control today. The deputy sounded very sympathetic and referred to Jim as a "felony stupid." He wants to send an ac officer out there to have a look at the females.

Problem: ac goes out, Jim gets mad, won't give us pigs. AC can impound if they think it's bad enough (according to Jim the baby looks really bad now), or they can write him a notice to comply by taking them to the vet, or they can walk away and do nothing.

Flip side: we take pigs (their fate is uncertain even with us at this point), Jim's problem is solved, he buys more pets in the future....

What would you do?

[Paravati]

Burn his house down?

[ChunkyPiggies]

I second para.

I like the itchy powder down his pants idea too.

[SusieQ]

I like the electric sander idea until he has open bleeding sores.

[Charybdis]

Gee guys, that is helpful.