Lily, the fluffy, fluffy Texel

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tara8301
Supporter in '10

Post   » Mon Jun 29, 2009 9:24 pm


So I got a new digital scale today and I'm thinking that perhaps I was being the insane worrisome overprotective Tara I usually am. =) Lily weighed 1028 grams according to the new scale. I weighed a 3 lb. weight to check accuracy and it said 3.03 lbs. when I weighed it, and if you convert the difference to grams it's about 13 grams. So even if there is a 13 g. difference, she's still at ~1015 g., which is close to what she was when I got her. Stupid non-digital scale.... if it was that much off, then I don't really think it has much of a use.

Hooray for no sickly Lily-pig!

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tara8301
Supporter in '10

Post   » Sun Jul 26, 2009 11:30 am


Ah, crap. I just heard Lily wheezing again. I've still been weighing her and her weight has been steady, so while I don't think it's an emergency (please correct me if I'm wrong!), I'm still gonna get her to the vet asap. It also doesn't sound like the hooting that I've heard on here. Her activity level and eating patterns haven't changed, either.

The pigs' pellets are kinda dusty 'cause it's the last of the bag, and last time I think her wheezing may have been due to dusty hay. So hopefully that's what it is again.

None of the emergency vets around here will see pigs. =( I tried back in March when I was having problems with Herb. Looks like I'll be doing a thorough cage cleaning and making a vet appt. in the morning. Is there anything else I should do in the meantime?

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tara8301
Supporter in '10

Post   » Sun Jul 26, 2009 11:46 am


I missed the 10 min. edit point, but I wanted to add that even though I don't think her wheezing sounds like the hooting, I'm really beginning to think she's a heart pig. She doesn't have any of the symptoms other than this wheezing (that may or may not be hooting) and she does have pea eye.

I know there's a whole thread on heart pig stories that I'll read when I get time. Perhaps tonight at work will be a slow night and I can get through some. But until I can read through some of that stuff, any advice??

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tara8301
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Post   » Sun Jul 26, 2009 12:40 pm


I know this doesn't necessarily mean anything, but she quit wheezing almost as soon as I took her out of the cage for floor time while I cleaned the cage out. She chowed down on her lettuce and even stole Nibs' piece when she was done with hers and then buried herself in a paper bag of hay. And no wheezing! I'm still gonna take her to the vet asap and get some x-rays, though.

On a side note, I just threw out the rest of their dusty pellets, which were Oxbow, and filled their bowl for the first time with KM's. Now that was something that definitely made the Lily-pig happy!

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minismama

Post   » Sun Jul 26, 2009 12:55 pm


tara8301,

I used to have a texel sow named, Furr, who would start wheezing in the presence of dusty stuff. I had to shake off her hay before I put it into her cage. Upon opening a new bag of shavings, I would take it outside and fluff/sift it into a big rubbermaid bin to reduce dustiness. Eventually, Furr even developed skin reactions to the aspen shavings, causing me to have to bed her on towels.

I hope you find out what is troubling your pig.

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tara8301
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Post   » Sun Jul 26, 2009 7:45 pm


So it has been a slow night at work and I got to read through all the heart pig sticky. I noticed some people described their heart pigs has having a "squishy belly". What exactly does this mean? I would guess it's something to do with the fluid build-up, but a description would be appreciated! Also, one said something about the pig being very pear shaped. I'll have to trim her hair a little (it's due anyway) and see if I can get a good picture, but I've always thought Lily was shaped kinda funny -- she has a very round bottom half.

But other than that and the pea eye, still none of the other signs associated with heart problems.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun Jul 26, 2009 7:58 pm


Perhaps you could write someone who wrote that description and have them elaborate on it.

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tara8301
Supporter in '10

Post   » Mon Jul 27, 2009 12:21 am


Something else I noticed -- After I got home from work I was feeling Lily's belly to compare to how Nibs' belly felt and possibly figure out this squishy belly thing. (And their bellies didn't feel any different, but I've contacted those people...) I picked her up and was checking out her bottom to make sure it wasn't dirty since she's got longer hair and i saw a spot near her left leg that looked irritated and a little sparse as far as hair goes. It's right in the crook of where her leg comes out from the hip and near the last nipple on that side. Anyway, I felt it and it was a small mass about the size of a dime, perhaps. She's spayed so I'm pretty sure it's nothing hormonal, but otherwise I have no clue. Any ideas?

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:47 am


Perhaps a mammary tumor? There's a page in the guide with a bit about it in one of these areas.

www.guinealynx.info/.html

www.guinealynx.info/.html

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MildredM
The-Fairy-in-my-Heart

Post   » Mon Jul 27, 2009 2:35 pm


I was really interested in this thread because our Texel, Marigold, also wheezes. I found it was her hay causing her problems, and now we use 'dust free hay' all the time, plus a natural remedy called HP Nose Relief, drops you put in water and syringe feed. She actually likes the taste and it seems to work very quickly. I still have to use them occasionally when she has a flare us of the breathing thing, it can vary from a rasping sound to quite a hooting sound. I think there was some info on the Gorgeous Guineas website about the product.

I realise your piggy has a lot of things going on, Tara, I just wanted to mention something that worked for Marigold!

Mildred x

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tara8301
Supporter in '10

Post   » Mon Jul 27, 2009 4:55 pm


Thanks mini and Mildred! I'm very much hoping it's just the dusty stuff making her wheeze.

I also read the other info. I didn't think it was the ovarian tumor since (I thought) she's spayed. However, the nipple on the side opposite of the lump is a little crusty. Her hair was in the way and she was moving around too much for me to be able to get a real good look, though, to determine if it was enlarged. She's always been a very bossy pig as long as I've had her, but she hasn't been any more aggressive. I think perhaps they just tied off her uterus and ovaries rather than removing them. I just dug out the records I got from the rescue and it says "doubly ligated ovarian pedicles (1 transfixed), doubly ligate uterine body". I'm not entirely sure what that means, other than the ovaries were tied off. Hopefully it's something else with an easier fix, but I guess we'll find out soon and take it from there.

The first available vet appointment is was on Thursday, so we'll be getting and exam and some x-rays then. Lily's vet isn't an exotics specialist, but she did tell me that she took a bunch of other small animal/exotics classes in vet school.

Is there any info in particular someone more well versed with heart pigs and/or tumors think I should take to the appointment?

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Jul 27, 2009 9:17 pm


A mammary tumor is different from an ovarian tumor. I encourage you to read the info on mammary tumors (does not include reproductive system):

www.guinealynx.info/_mammary.html

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