Alice can't use her back legs

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mimilicious

Post   » Wed May 19, 2010 5:02 am


Asked my mum, it was a steroid injection! Let us know how she gets on at the vet.

Deb K

Post   » Wed May 19, 2010 6:28 am


Thank you all for your input. I will definitely get her to the vet. Unfortunately, I have surgery on my right knee this morning and will certainly not be able to get her there today or tomorrow. I will have to find someone that can bring her. I do have her on fleece and gave her a bath yesterday to remove some of the yuck on her bottom. She just started showing these symptoms yesterday. She is such a smart little girl as she moved her dish right up to the entrance of her pigloo. Such a cutie pie!!!!

Thank you again..will check postings online later in my drug induced state....please don't hold me accountable for spelling errors then! :)

Deb

User avatar
mimilicious

Post   » Wed May 19, 2010 6:43 am


Good luck with your surgery. x

I expect Alice is have difficulty in washing her behind now. At least you can give her a bath. She sounds very clever to move her bowl to her pigloo. Bed & breakfast!

User avatar
Brainerror

Post   » Wed May 19, 2010 7:01 am


Deb K - I had the same happen to my 9 year old pig a few years back. She had a stroke & afterward couldn't walk.

I hope the vet can sort her out & good luck with your surgery!

Charybdis

Post   » Wed May 19, 2010 7:45 am


Doofy is having the same issue now. On Sunday he suddenly started dragging his back legs. He is seven years old. X rays showed severe arthritis in his knees, hips, and lower back but no fractures. There is no place to fall in his cage, but he may have tried to chase and/or hump the baby sow I put in there last Thursday (since his roommate died). So this has led me to suspect that old arthritic pigs can injure themselves quite easily.

He got an injection of Dexamethasone (a steroid) and is taking Torb for the pain and Baytril. I put a hot water bottle wrapped in fleece for him to lie on. He is getting subcue fluids twice daily because he can't reach the water bottle. Also 50 mg of Vitamin C twice daily.

User avatar
BamBam

Post   » Wed May 19, 2010 12:21 pm


Definitely x-ray. When Blossom suddenly "lost the use" of her back legs it was the result of bladder stones. It wasn't that she couldn't use her legs but that the pain was so severe that it prevented her from doing so.

She passed a couple on the way to Vedra and this relieved the pain enough to allow her to stand. The remaining small stones and grit were removed and she was walking again normally.

That said, Bloss was quite clearly in great pain (although eating and drinking right up to the loss of mobility) and from what you say Alice does not have pain.

Deb K

Post   » Sun May 30, 2010 1:35 pm


Hi all,

I wanted to speak with you regarding Alice and her immobilized back legs (dragging and not being able to put weight on them and sitting in her cage with her hind legs out behind her). As some of you know, I don't have the world's best vets near me and have always had problems. So, I brought Alice to my homeopathic vet (who is phenomenal) and we took xrays and she didn't see anything broken but said that Alice had bad arthritis that was making her immobile. She presribed Hypericum. Two drops a day for two weeks. I am happy to tell you that after 6 days of the Hypericum Alice is walking like nothing ever happened!!!!!! I just wanted to share this with you in case anyone else is in the same predicament with the arthritis!!!

Deb

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun May 30, 2010 4:12 pm


I'm glad to hear your guinea pig started walking. It is likely it is a coincidence (in other words, your guinea pig was healing and might have walked in 6 days anyway) rather than an herbal remedy, but am glad she's doing well.

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RavenShade
Thanks for the Memories

Post   » Sun May 30, 2010 8:10 pm


Just for anyone else reading this, I've seen two elderly pigs with similar symptoms. My mom's sow never did regain her ability to walk and Mom nursed her and bathed her for more than a month before she passed. Dutchess was in good spirits but her quality of life was limited. She had to be propped up on towels.

When Neal exhibited similar symptoms, I took him to the vet. He was able to stand a day or two after symptoms started, but he was not well. Vet said he was arthritic but also that he looked like maybe he'd had a mini stroke. I chose to let him go.

I do hope that your pig's condition was temporary, but not all pigs have a good recovery.

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mmeadow
Supporter 2004-2022

Post   » Sun May 30, 2010 10:02 pm


We also recently lost an older pig a 2-3 days after she stopped being able to use her hind legs. It was a peaceful passing.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Sun May 30, 2010 11:38 pm


St. John's Wort.

http://www.hypericum.com/nuts.htm

I've never heard of it used for arthritis, but one never knows.

I'm not a big believer in or fan of supplements, but I have seen them work on occasion very, very well, on both humans and animals. If it works, coincidental or not, Alice is walking and that's what counts.

Deb K

Post   » Thu Jun 03, 2010 4:42 pm


Thank you for your support, Talishan!

The homeopathic vet has fixed gps of mine when my vet has suggested euthanasia. Alice is getting better by the day! She can stand on her legs and buzzes around her cage now! I just wanted to let you know what was going on in case it might help another pig out there.

Deb

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