Tallulah's Medical thread

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KrazyKawaii

Post   » Mon Jun 06, 2011 6:06 pm


I took Tallulah to the vets today. The vet said he didn't think her belly was abnormaly hard, but to me it feels markedly different from Twister and Tempest's, but she's pooping and peeing fine so I would gather it's not bloat, hoping it doesn't turn out that she's pregnant.

She's on medicine for a URI, she freaks out about the syringe, the only way I can get her to take it is if I have her against my chest looking up at me (like she were going to walk up my chest) I know it's usually recommended to do this on a hard surface and such, so I want to know if this is OK, if it's not, I will try my best to get her to take it while standing, but she screams and thrashes, the vet says her trachea is really irritated.

Also, she's got's loads of poops, and she peed on the vet today, so I would assume that she's eating and drinking SOMETHING, but you'd never know it. She sits in her cage in the corner farthest from the door, the food and the water and cowers behind, or under her hay pile. She's very comfortable with me, and when the vet put her down she ran right over to me but this behavior is worrisome to me. Her cage is totally covered because she was freaking out when it wasn't.

She hasn't eaten any veggies at all, and when she's in her cage she's silent, but when she's out she never shuts up.

Any sort of insight into any of these issues would be wonderful.

As the vet said when comparing her to Tempest and Twister, "she's some kinda different pig."

We're going off of the assumption that Tallulah is a breeder stock reject, so is it possible she's used to being around a lot of pigs and now she's alone and doesn't know what to do with herself?

Again, any insight would be welcome, even if it's 'turn the clock sideways and stand on your head' haha

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Mon Jun 06, 2011 11:28 pm


Any way you can get them to take a med 1) safely and 2) without stressing them out more than absolutely necessary is an OK way to do meds as far as I'm concerned.

Where did she come from and how long have you had her?

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KrazyKawaii

Post   » Mon Jun 06, 2011 11:34 pm


She came from some people I met in February in the parking lot while rescuing a kitten, who found her in a happy meal box under a table at the McDonald's up the street. I've had her for about 36hrs. She's a very adventurous little girl when she's not alone, but when she's by herself in her cage she totally retreats, in the 8 hrs after she'd been home from the vets she didn't move once.


ETA: Talishan, I really appreciate you taking the time to help me and my girls out.
Last edited by KrazyKawaii on Mon Jun 06, 2011 11:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Talishan
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Post   » Mon Jun 06, 2011 11:37 pm


She's terrified. Give her some time.

1. Did the vet say why her trachea is really irritated?
2. Is she showing any overt signs of URI or fungal issues?
3. Where do you have her quarantined?

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KrazyKawaii

Post   » Mon Jun 06, 2011 11:42 pm


He said it was because she had a URI and had likely been coughing, she also had very goopy, gunky, eyes. She's on bactrim. No fungal issues that I, or he saw. She's quarantined on my kitchen cart against the far wall if my apartment (as far from the other girls as I can get)

I know she's terrified but I always feel so bad when I put her back in her cage, she's so happy and cheerful when she's out.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Mon Jun 06, 2011 11:49 pm


Crap. URI's can be transmitted airborne as I understand it. I was going to suggest considering moving her a little closer to yours IF she did not have anything overtly, obviously transmissible but under the circumstances that's not a good idea.

Hold her as much as you can and spend as much time with her as you can? I realize you probably work/go to school/whatever and there's only so much you can do (and only so many T-shirts you can change ;-), but do the best you can to be company for her right now.

If your county AC is any good, you might want to call them about this. They might very well know who this breeder is and can pay them a little visit and enlighten them as to the fact that dumping animals under tables at McDonald's is illegal.

Here's a real stretch: can you make an mp3 or something of Twister and Tempest's noises and play it for her??

An x-ray will show if she's pregnant. You may want to wait a bit, though, for any babies to develop further (and for her to settle in a little). The later you wait the clearer the rads will be.

Be advised if she has a well-set-in pneumonia from poor living conditions, Bactrim may not completely do the job. You may have to use Baytril or a Baytril/Doxy combo. That's for down the road, though ... just be prepared it might arise.

Thank you and bless you for helping her.

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KrazyKawaii

Post   » Mon Jun 06, 2011 11:57 pm


We just finished Tempest's antibiotic for a URI and Twister started hers today since she's been sneezing, I had considered moving them closer together, but decided it would not be good under the current circumstances.

I actually had a similar thought, but I was thinking maybe photos or something. I think the mp3 would upset her too much. Whenever she hears them she starts wheeking for them so hard her ears flap! Than when she can't see them ( and they don't wheek back, because so far the girls have been very quiet piggies) she gets more distressed.

I did contact the AC after I found Twister and Tempest but they said there wasn't much they could do unless I knew who had done it. I imagine it would be the same story for Tallulah, the McDonald's us only about 2 blocks away.

I'm going to weigh her every couple days, and pray she is not pregnant. The vet said he didn't think so, but to weigh, wait, and see.
Last edited by KrazyKawaii on Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:01 am, edited 1 time in total.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:01 am


Okay. Get others' opinions before doing this but if Tempest has just finished a course of AB and Twister is on AB now, see if you can move them closer together. It might make an absolute world of difference for Tallulah.

Bear in mind if you do that you will likely have to treat Tempest and Twister for anything (else) Tallulah may have, but if they're both already on AB it's worth considering IMO. See what others say first.

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KrazyKawaii

Post   » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:11 am


They're all being treated for mites as well. I'm considering moving Tallulah into my bedroom at night, and back out against the wall during the day. I think moving them closer is a good idea, but I'd prefer to wait a couple days to see if there's an improvement in Tallulah's symptoms, however if she remains depressed and everyone agrees it's a good idea than I will figure out some way to move them closer.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:38 am


Sounds like a plan.

Observe strict quarantine procedure otherwise ... that is, wash hands/forearms and change shirts in between cages. You still run the risk of fungal and lice transmission. Lice are easily taken care of with Advantage (plain Advantage, imidacloprid only which may begin to become hard to come by). Ivermectin acts on lice as well (perhaps to a lesser extent). Fungal can be a pain so don't drop all quarantine procedures regardless of what else you may do. All of them have come from a bad enough environment that any of the "normal" issues may likely be present.

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KrazyKawaii

Post   » Tue Jun 07, 2011 12:45 pm


My hands can attest to the excessive washing! I also bought a pack of ginormous cheap t-shirts.

She really hates her medicine, but after she gets it I syringe some water too, just so I know she's getting water.

Currently she's hiding under her hay pile, however, she isn't eating her pellets at ALL, she hasn't touched the bowl at all, so I'm assuming that the ONLY thing she is eating is hay, and not that much of it either. There's a chance she's eating the pellets that she spilled on the ground but there's no way to tell, I just know the bowl hasn't been touched.

What should I do? Should I just leave it alone? Is it OK that all she's eating is small amounts of hay?

Anyone have anymore thoughts on moving them closer?

Thank you so much Talishan, your expertise and advice is very much appreciated! Thanks for taking the time.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Jun 07, 2011 6:11 pm


Poor little girl! I'm so glad she found her way into your hands!

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