Squeak's medical thread
- karalianne
- Supporter in '12
I will mention Bubble in this thread, but this thread is not actually about Bubble. However, since he is Squeak's brother and they have always lived together, he will obviously come up from time to time. If I find that Bubble has something health-wise that needs attention, I will start a thread just for him.
When Batman and Squeak had their tussle on Tuesday, Batman wasn't the only one who got hurt - he's just the one who got hurt the worst. Mostly Squeak just lost some fur. I've examined him very carefully and can find absolutely no sign of anything but some bald spots where he had hair pulled out and a small dry, concave scab on his back.
The largest of Squeak's bald spots by JannaLou, on Flickr.
Squeak's back by JannaLou, on Flickr.
I am planning to take him to the vet early this week. I would have done it this morning (Saturday) but we had a winter weather warning and apparently it has been blowing snow all day in town. I trust my own driving in weather like this, but I don't trust anyone else. People are stupid and I'd rather not risk my pigs' lives or my own.
Neither of the brothers has been to the vet as yet. The worst I see besides Squeak's wounds is dandruff on both boys and this weird thing with Squeak's eye that I discovered on Sunday:
Squeak's left eye again by JannaLou, on Flickr.
That spot at the top of his eye (the cornea, no skin is involved here) was kind of red on Sunday but now it's more of a dark grey. I looked at eye injury photos here on GL, and it looks like the post-surgery images people have shared. The thing is, I'm reasonably certain that he's never had surgery on his eye (that seems like something his previous owner would have told me; she was so pleased that the brothers had recently had baths and whatnot even though their toenails had obviously not been trimmed in at least six months).
These two chatter their teeth at each other a fair amount and I see a lot of challenging going on (including yawning at each other) when they're not in their cage, so I don't want to put both of them in the cat box to take them to the vet. The last thing I need is more injuries from being in close quarters for a day. (They are fine together in their cage, even when it was way too small they got along just fine in there and I only saw dominance displays when they were having time out of it, regardless of whether it was fun time or intro to Batman time.)
Okay, back to Squeak's health stuff. Overall, he is bright and active. He eats really well and poops plenty. Like I said, he has some dandruff, but I don't see him scratching at all. He tries to groom, but of course being a Peruvian (I think; I'll have to see just how the hair on his head grows out since it was really short when I got him) grooming is difficult. I obviously need an appropriate brush to help him out with that (trimming is one thing, but in between trims he could use some assistance I think) so I will see what I can find tomorrow or Monday. (Brush type suggestions would be greatly appreciated.)
The one thing I wonder about is how sensitive he seems to be. When I try to pet him, even well away from the bald/injured places, he squeaks a lot and tried to get away. Are Peruvians often sensitive like this, or could this be a sign of something else?
The thing with his left eye is concerning, but there doesn't seem to be any discharge and it doesn't look like it's bothering him. I do wonder if he can see anything out of that eye, though, as he didn't react at all to the camera or the flash when I was taking the photos on that side, and when I moved it around to his right side he tried to eat the camera - it was like he didn't know it was there until I moved it to the right side of his head.
Regardless, he's going to the vet this week - probably on Tuesday as it will mean I get to leave for lunch (otherwise I don't eat all day). I kind of expect that he'll get to go on antibiotics as well, but other than that I don't know if there's anything to be done except wait for him to heal.
When Batman and Squeak had their tussle on Tuesday, Batman wasn't the only one who got hurt - he's just the one who got hurt the worst. Mostly Squeak just lost some fur. I've examined him very carefully and can find absolutely no sign of anything but some bald spots where he had hair pulled out and a small dry, concave scab on his back.
The largest of Squeak's bald spots by JannaLou, on Flickr.
Squeak's back by JannaLou, on Flickr.
I am planning to take him to the vet early this week. I would have done it this morning (Saturday) but we had a winter weather warning and apparently it has been blowing snow all day in town. I trust my own driving in weather like this, but I don't trust anyone else. People are stupid and I'd rather not risk my pigs' lives or my own.
Neither of the brothers has been to the vet as yet. The worst I see besides Squeak's wounds is dandruff on both boys and this weird thing with Squeak's eye that I discovered on Sunday:
Squeak's left eye again by JannaLou, on Flickr.
That spot at the top of his eye (the cornea, no skin is involved here) was kind of red on Sunday but now it's more of a dark grey. I looked at eye injury photos here on GL, and it looks like the post-surgery images people have shared. The thing is, I'm reasonably certain that he's never had surgery on his eye (that seems like something his previous owner would have told me; she was so pleased that the brothers had recently had baths and whatnot even though their toenails had obviously not been trimmed in at least six months).
These two chatter their teeth at each other a fair amount and I see a lot of challenging going on (including yawning at each other) when they're not in their cage, so I don't want to put both of them in the cat box to take them to the vet. The last thing I need is more injuries from being in close quarters for a day. (They are fine together in their cage, even when it was way too small they got along just fine in there and I only saw dominance displays when they were having time out of it, regardless of whether it was fun time or intro to Batman time.)
Okay, back to Squeak's health stuff. Overall, he is bright and active. He eats really well and poops plenty. Like I said, he has some dandruff, but I don't see him scratching at all. He tries to groom, but of course being a Peruvian (I think; I'll have to see just how the hair on his head grows out since it was really short when I got him) grooming is difficult. I obviously need an appropriate brush to help him out with that (trimming is one thing, but in between trims he could use some assistance I think) so I will see what I can find tomorrow or Monday. (Brush type suggestions would be greatly appreciated.)
The one thing I wonder about is how sensitive he seems to be. When I try to pet him, even well away from the bald/injured places, he squeaks a lot and tried to get away. Are Peruvians often sensitive like this, or could this be a sign of something else?
The thing with his left eye is concerning, but there doesn't seem to be any discharge and it doesn't look like it's bothering him. I do wonder if he can see anything out of that eye, though, as he didn't react at all to the camera or the flash when I was taking the photos on that side, and when I moved it around to his right side he tried to eat the camera - it was like he didn't know it was there until I moved it to the right side of his head.
Regardless, he's going to the vet this week - probably on Tuesday as it will mean I get to leave for lunch (otherwise I don't eat all day). I kind of expect that he'll get to go on antibiotics as well, but other than that I don't know if there's anything to be done except wait for him to heal.
- karalianne
- Supporter in '12
Squeak does not like Vet. She touches him. :)
He has been proclaimed incredibly cute, so I guess he's probably tied with his (nearly twin) brother for second place in the contest for the coveted title of Cutest Guinea Pig in the World (which Batman was awarded last fall by this same vet).
He is healthy, his wounds are healing nicely, and she couldn't see anything in his eye at all. I'm going to keep watching it but try not to worry.
She said that the dandruff and sensitivity are probably because he had a poor diet in his former home and that it will likely get better over time. She thought doing a once-a-month bath and brushing daily would probably also help matters. I picked up a soft cat brush (don't want to hurt him; it would be nice if he would start to look forward to being brushed) and will start that shortly.
Any recommendations for piggy shampoo? (I'll go post in the Cavy Chat forum as well.)
Oh, and he weighed in at 1440g at the vet's.
He has been proclaimed incredibly cute, so I guess he's probably tied with his (nearly twin) brother for second place in the contest for the coveted title of Cutest Guinea Pig in the World (which Batman was awarded last fall by this same vet).
He is healthy, his wounds are healing nicely, and she couldn't see anything in his eye at all. I'm going to keep watching it but try not to worry.
She said that the dandruff and sensitivity are probably because he had a poor diet in his former home and that it will likely get better over time. She thought doing a once-a-month bath and brushing daily would probably also help matters. I picked up a soft cat brush (don't want to hurt him; it would be nice if he would start to look forward to being brushed) and will start that shortly.
Any recommendations for piggy shampoo? (I'll go post in the Cavy Chat forum as well.)
Oh, and he weighed in at 1440g at the vet's.
- karalianne
- Supporter in '12
Squeak has a lot of bald spots. I can't figure out if Bubble is pulling his hair out or not, as there is no sign that they're fighting and I can't see any hair in the cage (including on Batman's side). Bubble is not missing any hair at all, but he is still really sensitive about having his hair touched on his back end. Squeak's only sensitive if I'm trying to lift hair near a bald spot so I can get a look at it. The skin looks healthy.
Should I treat for mites? (Note that Batman is not missing any hair whatsoever, but of course I would treat all three boys since they live in such close proximity. Note also that they are in a completely different part of the house from the rescue pigs, but I will treat them as well if you guys think all five should be treated if one is being treated.)
I can apparently get Noromectin from Peavey Mart. Here's the page from the catalog: http://www.peaveymart.com/superpeaveywp ... age-18.jpg
Is that going to be okay, or do I need a different type?
Edit: I found the product information (http://www.drugs.com/vet/noromectin-pour-on-can.html) and it says it's only for use on cattle. So, definitely won't buy that! Should I just order online? Where do other Canadians get their ivermectin?
Speaking of Peavey Mart, they carry other veterinarian supplies. Which of the items on the page linked above should I get? How about the things on this page: http://www.peaveymart.com/superpeaveywp ... age-19.jpg
They also carry a bunch of different types of needle-less syringe. They start at 3 cc and move up through 6, 12, 20, 35, and 60. The syringe I use for hand-feeding is 35 mL and I figure I'll have to replace it eventually. I know a bunch of the 3 cc ones would be a good idea; what about the intermediate sizes?
(Sorry for putting all this vet supply stuff in the middle of Squeak's medical thread, but I figure it's pertinent, at least!
Should I treat for mites? (Note that Batman is not missing any hair whatsoever, but of course I would treat all three boys since they live in such close proximity. Note also that they are in a completely different part of the house from the rescue pigs, but I will treat them as well if you guys think all five should be treated if one is being treated.)
I can apparently get Noromectin from Peavey Mart. Here's the page from the catalog: http://www.peaveymart.com/superpeaveywp ... age-18.jpg
Is that going to be okay, or do I need a different type?
Edit: I found the product information (http://www.drugs.com/vet/noromectin-pour-on-can.html) and it says it's only for use on cattle. So, definitely won't buy that! Should I just order online? Where do other Canadians get their ivermectin?
Speaking of Peavey Mart, they carry other veterinarian supplies. Which of the items on the page linked above should I get? How about the things on this page: http://www.peaveymart.com/superpeaveywp ... age-19.jpg
They also carry a bunch of different types of needle-less syringe. They start at 3 cc and move up through 6, 12, 20, 35, and 60. The syringe I use for hand-feeding is 35 mL and I figure I'll have to replace it eventually. I know a bunch of the 3 cc ones would be a good idea; what about the intermediate sizes?
(Sorry for putting all this vet supply stuff in the middle of Squeak's medical thread, but I figure it's pertinent, at least!
- Sef
- I dissent.
Yeah, Noromectin is just a brand name for 1% Ivermectin. If it's just plain Ivermectin, which this is, you're okay. And yes -- it'll say that it's for cattle or horses. Most Ivermectin is labeled that way; use w/ guinea pigs is strictly off-label. ;)
Might be worth looking for lice, too, since that can cause hairloss as well (but can be treated the same way -- with topical Ivermectin; I've had the best success with the pour-on stuff). Can you see anything very tiny on any of the hair shafts?
Might be worth looking for lice, too, since that can cause hairloss as well (but can be treated the same way -- with topical Ivermectin; I've had the best success with the pour-on stuff). Can you see anything very tiny on any of the hair shafts?
- karalianne
- Supporter in '12
I haven't seen anything on them. They had a bit of dandruff when I brought them home, but that seems to have cleared up with a good diet and plenty of room to run around in.
I'll pick up the Noromectin shortly. (Possibly today, as I'll have time between my writing meet and babysitting.)
Should I treat all five, or just the three boys?
I'll pick up the Noromectin shortly. (Possibly today, as I'll have time between my writing meet and babysitting.)
Should I treat all five, or just the three boys?
- karalianne
- Supporter in '12
I will be in town tomorrow to do a community access shift (I hang out once a week with a young woman who has severe OCD and a developmental disability) so I will take the opportunity to go to Peavey Mart to get the Noromectin and a bunch of syringes (my 3cc one finally bit the dust - the rubber bit on the end of the plunger decided to come off inside the syringe and I really don't think it's worth the effort to figure out how to extract it).
But now I'm feeling awful because this morning was weigh-in day, and both Bubble and Squeak have lost weight AND appear to have Cheilitis! I've looked at the page about it and the picture of the black piggy's mouth is very similar to the brothers' mouths. I tried to get photos, but it's really difficult with my Kodak point-and-shoot because of course they're black, so no flash means no detail, and flash means either overexposure or too much shine from their fur. They also hate me holding them for photos of their mouths.
They're both nearly 2 oz down from their mean weight (I use mean since sometimes a highest weight is an anomaly and just going by the last weight doesn't always show what you need to know), and when I put them back in their cage on Wednesday after floor time and cage cleaning, they spent about half an hour chasing each other around the cage being aggressive. That's the only change in behaviour; they've got back to normal now, even.
Squeak's chin by JannaLou, on Flickr
Bubble's mouth by JannaLou, on Flickr
They both have had this before, but it went away on its own and I actually thought they'd got food stuck on their lips or something.
Am I correct in thinking that I'd better take them to the vet to get this checked out and treated?
Batman shows no signs of this at all, even though he's basically in close quarters and was in actual contact with them both for a long time on Wednesday. Is this another one of those things that you treat everyone for, just in case?
Gah, if it's not one thing, it's another.
But now I'm feeling awful because this morning was weigh-in day, and both Bubble and Squeak have lost weight AND appear to have Cheilitis! I've looked at the page about it and the picture of the black piggy's mouth is very similar to the brothers' mouths. I tried to get photos, but it's really difficult with my Kodak point-and-shoot because of course they're black, so no flash means no detail, and flash means either overexposure or too much shine from their fur. They also hate me holding them for photos of their mouths.
They're both nearly 2 oz down from their mean weight (I use mean since sometimes a highest weight is an anomaly and just going by the last weight doesn't always show what you need to know), and when I put them back in their cage on Wednesday after floor time and cage cleaning, they spent about half an hour chasing each other around the cage being aggressive. That's the only change in behaviour; they've got back to normal now, even.
Squeak's chin by JannaLou, on Flickr
Bubble's mouth by JannaLou, on Flickr
They both have had this before, but it went away on its own and I actually thought they'd got food stuck on their lips or something.
Am I correct in thinking that I'd better take them to the vet to get this checked out and treated?
Batman shows no signs of this at all, even though he's basically in close quarters and was in actual contact with them both for a long time on Wednesday. Is this another one of those things that you treat everyone for, just in case?
Gah, if it's not one thing, it's another.
- karalianne
- Supporter in '12
The boys have been given a (mostly) clean bill of health. I am to apply Monistat to the site twice a day for two weeks and see how it goes. If things don't improve, we will move to an oral medication. I know I need to be careful with the Monistat especially since this is on their lips. Does anyone have any application tips?