Odd Little Cannoli - a Medical Thread

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PooksiedAnimals
Supporting my GL Habit

Post   » Tue Jun 09, 2015 2:07 pm


I've had Cannoli for a couple of years, and have managed to put off starting a medical thread. Noli is part teddy - she has mostly the kinky fur (with a small patch of straight hair near her butt). She'll be 3 years old in October. I suspect she's saving up heart trouble for a future post and heartache, but for today she has flakiness issues.

She had the typical dry skin and flakiness on her back in the winter. That cleared up by itself. But just Friday I noticed the inside of one ear was extremely dry and flaky. The whole inside flap, and just a tiny bit of the outside near the bottom. Rest of her looks good. I threw a little mineral oil on it, because I discovered it literally 5 minutes before I had to leave for the weekend. Oy! Why do pigs do that?!?! But when I got back home yesterday, it was as flaky as it was before.

So - ringworm? it's got that crusty look to it. I can get a photo if that would help. Being a teddy, it might just be bad skin? She's completely clean otherwise, as is her roommate. Should I put a little monistat on it, just to be safe? Or just treat it with aloe for a few days? What's your opinion? Thanks.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Tue Jun 09, 2015 2:14 pm


Monistat probably won't hurt. If it's not caused by a fungus, it also won't help, although the cream in it could soothe things.

Cold pressed virgin coconut oil has both antifungal and antibacterial properties. You could also try that.

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PooksiedAnimals
Supporting my GL Habit

Post   » Tue Jun 09, 2015 3:13 pm


Ooh. I have coconut oil. I would rather try that first. Thanks.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Tue Jun 09, 2015 10:28 pm


Ditto.

I would not assume ringworm just yet; that's not the most common way it initially manifests. I'd assume dry skin, a commoner (and less problematic) fungus, and/or plain old teddy skin weirdness to start. I think your plan is a good one.

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PooksiedAnimals
Supporting my GL Habit

Post   » Mon Aug 10, 2015 7:46 pm


The coconut oil did the trick for the flaky ear. Thanks for the tip.

Bigger issues now - she's losing weight. She had been a bit overweight since Pinniped was sick late last year. So I wasn't too worried about the first bit of weight loss. In June I started to worry - she had lost over 100g. We went to the vet, and got a clean bill of health (other than a slightly elevated temp, which was blamed on stress). Clean lungs, good teeth. She had been around 1010g at the time. I was told to come back if she dropped another 50g or more.

Cannoli acts fine. I've seen enough sick pigs, but she's not showing any of it. She's happy, and active. She eats with gusto, and digs right in when food appears. She gets along fine with Boadicea. She occasionally has sticky poo. She occasionally wheezes. She rarely lays down when playing (but not in the exhausted way I've seen with heart pigs).

Cannoli had stabilized for a while, but then began to lose again late in July. We brought her in again. Vet checked for ovarian cysts. Nothing showed up on the ultrasound. She did a cheek swab and fecal test for a series of illnesses, and it all came back clean. Teeth look good (and she's not struggling to eat!). We're trying to think of what to check next.

I am feeding Cannoli some critical care any time she drops below 900g. I'm wondering thyroid? What else could it be?

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Delaine
Supporter in '14

Post   » Mon Aug 10, 2015 8:01 pm


Did the vet do an urinalysis or X-ray for stones? You didn't mention any pain when passing urine or feces so I am sure you have already thought about that possibility. I don't have as much experience as you do so I always think about the illnesses I have experienced. One of those was stones and it did cause weight loss with my Zoe.

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PooksiedAnimals
Supporting my GL Habit

Post   » Mon Aug 10, 2015 9:42 pm


No sign of URI or stones: no smelly urine, no blood, no problem peeing.

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LS in AK
Upside-down & Backwards

Post   » Tue Aug 11, 2015 5:14 am


No ideas to add, but wanted to say that I had a 5 yo sow do the gradual weight loss thing over a 6-7 month period before she passed away. Took her to the vet for any and every diagnostic we could think of, and never found anything wrong. Except for the weight loss, she was pretty happy - behavior more or less normal - up until the end.

Of course, if there truly is a problem, I hope you can find and fix it.

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PooksiedAnimals
Supporting my GL Habit

Post   » Tue Aug 11, 2015 9:04 am


I've had older pigs do that. God, Cannoli's not even 3 years old yet. She's too damn young to be pulling this stunt.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Wed Aug 12, 2015 1:11 am


My best guess is also thyroid.

Ask the vet to gently palpate the neck, throat, and jaw area. There is a blood test (T4), but it's a special order (not part of the standard small mammal panel), and blood is so awfully hard to get from these guys. See if the vet can discern any nodule, small lump or mass first IMO.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Aug 12, 2015 7:19 am


Read this about Figlet and hyperthyroidism:
https://www.guinealynx.info/records/viewtopic.php?t=151

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JaneDoe

Post   » Wed Aug 12, 2015 3:16 pm


That's what Pepsi's problem was. Unfortunately, it wasn't diagnosed until necropsy.

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