Request for ARTHRITIS treatment protocols

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Helsu

Post   » Tue Sep 29, 2015 1:22 pm


NSAID might reduce inflammation and swelling in the affected joints. I gave my GP Meloxicam (same thing as Metacam) for four days even though he wasn't showing any problems moving. Thought it might still be helpful. But how long should you continue... Difficult to say. Your vet did not give any advice? Have you considered giving him joint supplements, those I mentioned above?

After yesterdays laser treatment I saw Mikko strech again :) Hasn't done that in a while.

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GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Sat Oct 10, 2015 10:54 pm


Fuzzbutt - Teddy; Age:1 yr, 10 mo.; Female, unaltered

Absolutely no signs, never suspected arthritis, since she's not even 2 years old yet (Dec). Hindsight being (usually) 20/20, probably should have, since she's so quiet - no zoomies or popcorns in a long time - months. I just thought she was bored, being with Peek (previous post on this thread), who is much older. Weight has been stable, averaging 1300 for most of the year.

Vet took X-rays to find out why Fuzz felt so gassy the 2 times she'd been examined (2 weeks apart; original worry was teeth, so vet also took radiographs.) As soon as I get my copies, I'll be posting them, at the least in her medical thread, for anyone who wants to look and express an opinion. This IS a new vet for us, but she seems to know what she's doing. While checking the X-rays, vet found arthritic changes in quite a few joints over her entire body. If you think I should consult another vet for a second opinion, please say so!

Fuzz is to receive .78cc Metacam 0.5 mg 15ml daily

Too soon to tell results.

Other medical issues: Fuzz is being treated for lice (trmt #5 today, 1 more to go); she had ear mites in August; from yesterday's x-rays, the vet also saw Fuzz's secum was full. She has stopped eating hard or crunchy food, or at least gives up quickly after dropping chunks of carrot and lettuce "stems". No longer eats Parsley, which she used to love. Soft and/or smelly poops several times a month. Vet said her teeth look good, normal wear all over.

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ph08fhf

Post   » Tue Oct 20, 2015 10:15 pm


1 - breed, age and sex of pig

Emily is a female teddy (i *think* she is a teddy) pig, now 6 and 1/2 years old.

2 - brief description of signs leading you to suspect arthritis

I adopted Emily 2 and 1/2 years ago when she was 4. Her and her sister Rosie were school pets being fed rabbit food before they were rescued. They were both extremely small for their age (around 1lb 6) and had visible deformities to the front and hind feet. Rosie passed away approx. 1 month after being adopted, shortly before she died she began to lose the use of her back legs. Her death is still something of a mystery to me.

Emily had pain on defecation when we adopted her. Evidence of this was vocalising when defecating. I observed urination - no pain was observed (and hasn't been since) on urination, and no sludge seen in the urine. No blood in the stool. Occasional mucous-y stool but not often.

Both pigs saw the vet the day after adoption.

3 - diagnostics done and the results

Both pigs had a normal wellness exam (palpation,front teeth checked, ears, heart rhythm etc)

4 - treatment, med and dosage

Vic c supplements and extra vit c veggies were recommended and Emily was prescribed mineral oil orally for the pain on defecation.

5 - results of treatment

No change was seen in Emily from the mineral oil.

3. Redux

We have been back to the vet approx. once every 4 months since then. During that time she has 2 x rays and (just last week) one ct scan. The original x ray lead to the diagnosis of arthritis with posturing to defecate causing the pain. Ever since then she has been on Metacam 0.25ml once a day and Tramadol 0.2 ml twice a day. The second x ray was just to check the progression of the arthritis which was not concerning. Recently (last week) i brought her back in because of increased pain. The CT scan was performed and progression of arthritis confirmed. My vets thought the best course of action would be to increase tramadol to make her more comfortable. My current attack is to give tramadol 0.2 morning and evening as usual plus 0.15 in the afternoon if she is feeling sore.

Emily's weight now sits between 1 lb 8 and 1 lb 9 and is fairly steady.

6 - other med issues

The tramadol does make her sleepy, but I guess its a pay off. I'd rather have her without pain and sleepy, than with pain and less sleepy. I am vigilantly monitoring her weight to make sure the sleepyness is not causing her to lose out on food.

One odd symptom is that when defecation is particularly painful, I often observe her poops coming out fully formed but stuck together. I have watched closely and they are definitely stuck together before being passed (as opposed to being trodden together after being passed).

I have vet discharge records and can post if useful, I can also post pictures f the foot deformities if those would be useful.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Oct 20, 2015 11:04 pm


I recommend adding a link to your board thread and putting any additional info there.

Helsu

Post   » Fri Dec 11, 2015 10:21 am


Just to be curious, how much did the CT cost and where in the globe was it made? Here in Finland the CT costs so much that don't think anyone with a guinea pig has had it done.

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ph08fhf

Post   » Tue Jan 19, 2016 2:24 pm


I think the CT was around $300, similar to an ultrasound if i remember correctly.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Wed Jan 20, 2016 12:01 pm


Not many places have the equipment to do it on an animal as small as a guinea pig. The equipment cost is the big factor. Was this a veterinary teaching hospital (university vet school)?

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ph08fhf

Post   » Wed Jan 20, 2016 10:15 pm


You are on the money, Talishan. It's Cornell Animal Hospital I go to, and I am thankful every day to have ended up so close to this wonderful institution with all this resources.

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ph08fhf

Post   » Tue Feb 16, 2016 9:13 am


1 - breed, age and sex of pig

Lucy, an english smooth, 6 year old female pig.

2 - brief description of signs leading you to suspect arthritis

Sitting in a hunched position, puffed out coat, not moving as much, weight loss.

3 - diagnostics done and the results

I was concerned that it was something to do with her tumours (see below). The vet manipulated her hind legs and massaged the lumbar spine and found she was in a lot of pain. They took blood for a separate purpose (to check electrolyte levels because she is on hydrochlorothiaside for calcium in the bladder) and found the levels to be within normal levels.

4 - treatment, med and dosage

Metacam dosage was increased from 0.3 x1 a day, to 0.6 x1 a day.
PT was recommended on the hind legs and lumbar spine

5 - results of treatment

I've noticed a different in Lucy; she is 'lying down' (relaxing) more, spends less time hunched and puffed and seems brighter.

6 - other med issues

Lucy has a number of masses (a tumour on the liver, a tumour on the spleen and a mass on the ovaries).
She has some alopecia after a bout of mites in the household.
She has had recurrent bouts of UTI
She has problems with calcium deposits in the urine.

jayjay_luv101

Post   » Mon Jun 18, 2018 11:59 pm


Storm is a year old American Short hair and she is female. Last month I noticed she was hopping and not using her back legs. She was also hiding a lot a laying down more often. We took her to the emergency vet because we were getting worried and it was worsening. The vet did x rays and blood work. We found out she has degenerative bone disease and it affects her knees and ankles in the back legs. It causes arthritis in her legs. We got a second opinion because the first vet made it seem like I would have to put her down soon. The second vet was amazing and gave us a bunch of different treatment options. Currently Storm is on Metacam twice a day .2 in the morning and .2 at night. We're gradually reducing the amount to find a middle ground with her. She also takes a vitamin/mineral supplement like Sherwood's joint and immune support tabs or like Oxbows. It has the same vitamins and mineral as the tabs but in liquid form. She gets .35 of that once a day. Plus we do physical therapy on her feet. Which is just holding her and moving the feet up and down to stretch them. So far she is doing amazing and is moving around more in the cage, eating more and is overall more active. She has a new cage mate who keeps her going.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Jun 19, 2018 7:45 am


Glad to hear she is doing well. If you could provide the exact name of the liquid vitamin and mineral supplement, that would be great.

cattherabbit

Post   » Tue Jan 08, 2019 8:18 am


1 - breed, age and sex of pig

Wilbur, MN 5+ (adopted as an adult June 2014) American GP

2 - brief description of signs leading you to suspect arthritis

Weight loss, increased respiratory rate/effort, fluffed coat; usually flops on his side to sleep, but started sleeping hunched up sternal

3 - diagnostics done and the results

Initially worried about a recurring URI/heart issue (see his thread). Rads showed busy lungs +/- pulmonary nodule (most likely his soft tissue mass on his shoulder), degenerative disease of his left knee, bloat starting. Lungs clear on auscultation, no murmur. Bloodwork unremarkable.

4 - treatment, med and dosage

Metacam 1.5 mg/mL, 0.13 mL every 24 hours, cisapride 1 mg/mL, 0.5 mL every 12 hours (just dropped to 0.4 mL every 12 hours last week), Oxbow Joint tabs

5 - results of treatment

Gained 50 grams; ideally, I'd like him up 50-100 grams more. More active- less using his Pigloo as a "turtle shell", talking more

6 - other med issues

URI in October 2017- rechecking X-rays and doing an abbreviated chest ultrasound this week to see if lung changes still present
Pea sized mass on right shoulder, subcutaneous soft tissue mass on sternum
Mites prior to adoption

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