Fuzzbutt's Medical

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Talishan
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Post   » Fri Oct 30, 2015 10:01 pm


Teddies tend toward dry, sensitive skin. Abbys do not -- in my experience, their skin does not have any particular sensitivities.

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Wheekers3

Post   » Mon Nov 02, 2015 7:02 pm


Smell around Fuzz'es chin. My longer haired girl had fungus on hers. It stunk, and if you tried to rub it she would go nuts, and then go to a whole 'nother level of crazy. Poor girl. We're talking tooth gnashing insane.

We used clippers to shorten chin and throat hair. It wasn't drying out enough between her snogglings of water. Lotrimin cleared it up almost instantly. Nizoral would help too.

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GrannyJu1
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Post   » Tue Nov 03, 2015 1:39 am


Thanks, everyone. Undoubtedly good advice! I'll give Fuzz a thorough check over tomorrow. I'll sniff after I bath her. ;o) Kidding. I did happen to notice today that most of the hair is worn off the inside 3 toes on one of her front feet, but I read a post saying that's normal due to cleaning. Today's look was really different, but I didn't have a chance to give her a good look over because she was already freaking out due to having just been forced to down her Metacam. I did it by myself today and since I couldn't feel any on her face or throat afterwards, I must have finally found her mouth, heeheehee.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Wed Nov 04, 2015 7:30 pm


:-)

Metacam has a very strong smell. You can pretty much also sniff her face and mouth. If she didn't get it, you'll be able to smell it. ;-)

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GrannyJu1
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Post   » Fri Nov 13, 2015 12:30 pm


Finally got to the vet up in Olympia. Not exotics, but very, very close.

He checked out the photos I printed up of Fuzz's x-rays/radiographs. He is a little concerned about the solid white spot (in my photo) on the underside of her jaw and would really like to have copies directly from the Longview vet who did them. Have asked via email to have them put on a disk (even offered to pay for it), but I guess I'll have to call them instead, because I've heard nothing. And he was incredulous that she'd have arthritis at less than 2 years of age. He found one leg joint that he'd like to have a closer look at.

Dr. W. didn't have a lot of time and he still had to check out the other 4 pigs, but he stressed several times that instead of annual check, we should consider this a "getting acquainted" session. He did do the usual checks: heart, lungs, palpation, etc., and didn't find anything else to concern him. We'll work on the soft poops in the future, since she's had them since the beginning and they don't seem to seriously affect her. He told me to look for "trends" when something catches my attention. He checked her skin and hair for lice - GONE!

He told me as we were leaving that although we only spent a short time on each of the 5, he would now refill any prescriptions we felt I needed. Also, he only charged me for three pig check-ups instead of five!

He was very interested in the Guinea Lynx website, and I wouldn't be surprised to find he'd joined us. I have the impression that animals are his life. He was pretty surprised when I told him that Pea/Fatty Eye could be ONE symptom of heart disease. In fact, I don't think he believed me until his receptionist googled it and found info connecting the two.

As soon as I can get the copies of those x-rays to him, we'll either talk over the phone, or go back so he can have a more extensive look at her if needed.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Nov 13, 2015 12:45 pm


So glad to hear the lice are gone! I know you tried so hard. And he sounds like a good vet! I hope he's able to get hard copies of the xrays to check over.

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GrannyJu1
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Post   » Fri Nov 13, 2015 1:19 pm


If not, I'll print full size photos and maybe he'll be able to see what concerns him, better. Since they are such large files, I might even crop and then print those full size. He'd really like to be able to load them onto his computer. Apparently the emailing doesn't really cut it. I'll just have to try to light a fire under the staff at AHS.

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GrannyJu1
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Post   » Wed Nov 25, 2015 1:47 pm


Cd with x-rays sent off to Dr W. on Monday. Will probably hear from him next week, if not sooner.

Have discontinued daily Metacam, but will continue giving it to her on an as-needed basis, and just try to figure out exactly what her "in pain" signs are. So far, I can't for the life of me tell. After one week of forcing it down her on a daily basis, Fuzz came out of the fleece forest/hidey to eat or drink only. She must not have been eating much hay either because I so seldom saw her outside wherever she chose to hide. Her poops became soft and smelly again (although that could be because I accidently gave her Peek's bowl with peppers a few days ago). After just the one day (yesterday) of no Metacam, she's bright and cheerful again this morning, even came out for her vitamin C tab (have been hunting her down to give it to her, even though she doesn't eat the whole thing).

At any rate, unless anyone has any other suggestions, Fuzz will only get the Metacam when I suspect she's in pain. She doesn't show the "normal" ones.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Nov 25, 2015 8:44 pm


That is encouraging! I hope she stays bright and cheerful!

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GrannyJu1
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Post   » Fri Jan 01, 2016 12:07 pm



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GrannyJu1
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Post   » Mon Jan 11, 2016 2:44 pm


Finally caught up to Dr. W (part my fault and part his, that it took so long). He checked the x-rays I sent him, but couldn't really see them any better than my photos of the x-rays because they were digital. He said that most times if you don't have the latest software for that particular product, this happens. He sticks with film for that reason.

Anyway, after discussing her x-rays, we talked about her digestive system and how limited her diet has to be. I gotta say this doc does like to talk, and he's absolutely open to new information. Talking about ways to get Vit C into her led us to poop soup, which led him to say that this is something that he's NEVER heard mention at any of the conferences he's been to. When I added that you could take poop from a healthy pig and give soup from made with that to a different pig, he was REALLY shocked. He apparently has at least one other client with pig(s) who is just as interested in our pets' health as I am, and Dr. W says he also learns a lot from him.

I'm going to make an appt to take Fuzz and Peek back next month for film x-rays. I'll also be taking all the info I can find on heart pigs, because I strongly suspect Fuzz is a heart pig, even if I can't see very many symptoms. Of course, if the arthritis is throughout her body, it could explain a lot. Dr. W says that since guinea pigs are so small, by the time arthritic changes can be seen, the pig is already in excruciating pain. Hearing that, and thinking about it, causes ME to hurt for her. Poor little creature.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Jan 11, 2016 8:41 pm


Keep in mind the cecal feces (special stinky poops) are the best. Also, there is info on human intestines being repopulated by bacteria. Sometimes it is put into a capsule so it can get to the intestines and bypasses the digestive juices. There is some belief it helps - other belief (by vets) that the bacteria would be killed in the stomach by digestive action.

The point (as you know) is to try to get good bacteria in the intestines if there is an overgrowth of bad bacteria.

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