Pigjes' Pigs Piggadice part Pee ... oops, Three!
- pigjes
- Cavy Comic
Had Plucky on my chest for lap time. As soon as her small piece of cucumber was finished, she looked at me, pointed her head to my arm, gestured to move it. It took 3 of her attempts to get it. So, I folded my arm, she plonked her head down and took a nap.
Plucky has been on heart meds well over 2 years. At first, as soon as she felt well on them, she ran away at medication time, but figured it out over time that she needed these foul tasting liquids to stay well. She lets herself be grabbed willingly and I never force the syringe in her mouth. I let her take it in her mouth, which takes a few secs.
Sometimes, she fusses a bit and then I say to her “Oh, c’mon, please!”, so she then reluctantly grabs the syringe.
Despite that she is almost deaf, she does hear my phone alarm when it’s time to medicate, as it's close to the cage. She pops her head out of her house to tell me where she is.
Language barriers between pigs and humans are small.
Plucky has been on heart meds well over 2 years. At first, as soon as she felt well on them, she ran away at medication time, but figured it out over time that she needed these foul tasting liquids to stay well. She lets herself be grabbed willingly and I never force the syringe in her mouth. I let her take it in her mouth, which takes a few secs.
Sometimes, she fusses a bit and then I say to her “Oh, c’mon, please!”, so she then reluctantly grabs the syringe.
Despite that she is almost deaf, she does hear my phone alarm when it’s time to medicate, as it's close to the cage. She pops her head out of her house to tell me where she is.
Language barriers between pigs and humans are small.
my chock knows i an blind i think as he never stops talking. specially now we moved. He tells me when its my meds time he has a special wheek for that. He also has a different wheek for when i have missed a pill which is quite sweet really. how he knows the time i dont know but he does.
Definitely an inner biologic clock, which goes haywire when the clock changes for winter/summer time, and you feed them at set times. Suddenly they wheek at the wrong time.
I don't feed at a set time and no meds to administer, but my aunt feeds at a set time and her piggies know it well!
I don't feed at a set time and no meds to administer, but my aunt feeds at a set time and her piggies know it well!
its sweet of him really but i wish he wouldnt start so early. Mind you, thats my falt for getting up so early when i got him as i had my guide dog then and we havent broken the habit ever since even though shes retired now and no longer with me we still get up at six every morning.
- pigjes
- Cavy Comic
Yuyu lost 40 g last week, so I was mildly alerted. 30g is 1 pee, 35g for a big pig like her, as she is really tall, is possible, but the it rose my suspicion.
Hub had Yuyu on his lap Thursday. He noticed that she had 3 small incidents as if something had stuck between her teeth, but as it past, he was not worried and failed to mention it.
When I grabbed Yuyu for lap time last night, she ate her cucumber wayyyy too slow. So, I checked her teeth, looked for tongue entrapment, color gums, breathing sounds that should not be there, necrosis of the ear rims. She has black skin, so minimal necrosis can’t be seen. Her gums are darker too, but I did not like the color of them, they seemed to lack more pink. I weighed her then, she was 100g less in a week. We gave her a fresh batch of green oats, which she loves, she tried to eat one piece, which made grinding sounds which are not usually there, as I held her close to my ear. She could not eat more, she accepted her Oxbow digestive support eagerly, but could not chew it. Those treats are the best indicators for signs of issues, as they all attack them like sharks.
She always had a minimal bobbing motion when she sat still since she was a baby. Given past experiences with 5 previous pigs, I knew that this made her a candidate for heart issues. So, I grabbed her for what I call “the ultimate heart test”: I laid her on my legs on her back. Normally, she would have struggled to get fast on 4 paws again, she just laid there motionless, with scary eyes. Poor girl!
All this exhausted her so much, she did not even run to be picked up as usual. I instantly started her on Prilactone, which I luckily have to treat Plucky’s heart issues. I gave her a large batch of Critical Care, but spread it out over 2 hours, as it exhausted her. She was hungry! Right before we went to bed, she already went to eat green oats and pellets on her own.
This morning, when I entered the living room, I could hear a URI from afar. I listened to her lungs, so in 12 hours, she developed one, as the cracking and clicking sounds could be heard. I also started her on 1/3 of the maximum dosage of Vetmedin for her heart. Next upcoming days, I will weigh her to see if that dosage is coming close to whet she needs. Both meds work reasonably fast, so it should help. I also have a brand of Baytril at home for a URI, just in case.
She’s very happy though today, playful, hungry and seems a lot better already. He URI sounds already are gone from a distance, only to be heard when she’s up to my ear, after 1 dosage, 3 hours later. We can hear a small sneeze every now and then. Will continue the treatments and add Critical Care, mixed with some vitamin C.
Made an appointment at the vet on Wednesday, to get a Baytril derivate. I can’t buy it online anymore, I need some in stock just in case. I will also ask the vet about heart treatment. Plucky is at her max dosage of Vetmedin too, she will need something stronger soon. Pretty sure Yuyu needs something stronger too. Why wait till Wednesday? Well, that way she will be feeling better to be up for the trip. She's an easily scared pig, she needs to feel stronger and better before she goes to the vet. His advice for Plucky, I did not need to rag her along either, when i called him when Plucky's heart issues started.
Glad I did catch it in time, that I am acquainted with healthy pig sounds upfront, and that I have a pigmacy at home. I do not recommend self-medicating pigs, but in my case, there is no option. There is only one decent vet in the entire country who knows about pigs, can’t rely on him being available 24/7.
Hub had Yuyu on his lap Thursday. He noticed that she had 3 small incidents as if something had stuck between her teeth, but as it past, he was not worried and failed to mention it.
When I grabbed Yuyu for lap time last night, she ate her cucumber wayyyy too slow. So, I checked her teeth, looked for tongue entrapment, color gums, breathing sounds that should not be there, necrosis of the ear rims. She has black skin, so minimal necrosis can’t be seen. Her gums are darker too, but I did not like the color of them, they seemed to lack more pink. I weighed her then, she was 100g less in a week. We gave her a fresh batch of green oats, which she loves, she tried to eat one piece, which made grinding sounds which are not usually there, as I held her close to my ear. She could not eat more, she accepted her Oxbow digestive support eagerly, but could not chew it. Those treats are the best indicators for signs of issues, as they all attack them like sharks.
She always had a minimal bobbing motion when she sat still since she was a baby. Given past experiences with 5 previous pigs, I knew that this made her a candidate for heart issues. So, I grabbed her for what I call “the ultimate heart test”: I laid her on my legs on her back. Normally, she would have struggled to get fast on 4 paws again, she just laid there motionless, with scary eyes. Poor girl!
All this exhausted her so much, she did not even run to be picked up as usual. I instantly started her on Prilactone, which I luckily have to treat Plucky’s heart issues. I gave her a large batch of Critical Care, but spread it out over 2 hours, as it exhausted her. She was hungry! Right before we went to bed, she already went to eat green oats and pellets on her own.
This morning, when I entered the living room, I could hear a URI from afar. I listened to her lungs, so in 12 hours, she developed one, as the cracking and clicking sounds could be heard. I also started her on 1/3 of the maximum dosage of Vetmedin for her heart. Next upcoming days, I will weigh her to see if that dosage is coming close to whet she needs. Both meds work reasonably fast, so it should help. I also have a brand of Baytril at home for a URI, just in case.
She’s very happy though today, playful, hungry and seems a lot better already. He URI sounds already are gone from a distance, only to be heard when she’s up to my ear, after 1 dosage, 3 hours later. We can hear a small sneeze every now and then. Will continue the treatments and add Critical Care, mixed with some vitamin C.
Made an appointment at the vet on Wednesday, to get a Baytril derivate. I can’t buy it online anymore, I need some in stock just in case. I will also ask the vet about heart treatment. Plucky is at her max dosage of Vetmedin too, she will need something stronger soon. Pretty sure Yuyu needs something stronger too. Why wait till Wednesday? Well, that way she will be feeling better to be up for the trip. She's an easily scared pig, she needs to feel stronger and better before she goes to the vet. His advice for Plucky, I did not need to rag her along either, when i called him when Plucky's heart issues started.
Glad I did catch it in time, that I am acquainted with healthy pig sounds upfront, and that I have a pigmacy at home. I do not recommend self-medicating pigs, but in my case, there is no option. There is only one decent vet in the entire country who knows about pigs, can’t rely on him being available 24/7.