Worst Guinea Pig carer in the world or the unluckiest?

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rjespicer

Post   » Fri Sep 07, 2018 11:58 pm


Nala is currently on
0.15ml Lasix (10mg/ml) twice a day which works out around 2mg/Kg
0.23ml Chlora-P (100mg/ml) twice a day which works out to around 30mg/Kg

Both doses are lower than that the calculator and info on this site suggest. Lasix would be 0.38ml to 0.76ml and CP would be 0.38ml but perhaps she is giving lower doses to take it easy on her? Unless the calculator is giving the total daily dose not the the 12 hour dose?

Anyway she seems a little more active again today. Was out waiting when I went to the fridge like she used to do but didn't seem interested in much of the veggies I put out. We are currently out of wheatgrass which is a shame but so far today she has had 50ml of critical care (about 1.25 tablespoons) and I still have one more feed to go. She has been a bit better about taking the Critical Care which is a relief. The daughter seems to have the knack and as I said she got 20ml in to Nala at lunch time and I managed to get another 20ml in to her when i got home from work, which is on top of the 10ml she had before I went to work.

She was down 7g today at 757 but she was fed earlier than usual this afternoon by about 4 hours and has been around 752 to 772 since Sunday. Her breathing seems slightly better as well.

Still being cautiously hopeful

rjespicer

Post   » Mon Sep 10, 2018 5:47 pm


Nala had 13.5 of the 5ml syringes (67.5 ml or 1.5 Table Spoons of Powder) in total on Saturday and weighed 778g at 6:30pm

She had 12.5 of the 5ml Syringes (62.5 ml or 1.5 Tablespoons of powder) in total on Sunday and weighed 788g at 6:30pm

The ml amount is slightly different each time as we occasionally have to add more water to thin it out a bit

I weigh her just before she has her medication since I am having to pick her up anyway.

So just to sumarise
Thursday - 1 tablespoon of CC Powder, Weight 765g
Friday - 1.5 tablespoons of CC Powder, Weight 757g
Saturday - 1.5 tablespoons of CC Powder, Weight 778g
Sunday - 1.5 tablespoons of CC Powder, Weight 788g

I can still see her chest moving when she breathes but I think it is slightly better, as I said it is hard to tell. She is still coughing occasionally as well.

She is eating hay and has been out eating Pellets from the bowl on her own and some veggies. She was more interested in Critical care this morning and required a little less coaxing to latch on to the syringe and had about 20ml (Half a table spoon of powder). I am hoping that this is an indication that her appetite is returning. We are aiming to get her to take 1.5 tablespoons again during the day today.

She still sleeps a lot but seems slightly more active out in the pen and has come out for a little bit of a run during floor time but not as she used to. Again it is hard to tell how much of an improvement there is from day to day, but at least she doesn't appear to be getting worse.

She still seems stable at least and the weight increase is reassuring.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Sep 10, 2018 9:52 pm


Sounds like you are making progress putting a little weight on her. Many drugs have ranges of use. Baytril and Lasix are two I can think of. Lasix especially is adjusted to what is seems to work best.

rjespicer

Post   » Tue Sep 11, 2018 12:02 pm


Her weight had dropped a little last night to 781g but the daughter had only managed to get 3.5 syringes in to her yesterday afternoon but had also added a bunch of water to the mix that thinned it out quite a bit.

Rather than leaving me with 5-6 syringes to feed her when I got home from work it took 8.5. Thankfully Nala is more cooperative about taking critical care now, I am hoping that is her appetite returning, and guzzled it down. I did 7 when I first got home and the last 1.5 a couple of hours later as I thought trying to give her 8.5 in one go might be a bit much for her although she seemed happy to keep eating, but that is another 1.5 tablespoons of mix in one day.

When I finished feeding her she curled up in my arms for a nap.

I really hope she gets well and we get to a point where we dont have any more illnesses or infections. I am spending 2 hours in the morning before heading for work at 7.30am medicating, syringe feeding, cleaning and sorting out veggies and fresh hay then when I get home at 6.30pm it is another two hours of the same giving me about an hour to eat and do anything else I need to do before heading for bed so I can get some sleep to get up at 5:30am to do it all again.

The daughter helps during the day which is a huge relief but she is not always as reliable as I would hope as she is trying to fit in helping with her college schedule. If she wasn't helping I would probably be a nervous wreck by now or in hospital with a heart attack.

Just need a period of big, strong, happy, healthy piggies.

rjespicer

Post   » Tue Sep 11, 2018 7:13 pm


Just got a call from the vet who said that the small improvements are good but not necessarily an indication that the meds are working or treating the root cause.
She suggested an ultrasound at $700, we have already paid thousands in vet bills in the last 5 months, and the wife doesn't want the vet prodding and poking Nala anymore. Even with the ultrasound the vet says there is no guarantee that it will tell us what the issue is or even if it does tell us what the problem is it may not be treatable.
They are getting a specialist to look at the X-rays later this week to see if they have any suggestions.
I am hoping and praying that Nala makes some more significant improvement in the meantime.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Sep 11, 2018 9:10 pm


I hope so too. I know this is taking a toll on you also.

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GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Wed Sep 12, 2018 10:36 am


I'm thinking of you all. I haven't faced the terrible choice of $$-vs-treatment-vs-no treatment yet. I hope you don't either. Hugs and warm wishes.

rjespicer

Post   » Wed Sep 12, 2018 1:47 pm


She is still relatively active, yes she does sleep a bit but so do the others, she still comes out to eat pellets, hay and veggies and has been wheeking and even jumping but I can still see her chest move and head bob when she breathes, but I honestly dont think it is as bad as before.
She gobbles down the Critical care when I feed her and is still very full of life in that she isn't just sitting under the blanket all day and not eating anything on her own like Mu Mu was shortly before we lost her. From the point that we spotted the breathing issues with Mu Mu to when we lost her was only a couple of days. Nala is still soldiering on after more than a week and is more active and eating on her own which Mu Mu wasn't. Mu Mu also would not take any critical at all without a huge struggle.We are consistently getting 1.5 tablespoons of CC powder in to Nala each day though.

The daughter is helping with feeding in the afternoon which is a huge help but she is not always feeding her at the same time which means the time between weighing and feeding is not always consistent.
She was still syringe feeding her when I got home from work yesterday so had only just been fed when I weighed her at teh usual time , 803g, however I weighed her about an hour and a half later and she was 789g and had another rougly half a tablespoon after that and when I weighed her this morning on an empty stomach, before feeding, she was 781g so still stable or possibly even gaining a little. I may continue to weigh her quickly before each morning feed as a more consistent gauge of progress. She is still pooping up a storm.

If it wasn't for the visible chest movement and head bobbing when breathing (which the vet didn't seem to spot when she was in overnight for observation, until I mentioned it) and occasional coughing (usually shortly after taking meds) and the maybe 30-40% drop in activity she doesn't look like a sick piggy when she is out and about in the pen (the vet even said that her physical appearance didn't seem to tie in with what the X-Rays were showing) so I am still hoping the meds are working and she will make a good recovery.

Many thanks for the support and advice, it is greatly appreciated.

rjespicer

Post   » Wed Sep 12, 2018 6:06 pm


I am really starting to worry about the long term survival of 3 all of them even the apparently healthy ones, Siouxsie and Chunkita.

Having to Keep dealing with health issues has to be taking a toll on them and it is certainly taking a toll on me physically, mentally and financially.
I wish the wife had spoken to me first before getting them as I would have talked her out of it.
However something about our environment is not conducive to their health and while I am trying to make sure we minimize the risks factors I am having a hard time getting the wife to take precautions like diet, hygiene, oil burners/incense etc seriously and is more and more reluctant about taking them to the vet if they do seem ill. She has suggested I take a break but I know that if I do, stuff wont get done or don right and the Guinea pigs will suffer as a result. I just cant see them as disposable, they are little lives that rely on us, but equally it is getting harder to cope with the time and financial burden if we are going to do everything we can for them.

I am going to be away for just over a week in two weeks, the wife is going to be away for a month again later in October and then we will be away over the holiday Season (and I have no idea what the wife is planning in terms of someone taking care of them then, boarding is not an option due to excessive cost) so I really fear for their continued health and well being.

I feel guilty and ashamed for even being in this position or even thinking this way but maybe we are just not cut out to be guinea pig carers? I doubt the wife would ever agree to give them up and I know I would miss their little faces and personalities but unless we catch a break soon that may be the only option for the sake of the 3 girls long term survival. I am very conscious that Adoption options (if it comes to that) are pretty few and far between and run the risk of euthanasia, especially for sick guinea pigs and I really couldn't (and wouldn't make) face making that choice, it is just not in my nature. I would need to know they were all going to be safe and cared for and that seems like an impossible dream based on my research.

Sorry for whining but needed to get that out in the open, I am not looking for sympathy but maybe a bit of advice and reassurance that it wont always be like this.

I just really need a break and good period of time with healthy happy piggies. There are a number of people I know who seem to pay less care and attention to their Guinea pigs who dont seem to have any issues so I cant understand why we do when we are trying to do everything right.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Sep 12, 2018 7:44 pm


I don't know what to advise you but do understand this is difficult. Getting enough rest ourselves is extremely important.

rjespicer

Post   » Thu Sep 13, 2018 11:54 am


I am trying but it is extremely difficult and the wife seems to have lost all interest in them and her coping mechanism seems to be to just to ignore the fact that they are ill.

I am having extreme difficulty getting her to understand what should be basic stuff like you cant feed multiple pigs from the same syringe and the same bowl of critical care, that you cant have incense and candles or oil burners or other stuff that puts smoke or strong smells in the air, dont leave fruit out in the kitchen as it attracts flies, dont leave fruit or food in the kitchen to go moldy (the Kitchen is open plan with the living and dining room and the Guinea Pigs are in the Dining room next to the kitchen with a serving hatch and doorway but no door connecting them), that we have to keep dust down and keep exterior doors shut to prevent drafts and cant leave the fire on in the living room as it makes it too hot for them.

She decided to get them without talking to me first and now just seems content to let me do the majority of the work because she knows I cant just sit back like she does and trust to fate. The daughter is helping during the day but she hasn't been able to get more than a couple of syringes in to Nala the last few afternoons so i am having to do more feeding than usual when I get home. The wife works on the same block as our apartment and seems unwilling to take time out to go home and take care of them, she is her own boss so it shoudl be relatively easy. I just feel like I have been put in an impossible situation and cant see any way out. Sorry to unload but I just feel a little overwhelmed right now with no one else I can talk to who would understand.

The vet should be getting the specialist to take a look at the x-rays today or tomorrow I really really hope they have good news.

We are still getting 1.5 Table spoons of CC in to Nala and her weight is still fluctuating around the 769 to 780 mark. Can still see her chest and head moving as she breathes. So she just seems to be holding in the current state.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Sep 13, 2018 1:57 pm


Apart from her breathing, describe her general activity level and energy. Describe changes you have seen since before this started.

The vet has confirmed fluid in the lungs? Fluid in the lungs would explain her breathing. I am trying to figure out if the pattern you are seeing is not as bad as it seems.

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