Angel has an ear infection and a tumor....she need surgery,

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun Feb 17, 2002 9:54 pm


I know what you mean about the basket case business. I kept wondering if I was doing the right thing. It seemed like the right thing at the time (and it turned out fine) but I worried. I think it helps to read as much as you can and be prepared. I don´t think the surgery your pig will undergo is as extensive as an ovariohisterectomy (spay) but you are right -- there are anesthetic risks. I was reading in Harkness and Wagner tonight -- They said, "Two cautions to observe with guinea pigs are the misleading body weights caused by the large cecum and the muscular movements occurring during surgical anesthesia." Vets judge how deeply the anesthesia is working by various reflexes, some of which are not reliable.

Doubltlessly your vet has experience with surgery in guinea pigs. We worry -- usually we don´t have to. I tend to get worked up and then go several days before I start worrying again. I´m sure she´ll be fine.

Josephine
Little Jo Wheek

Post   » Mon Feb 18, 2002 12:00 am


I´m still curious about a couple of things.

Did the vet do an ear swab? Since they needed to be cleaned, it could have easily have been done. A painless but useful diagnostic tool. That would have told us if there was yeast, bacteria, or ear mites. Pretty accurate, too. The Baytril Otic is great, but I´m wondering why the vet thought it was necessary to also do systemic antibiotics?

I´m also pondering the location of the lump and its composition. Did the vet mention a needle aspirate? For the price of a lab fee you could find more clues as to what it is and whether or not it needs to be removed. The needle aspirate is not always completely diagnostic, but can give a good idea. The vet may then also decide to remove the lump depending on the results. I can palpate most pigs´ axillary lymph nodes there under the forelegs (armpit area). Normally they are quite small. If there is a lymph node enlargement, there may be another problem being overlooked. It is great if the surgery is necessary to remove a tumor and the fact that it is caught early, but not so hot if it turns out to be a lymph node and an unnecessary surgery! Perhaps there is lymph involvement connected to the ear problems?

I don´t know, but something just sounds fishy here. I could be creating things, but it really is nagging me. It certainly wouldn´t hurt to do an ivermectin treatment if the ears don´t clear up dramatically in the next week of treatment with the Baytril.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Feb 18, 2002 12:16 am


Interesting point. Carol, now that you know where the lump is, you can feel it regularly and see if it is changing size (shrinking, getting bigger). It would be a pleasant surprise if it went away by itself with the baytril treatment.

GP Lover
My home, ruled by pigs!

Post   » Mon Feb 18, 2002 7:35 pm


Thanks for the reply Josephine. Yes, the vet swabbed her ears our real good and her mouth too. She used some type of scope to check her ears and her mouth.

I didn´t think to ask her why both antibiotics were necessary. I didn´t realize until I went to check out that I was getting two meds for Angel but I didn´t ask about it. I know she wants to make sure she is all cured before the surgery.

There was no mention of aspiration. She had me feel the lump and said it had to come out - the sooner the better while it is still small. The tumor is more in the chest area...almost in the center but not quite and up near her left forearm. It moves when you press on it.

What about the Bene-Bac? Do you think I should give it to her while she´s on the antibiotics? So far she is acting normal and eating normal. This is her third day on meds.

Lynx, I don´t really get the poop thing? Are you saying I should feed her Sophie or Elsie´s poops?

pinta

Post   » Mon Feb 18, 2002 7:40 pm


** Nature has a better way! Poop from a healthy guinea pig is the best probiotic ever! I take one
"pellet" and mix it with water and feed it by syringe. It sounds nasty but it has saved more pigs
than I can count. Any time I have a pig with any sort of intestinal upset I do this. It is known as
"re-seeding the gut flora". There are other names for it too. The beauty of it is that the poop has a
special chemical in it that keeps it from being digested in the stomach so it makes it down to the
colon, where the problem occurs. - Sharlene Scheffer (sp?) RVT


Criminy Lynx - Can you post this somewher prominent so I can stop reposting it?

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Feb 18, 2002 8:05 pm


I was thinking poop jewelry and other money making endeavors (got to do something with this stuff). Hey, just had another brilliant idea! The poop could be specially composted for bonsai gardens. Just about the right size, no?

I don´t know where I would put it, Pinta. You could do a real short catchy post in the reference forum, call it, "Reinocculating the gut during antibiotic therapy" or something like that.

GP Lover
My home, ruled by pigs!

Post   » Mon Feb 18, 2002 8:11 pm


Thanks Pinta! Angel is eating and pooping just fine so the real question is do I still have to give her a probiotic?

I guess I should elaborate on exactly what I don´t understand about the poop feeding. My first guinea pig had an impaction problem and I was told and read that the poop that is eaten by the guinea pig is actually softer than the others and made up of things different than a regular poop. When that one came down the line he was unable to push it out due to weak muscles and so that is how he got impacted.

Therefore, I am confused about the poop? Is it any poop which is okay to feed to a sick guinea pig? See, I thought there was only that one which was okay to eat and so then I was going to ask how the heck you all know which one it is!!! O:)

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Feb 18, 2002 8:26 pm


Pinta is talking about any poop. Ideally it would be one of the kind that is reinjested. Those are generally only found in the perineal sack -- you usually don´t see them. Sometimes if a pig is getting too rich a diet alot are produced and you may find some horrible smelling ones (these are the ones).

I know Pinta is going to shoot me -- but I don´t very often give poops (actually only tried it once) and frequently don´t even use the acidophilous I have in my refrigerator. I do keep close track of the pig for any signs the antibiotic is not being tolerated but they just are not very fond of poops. I do think baytril is more likely to have problems than bactrim though.

I also have never had any diarrhea. I believe in grass. And a good diet. Might be I´ve just been lucky. I have used some Critical Care which does have probiotics in it and might have helped.
Last edited by Lynx on Mon Feb 18, 2002 8:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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