mites/sore/labored breathing/skinny

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Josephine
Little Jo Wheek

Post   » Thu Apr 28, 2005 1:16 pm


Small mammal panels are appropriate. They vary from lab to lab. At the minimum, have a CBC and Chemistry panel done. I've added on T4s here and there but haven't any controls in this area. No one does, so who knows how accurate they are, but all of mine have been on teeth pigs and the T4s were all within normal. Our lab in CA does some exotics stuff (don't know about controls, but have been using the same lab for more than 10 years). It's called Idexx. You may have better options with the vet schools around where you live. Our VMTH at UCD doesn't really have great controls for cavies, either, but they've run stuff for me also and have been consistent with Idexx.

If the pig is anesthetized or very mild mannered, I'd do a jugular. Some people have been successful with cephalic and lateral saphenous sticks (that's where we usually put in 24 G IV catheters), but in untrained or green personnel, it can be a challenge and stress the pig more. Although they are uncomfortable, I usually do toenail overclips and fill up 5-10 heparinized microhematocrit tubes and send in two blood smears (coverslips or slides are both acceptable at our lab). Not much blood and VERY easy to do. I even just recently did this on my CHF pig and he lived 5 days past the "torturous" ordeal. Plus we did radiographs. That was probably worse since we had to do a lateral and he had tons of pulmonary edema, but I do digress.

For urine sticks, I usually find it very hard to palpate cavy bladders without expressing them. You can try blind sticks, but ultrasound guided sticks are the easiest, in my opinion. Of course I usually have to do this unaided (hold the pig with one hand in a v-positioner/hold the probe and stick the pig with the other). MUCH easier with help. Some pigs you can't do it unaided! I use the typical 22 G x 1 1/2" needles for the cysto, but I guess you could use a shorter needle with no problem. They aren't usually that deep. More habit from other species, I'm sure. 3 cc syringe usually.

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LER

Post   » Thu Apr 28, 2005 2:06 pm


Thank you so much, Josephine! I just wrote your wohle post out for my vet. Thank you, I'm sure it will be very helpful.

ps - vet had an emergency, an alpaca went into labor prematurely so my appointment has been bumped until 6pm or 7:30pm. Will report after appointment.

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LER

Post   » Thu Apr 28, 2005 7:59 pm


Ok, My appointment is bumped to Monday due to the alpaca emergency.

However, I did get to hear what she thought of the x-rays of Kirk. She said she didn't see any fluid in the lungs or around the heart. She said she did see nodules or lesions or something like that on the lungs that could possibly be from the vitamin C defiency (and perhaps painful to him which might cause his breathing sounds) but she doesn't know enough about guinea pigs to know what normal looks like in a pig x-ray and suggested I might try and find a good pig vet to take a look at them. She doesn't feel anything she has seen from him is concerning - the only symptom is the wheezing, there are no abnormal lung sounds, etc. He is eating great and has gone from 728 grams when he came on Sunday the 17th to 776 last night, the 27th. So a gain of 48 grams in 10 days. I'd be interested to hear any thoughts.

Fuzzy Lumpkins (and George) will go in Monday morning at 10AM.

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LER

Post   » Sat Apr 30, 2005 10:35 pm


Argh. I just read Pinta's post in another thread about diabetes, and possibly being caused by dietary issues?

Fuzzy Lumpkins drinks so much water. His stomach is so big, and when I put my hand under him I can feel something like a huge vein (like a milk vein in a dairy cow if anyone knows what that is). Huge, squishy. What could this be? I'm assuming it must be related to him drinking so much. He has an appointment Monday morning at 10am, and we are doing blood work, blood glucose, and urinalysis.

Obviously we won't know until then (hopefully we will know then) but what I was wondering if it was/could be diabetes, the vit C I have been supplemnting them with contains sugars. Should I stop using this? Could it make him feel even more lousy? I'm so stressed with all my unwell piggies! Monday cannot come soon enough for me. Is there anything I can do for him in the meantime?

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Apr 30, 2005 10:45 pm


The vitamin C likely has trace amounts of sugar and not enough to cause problems. Good luck.

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LER

Post   » Tue May 03, 2005 12:15 am


Fuzzy Lumpkins had his appointment today. My vet was able to successfully draw blood from the inside of his left leg, but it took some effort and tryng. Poor Fuzzy - his entire underside is one huge edema. He must be miserable. But we got a fair amount of blood and also she used an ultrasound to get a tiny, tiny urine sample. It was like only one drop, looked exactly like water. They couldn't do more than tell that it had glucose in it. They were going to run some blood work in house just to check for renal failure I think(?) but were also sending some out. I think she might be sending it to Idexx but I am not 100% sure. I will keep everyone updated regarding the results. Please keep Fuzzy in your thoughts.

We wondering if this could be diabetes brought on by his poor nutrition.vit. C defiency? Does anyone have any info? Thanks . . .

Josephine
Little Jo Wheek

Post   » Tue May 03, 2005 12:19 am


Edema? We're sure this isn't heart?

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LER

Post   » Tue May 03, 2005 12:25 am


Hi Josephine,
We aren't sure of anything. He drinks excessively, came to me (2 weeks ago) severely underweight with a likely vit C deficiency. The edema is around his back end more so then the lung/heart area, I believe.

pinta

Post   » Tue May 03, 2005 4:12 am


Sounds more like kidneys. Has the vet considered Lasix to get rid of the fluid and hydration subcues to compensate for the Lasix? This is what we did for Rachel when she had pitting edema from kidney failure.

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LER

Post   » Tue May 03, 2005 8:38 am


Hi Pinta,
I mentioned lasix but she said it could cause renal failure and would only be something she would consider as a very last resort. I did tell her about how it seems a lot of people have success when treating frequent uri pigs with lasix and enecard and she was very surprised. She's willing to consult, though, and we may actually end up sending Fuzzy (and Kirk too) to a foster home near Boston and having him go to Angell - she would give us a referral. (we really need to hold a fund raiser for these poor piggies!) I just thought I would run the bloodwork and such here to get a better picture of what is going on. Thanks for weighing in.

pinta

Post   » Tue May 03, 2005 7:09 pm


It can cause renal failure which is why hydration subcues are so important. My really bad kidney pig had her life extended a few weeks with twice daily max lasix doses and twice daily subcues. Her edema was so bad she needed the lasix to rid her body of the fluid for her comfort level.

My current kidney pig hasn't needed lasix yet but he has heart problems and is on Fortekor. Twice daily subcues for him as well.

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LER

Post   » Tue May 10, 2005 9:53 pm


I'm still waiting on the results of Fuzzy's bloodwork. I will call tomorrow and ask, but I was just in today and no one mentioned it. I didn't ask specifically, though.

I weighed him today and he is up 152 grams from last Satuday (10 days). I think all of it is fluid/edema. It feels like it must be so very uncomfortable!

Does anyone have any thoughts that I can pass along to the vet in regards to helping reduce this? Pinta it definitely sounds like you think Lasix could help. I will ask her again about it. (Hoping the bloodwork has some definite answers.)

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