Request for heart pig stories

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stickyfroggi

Post   » Sat Apr 15, 2006 12:19 pm


MOPPY!
1 - Silky, approx 5-6years old (unknown age, just approximated by rescue where she was adopted), female

2 - She started rattling when breathing in September '04. The sounds were audible without a stethoscope. No hooting, just a congested ssskkk ssskkk sound when inhaling and exhaling She also had a very slow decline in weight over the course of several months approx 80-100g with no symptoms such as decreased appetite, fatigue. She had been spayed in July '04 and I think this led to her presenting her symptoms quicker due to fluid boluses (for no real reason) and just plain stress.

3 - I took her to an emergency vet since this was of course, a sunday. Chest x-ray showed fluid in lungs, heart and liver appeared normal size but the heart was obscured by all the fluid. I demanded lasix and enalapril, and the doc would ONLY give me Baytril and lasix to use via subq injection if I had an emergency.

4 - We treated with Baytril, and a few days later I had her to the exotics vet while still on Baytril and talked to him about her heart. He was not very willing at first to talk about lasix and enalapril.

5 - On the course of Baytril she was still rattling 4 days into it so started using the Lasix, giving 5mg PO BID. She started to clear up. Symptoms stopped so I stopped the Lasix when the Baytril course was over. A few days later, same thing, just rattling, no other symptoms.

We went back to the exotics vet and I demanded Lasix and Enalapril. I tried to direct him to resources here, and explain to him that I was an RN and I knew what heart failure was. He finally settled on a low dose of enalapril and some lasix which I slowly tapered upward until she was clear.

Suddenly the vet decided he wanted some chest xrays but would have to anesthetize her and take some films. I explained to him the films could just mean nothing if we were talking about heart failure-- all the classic signs may not show up, but it doesnt mean it isn't there. I declined. He then refused to write any more scripts for her, just when she was starting to get better.

I took Moppy then to Dr. Stahl in Vienna who did an ultrasound, proving her valvular dysfunction. He said one of her valves was so flappy that it was almost useless. He told me if my other vet gave me any more crap he'd write me scripts and trust me to titrate the dose.

6 - Sludge is her other problem which is possibly from all the Lasix. She has had one sludge stone removed that was sliding up and down her urethra, and has showed no signs of having one since.

So Moppy's medications have started out very low dose, were tapered up, and she finally cleared for good after about 1 month. Occasionally over the next several months she had a few exacerbations were I would have to increase the lasix but could taper back down. This all stopped around December '04, and her lungs have been clear since.

Right now she is on 1/8mg enalapril, BID and 8mg Lasix BID.
She has been on as high as 10mg Lasix BID.

So she has been on the meds since Sept. 2004 and has had clear lungs since mid November '04.

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stickyfroggi

Post   » Sat Apr 15, 2006 12:31 pm


I meant to take out the last line,

So she has been on the meds since Sept. 2004 and has had clear lungs since mid November '04.

She was clear since December. Sorry! It wouldn't let me edit it.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Apr 15, 2006 2:02 pm


Great summary! I take it Moppy is still going strong? She's such a soft girl (hey, I've met her!).

satchelspet

Post   » Sat Apr 15, 2006 5:21 pm


Just diagnosed today, so not much info here....

Satchel, at least 4 years old (rescued 3 1/2 years ago as an adult), female

Had a URI, treated with Bactrim, got worse, switched to a vet who knew more about guinea pigs. Treated with Baytril, cleared up but still wheezing. Treated with another antibiotic. Still wheezing, though active and happy. (this whole ordeal took about 2 months)

Did xrays today - heart is enlarged on the right side

Prescribed lasix: .05 mls 2x a day for 10 days to see how she does

I would welcome any advice/input since she's my first pig...

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Apr 15, 2006 8:56 pm


If you do not have a thread on this pig, you might want to start one. This isn't a discussion thread. Oh, and read over all these posts (you can sometimes search out the original posts using key words).

User avatar
Mum
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Tue Apr 18, 2006 7:22 pm


Lawomans asked me to add the information on Isaac.

1 - Neutered 3lb boar, adopted from rescue 2 years prior. Thought to be around 4 years old now.

2 - For quite some time had occasional hooting and morning cough.
Was checked by a different vet and prounced healthy. Very 'laid back' animal.

3 - Hooted for several hours one day, so we took him to my vet. Examination revealed no hooting or other symptoms. X-ray taken at our request showed small amount of fluid in lungs and enlarged heart pressing on trachea. Also showed gas in stomach.

4 - Initially prescribed 0.8 mg benazepril and 3mg lasix twice daily, which was taken for two weeks. Still coughing and hooting sometimes, so lasix was increased to 5mg twice daily.

HollyT
Get on your bike.

Post   » Fri May 19, 2006 8:51 pm


1 - breed, age and sex of pig

Frizzle: Teddy, close to four, Female

[/i]2 - brief description of symptoms that made you suspect heart problems[/i]

Persistant coughing with eating as if something was lodged in throat. Began coughing periodically without eating first. Was worried heart was pressing on trachea.

3 - diagnostics done and the results

Xray. Showed enlarged heart.

4 - treatment, med and dosage

Lotensin 5mg. Compounded. I give .6cc's twice daily.


5 - results of treatment

Too early to tell. Diagnosed today

6 - other med issues

Used to cry or grunt while pooping and/or peeing. Abnormal kidneys and liver, bladder/sludge issues diagnosed on xray and ultrasound but have resolved. Some calcium issues with ribs during this but was not mentioned on today's xray.

Episode with bouts of diarrhea which Flagyl resolved.

She has always been a snuffley pig with clicky breathing but not much trouble with URI's. An echo was done on her heart over a year ago and was normal. She was not coughing at the time. She began coughing around 4-6 months ago. Just recently started coughing without eating first. She is not spayed.

bookiepig

Post   » Fri May 26, 2006 5:31 pm


Update on Chasca:

Yesterday morning she was breathing very hard, actually making little “yip” sounds with each breath. I took her to the vet who said that her lungs were filling up and I should triple the amount of lasix I was giving her for a few days. He was also concerned about infection (she had a little discharge from her nose), so prescribed antibiotic just to be on the safe side.

I brought her home and within a couple of hours I could tell that she was fading fast, really struggling to breathe and moaning. Before I could get her in her carrier to go back to the vet, she began convulsing. I took her in my arms and she convulsed for a few minutes and was gone.

If anyone in the Denver metro-area can use her lasix and enalapril (which I just had refilled yesterday morning, so are full bottles of medicine), please email me at the address listed in my profile.

User avatar
mkkayla
Supporter in '14

Post   » Fri May 26, 2006 6:58 pm


I am so sorry you lost her. Godspeed Chasca to the parsley fields above.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri May 26, 2006 7:42 pm


Oh, bookiepig, I am so sorry she's gone. Sometimes they seem so fragile.

User avatar
Mum
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:46 pm


1. Marilyn - abbyruvian sow, pulled from shelter end of 05, previous owner who had her since a baby said she ws 3 years old.

2. Very pear shaped with a squishy lower half. Belly pig. Very laid back (except if put in with other adult sows, when she becomes a holy terror). No other symptoms until I heard a very slight clicking.

3. Had thorough vet check when she came in - was pronounced healthy. I took her back after the clicking, vet listened to her chest and said it was clear. X-ray, though, showed a small amount of fluid in lungs and extremely enlarged heart.

4. Put on Lasix 2mg 2xday and Lotensin 0.70mg 2xday.

5. Several weeks later no clicking but no difference in behavior. Vet says if the enlargement was caused by leaky valves the lotensin won't do anything. I'm keeping her on that regimen for a while just in case.

6. From the xrays the vet thought that she was closer to 5 than 3.

HollyT
Get on your bike.

Post   » Fri Jun 02, 2006 9:03 pm


1 - breed, age and sex of pig
2 - brief description of symptoms that made you suspect heart problems
3 - diagnostics done and the results
4 - treatment, med and dosage
5 - results of treatment
6 - other med issues


1. Harry- Male Texel age unknown. Senior probably

2. Has lost two and a half ounces but eats well, sleeping more, came to me with pea eye in one eye a couple years ago. Now has pea eye in both eyes.

3. Spoke to vet over phone but am taking him in Monday. Not sure what vet will suggest in way of diagnostics. Probably xray at the least.

4. Will start lotensin today (will need to post dosage later)

No other medical issues. Has never been sick since with me. My only senior lap runner.

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