Jay and Jersey's thread

Post » Mon Jan 17, 2022 8:41 am

Daisymay writes:

Hello everyone, I am Jay. But please do not look at me as my mummy slave put this stupid hat on my head and I hate it. It messes up my mohawk.

Today January 17th 2022 I turned 3, At one point my mum didn't think I would get here. Still not eating all my food but with mum's hand feeding I am hovering 860-880grams now.

I got very spoilt today and got 2 nice comfy beds as a present. They match my fur.

Mum tells me now I am 3 I am middle age. I don't feel it so I am going to ignore her as I am as young as I feel. I have had a wonderful day and am sorry in 90 minutes it will end.

Well mummy is coming so going to hop of computer before she catches me! Happy birthday to me!

Bookfan · Post » Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:23 pm

Happy birthday Jay! Two beds - that's exciting.

daisymay · Post » Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:48 pm

Thank-you Lynx and Bookfan. Jay says wheek to you both.

Post » Mon Jan 17, 2022 9:50 pm

Renonvsparky · Post » Tue Jan 18, 2022 1:45 am

Happy birthday sweet little piggie!

ItsaZoo · Post » Wed Jan 19, 2022 12:42 am

Happy birthday to Jay! What a cutie!

daisymay · Post » Tue Apr 05, 2022 8:45 pm

OK, Another first for me. About 14 days ago Jay started to make this noise as if she was snoring/nose blocked. Three trips later to the vet she finally did the noise there. Ashley said the noise was made because Jay is suffering from soft palete issues.

Now (1) would this stop her from eating? (2) Is there anything the vet can do? Jay went to vet today and got sedated and all teeth good. Had small ultra sound and again all good.

So what is causing her to stop eating? Is she lonely? This started shortly after her friend Jersey passed away. But any piggy I introduce her too ends up looking like 2 lions fighting each other. Have barrier dividing play pen but some how one gets in with the other and all hell breaks loose. Any suggestions much appreciated! So have it now where they can't see each other.

Thanks for the birthday wishes Lynx, Renonvsparky and ItsaZoo!

Post » Tue Apr 05, 2022 8:52 pm

Have you asked your vet those questions? Perhaps he/she could clearly describe exactly what soft palate issues are present?

So they fight even when they are in a large open space? Is one clearly the aggressor?

daisymay · Post » Wed Apr 06, 2022 1:53 am

Have you asked your vet those questions? Perhaps he/she could clearly describe exactly what soft palate issues are present

Lynx by now you should be use to my vets and their lack of knowledge! BUT the only signs she is showing I can tell is her noisy breathing. Something between a snore and blocked nose. Seems to happen when she is relaxed or asleep. It gets so loud I have to turn TV volume up.This is the only symptom that I know off. Have noticed when she cleans her face instead of milky liquid in her eye it comes out her nose. On ultrasound vet noticed she had a lot of fat in abdomen/tummy.

Her diet (USA and UK may call some of these by a different name). Red/green leaf oak lettuce, Cos lettuce, silverbeet, choy, carrot, continental cucumber, cherry tomato, cat or rye grass. Has meadow and Timothy hay, Oxbow pellets on paw, water bottle. But she shows no interest in food. She is being hand fed 4 times a day.

So they fight even when they are in a large open space? Is one clearly the aggressor?

Have tried her with Jewel, Jinx and Justice all failures. Jay is normally the aggressor except with Justice then that would be they both are! I hate putting Jewel or Jinx in with her as they are now 5 and are happy where they are. The current pen is 8ft by 2ft which I assumed was big enough for 2 piggies. I strongly believe Jay put Jersey under so much stress that is what killed her. Jersey use to give as much as she got but went very quiet once Jill passed away 3 weeks before Jersey herself passed. Keep you posted. Thanks Lynx.

What test is there to see if piggy has lost sight and smell?

Post » Wed Apr 06, 2022 11:40 am

I don't know about smell. Sight, this will be helpful:
http://www.guinealynx.info/eyes.html#blindness

daisymay · Post » Thu Apr 07, 2022 1:04 am

Reasons for not eating:
Changes in diet (no changes)
Wide temperature swings(no change)
Poisoning maybe something in hay???
Water deprivation (water bottle)
Loss of a cage mate (Jersey passed August 18th 2021)
An aggressive cage mate preventing another's eating (lives alone)
Mechanical problems with feeders or sipper tubes works good.
Food changes (too hard or unpalatable food or a poorly designed diet) Diet in previous post.
Dental malocclusion you checked them. Is tongue trapped? Check sore from scraping teeth??
Pain-Could be in pain rarely moves around but what is causing the pain???
Loss of smell (How to test that???)
Obesity not fat!
Oral lacerations-don't know???
Infectious diseases (such as pneumonia) Hope not!!!
Metabolic disorders such as Vitamin C deficiency or renal failure Maybe kidneys? Critical Care full of Vitamin C.
Analgesic use can cause anorexia-Only on Pron8ture and Metomide.
Will read link. Thanks Lynx.

Sef · Post » Thu Apr 07, 2022 11:01 am

I think I would place a follow up call to your vet and find out exactly what kind of soft palate issue she saw. For example, does she think the palate is elongated, or was there something else she observed? This is not really a condition that would be species-specific, and she should have some idea of what to expect in terms of eating and breathing, and any potential impact the condition might have on heart and lungs in the future. I would also ask her if she thinks any kind of surgical intervention is warranted.

Inappetence can be caused by any number of things, as you noted. You mentioned that your vet did a dental exam. Was anything else ruled out during the visit? That really does sound like something you will need to work further with your vet on to help determine what might be going on.

Good luck!

daisymay · Post » Thu Apr 07, 2022 6:53 pm

I am so angry with the vet, I think I need to calm down before I talk to him again. Thursday of last week he wanted to give Jay a steroid for dogs and cats. Just a tiny amount. I said no. I saw what it did to Joy and Jill and my girls were not dogs or cats. He insisted it would stimulate her appetite.

Then Tuesday when I went in he gave her the needle with out telling me till it was done! He checked under ultrasound for anything, looked for mouth ulcers, cheeks(seems worried she stores food in her cheeks I told him it was normal but not to him. He did not go into detail about the soft palette but did say small mouth nothing he could do.

Temp, heart, lungs, eyes, ears, nose all normal, teeth too. Did not mention tongue but sure that must be OK too. BUT with Jaffa it took 3 sedation's before discovered her tongue was trapped. Vets here are useless and poor piggies suffer cause of it! Thanks Sef! She is losing little weight since vet visit-35grams in 2 days.

daisymay · Post » Thu Apr 07, 2022 7:21 pm

Injections given Convenia injection and Depo Medrol 20mg/ml. I will research these later today. He knew I didn't want NO steroids after what Jill went through. But he went and gave them to Jay while she was waking up and then came and told me. I was livid and lost my temper! He said only a small amount given and I said you knew I had said no previously and you went and did it anyway! It said it's harmless use it on dogs and cats all the time. I said does Jay look like a dog or cat? She is my pet in future tell me BEFORE you inject and if I say NO I mean NO!

Sef · Post » Thu Apr 07, 2022 8:01 pm

Many drugs that are typically used for dogs and cats are used "off label" for other types of pets. A cursory search of Medrol shows that it is a steroid that is similar but a little more potent than prednisone:
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/methylprednisolone#:~ ... prednisolone.
Prednisone can be useful in stimulating appetite.

I would be more concerned about the vet giving Jay Convenia. You posted about it a couple of years ago with Joy, and bpatters found that it is not considered safe for rabbits and guinea pigs:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=71328&p=2299701&hilit=Convenia#p2299701

The information on this page also indicates that it should not be used in guinea pigs and rabbits, but states that some vets have used it with no ill effects:
https://www.vetfolio.com/learn/article/rabbit-therapeutics-whats-safe-effective-or-deadly

I would add it to your list of questionable/unsafe meds and take the list with you to any future appointments. What infection does this vet think he is treating?

daisymay · Post » Fri Apr 08, 2022 5:03 am

What infection does this vet think he is treating?

To my knowledge he is just trying this and that in the hopes something works. It has to be something I am doing wrong. As Jasmine, Jaffa, Jan, Joy, Jill, Jay have all been around 3 years old and out of the blue stopped eating. With Jan was wind related, Joy heart, Jaffa teeth but Jill, Jasmine and Jay a mystery!

Went shopping today and got fresh food for the girls but Jay shows no interest in it. I am wondering whether I should try some pain medication to see if this makes a difference? Say about 0.02 twice a day? What do you all think? Thanks Sef.

Vet said all medications out there the manufactures don't have time to try it on different species. I got the lecture people train for 6 years to become the vet. They have the knowledge (I don't) so learn to trust them!(They admitted they know little if anything).

Sef · Post » Fri Apr 08, 2022 7:47 am

I don't think I would give her Metacam if she was just given a steroid. I know there the potential for serious GI issues when using an NSAID and corticosteroid at the same time, but I don't know about the injectible or how long it takes to get out of their system. See:
https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/fda/fdaDrugXsl.cfm?set ... db9a1d8ef20e

Maybe someone else can weigh-in on this, but I'd suggest asking your vet before you do. In dosing Metacam, you will need her weight and the suspension of the drug (mg per ml) to determine a proper dose.

daisymay · Post » Fri Apr 08, 2022 8:05 am

I rang the vet and was told to give half dose for tonight and see if it helps her. So gave her 0.02 at 7.00pm so will have everything crossed it helps her. If it doesn't help her they were talking about another drug. Not sure on name, but no more drugs for Jay for a while I think!

One I think the AB injection lasts 11 days and the other lasts for 3-4 weeks. Currently Jay is 920grams and it was cat Meloxicam at 10mls.

Thanks again Sef! Will keep you posted. Keep paws crossed for her!

Sef · Post » Fri Apr 08, 2022 10:34 am

That amount of Metacam is tiny (less than a drop) but I guess it's worth a try if your vet approved it. I think if you have the cat formula of Metacam/Meloxicam, it might be a concentration of 0.5 mg/ml. The 10mls on the label is just how much Metacam is in the bottle.

daisymay · Post » Sat Apr 09, 2022 7:16 pm

Thanks for reply Sef! Well things are same with Jay, all she eats is cucumber by herself. She is being hand fed and is maintaining weight. Has me and vet puzzled. I arranged pen so she and Jewel can see each other but all she does is lays by barrier. NO way am I taking it down as WWIII would be on for all to see. Keep you posted.

Is it normal for cleaning fluid coming from nose when piggy cleans face? First piggy I have had that does that. Thanks.