Excessive drinker / panel

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PiggleStyx

Post   » Fri Jun 18, 2021 2:32 pm


Hello, I have a young guinea pig who drinks a TON of water. 2 water bottles a day, where the others go through 1 bottle in about 2 days. When I first got him from a rabbit rescue who asked for help, he was a skeleton, and drank 4 bottles a day. I isolated him and gave him at least double the oxbow alfalfa pellets. ( I guess he was about 8 months old) He started to gain a little weight in the tummy after a few weeks (about +70grams). And drinking reduces to 2 bottles of water a day. I felt it was ok to put him in with one of my other males to see if he would bond. He has been doing well and happy, but seems to drop off weight again, so I’ve isolated him at night to give extra pellets. He’s not on adult oxbow. Hay is Timothy orchard.

His activity has been great. He’s the loud wheeker of the pigs, runs around, looks for treats, takes petting, has no trouble eating. Pees a ton, naturally, clear and no strange odors. Poos are normal shape, just a little glossy wet, which is understandable.

I’ve read possible causes of excessive drinking is due to diabetes. So I cut out all veggies, and just give him leafy greens and zucchini slice daily. Some times I give him a bell pepper slice 0-3 times a week, but try not to for the sugars. A vet told me his diet sounded fine after I described my problems over the phone, just try to increase vit c incase his body isn’t processing it well. So I bought him the vit c hay tabs. He’s doing good, sort of gaining weight now that he’s been isolated again at night. His weight teeters between 690g-810g since I’ve had him. He should be closer to a year old now. But even at 800g you can feel every bone. My other pigs are very fat lol.

The vet visit: he was very thin, I took him in because he was dropping weight again, you can feel all his bones, he’s never reached a healthy weight. We did a fecal that showed only one tapeworm egg. We did blood work, and here is the panel. I thought the blood sugar for guineas was 60-125. But this panel says it’s fine. The vet said his antibodies might be low because of stress from the visit, but all the other levels seems fine, or within reason. And he’s not sure why he’s drinking and not keeping on weight. He wants to do an X-ray next.

My questions are:
Is there something in the panel anyone else has had problems with that has the same signs as I am experiencing?

What is a common treatment for tapeworms? Hymenolepis.


*I understand your responses are an opinion based on what you’ve been told here, and not to be taken as sound directions. But I need ideas to look into. Thank you!

PiggleStyx

Post   » Fri Jun 18, 2021 3:02 pm


Here is an image of the blood panel.

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Fri Jun 18, 2021 5:03 pm


Ivermectin is generally effective against all sorts of parasites in guinea pigs, whether they're running around on the skin or infesting the digestive tract.

What did your vet recommend for tapeworms?

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Jun 18, 2021 10:50 pm


Praziquantel is the standard treatment in many species if you have identified tapeworms. I believe it is pretty widely available.

PiggleStyx

Post   » Fri Jun 25, 2021 2:22 am


Yes, the report identified one egg present. Prazi is what the vet recommended. I don’t think it will fix his drinking/ weight issues but it may help. I think he’s got a lot more going on. I just wish I knew what.

daj

Post   » Sat Jun 26, 2021 8:32 pm


Do you give "poop soup" from a good, healthy donor? I'd think it would be beneficial. I have 5 pigs, with one that drinks way more than the other 4. Not 2 bottles, but often more than one. He's done it for years and it seems to just be his natural fluid need. Seems to me it will prevent stones, at least. Green bell pepper won't have much sugar, and is great for vitamin C. I strictly limit leafy greens, sticking to just green leaf lettuce and avoid supplements. My pigs had terrible itching (skinny pigs) and flaking, and after years of searching and trial and error with countless treatments, meds, etc., it turned out to be the greens. As soon as I cut out all darker greens a long nightmare came to a nearly overnight stop. Zuchini is one thing I have found my pigs do not like. Have you ever tried easing him into sweeter things like carrot? It would boost his calories and vitamin C, plus they love it. I used to give artichoke, but don't anymore. My pigs loved it though. They grab it and thrash it about they were so happy. It's probably a good thing to try for a bit more exciting of a diet, since GPs lives can be so monotonous. Sources of enthusiasm are good for them.

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