Jill, Jaffa and Jupiter

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Mar 09, 2021 7:35 am


You are being so thorough! I wish I had advice for you but from what you describe, you have everything covered (even having your vet get feedback on VIN).

I hope she turns around. The blood is worrying. I was going to suggest pyometra (an infection of the uterus) but it is much more likely to be in the digestive tract, as you guess, IMO. That you have ruled out stones with a new xray also makes it hard.

If only a small amount of blood is needed for a specific test, overclipping a toenail might be a way to get enough of it.

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daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Tue Mar 09, 2021 10:08 am


My vet says they need 1ml of blood to be tested. Jill had X-rays in January all they saw was wind. If she had a stone the wind hid it. Thanks Lynx for your wise quick reply. Will keep you posted.

Bookfan
For the Love of Pigs

Post   » Tue Mar 09, 2021 1:39 pm


I don't think it would be irritable bowel. In humans that's a functional problem - how the colon moves, no blood. Inflammatory bowel syndrome has inflamed lining of the bowel and can produce blood. In humans it causes bloody diarrhea, but I don't know how it would manifest in pigs. Or if they even get it. Could it be from the reproductive tract? But I don't think that would cause pain when pooping/peeing.

We've had so many pigs that squeaked when peeing/pooping. As you already know, it's usually because of irritated/infected bladder or stones. And of course, there are two other possible sources - from the bowel & the uterus.

I just asked daughter about all our experiences. Two current pigs sometimes have orange urine but no pain. Carly & Grace (sisters) had blood but no pain. They were both spayed & had something wrong with their uteruses and blood stopped (for the time being - one or both eventually had ongoing stone, inflammation problems).

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daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Thu Mar 11, 2021 4:24 am


Got back from vet 90 minutes ago, seems Jill has IBD. So for 7 days she is on Bactrim 0.35mls twice a day. Prednisone 0.1ml once a day for 3 days then once every 2nd day, Metomide once a day and Pron8ture once a day.


Jill did a lot of farts, some mushy poops which he looked under microscope and saw a bacteria that was wiggling like a snake in it. Her urine was clear.


So am hoping this helps her otherwise I will be bald as I pull my hair out! Will keep you posted. He mentioned a gland that makes cortisone isn't doing it and hence the bowel problem. Hopefully this will help.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Mar 11, 2021 6:45 am


Bacteria wiggling like a snake? This reminds me of intestinal parasites like giardia and coccidia (mentioned on the diarrhea page).

I hope the protocol you are using helps.

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daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Wed Mar 24, 2021 7:05 am


Okay, for last week or two Jill has been on Prednisone 0.1ml once a day and Bactrim 0.35mls twice a day. As well as Metomide and Pron8ture.

There has been no improvements in her poops, straining and pushing and more blood on tissue from inflamed bowel. So now vet wants her to go onto Flagyl 0.3mls twice a day, Metomide and Pron8ture the same BUT wants the Prednisone to jump from 0.1ml once a day to 0.5mls once a day then 0.5mls every 2nd day.

What I wish to know is isn't that a big jump from 0.1ml to 0.5mls? She currently weighs 798grams. Here is copy of Ashley's email I got tonight. At least he is thorough.

The parasites looked typically protozoan – antibiotics usually treat bacteria.

The test done in town found no protozoan and they will probably need a fresh sample – by the time it gets to the laboratory they may be dead.

Helene has been doing research on VIN re: drugs for the protozoan. I do not know what type of protozoan parasite it is – obviously not giardia.

I think that the increase on Prednisolone frequency is a good idea (0.5mg/kg Prednisolone every day for 3 days, then every second day), and to put Jill on an anti protozoan drug such as Flagyl is the only thing I can suggest until we can get the protozoan identified. How to identify it needs a parasitologist. I will phone one at the laboratory tomorrow. Ashley.


Can someone tell me the correct dose as 0.5mg/kg is way too confusing for me. So if I gave her 0.2mls(798grams) would that be Okay? And replies much appreciated. Thanking you in advance. Especially you Lynx can always count on you!

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Mar 24, 2021 12:51 pm


I am sorry she is still having problems.

The calculator on this page I find really helpful:
https://www.guinealynx.info/calculate_dose.html#dose

You need the dosage in mg/kg (which you listed), her weight in kg (which you doubtlessly know, and the concentration of the drug in mg/ml to calculate it. So get the concentration (the dose she should be getting in ml can't be calculated without the concentration of the drug in mg/ml).

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daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Thu Mar 25, 2021 3:48 am


Just to clarify, the dose for the prednisolone is 0.5mg per Kilogram. Based on her weight she would need 0.4mg. As the strength of the medication is 5mg per ml she would need 0.08ml. Keep on every second day until symptoms resolve and then cut down to twice weekly for a couple of weeks.

This is the reply I got from the vet, when first on the drug she was on 0.1ml to jump to 0.8mls to me seems a bit of a over dose. Is this reasonable? Or over the top? Maths NOT my good subject NOT with this anyways. She is you might say 800grams.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Mar 25, 2021 11:18 am


The 0.08 ml is pretty close to the 0.1 ml from before. Giving a dose of 0.8 mls (almost a whole ml) would be 10 times your calculated dose.

What I would do is confirm with your vet the concentration (5mg/ml) and the dosage she is aiming for per kg. If the dosage she is aiming for is 0.5mg/kg and your guinea pig weighs only 0.8 kg (800 grams), increasing to a dose of 0.8ml is too much.

NOTE: you wrote "the dose for the prednisolone is 0.5mg per Kilogram."

The dosage is in mg/kg.
The dose is in ml.

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daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Fri Mar 26, 2021 3:43 am


Rang vet last night as was worried about Jill not eating, plus had appointment today to see Ashley. Seems me giving too much steroid and Flagyl has cleared Jill of the bugs and not only that her poops are now normal. All vets were amazed they were normal. Had 3 partners working on her poops and what could have caused it.

I was so worried about her I even offered her lettuce last night which she ate. I stayed up till 8.00am this morning and massaged her with toothbrush for 3 hours as she looked swelled up.
Anyways still on steroid, Off Flagyl, on Glucose, on Anaplex, still on Metomide and Pron8ture. Have to give update on Monday.
As to doses he told me what they were and I gave him some insulation tape to put on the syringe at right dose as I find after a few washes of syringe the writing fades. Is Anaplex safe for piggies? Suppose to stimulate appetite.

Also her pee, heart, kidneys, temp, eyes, colour, were all good just her weight was bad. How I wish they would check her teeth again(checked when sedated January 2021).
I was also told NOT to put poops from Jay and Jersey in fridge but just in a cool place, so lesson learned there. As cold from fridge kill all good and bad bugs.

So paws crossed she continues to improve, how slow should I go introducing food to her diet? Was also told to put lettuce, grass and poops from Jay and Jersey into blender and syringe feed it to her watery at first then make it thicker.
So keep you paws crossed this little lady continues to improve! Thanks for your patience and all your good advice! Keep you posted. Also cautious as piggies improve before they decline.

Lynx wrote what was on the bottle. Guess he made a mistake when typing label! Will ring and check it out. Thanks!

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daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Fri Mar 26, 2021 4:08 am


Forgot to mention, this has NOT solved original problem. Back in late December 2020 she stopped eating which is why she was put on antibiotics. So if teeth are OK. What else is there?

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Mar 26, 2021 9:50 am


Let us know what he says about the concentration and dosage. No other ideas! I wish I knew more.

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