Daphne's Medical Thread

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Zaphy

Post   » Tue Sep 13, 2022 6:04 pm


I don't think she is. I've seen her nibble at some hay but it looks more like a "get this out of my way" nibble than a peckish one. Poor thing still perks up at the sound of a bag, comes to check it out, but then just walks dejectedly back to where she was sitting before. That's one of the saddest things I ever see with pigs. :(

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Tue Sep 13, 2022 6:41 pm


I'm so sorry, Zaphy. This does not sound good at all. I hope you hear back from the vet very soon. Does your vet do emergency visits after-hours?

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Zaphy

Post   » Tue Sep 13, 2022 7:54 pm


Well. No. The 24h emergency vet around here that takes exotics is no longer accepting new after hours emergency patients because of staffing shortages. The other day when I was trying to find an appointment for a pig with pneumonia during business hours I had to call seven clinics before I found one that could take her the following day. I can find someone to euthanize her if need be but as far as actual care it seems like we're out of luck after hours. Which, like... I dunno. Seems like I'd need to try to get her stable before trying any other treatment/diagnostics anyway, so that actually probably doesn't really matter 😅

Vet called back and gave me the Maybe We Should Think About Euthanasia talk, which I guess didn't really tell me anything new (but it was still helpful). I'm very close to just taking her in to be euthanized, it's just each time I make the decision she does a single thing that gives me hope she might be about to turn a corner (during the vet's talk she grabbed and actually ate a piece of hay by herself, earlier she bunted my hand and got up and walked through the cage, she's started fighting the critical care harder, she's cleaned herself a couple times, etc).

I gave her some meloxicam I had on hand and am thinking I will give her some gabapentin I've got as well. The vet said that would be fine. He also mentioned as long as she's still pooping, it's ok to keep feeding her. I'm gonna keep trying for a little longer. But I do recognize that it's really not looking good for her.

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Tue Sep 13, 2022 8:31 pm


Again, I'm just so sorry. This gut stuff is so very difficult to deal with...one of ours went into stasis over the weekend, and we were just very lucky that the on-call vet who isn't my regular vet was willing to give me some Reglan without having me bring him in as I had none on-hand. You're doing everything else I would do: handfeeding, gentle massage, pain meds. Warmth if needed. I did learn a trick with Harold that helped him a little at the time, which was to put him in a carrier and set the carrier on the clothes dryer while it was on. The warmth and vibration was calming and helped get his gut moving a little, although I did end up losing him a short time later to complications (and am still beating myself up over it nearly 2 years later). It's also important to try to push fluids as much as possible. Getting them up and moving around can help too, but they generally don't feel up to doing much.

Keeping my fingers crossed for you both.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Sep 13, 2022 9:37 pm


I am so sorry she has taken a downturn. Has she stopped retching? Agree with you both it's a very bad sign. Determining the precise problem - and being able to treat it successfully can be so hard.

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Zaphy

Post   » Tue Sep 13, 2022 10:36 pm


There's been a couple encouraging signs after the pain meds. Maybe most notably, when I put her back in the cage my toddler ran into the room yelling "COOKIE COOKIE COOKIE" (referring to those Oxbow vitamin c tablets- we call them cookies) and Daphne ran up to him along with the other pigs, stood on her hind legs and just about climbed out of the cage begging for cookies, just like normal. She ate two cookies from my toddler. By herself.

Just now as I've got her out for another feeding and watering, she's ducked under to eat her own poops TWICE. She's also cleaned herself and shaken off the Critical Care/Pedialyte that's dripping from her chin.

Pain meds apparently have worked wonders.

She's still very gassy and not pooping great, so am going to continue with the handfeeding/massage/etc of course. Definitely not out of the woods and am also still not convinced that she won't need euthanizing before the night's out. But this is enough to make me feel glad I'm giving it one more night.

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Zaphy

Post   » Tue Sep 13, 2022 10:43 pm


Update addendum: she is eating hay in the cage by herself.

(And hasn't done the retching thing since the cookie update- though I also haven't tested the belly massage since then either)

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Tue Sep 13, 2022 11:32 pm


Well, that's a pretty good sign. I hope it continues and she pulls through. Did the vet mention the possibility of using a motility drug? What do her poops look like?

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Sep 14, 2022 12:20 am


Yes, encouraging! At least she's in good hands.

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Zaphy

Post   » Wed Sep 14, 2022 2:18 am


Tested belly massage, she kinda twitched a little bit but nothing nearly as pronounced as the spasms she was having before. So I'm guessing it's a pain reaction and the painkillers are helping? Which is great for now but not sure what that'll mean beyond just tonight.

She continues to eat hay on her own, and was back to her normal personality and eating during cage cleaning/feeding tonight! I'm sure if I check back on her in an hour after the feeding frenzy's died down I'll find her in some discomfort still, but yesterday evening she didn't even bother to come out from her hidey for it so that's significant.

Not sure what her poops currently look like, as she's been eating them all since she perked up :)

I skipped a couple critical care feedings as I came into the room to find her already eating hay on her own so I didn't want to interrupt that. I might only check on her once tonight...

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Wed Sep 14, 2022 5:53 am


Very good! These are all positive signs. It does sound like the spasms might have been pain related, so hopefully the meds will continue to keep her comfortable enough to eat and recover.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Sep 14, 2022 10:38 am


Very encouraging!

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