Blood spots on Lacey’s bedding

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Jan 11, 2021 11:10 am


You are so observant. A wonderful quality in a pet caretaker!

I am guessing you will continue to closely monitor her weight - one of the best indicators something is really off. It would be nice if we pet caretakers could more easily look at the mouth and molars to see if there was a problem developing.

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ItsaZoo
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Post   » Mon Jan 11, 2021 1:24 pm


She has a 3:30 appointment today. She started eating some pellets, I piled them up in a cup and she has some from time to time. And she did have a good long drink of water late last night. I moved the water bottle and that seemed to get her interest. She’s been eating hay and wheeking for veggies, so I don’t know what to think. But this vet knows guinea pigs so a checkover is probably a good idea.

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ItsaZoo
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Post   » Mon Jan 11, 2021 11:38 pm


Lacey’s checkup went well and the vet didn’t find anything wrong. She saw a few uneven areas on her molars but nothing that would cause a sore mouth or problems eating. Lacey grabbed the scope a few times during the exam, stared at the vet and wouldn’t let go.

The vet examined her abdomen and said her stomach was pretty empty. She recommended I cut back on veggies so she eats more hay and pellets.

I’ve been feeding mostly orchard grass for a couple of months because she was leaving a lot of the Timothy. Orchard grass is softer, so I wasn’t sure if that was a good idea long term. I just bought some oat hay and Timothy so we’ll see what she eats.

I was surprised when the vet said she feeds her rabbits Kaytee and she’s been happy with the quality. They have a Forti-diet that I’ve bought before and she seemed to like that.

So tonight Lacey ate more pellets and hay and has been drinking water. Hopefully she just had something stuck in her mouth or maybe hurt herself on the water bottle tube somehow.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Jan 12, 2021 11:44 am


I hope no further issues show up! Good news from the vet!

Bookfan
For the Love of Pigs

Post   » Wed Jan 13, 2021 12:04 pm


"Lacey grabbed the scope a few times during the exam, stared at the vet and wouldn’t let go."

Ha,ha,ha. Letting the vet know who's the boss.

Have you considered arthritis, say in the neck? The position of the water bottle could make a difference and not eating what's at the bottom of the pellet bowl as well. With one of our pigs we moved the water bottle so the sippy part was lower and got a shallow pellet dish.

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ItsaZoo
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Post   » Thu Jan 14, 2021 12:50 am


She has attitude, that’s for sure.

I never thought of a neck issue. I think she might have had something stuck in her teeth or cheek. I fed her juicy cucumbers and then some corn husk thinking that might help clear it away. And I piled up the pellets in case she was bumping her teeth on the cup. I have a short coffee cup hanging on the side of the cage for her pellets and she can reach right in. She ate quite a few pellets yesterday and today, and she is working her way through hay again.

Yesterday morning she was 2 lbs 1/2 ounce which was down about an ounce from Monday. Today she was up 1/2 ounce and I’m hoping she trends up a little more. I’m measuring out 1/2 cup of veggies just to make sure I don’t overdo it.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Jan 14, 2021 8:40 pm


This is going to sound weird but I remember getting a bad neck kink after multiple days of checking for Japanese beetles under my grape vine leaves! Trying to be organic (vs. spraying the hell out of things) has its consequences! A neck issue certainly could be a possibility.

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ItsaZoo
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Post   » Fri Jan 15, 2021 12:00 am


I've had neck and shoulder issues on and off so I understand completely. Too much reading, sewing, and computer work. I was seeing a chiropractor last March for terrible cramped muscles in my neck and shoulders. I actually fainted one morning when the pain was so bad.

Today Lacey was down 1/2 ounce when I weighed her. She's eating hay and pellets and she's drinking water. Output looks good. I picked up a small bag of Kaytee timothy. It was nice and green and it smelled so good when I opened the bag. She noticed it was something different so she's eating that up. I'll just have to keep and eye on her.

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ItsaZoo
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Post   » Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:02 pm


Today Lacey has a sore back foot or leg. I heard her squeak last night, and a couple times today. She’s been staying in her hidey and moving it around to get at the hay and pellets. When she walks around she doesn’t want to step down on that foot. So I checked her over and I don’t see anything different from the other leg. Poor little babe, I’ll have to keep an eye on her and see how she feels the next day or so.

I empathize, I have some tears in a tendon in my foot and I’ve been hobbling around for a few weeks. I’ll be getting a brace to wear for a few months the way it sounds. Getting old isn’t for sissies.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Feb 15, 2021 10:22 pm


Ditto on the getting old not being for sissies. We depend on our feet so much!

Sorry to hear Lacey's back foot/leg is sore. I wonder if a pain reliever like meloxicam would help. I always worry when they stay in their hidies and don't get around as much.

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ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Tue Feb 16, 2021 2:10 am


I don't have any pain meds, and I was thinking the same thing. I like to see her moving around a bit. She moved her hidey so she could reach the hay on one side and the pellets on the other. She was out tonight eating hay and wheeking for veggies. I checked her again tonight and just don't see anything wrong. I thought maybe a little piece of hay in her foot pad or something, but everything looks okay. Hopefully tomorrow she'll be moving better.

Bookfan
For the Love of Pigs

Post   » Tue Feb 16, 2021 11:57 am


Carly had a couple of episodes of favoring one leg, but they resolved on their own in a few days.

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