what's the latest about hormone injectons?

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daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Sun May 10, 2020 12:30 am


Jessie was a bit quiet on the first day or two but then returned to her old self. I always took it that it was (a) due to pain of the needle and (b) the injection was playing around with her hormones in shrinking the cyst that she had.

Going by the rabbit pictures Jessie got second method between the front legs area behind the neck on her back area. Hoping Zukina picks up real soon!

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Tracy

Post   » Sun May 10, 2020 7:10 am


Thanks, daisymay. I was told the hormone probably wouldn't work until after the second injection, but maybe it "gets going" right away. I want to confirm what dose he gave, in addition to learning if he did IM.

I was working Friday so couldn't really observe her the day after. But yesterday (Saturday) and still this morn Zuki has been lifting and whimpering to poop, also not eating her norm. Her poops are soft and misshapen, with maybe a bit of blood. I'm giving Critical Care with some probiotics, in the hopes I can get stuff to move through. And I gave them floortime to move around more, hoping the tunnels (and Zuki's younger cagemate) would prompt her to run around a bit (to help her GI)... somewhat successful.

I'm gonna leave a message for the vet office to hear tomorrow (closed weekends). I do hope the Cystolrelin will do more good than bad but confess I'm nervous. And pig-saavy vets around here remain hard to find.

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daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Sun May 10, 2020 8:20 am


Jessie showed symptoms. Had ultrasound, then vet spent 4-6 weeks doing research. Then she gave Jessie her dose. Did your vet do the research? I know all guinea pigs are different but the cattle hormone replacement worked a treat on Jessie. Maybe Zuki needs something else?

As to piggy savvy vets I am in Australia and vets here are in the stone age when it comes to guinea pigs. In fact any animal except for dog and cats. Hoping all your answers will get answers tomorrow.

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Sun May 10, 2020 8:51 am


The lifting of her bottom when she pees/poops and the blood you're seeing is concerning. Are you sure the blood is coming from her anus, or could it be in her urine? Very often a guinea pig when lift his or her bottom and cry during elimination when they either have a urinary tract infection (UTI) or bladder stones. Any chance you could put her on a white towel with some wet veggies and see if you notice blood when she pees?

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mmeadow
Supporter 2004-2022

Post   » Sun May 10, 2020 4:36 pm


Poor Zuki! Could this be unrelated to her hormonal problems? Let us know what the vet says.

My sows who had hormone injections all improved quickly, calming down within a couple of days.

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Tracy

Post   » Sun May 10, 2020 6:46 pm


She's not peeing much, just small puddles. The whimpering is definitely when she poops, and they dangle a bit before dropping (or she "dives deep" to pull out the edible ones). When I had her alone on the floor, I saw they're weird shapes and soft (added bonus: she gets poop feet when she walks through). I did see slight blood on a few, though I've read that can come from urinary or reproductive tract as poop moves through. Her appetite is a bit better today, though she has had some periods of facing the wall.

I wonder if she picked up something at the vet's office... or maybe this is related to injection affecting her ovaries... or maybe something else entirely. The earlier vet who did her ultrasound (March 14) said her uterus and bladder looked okay, just cystic ovaries... but I think he was quick and maybe only looking to confirm the probably diagnosis. Vet who did injection this past week said her heart and lungs sounded good, also teeth okay. And he checked her skin for parasites since Zuki had been itchy and I wondered if maybe mites in addition to hair loss from the ovaries. Her weight was also up a bit since first exam there (April 2).

mmeadow, what injections did your pigs have? Of course, I know from when I lived near you that good vets are easier to find there than here. I wasn't comfortable enough with this guy for a spay, so thought we'd try Cystolrelin first.

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mmeadow
Supporter 2004-2022

Post   » Mon May 11, 2020 11:18 pm


I don't remember for sure, Tracy. A zillion years ago, I think it was hcG, and more recently cystorelin.

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Tracy

Post   » Tue May 12, 2020 8:04 am


Thanks, mmeadow.

Zuki is improving, and I'm relieved. Her poops are looking better, and I haven't heard all the whimpering. She also returned to veggies when I brought home some favorites: escarole, parsley, and dandelion greens. I do think she's rounded a corner with the poop issue -- whpew!

Vet confirmed he gave the hormone subcue and said something like IM is too painful and some of his colleagues have done it that way. Meanwhile, during my initial disappointment and then my somewhat panicky weekend, I had contacted a triple-Boarded vet I know in MA (I believe avian, exotics, and zoology), who said Cystorelin can be administered that way, just takes longer for body to absorb. She also said subcue is listed "in several formularies" (along with IM). So that's another relief.

Zuki is still scratching and biting her bald patches. Local vet here said it can be itchy without hair but also when it's growing back, so I'm hoping the latter may be underway (even if not visible yet).

I haven't fully exhaled yet, and next I'll be crossing fingers that her second injection (next week) won't have the same after-effects (straining and squealing to poop, with abnormal output). I'm thinking maybe to ask for half to be injected into her muscle and half subcue, but still pondering on that.

Thanks to all who have chimed in here, and I'll post more if hormone works for her (hopefully no more posts to report problems).

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daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Tue May 12, 2020 9:30 am


Glad Zuki Is doing better. Not only are guinea pigs cute they are guaranteed to give slavery a heart attack or nervous break down. But got to love them! Keep it up Zuki!

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Tracy

Post   » Tue May 12, 2020 1:08 pm


Absolutely! About half of the piggies I've had over past 20+ years have gone downhill very quickly, by the time they show signs of a problem. So Zuki's reduced eating, facing the corner, and squealing to poop sounded the alarm for me and kept me in high alert plus "management mode"... right after her injection (whether related or not).

Wheeker

Post   » Wed May 13, 2020 9:34 pm


I just chanced upon this thread, which is very interesting in its own right. But your comment about picking hay up over and over really got me thinking your pig might be developing teeth/mouth issues too. I'm an old hand at those... I've had many pigs with malocclusion, tumors, abscesses--you name it--and when they present in the mouth the animal stares at the wall in pain and picks at fleece/hay like you've described. (I'm dealing with a pig right now with an abscess) Teeth problems are more common as pigs age, too.

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Tracy

Post   » Thu May 14, 2020 8:05 am


Thanks, Wheeker. Last vet said her teeth look okay. That was during an exam about a month before her first hormone injection. And certainly she can chew hay as well as crunchy veggies like celery and carrots. The picking-up-bedding thing happens very seldomly, and the optimist in me wants to see it as a game yet the guardian protector in me sometimes sees it as stress or pain. Right now she's doing alright (moving around and acting normally, eating better, still pretty itchy), though I did hear another whimper this more while pooping.

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