Gus Gus’ Medical Thread

JJGiebz
Make Good Choices

Post   » Thu Mar 26, 2020 1:57 pm


Hi all -

I have mentioned my 2.5 year old neutered boar Gus Gus in his cage mate Peppa’s thread, as their bladder problems are similar, but it seems time he have his own topic.

About 10 days ago I discovered a pea size, hard lump on Gus’ back, closer to his rump than his head. It is right along the side of his spine but is under a lot of hair and I can’t get a good look at it. I was scheduled to take him to the vet to have it checked out 8 days ago, but unfortunately that was the day our vet canceled all non-emergency appointments in light of covid-19 restrictions.
I spoke with our usual doctor and she felt this could probably wait a few weeks unless it grew or his appetite changed.

I did my research on this site and it seems, based on size and location, that it may (hopefully) be a non-malignant tumor. I really can’t get a good feel as to whether it’s attached to anything deeper than his skin. He lets me touch it, but isn’t patient about it for very long.

He is still eating, drinking, pooping as normal, but he’s become very skittish. His normal personality is completely chill. He usually is either eating or stretched out on his bed and can’t be bothered by the world. The last few days he has become very jumpy - going into full panic mode over nothing that I can hear. Sitting on his bed but on high alert. This morning I was holding him and he bolted (he was on my lap on the couch and is fine). He has never done that before, not even when he was a baby.

Has anyone experienced this before? Could it be a pain response? He’s on metacam but I think I do have something stronger left over in the pig medicine basket. The location of the lump so close to his spine has me worried that it’s neurological, but he has no other symptoms (ie twitching, immobility, seizing etc).

The lump hasn’t really grown, from what I can feel. Not up, anyway. I’m starting to feel as though he needs to go in, though. Any similar experiences would be welcome! This is such a weird time for everyone, it all just adds an extra layer.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:05 pm


Does it seem to be painful when you touch it? Location does indeed seem likely you could wait.
https://www.guinealynx.info/lumps.html

JJGiebz
Make Good Choices

Post   » Thu Mar 26, 2020 2:20 pm


I would say not overly painful, or he wouldn’t let me “measure” it with my fingers. He complains when I touch it, but he is a drama queen. He complains when you touch him just about anywhere but the head.

I have just never seen him this nervous/scared.

JJGiebz
Make Good Choices

Post   » Fri Apr 24, 2020 1:56 pm


Gus all of a sudden became unable to eat late last night. He wants to eat, and is able to pick up food, but somewhere between chewing and swallowing something goes wrong, he opens his mouth wide and goes through the gagging/chomping motions as if something is stuck in his mouth and then drops the food. He will take some critical care, but not enough - the only thing he seems able to eat is lettuce, in very small pieces.

As a result, I thought for sure he had a molar issue (although he was at the vet three times last week for his IC problems and there was never any mention of tooth/mouth issues in his exams). I had to take him to a different vet this morning because his regular doc was not available. The different vet sedated him and examined his mouth and declared nothing wrong. She took a thoracic X-ray to check for aspiration but not a head X-ray (while she already had him sedated!!!) She confidently informed me it was “some kind of jaw pain” and sent me home with tramidol after I had already told her I have gabopentin and metacam.

I called his regular vet in desperation and asked to have the dr call me when she had time. She of course wants to do the head xrays (as do I!) but we do not want to sedate him twice in one day. She offered to give him fluids if he seems up to the drive again (both vets are 35 min away from me) and will give him a lidocaine concoction to numb his mouth if it IS a pain issue so hopefully I can get him eating again.

Has anyone experienced this kind of sudden onset inability to eat before? He was fine at dinner time and when I was headed to bed at 2AM he couldn’t eat his carrot. I have him on metoclopromide to help keep his gut moving, but I am at a total loss right now.

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Fri Apr 24, 2020 2:03 pm


I would definitely get the head x-rays. It really shouldn't be necessary to sedate him for that if he isn't a big squirmer.

That happened to one of our pigs many years ago. Our vet was never really able to get to the bottom of it. We ruled out teeth issues, and it seemed to be a sudden weakening of his jaw. We put him on a course of Prednisone, I think, and there was some improvement but he continued to have a number of other health problems after that. I hope you can get some answers.

JJGiebz
Make Good Choices

Post   » Fri Apr 24, 2020 2:12 pm


Thanks Sef - he’s a total squirmer, but he’s so out of it right now maybe they could. Were your pig’s other illnesses related to the jaw weakening?

Mysterious illness with no apparent cause has been Gus Gus’ M.O. his whole life, and he’s only 2 and a half. I just want to be able to help him. He’s such a friendly and trusting little pig.

JJGiebz
Make Good Choices

Post   » Fri Apr 24, 2020 7:24 pm


Update: Gus perked up a bit after receiving the sub-q fluids from his regular vet. They offered him veggies so they could see how he was trying to eat and where he was failing. Novel. (Sorry, but I’m pretty frustrated with back-up vet.)

I gave him the lidocaine/Benadryl concoction about three hours ago and miracle of miracles, he got up 20 minutes ago and started eating! Veerrrryyyyy slowly and carefully. But eating none the less, and taking a couple ccs of critical care willingly.

I am so glad I called his regular vet - and so glad she happened to be in the office doing surgeries today. I think it’s still going to be a long weekend, but hopefully he will keep doing his part until we can get in with regular vet early next week.

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Fri Apr 24, 2020 8:08 pm


Baby steps! We'll take it!

Encouraging news. I'm keeping fingers crossed for you both.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri Apr 24, 2020 9:20 pm


Sending good thoughts your way! I hope this was some kind of fluke.

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ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Fri Apr 24, 2020 10:03 pm


I hope he continues to eat through the weekend. This has to be so stressful for you.

JJGiebz
Make Good Choices

Post   » Fri Apr 24, 2020 10:51 pm


Thanks Sef, Lynx, and ItsaZoo! I am just sitting here staring at him. Finally, he knows how it feels. He has been getting up to eat a little about every 90 minutes or so, and taking some critical care when he does it. I have him on a two hour timer. If he doesn’t eat something before it goes off, he gets hand fed. This will be our weekend.

My dream is that he cut himself on his wood chew, or on the cage, or a sharp piece of hay, and a few days of the lidocaine will push him through it. I did see blood on his front teeth on Monday, but I checked around his mouth and he seemed fine, so I figured he ate a piece of hay that he had peed blood onto that morning. (He’s been having a rough quarantine.) He is still acting like he has something caught in the back of his mouth, so I just can’t believe they found nothing at all while he was sedated. Sigh.

Thanks for the good vibes. You all keep me sane(ish).

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Sat Apr 25, 2020 9:36 am


Did they end up doing a head x-ray or no? Given what you said, I wonder if there is some mouth irritation somewhere that the vet isn't seeing, such as on the roof of his mouth or down towards the back of his throat. If so, hopefully the anesthetic will help make the sore area comfortable enough for him to continue to eat while it heals. Keep us posted!

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