Peanut's Medical Topic

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun May 08, 2022 10:35 pm


We are hoping she improves! Sounds like this is a good vet to work with. I hope the vetmedin helps.

It's hard when there are multiple issues.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Mon May 09, 2022 6:08 am


It sounds like you have some good resources at your disposal. Hopefully they can get this figured out so that Peanut starts to improve. Keep us posted.

jlynnnx

Post   » Fri May 13, 2022 11:22 am


Thanks for the support. This piggy is putting me through the ringer but I'm happy to update with some good news! Her appetite was down Sunday and Monday and she was acting lethargic, I was giving C.C. and planning to take her back in in a day or two if no improvements. The vet told me to try 0.3 ml every 8 hours of Lasix but I was having trouble with the timing with my job, so I decided to give 0.5 ml 2x Monday, and Tuesday/ Wednesday 0.4 ml 2x. Wednesday night her breathing was much improved, way less strained and almost normal. Maybe she really just needed a higher dose to be able to clear some of that fluid. Now that it's better I'm going back down to her usual 0.3 ml 2x unless it gets worse again. The improvements aren't from the Vetmedin because I wasn't able to give it to her for a couple days when she was refusing even blueberries. Her appetite is also back up now and she's more active.


I also received some info from the cardiologists via my vet. From the images they said it doesn't look like a typical case of Dilated Cardiomyopathy, which is the most common cause of heart disease in guinea pigs. They would like some more images to look at a couple more areas more closely to see if they can figure out what's going on. So I'll be taking her in next week for that and to recheck her heart and see how much fluid has cleared. I'm just glad to see her finally breathing better because I was starting to consider her quality of life especially when she got worse. But two days later and she's doing much better, I'm so glad I tried increasing the dose.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Fri May 13, 2022 3:26 pm


" I'm so glad I tried increasing the dose." Me too!

I know some members here have talked about adjusting and monitoring the dosages of heart medications. Glad you saw improvement.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Fri May 13, 2022 3:43 pm


Ditto! I know many members have mentioned that it can be trial and error to get the dosages right. Hoping for continued improvement.

jlynnnx

Post   » Tue Jun 21, 2022 12:43 pm


She's still doing great on the meds and her hair is also growing back all over. She looks like a new and improved piggy. I guess the hair loss was somehow related to the heart disease, maybe because her body was under stress? I have her on 0.2 ml Enalapril and 0.2 ml Lasix a day now.

But yesterday I got an email that the vet she was seeing is leaving the practice as of yesterday! :( It was sudden and I didn't know she had plans of leaving, I was supposed to have a follow-up with her in September. We were going to discuss possibly weaning her off the meds if ultrasounds still looked good. She certainly knew her stuff and was helpful with getting Peanut better. So I'll go back to the original exotics vet and hope no more complex issues come up. I'm going to beg her not to quit because she's now the only exotics vet within a reasonable distance of me.

The vet who's leaving gave me suggestions in her email:
I did want to recommend a full echo with a cardiologist that is comfortable working with guinea pigs (difficult to find in our area, as you know) to evaluate whether Peanut has pulmonary hypertension secondary to her disease. It would have been out of my comfort range to evaluate for PHT even using the Illinois cardiologists for consultation. My next suggestion for you would be Red Bank Tinton Falls where they have an excellent Avian/Exotic department, and I believe they have a cardiologist on staff (please call to double check). I know it's a long drive, but it would be worth it!
She said the cardiologists in IL who she sent the images to weren't able to give a real diagnosis but that it didn't look like typical CHF. The vet said maybe it was a build up of fluid from another cause, but her heart was definitely not working properly to allow that much fluid.

The exotics vet she suggested is in another state hours away from me. I don't really think it's necessary to pursue a more specific diagnosis and put her through more stress of poking and prodding and more tests. She's doing great on her meds currently and I'm going to continue them, I certainly don't want to make any changes when what I'm doing now is working. Obviously if she were to get worse than I would pursue another vet. What is your guys' opinions?

The original vet was able to do ultrasounds and X-rays on her so she can still check her in a couple of months like I was planning to do. It seems heart piggies need to stay on meds their whole life but I could discuss possibly taking her off the Lasix at least at her next appointment.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Jun 21, 2022 9:34 pm


Sorry to hear the vet you have had the most success with is leaving! Will she be moving to another practice? Could you see her there? I imagine there might be issues with taking clients along with you but in some cases, it sounds reasonable.

It was most helpful for her to offer you suggestions for competent care if you need it.

Do you have guidelines from the vet regarding when it might be appropriate to increase or decrease the dose? Things you can look out for? I think some guinea pigs are on lasix long term too.

jlynnnx

Post   » Fri Jun 24, 2022 11:35 pm


I'm not sure, she didn't say much at all in the email, but it seems like if she was moving to a different practice she would've let me know. I wish I knew! I could ask the other vet if she knows anything at the next appt with her.

We were supposed to discuss possibly taking her off the meds if there was still no visible fluid in a couple of months, but as of the last time I saw her she wanted me to keep her on the same dose. I did decrease her Lasix from 0.3 ml to 0.2 recently and she's still doing well. And she was given a blood test after being on them for some time and everything looked good. But she's only 3 so if it was safe to take her off them then that would be better. Maybe the original vet will be able to give me some advice when I see her next.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Jun 25, 2022 8:57 am


Just keep in mind that often if there are heart issues, medications are needed long term.

Hoping for the best for her.

User avatar
ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Mon Jun 27, 2022 2:36 am


I was thinking the same thing, Lynx. Just from experience with our dog. You find the lowest dosage and the right combination of meds and that’s where you stay because heart disease can’t be cured. It can improve and stabilize for quite a while with proper meds, but will worsen if the meds are discontinued. The meds make it easier for the heart to function.

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