okay i’ll do more research on that
gassy all of the time really like at most it goes away for three hours
we’re testing changing one thing at a time to see if we can figure out what causing it.
we’ve stopped simethicone and the gas wasn’t getting so out of hand and now we’re testing not syringe feeding.
he usually refuses to eat of the bowl because he doesn’t like his face messy but we’ve been putting the bowl in his cage with him and he eats a little bit. he’s eating more hay too. i think when we feed by the syringe he gets too excited and gulps down air instead of food.
he’s definitely not eating enough out of the bowl and has mushy poop but he’s not as gassy and he’s been in such a good mood today. he’s running around when we set him down instead of just zoning out and sitting there, he’s been talkative and so social, he hasn’t just slept all day, hes been up and eating hay and drinking water for a lot of the day.
i’m hoping it’s not a fluke and i hope his poops become more solid before i celebrate
enlarged heart
-
Talishan
- You can quote me
We had one something like this, also an older male, that kind of 'cycled' (for lack of a better way to put it). The root cause was different (not heart), but the effective presentation had some similarities.
I agree that it's likely he's swallowing air and that's the main cause of it. Soft, mushy droppings are gross (and messy), but that's *vastly* better than getting stopped up.
Keep working with him. Testing out one factor or change at the time like you're doing is the very best way to do this.
If you're putting Critical Care in a little bowl, try making some a little stiffer (like a meatball) and offering it on a small plate. If he'll eat that, it won't be as messy (on his face) as softer CC that would go through a syringe.
Hoping for the very best for him and you all.
I agree that it's likely he's swallowing air and that's the main cause of it. Soft, mushy droppings are gross (and messy), but that's *vastly* better than getting stopped up.
Keep working with him. Testing out one factor or change at the time like you're doing is the very best way to do this.
If you're putting Critical Care in a little bowl, try making some a little stiffer (like a meatball) and offering it on a small plate. If he'll eat that, it won't be as messy (on his face) as softer CC that would go through a syringe.
Hoping for the very best for him and you all.
update
we’ve still been syringe feeding critical care for him and he’s been doing generally well. still a little gassy sometimes and sometimes he will just seem a bit bothered but we cant tell what it is that’s bothering him but otherwise he has a majority of good days over bad.
while looking through the file his vet sent, she mentions that vetmedin was offered but we don’t remember her ever actually offering it? i’m wondering if this is something worth trying? could it make things worse when he seems to be doing okay?
even though he seems good a lot of the time i don’t want him to keep worsening by letting it sit i guess? because hes doing almost the same as he was before being on medication. he was never extremely sick like ive seen other heart pigs. he never stopped eating or drinking. we just noticed because of his breathing change right after the subq fluids. i guess im just worried about him getting fluid in his lungs from his heart still having a hard time. his breathing is about the same and he still kind of jerks back and forth.
he’s loving his critical care. he loves the anise flavor and gets so excited and vocal when he smells it. as of right now i let him eat as much as he will out of the bowl and then syringe feed the rest and he decides when he’s done but he eats a lot and then he’ll nudge his water cup and drink a bunch of water out of a syringe. he’s really good at telling us what he needs which is so unlike a guinea pig lol
i didnt see your reply so i’ll definitely try making it thicker and see how he likes that :)
we’ve still been syringe feeding critical care for him and he’s been doing generally well. still a little gassy sometimes and sometimes he will just seem a bit bothered but we cant tell what it is that’s bothering him but otherwise he has a majority of good days over bad.
while looking through the file his vet sent, she mentions that vetmedin was offered but we don’t remember her ever actually offering it? i’m wondering if this is something worth trying? could it make things worse when he seems to be doing okay?
even though he seems good a lot of the time i don’t want him to keep worsening by letting it sit i guess? because hes doing almost the same as he was before being on medication. he was never extremely sick like ive seen other heart pigs. he never stopped eating or drinking. we just noticed because of his breathing change right after the subq fluids. i guess im just worried about him getting fluid in his lungs from his heart still having a hard time. his breathing is about the same and he still kind of jerks back and forth.
he’s loving his critical care. he loves the anise flavor and gets so excited and vocal when he smells it. as of right now i let him eat as much as he will out of the bowl and then syringe feed the rest and he decides when he’s done but he eats a lot and then he’ll nudge his water cup and drink a bunch of water out of a syringe. he’s really good at telling us what he needs which is so unlike a guinea pig lol
i didnt see your reply so i’ll definitely try making it thicker and see how he likes that :)
-
Talishan
- You can quote me
Vetmedin (pimobendan) is definitely worth considering. It's a med developed for congestive heart failure in dogs, and its mechanism of action is different from benazepril. We've used it successfully.
Most of the time in my experience vets will start with benazepril, then add Vetmedin in if the pig's heart needs further support. Lasix (furosemide, a diuretic) is sometimes needed as well. We had one on all three at one point.
I think you said you had an upcoming appointment with a new vet iirc? Discuss all this with the new vet. If they're knowledgeable, they'll give you pros and cons, *and sequencing*, of all these.
I'm really glad to hear he's doing pretty well, all things considered. Keep us posted!
Most of the time in my experience vets will start with benazepril, then add Vetmedin in if the pig's heart needs further support. Lasix (furosemide, a diuretic) is sometimes needed as well. We had one on all three at one point.
I think you said you had an upcoming appointment with a new vet iirc? Discuss all this with the new vet. If they're knowledgeable, they'll give you pros and cons, *and sequencing*, of all these.
I'm really glad to hear he's doing pretty well, all things considered. Keep us posted!
i feel like he’s having more bad days than good now. i feel like it’s the low dose of benazepril. there are no vets near us that are educated on it and they aren’t willing to increase it. we asked for a trial and they won’t allow that either. i don’t know what to do about it.
he’s getting more wheezy and needing the nebulizer more often and he zones out in his cage all day.
the vet we asked about the trial won’t do anything with his meds without another xray and ultrasound which we can’t do right now because it’s more expensive here than anywhere else. maybe because we’re in such a small town. both of those combined and the appt fee would be over 600$ which is insane. at the other vet that combo was only $394. i doubt they would even change the dose after that otherwise it would be worth it obviously.
he’s getting more wheezy and needing the nebulizer more often and he zones out in his cage all day.
the vet we asked about the trial won’t do anything with his meds without another xray and ultrasound which we can’t do right now because it’s more expensive here than anywhere else. maybe because we’re in such a small town. both of those combined and the appt fee would be over 600$ which is insane. at the other vet that combo was only $394. i doubt they would even change the dose after that otherwise it would be worth it obviously.
-
Talishan
- You can quote me
Oh boy. I honestly don't know what to say. Is there any chance at all you can get him to UC Davis?
You have come so far and cared for him so well. I suspect (well, guess) that this vet wants his or her own, current diagnostics. If there is any way possible to get that done, they may (or may not) change the dose and/or add pimobendan into the mix. I've learned over the years not to try to assume what vets (or docs) will think or do.
Any chance they will extend credit to you? Or can you use something like CareCredit?
This vet knows exotics, correct?
Sending all my best to Eddie and to you.
You have come so far and cared for him so well. I suspect (well, guess) that this vet wants his or her own, current diagnostics. If there is any way possible to get that done, they may (or may not) change the dose and/or add pimobendan into the mix. I've learned over the years not to try to assume what vets (or docs) will think or do.
Any chance they will extend credit to you? Or can you use something like CareCredit?
This vet knows exotics, correct?
Sending all my best to Eddie and to you.
the uc davis call wait time is so long and i haven’t had the chance to do that yet but that’s what im looking into next because im tired of wasting money on vets that tell me they aren’t specialists after i’ve already brought him in.
care credit won’t work because my job is unconventional and doesn’t have an actual salary :/
his arthritis is also getting worse so i’m looking into supplements again. the first link is vegetarian and the second has shellfish so im not sure about that one but do you know if the vegetarian one would be safe for him with the right dosage?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000VKA9 ... GX5T&psc=1
https://www.petsense.com/products/4heal ... XsTFsjLndR
care credit won’t work because my job is unconventional and doesn’t have an actual salary :/
his arthritis is also getting worse so i’m looking into supplements again. the first link is vegetarian and the second has shellfish so im not sure about that one but do you know if the vegetarian one would be safe for him with the right dosage?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000VKA9 ... GX5T&psc=1
https://www.petsense.com/products/4heal ... XsTFsjLndR
-
Talishan
- You can quote me
CareCredit iirc isn't like 'normal' credit. I've never used it but it's intended for veterinary and (human) medical expenses only. It carries a low (or no) interest rate as long as you make payments timely, and I don't know that you even have to have a job (or good credit rating) to get it. Again I don't know the details but it may be worth asking about. It's not like a normal credit card.
I can't speak confidently to either supplement you linked, although I'd stay away from anything with shellfish without a knowledgeable vet recommendation. The one we used a long time ago was Cosequin, made for dogs and we got it from the vet iirc (this was quite a while ago). I want to say it came in a powder and we mixed it with water, but I may be misremembering. It looks like all they have now, except for horses which is a ton more than you'll need, is a chewable tablet that I will assume you can crush and mix with water.
https://www.cosequin.com/
I can't speak confidently to either supplement you linked, although I'd stay away from anything with shellfish without a knowledgeable vet recommendation. The one we used a long time ago was Cosequin, made for dogs and we got it from the vet iirc (this was quite a while ago). I want to say it came in a powder and we mixed it with water, but I may be misremembering. It looks like all they have now, except for horses which is a ton more than you'll need, is a chewable tablet that I will assume you can crush and mix with water.
https://www.cosequin.com/
There are many different type of credits here we have LEanpay where almost everyone can get it-well you dont get the money but you can buy something and than you have to pay small amount of money everymonth, basicly like Talishan wrote just this is for ordinary stuff not vets.
You overpay them a lot in years that comes but almost everyone here can get it..And if you dont get it via bank some really doesnt check how employed you are as long as you pay them(i am but there was times i wasnt who cares i mean its your decission)maybe you have some option(financial) that is not the best but you can get stuff, which is all that matters..
Also I think what if you open gofundme or sth where people can easily donate?
We had glucosamine for our border collie, it helpeda little bit, but of course he latter needed painkillers as well(and when very old also he had kidney issues so it doesnt mix well with painkillers and we had 101 vet conversation about dossages).
Vegetarian didnt work in our case so we tried the other one.
But!! i know guinea pig are herbivorse so this is just information..i wouldnt give meat (it had fish and shell)to pigs.
I wish your pig all the luck in the world, really..
You overpay them a lot in years that comes but almost everyone here can get it..And if you dont get it via bank some really doesnt check how employed you are as long as you pay them(i am but there was times i wasnt who cares i mean its your decission)maybe you have some option(financial) that is not the best but you can get stuff, which is all that matters..
Also I think what if you open gofundme or sth where people can easily donate?
We had glucosamine for our border collie, it helpeda little bit, but of course he latter needed painkillers as well(and when very old also he had kidney issues so it doesnt mix well with painkillers and we had 101 vet conversation about dossages).
Vegetarian didnt work in our case so we tried the other one.
But!! i know guinea pig are herbivorse so this is just information..i wouldnt give meat (it had fish and shell)to pigs.
I wish your pig all the luck in the world, really..
SHOP AMAZON