Jan's Toothy Smile medical thread

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed May 22, 2019 8:44 am


Do also look into hormone treatments like HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin).
https://www.guinealynx.info/ovarian_cysts.html

Sounds like part of this may be reproductive.

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daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Wed May 22, 2019 10:06 am


Do also look into hormone treatments like HCG

I have asked Carol to do HRT but she said as she can't always feel them and as fur lost is only on the one side she refuses to try it. No-one knows how to ultrasound guinea pigs in a 60kms radius. Carol said HRT with no proof it is needed can be fatal.


Her weight hovers between 780-820grams. Less than 12 months(August 2018) she was just over 1100grams. She is peeing and pooping but just sits around under the hay and has done this for close to 2 years.

When Jan was ill(November 2018) 3 vets when I asked them did they know about guinea pigs they said whats to know? You PTS, get another and move on. Other vets said if Jan had been a dog or cat test would be done, but as she was only a guinea pig not worth their time or our money. When I told them what we did for Jessie and how much we spent we were told we were crazy.

When Petal had bloat vets asked if she had thrown up. When Rosie wasn't eating we were told to leave her in her bedroom, not to touch her till morning. Naturally she was gone. Rosie, Zoe and Choloe and Petal were all given Terramycin on numerous occasions. I'm just glad we didn't lose them!

Then there is Jessie who got abscesses. The abscesses were treated but not the cause. When discovered this so called guinea pig expert vet saved her life BUT broke her jaw in 3 places, then blamed us. Because of this she never ate again by herself due to misaligned mouth. Then there was Jasmine who loved to be held laying on her back, so was holding her this way, I told vet she got loads of cuddles and fed Critical Care by syringe. I was then accused of knowing nothing about guinea pigs and told I didn't deserve to have any.

Have sent email to RSPCA asking if they could recommend a vet, will wait till I hear from them. BUT if not by Friday will start researching into vets yet again. Thanks Self and Lynx for your replies. With stethoscope Carol heard no crackling or fluid.

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daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Fri May 24, 2019 12:14 am


Took Joy to vet with Jewel any Jay(they were getting weight checked). Joy's breathing was very rapid and when Carol listened to her heart she said it would skip a beat.She used Jewel + Jay for comparison.

She called it an arrhythmia . She is going to research it something about lungs before heart or other way round. She has a tentative appointment for Tuesday for X-rays. She is also urinating more.

On a good note her fur is growing back! She's eating(touching wood she continues), weight hovering the same, and she's pooping normal poops. Keep you posted!

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Wed May 29, 2019 12:39 pm


From DaisyMay:

A Joy update, after $700.00 later for x-rays we are no closer to a solution. Carol as usual had trouble reading the damn thing! But was 70% sure there was no masses, stones, fluid or enlarged heart.

What we do know is Carol sent the x-rays to Dr. Vella and we get the usual response-must go back onto baytril and see how she goes. Never mind after 3 days Joy goes off her food, we can no longer get Bactrim here so in Carol's eyes that only leaves Baytril.

Now, have any of you seen a boxer's paws? The way they bulge at bottom? Where this is how Joy's front paws are, where the toes are they are swollen and hard and the toes themselves are becoming deformed facing every which way. The rear paws fear no better both having round scabs on them.
I have told Carol that I believe Joy has bumblefoot and may need to be on ab's for 4 weeks or more, but no, she is the vet she knows best!

Now we believe due to the drought we have had to get any hay we can get our hands on-meadow hay. Now the hay we have been getting is full of seeds and I believe these seeds which have gotten stuck into the blankets and vet/dry bed. Now I believe one or more have poked her in the feet causing this ailment, but no-one seems to have the same views as I have.

Now on GL it says to bathe the feet, how long and how often? I have the epsom salt just need the details on how to do it. The funny thing is (should I be worried?) Joy has put on 100grams this week, something we have been struggling her to do. So where does this weight come from?

If I ever get a copy of the x-rays will post them on gl. Has carol found something and is covering her butt? Or am I getting the same old story, find nothing use ab's won't hurt may help?

Any advice much appreciated, sorry for being a pain. The thing that concerns me, paws started being a problem since January this year, Joy has had problems for 2-3 years now. If you hear a loud noise it will be me screaming.

ETA: Joy's temp is normal. If infection wouldn't it be high? Is it something we are doing as Jupiter, Jasmine also had the rapid breathing thing.

Image

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daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Wed May 29, 2019 12:59 pm


Thanks self! Much appreciated! It seems yesterday Carol forgot to tell me heart skipping a beat wasn't as pronounced.

If anyone could tell me what they bathed their piggies feet in I would appreciate it! It is Winter here so the less Joy gets wet the better!

Thanks Lynx and sef!

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Wed May 29, 2019 1:18 pm


The posters on this and related links say twice a day, and gives the solutions they used: https://www.guinealynx.info/pododermatitis.html

An upside-down bottle cap makes a good piggy foot bath.

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daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Wed May 29, 2019 1:46 pm


An upside-down bottle cap makes a good piggy foot bath.
Thanks bpatters!!! NEVER thought of that! Will give first foot bath when sun is up. Too cold, wet and windy at the moment.

I am guessing I can use a cotton tip to bathe back feet which have the scabs. Front feet are swollen and hard where toes are and have bulge on the under pad.

Thanks again. Twice a day, very little Epsom Salt and more water, so 1 part Epsom and 99 parts water. Thanks again!

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Wed May 29, 2019 2:18 pm


You can soak the back feet as well.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Wed May 29, 2019 3:36 pm


BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL USING EPSOM SALTS ON THE BACK FEET.

If she pulls her foot out of solution and scratches an itch on her head or face, and the solution gets into her eyes, it will SEVERELY damage her eye.

I prefer to use chlorhexidine gluconate (human Hibiclens, there is a veterinary version at half the concentration of the human solution), and follow up with silver sulfadiazene cream.

Epsom salts work and work well, but make ABSOLUTELY SURE she cannot scratch her face or head while using the solution, even a very dilute one.

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Wed May 29, 2019 7:07 pm


The concentration Talishan mentions is 2% chlorhexidine gluconate vs. 4% in human-grade Hibiclens. I'm also a fan of silver sulfadiazene, and more recently have found Lantiseptic to be remarkably effective at clearing up skin irritation on the feet.

Looking at the image you sent, there is a fairly large pocket of gas. Has this guinea pig had any history of bloat?

Image

Did they take any other views? Hard to tell much about the heart, and it's not the best quality image.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed May 29, 2019 9:50 pm


Thanks for helping out sef1268 and bpatters. I encourage you to post yourself, daisymay. If you write a post in an email to yourself, you can copy it to the posting box here to post (then you won't time out). All caps are so hard to read so just write normally. I am sure it took sef forever to edit the email I forwarded to her. (thanks sef!)

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daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Thu May 30, 2019 3:40 am


Thanks for helping out sef1268 and bpatters. I encourage you to post yourself, daisymay. If you write a post in an email to yourself, you can copy it to the posting box here to post (then you won't time out). All caps are so hard to read so just write normally. I am sure it took sef forever to edit the email I forwarded to her. (thanks sef!)

My lap top has bitten the dust and will only do capitals now and half the time I lose what I type. I guess I can go to the library and use their PC's. again thank-you sef for your help!!!!! I am currently at the library.

Paid $700.00 for X-rays but this is the only one the vet will give me. She says this is the main X-ray and the best of the two.

Jan who was Joy's sister had X-ray around November 2017 and her tummy was 10% tummy and 90% wind. Carol told me Jan would not see Christmas 2017. Jan lived for another 12 months. Jan was put on Zantac Syrup 0.2mls twice a day on advise from Dr Vella, a tenth of a Metomide tablet once a day, Protexin once a day, and Meloxicam when needed with loads of tummy massages with toothbrush.

In September 2018 Joy was just put on same medication, no x-rays nothing. Just cause she was Jan's sister was the only reason. NO history of bloat. BUT back in 2017 we noticed after eating by herself or syringe fed her tummy would become rock hard.
If she pulls her foot out of solution and scratches an itch on her head or face, and the solution gets into her eyes, it will SEVERELY damage her eye.
We syringe fed Joy on a cushion on a table. We soak her foot in the bottle cap whilst she is getting fed and are very careful her feet stay in the cap. Back feed have no idea what to soak them in so will just use cotton tip as back feet aren't too bad.

Since Tuesday, Joy has lost 29grams on Tuesday and 60 grams yesterday. So now she is back to her normal weight of 780-800grams. So far she is still eating after 4 doses of the Baytril, so we have our paws crossed this will continue.

Thanks for replies bpatters, Tailshan, and lynx(plus apologises) and Sef(big thanks for posting my post and picture too!!!!!!). Will keep you posted!

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