The Legend of Barry Jenkins

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Bookfan
For the Love of Pigs

Post   » Wed Feb 03, 2021 11:43 am


Well, after all, he is the Big Guy! Nice of him to share.

His readily accepting the cc is great.

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ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Wed Feb 03, 2021 6:16 pm


Is there any place you can get corn husks? Even the dried ones can be soaked in water. That’s the one thing that kept Lacey eating when she was sick from Baytril. It took about a week for her to start eating significant hay, but I think the fiber in the corn husks kept her digestion going. I hope his appetite perks up.

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Renonvsparky

Post   » Wed Feb 03, 2021 6:38 pm


I'll have to check Whole Foods for that. I've never tried him on corn husks, but the Farmer's brand pellets he likes has corn husk in them, so he might eat that. He eats some carrot and wheat grass, but not nearly enough. It's the critical care that's sustaining him right now.

I've had a bad headache for the second day in a row now. I get them since the concussion I got from the car wreck I was in a few years ago. BJ and I are suffering together.

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Bookfan
For the Love of Pigs

Post   » Thu Feb 04, 2021 12:12 pm


He's' got a beautiful, soft-looking coat.

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Renonvsparky

Post   » Thu Feb 04, 2021 7:02 pm


The vet called me back today, but I've been down with this headache all day and I missed the call. I talked to the reception and they're going to have her call again. His eating is still lacking. It looks like he ate some hay, but not much. He eats some carrot greens, a little bit of wheat grass, a few pellets and some of the carrot. Mostly what is sustaining him is critical care.

I looked at Whole Foods for corn husks but they were out of them. The ones they sell at WinCo have acetic acid as a preservative and that's not good for guinea pigs, especially one that is already struggling. I can check Sprouts for them I guess. Fresh corn is out of season and hard to come by. If I have to skip them, it's ok.

I'm going to discuss the possibility of something being wrong with his teeth with the vet. He's not completely uninterested in any of his food. He gets excited when I put food in his cage. Whether it hay, veggies, pellets or anything else, he sniffs them out and acts like he is going to eat, but doesn't or just nibbles on it. He also acts hungry when I hand feed him and takes most of the critical care. It doesn't look like he's in any pain or that he has trouble chewing. He's not showing any of the classic symptoms, although once in awhile, it looks like he has something stuck under his tounge or in his cheek which he is having trouble getting out.

I hope it's not his teeth because that gets pretty expensive.

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ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Thu Feb 04, 2021 11:57 pm


Concussions are the pits. I worked with two women who had concussions, one from a car accident and one who fell when she was ill with the flu. I hope you get your headache under control and are able to find out what the deal is with sweet little BJ so he can start eating more. If he’s excited about food and take the CC then it really does sound like mouth or teeth.

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Renonvsparky

Post   » Fri Feb 05, 2021 5:16 am


I get headaches from time to time. Various things trigger them; mostly the weather. They last anywhere from a couple of hours to a week or longer. This one is on its 3rd day. Advil helps, but it upsets my stomach. The headache usually just has to run its course. That's ok. The suffering toughens me up and builds character. What a conundrum.

Anyway, this isn't about me. It's about BJ. I spoke with the vet today. Turns out that she did take a full x-ray with 2 views; one full body and one of his teeth. She couldn't see anything wrong with them. They're actually in pretty good shape. Perfect alignment and not overgrown. No cavities or anything out of place to explain a reluctance to chew and eat. As I said before, he did have a small amount of gas, but nothing else to explain loss of appetite.

He could still have enough gastric distress to disrupt his appetite or it could be just a matter of his age catching up with him. We're going to give him the motility medication twice a day through the weekend to help him pass any remaining gas from his bowels. We're also going to hand feed him, but not on schedule. We're going to make him wait 1-2 hours past his normal feeding and give him a chance to get hungry enough to eat on his own. I'm supposed to check back with the vet on Monday and we'll go from there.

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Renonvsparky

Post   » Thu Feb 11, 2021 5:39 am


Still having trouble getting BJ to eat on his own. He eats a little bit of carrot and cucumber. Won't touch lettuce, parsley or wheat grass. What kind of guinea pig doesn't eat wheat grass? Guys, I really think this is getting serious. Even in his worst condition, Scruffy still ate wheat grass. He's eating little bits of hay and a pellet here and there but not much else on his own. The thing that makes this so confusing is that he'll take between 10 and 15 ml of critical care per feeding. I don't have to force it. He takes the syringe totally on his own. In fact, he reaches out for it the same way guinea pigs do for hand fed treats. Is it just laziness? Has he gotten to the point where I have to hand feed him for the rest of his life? I don't mind doing that and I'll keep it up for as long as he needs. Just wondering if any of you have had a guinea pig like this.

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ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Thu Feb 11, 2021 11:41 pm


I don't know what to think about that. Wheat grass should be soft enough so that even if he has a sore spot in his mouth, I would think he'd try to eat. When they did the exam did they use a scope and take a really good look at the tissue in his mouth? And will he try to eat critical care if it's in a dish? If he just likes the taste of it, you might be able to put some on lettuce to get him started. When Lacey was ill and only wanted to eat corn husk, I sneaked pellets in them and rolled them up.

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Renonvsparky

Post   » Wed Feb 17, 2021 11:24 pm


BJ's health has been declining rapidly over the last few days. It got to the point where I couldn't even get critical care to stay in his mouth. He was spitting it out and digging it out of his mouth, so I went to giving him half syringes with a little extra water. It's bad enough for me to get him to the vet. I almost wish I hadn't because I got the worst news.

In the time since his Jan 29 x-rays, his teeth have declined. The incisors are out of alignment and overgrown. His molars are unsalvageable. They're growing sideways over his tounge and obstructing its movement and his ability to grind up his food..They had to clean quite a bit of critical care out of the molars just to examine them. His digestive system is basically shutting down. His age and tough life before joining us have caught up with him and his body is failing.

He's lost so much weight that they don't even know if he'll survive the procedure to remove his molars because he's gotten so weak. Even if he does make it through the surgery, his digestion is still a big problem. He's not in pain, but the discomfort is substantial. Given his age, condition and prognosis, the vet recommends having him humanely euthanized.

I have a very heavy heart over this. They said that I can bring him home with some pain meds and sustain him with critical care through the weekend, or until the pain or discomfort becomes unmanageable, whichever comes first. He has an appointment for Monday, but I can bring him in before then if it gets to be too much. My plan is to make the most of the time I have left with him and give him as much love as I can. I'll be taking lots of pictures to remember him by.

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daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Wed Feb 17, 2021 11:47 pm


I am so sorry! I have tears in my eyes just reading your post! But searching my heart it is over joyed as you gave that little guy, love, a for-ever home. A chance to enjoy the good things in life.

He in turn gave you a priceless gift! A smile and light heart full of joy. I can't imagine the pain you are feeling, you both have come so far in a short time.

When Jessie needed a tooth removed she was given 10% chance of survival, vet said she wouldn't make it. But she proved him wrong and lived another 5 years. But she was only 3 when she had the surgery.

Make some beautiful memories with your boy, give him a beautiful send off, and shower him with as much love as you can! Give him a kiss from me and the girls! Be kind to yourself you have done everything you can. Most importantly you gave him love and a home! Big hugs coming your way!

He has nuzzled into your heart and has claimed his little piece. He knows what it is like to be loved now and he has loved you! You will always be together! Nothing can change that! Know you did all you could as BJ knows that!

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ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Thu Feb 18, 2021 12:04 am


I am so sad to read this! You take such good care of your guinea pigs. BJ has certainly had a good life with you. He has been enjoying the love and attention and outside time. Take care of yourself and give BJ lots of attention and love.

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