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Post by shawnwk1 on Aug 11, 2012 3:02:27 GMT
Hey everyone. When I was changing out little Taffi's bedding in her cage and playpen she urinated on the white shower curtain. She was only able to go not even a dime size amount and it was a dark cloudy brown color. Don't think there was any blood in it. I've noticed she's been drinking a lot of water the last couple days, but wasn't sure if it was a health issue or if she might be pregnant (it's only been 12 days since I've had her so always possible she may be pregnant). She was acting fine before, hyper and crazy, but today she's been extremely lethargic.
Have a call and email into the vet so hopefully he'll get back to me in the morning, but until then just thought I'd get some opinions.
I did give her a bottle of cranberry juice just in case.
Oh and her stats....i guessed her at about 7 weeks old only because of her weight, but just by pics the vet is guessing her between 3-4 months old. She's on timothy hay and alfalfa pellets which she will now eat, but she refuses any veggies and fruits except banana and bell peppers she will take a couple nibbles. She has both water bottles and a water dish that I change out several times a day because she likes to walk through it. The bowl is a personal choice (it's much easier and quicker to wash out a bowl then a bottle you can't even be sure you got all the germs out of...my opinion only).
I've also noticed she's felt really warm today so she may be running a fever. It's pretty chilly in my house so no reason she should be warm unless it's from infection.
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Post by Kayleigh on Aug 11, 2012 7:24:21 GMT
Does she have a friend? As with young pigs, the often help eachother with trying new things, veg ect. The heat is more of a problem with pigs, than the cool so i dont thnk that could be the issue. If water bottles are changed daily (like they are supposed to be ) then the germs ect dont have time to build up. I also steralize/disiinfect my bottles weekly to ensure they are ok.
A vet visit may be in order just to be sure. is there any nasal discharge, are her eyes still clear and bright? whats her coat/body like (is she hunced or fluffing herself out at all)
As for the urine, darkening in this can be blood, just older blood as it goes a dark brown colour when not fresh. Do you add anything to her water?
Kaylegh
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Post by shawnwk1 on Aug 11, 2012 18:29:53 GMT
she does not have a guinea pig friend (i can barely keep up with her poop), but she has plenty of other friends. however, she is still in isolation because i've only had her for 13 days and what i suspected was confirmed at the vet. she probably has ringworm on top of the uti so she's not allowed around any other animals right now. vet didn't see any stones in the xrays, but was also unable to pull urine which is odd since she only went a marble size amount at like 6pm yesterday and none since so her bladder should have been full. her vet was actually on vacation, but we have another appointment monday with him to go over everything and see how she's doing on the antibiotics they gave today. i do change out the water bottles daily as well (in the evenings before i put her back to bed). i guess it's just an obsessive compulsive/overprotective daddy thing for me that i worry about excess germs that aren't being washed out of the bottles. i don't add anything to her water. just the vitamin c drops to her pellets which she seems to like better that way. we tried it in the water the first couple days and she didn't care for it much. she's only on the drops right now because she's refusing veggies and fruits that would give her that needed vitamin c.
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Post by Kayleigh on Aug 11, 2012 20:45:05 GMT
If she has ringworm remember to wash your hands and anything she touches as we can get ringworm too. Can you see any ringworm formed on her? Hairloss around the eyes/nose area is usually where it crops up.
It sounds like she has been through alot for such a young pig on a single vet visit.
I hope she perks up and it is indeed as simple at a UTI.
Kayleigh
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Post by shawnwk1 on Aug 11, 2012 23:12:19 GMT
Yeah I've been emailing back and forth w the vet for awhile. The ringworm started as just a dot of missing hair on the nose and has progressed down the nose w hair los. That was her first sign of illness
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Post by shawnwk1 on Aug 11, 2012 23:15:52 GMT
I'm sure her vet will want a skin scrape Monday to be sure so they didn't prescribe her anything for the ringworm. I've been putting lotrimin on her nose though, but it hasn't helped
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Post by Kayleigh on Aug 12, 2012 7:58:53 GMT
If it is ringworm and it does sound like it, dont put her through the stress of a skin scrape. You can use a human athletes foot cream to treat it. This usually works wonders. Dakatarin cream is what i use if i get ringworm and it cleared it up in a couple of weeks. Heres the topic to show you cutiecavies.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=coat&action=display&thread=15014Please think of your cavy before putting your pig through so much. Some vets do prodcedures which arent needed and hurt the pig. Its very strange they didnt prescribe anything for the ringworm though. Kayleigh
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Post by shawnwk1 on Aug 12, 2012 14:41:28 GMT
I've already said I've been using lotrimin and it hasn't helped. It made it worse so he needs a scrape to find the cause and best treatment
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Post by Kayleigh on Aug 12, 2012 16:28:08 GMT
The cream intially makes it worse before it gets better. Should be applied twice daily.
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Post by shawnwk1 on Aug 12, 2012 17:28:38 GMT
i'm well aware and have been applying it twice a day for 14 days now and it has caused it to spread all the way down and up her nose. IT IS NOT HELPING. i've only had animals for 30 years, think i know what i'm doing when it comes to meds.
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Post by shawnwk1 on Aug 12, 2012 17:37:38 GMT
on the positive though...the antibiotics seem to be working extremely well. she's back to being her onry, hyper, crazy self again. she's all over the place today and nibbling on anything she can get her mouth on (gotta love babies lol). for the first time EVER she finally ate some greens. she slept all day yesterday after her first dose, but after the second dose last night she's turned around won't help the ringworm, but at least we can get the uti cleared up and help her feel better that way first.
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Post by madmommy on Aug 12, 2012 18:01:52 GMT
I've used human anti-fungal on my pigs, it really helped clear up Pop Tart when he had ringworm, but it did take a long time to finally show any improvement. Even the prescription meds I had to use on my dog years ago took a VERY long time to fully clear it up.
I understand your frustrations. Realize that everyone here is just trying to be helpful. Kayleigh is an awesome person, and a whiz with guinea pigs. She's been through it all with them and is an invaluable resource here.
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Post by shawnwk1 on Aug 12, 2012 18:11:22 GMT
it could be that it just needs more time, could be she just keeps scratching it making it worse, could be it's not even ringworm, or could be ringworm getting worse. guess only time will tell and possibly a skin scrape (they aren't that bad i've had to put animals through it before. not happy, but it's quick). probably wouldn't hurt to get a new bottle of lotrimin though i think this one is a couple years old so may not be as strong as it once was? idk lol
the ringworm is more of a nusance than anything. i was more worried about getting the uti cleared up because that can eventually kill her and she just looked so miserable.
i'm just sick of going to the vet. between her and the hedgehogs i've been there way too much the last few months. be nice if i could get just one month off not having to take animals to the vet, but guess that's what i get for having exotics and small animals.
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Post by Kayleigh on Aug 12, 2012 18:49:20 GMT
I understand your frustration and it makes it worse when its our pets that are sick. I never use creams ect that are over a year old. Im not sure if they go "off" as such but i would try a new cream, daktarin if you can get hold of it.
It does sound like ringworm, which needs more than just a cream if its not helping. I would suggest an imaverol dip, the pig will need to be fully submerged in the dip 2 - 3 times a week and left to dry off, this will definately clear the fungal up 100%. If you arent so keen on a full dip then you can use sporal d an antifungal shampoo, this should be left on for 10 mins before rinseing off, again do 2 - 3 times a week.
Sometimes vets arent needed and getting the correct information you can home treat and save yourself alot of money.
Kayleigh
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