Bambi - Lethargic

ClemmyOddieIndy · Post » Sat Jun 27, 2020 4:53 pm

I don't think I have a thread for my Bambi. It's been quite a few years since I've been on GL.

Bambi is an approx 4-5 year old female pig. I don't think she's ever had a medical issue, at least not that I remember.

A few days ago I noticed she seemed a bit "off", but when I would put food into her bowl she would come running. When I say "off" I just mean sleepier/lethargic. She spends a good deal of time out of the pigloos, but shes been spending more time in the pigloo. Last night she was being very lethargic. I touched her and she just opened her eyes and rolled them at me. I threw some food in and she just ignored it. So I rushed her to the emergency vet. When I put her into the kennel she livened up quite a bit. At the emergency vet they did a radiograph and did not find anything. They saw food in her gut, and she did poop when she was there. They said they can't do blood work on guinea pigs, but they're working on getting the equipment. Previously I'd take my emergencies to ISU Vet Med, but ISU no longer accepts exotics. Not sure how, since they're a vet med program, but they told me they couldn't help me anymore.

Basically, her symptoms are lethargy and not wanting to really eat. There doesn't seem to be anything else. She will move around if I take the pigloo, and when I tried to feed her critical care she fought me on it so hard I finally gave up, because it felt like it was more stress. Last night she ate a bit of hay, and then today she has nibbled a bit on hay and ate a little bit of green leaf lettuce I hand fed her. She was eating it really well, and then did a little hiccup and stopped eating. She wouldn't eat anymore after that. She took an Oxbow treat from my hand, but refused to eat it once she had it.

They gave me pain meds for her, and I have not given them yet because I wasn't totally convinced she was in pain. Although, I'm starting to second guess myself. She has .1 ml of meloxicam every 24 hours. I might give her some tonight if she still refuses to eat. They sent me home with syringes that weren't working well. I've found some of the syringes with the longer ends that I had in my first aid kit. I'm going to try that tonight when I try to feed critical care again and see if that goes better.

Anyone have any thoughts? Unfortunately, I think we're pretty much on our own until at least Monday. I can take her back to the emergency, but they might not even have someone on staff today who will see exotics. It sounds like there are only one or two vets who do, and I lucked out that they were on staff last night.

ClemmyOddieIndy · Post » Sat Jun 27, 2020 5:03 pm

Oh, and I should add. They checked her teeth. They were fine.

Sef · Post » Sat Jun 27, 2020 5:19 pm

That's a tough one. Did the x-rays include head/dental? Or was it just a cursory glance with otoscope? Did the vet palpate neck/throat for any possible growths?

How has her weight been? What about water consumption? At that age and if dental can be definitively ruled out, kidney issues would be another thing that comes to mind with lethargy and reluctance to eat. The "hiccup" and then refusal to eat is odd, though, and make me strongly suspect something to do with teeth, neck, or jaw.

She will need to be hand-fed if she's not eating well on her own--even if it seems like it's causing her stress. It's the only way to keep the gut moving and avoid stomach/GI issues. You'll especially want to make sure she is getting adequate food in the stomach if you decide to push an NSAID.

ClemmyOddieIndy · Post » Sat Jun 27, 2020 5:47 pm

I just tried to hand feed her again. It did not go well. I made her a burrito, and held her down, but she freaked and wiggled and squirmed and I dropped her (I was sitting on the floor so it wasn't a far fall) as she wiggled out of the burrito. She refuses to eat the food. it's all over her face because she won't quit shaking her head back and forth. I've not seen her drink water today at all, but I soaked the lettuce I fed her. She's to the point every time I try to offer her food she turns away from me, so I don't know if I can get her to eat lettuce anymore. I feel like the attempts at force feeding are just making everything worse, and she's not even getting any into her tummy.

Weight is steady. She does feel a bit bony, and her coat is dull and the last time I had a pig that had that had a tumor, but they didn't see anything in the radiograph.

ClemmyOddieIndy · Post » Sat Jun 27, 2020 6:29 pm

She's back to nibbling on hay. I've noticed if she is stressed she seems willing to eat. Last night they mentioned that sometimes that can be a response to stress rooting around. She won't eat what I give her, but she will root around and eat hay. I tried again to force her to eat, and it's just not working. She throws her head around so much I can't get the syringe into her mouth, and if I do, I can't get the food out in time. She got poked in the eye and nose with the syringe. I think if I had help it might be a bit easier, but unfortunately, I don't have any help. I've had to feed guinea pigs in the past, so I've done it before. I'm just not having luck. I'm going to take her out every few hours, drop her in the middle of a pile of hay and stare at her. That seems to work to stress her to start rooting around and eating. She ate about 10 strands of hay, so not a bunch, but at least something.

I noticed when she was eating the hay the same thing happened again. She had a little hiccup and stopped after that. She then rubbed her face a bunch of times.

My plan is to take her in on Monday to be seen, and hopefully they can figure out what is wrong.

Sef · Post » Sat Jun 27, 2020 7:35 pm

It really does sound like there's something about her teeth, tongue or throat that's causing the problem. How are you making the Critical Care? Are you warming it up in the microwave before feeding? Just a few seconds is all that is needed; the warmth seems to make the formula more palatable. How watery are you making it? I've also had pigs who refused watery CC to eat it more readily if it's thicker. All of that said...if she has something caught in her throat, or has tongue entrapment, it's going to be harder for her to swallow it.

I would insist on head/neck x-rays and, if they think she's okay to have light sedation, have her lightly sedated enough to get a good look at back teeth, tongue, back of throat, etc.

Any chance you could get some unflavored Pedialyte? Most pigs like the taste of it, and it can help provide good hydration. Rough coat and dry or sunken eyes are signs of dehydration.

ClemmyOddieIndy · Post » Sat Jun 27, 2020 8:09 pm

Last night I made it super watery, today I made it more like a paste. The directions were 1 tsp cc to 2 tsp water. Yesterday, I thought it looked to thick so I did about 2.5 tsp water. Today I did it as directed. I’ve not been microwaving it, I’ve been using warm water.

I probably can’t get pedialyte until tomorrow. I’m not going to the store only ordering in with instacart.

I think they sedated her for the radiograph and it sounds like that went fine. I will ask on Monday for them to x ray her.

ItsaZoo · Post » Sat Jun 27, 2020 11:52 pm

Do you have any soft food with high water content that she might try to eat, like cucumbers or watermelon? The moisture would be good for her, and if it's soft she might try to eat it. I agree it sounds like a tooth or mouth issue.

ClemmyOddieIndy · Post » Sun Jun 28, 2020 12:54 pm

Last night I woke up twice and she was once eating hay and once drinking water. Im still planning to take her in tomorrow.

They did make notes on her information that there are no signs of teeth problems. So I know they checked, but they were focused mostly worrying about bloat. So I’m not sure if they may have missed something just because they focused more on the stomach and intestines.

daisymay · Post » Sun Jul 05, 2020 5:55 am

Sounds like teeth to me. Our Jaffa had dental X-rays and back teeth looked at once sedated and all was clear. Sadly she had a off tooth at the back which caused swelling and even though we were hand feeding her she starved to death.

Have to checked for cysts? If vet worried about bloat try massaging her tummy with hand or battery toothbrush. Warm wheat bag is also helpful. I was going to suggest baby food like apple but if she might have bloat not sure I'd do it.

Hoping all goes well at the vet with Bambi. Thinking of you both. Our Jinx is also going to the vet tomorrow to have stone removed and lump examined. Hang in there Bambi!