what's the latest about hormone injectons?

User avatar
Catie Cavy
Supporter 2011-2020

Post   » Fri Sep 17, 2021 10:15 am


How about oats? I believe they're safe and sometimes used to help with weight.

User avatar
Tracy

Post   » Fri Sep 17, 2021 4:02 pm


Glad you dropped in, Bookfan! I hope to bring Zuki back to our Vet #2 for more hormone injections for her cystic ovaries since Cystorelin helped last year. But I've been focused on her weight loss and calcium.

Catie Cavy, I'm almost ready to try oats... still hesitant. Would that be less risky than corn? I'm not so concerned with "nutrition" since she's eating pellets and veggies, including vitamin C. I just don't want to add digestive issues to her list, such as bloat (been there with another piggy; not fun at all).

I will say -- since I'm not sure I mentioned yet in Zuki's post -- that we're also trying millet, which I read is high protein and fiber. She doesn't eat the "seeds" off the stem, as some other piggies have done, but I grind the millet + the dried veggies I mentioned (peas, carrots, sweet potatoes) and add the resulting powder to her Critical Care with cranberry juice. Lately I'm not giving veggie baby food much anymore because she seems to like the syringe feedings better without it.

The goal is weight gain without giving too much calcium or carbs/sugar that might upset her GI. So far I don't see adverse effects... but her weight is not improving (though perhaps she'd be getting worse without the supplements).

User avatar
Tracy

Post   » Fri Nov 26, 2021 6:46 pm


Hello. Back to Zuki's cystic ovaries... I wasn't able to schedule more injections for her. The vet here who is willing to use cystorelin only works 3 days in the clinic, no nights or weekends, and is very booked right now. So I'm focusing on her weight loss and calcium issue.

BUT interestingly enough, she's now growing back some hair within her bilateral bald patches. Do piggies grow more or different hair as winter approaches? I don't think her ovaries have improved yet am happy to see some fuzz sprouting without the hormone treatments.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Nov 27, 2021 11:36 pm


It is great to hear that some hair is growing back!

User avatar
Tracy

Post   » Sun Dec 19, 2021 10:07 pm


Had to bring Zuki to vet last weekend for head tilt and head shaking. Was a new vet since our other 2 places are closed Sundays...a new clinic that will launch exotics only once they finalize location.

She prescribed meds for ear infection (after seeing bacteria with microscope), though didn't want to address Zuki's urinary issue. I told her last vet was going to prescribe more metacam and asked if she could send us home with some. She only gave a week's worth and said it's to address ear infection (along with oral antibiotic and ear drops).

Here's my question...regarding recommendations she said to tell our previous vet (who recently saw Zuki for urinary/calcium issue). The new vet suggested tamsulosin for urinary relaxation/comfort and gabapentin for arthritic pain long-term (though she never mentioned Zuki having arthritis). I cannot find anything online about tamsulosin given to guinea pigs... Has anyone had experience with that?

Zuki's back end is definitely inflamed, and urine drizzles out with effort. One time recently some thick white came out...not gritty, actually felt like rubber between my fingers. I guess some kind of soft stone or very condensed sludge.

I soak her bottom to clean it and alternate applying hemorrhoid ointment, diaper rash cream, and Silvadene (leftover from someone's foot sores years ago). It may be time to learn administering subcue fluids at home since I cannot bring her to vet several times per week. I'm giving shilintong and mixing her supplemental syringe feedings with extra water. In desperation I'm also trying a pinch of chanca piedra, a "stone breaker" herb from Amazon Rainforest.

What can I do to help her feel more comfortable? Is there a topical that numbs an area of skin? Different anti-inflammatory? I'm feeling sad we're running out of options...

User avatar
daisymay
Supporter 2016-2021

Post   » Mon Dec 20, 2021 5:57 am


This might help? https://www.google.com/search?channel=t ... UINEA+PIGS
Hoping Zuki feels better soon. Wishing you both luck. As to stone when Jinx had one we just syringe fed extra water. And when day of surgery came stone was gone! Thanks for the update. As to butt numbing perhaps someone else can help you?

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Dec 20, 2021 2:42 pm


Those are a lot of interesting linked pages, daisymay! Hopefully Tracy will have time to see if any answer her questions.

The sludge buildup sounds awful! Have you tried increasing fluids combined with sessions of vibration to suspend the calcium particles and help them move out? Sounds like there is some sort of a blockage that is resulting in dripping. Unsure where the sphincters would be to regulate urination but I can't help but think they are involved. Perhaps there is some scarring of the urethra.

User avatar
Tracy

Post   » Tue Dec 21, 2021 10:42 pm


Thanks! I'm hoping to connect with a former vet who's very knowledgeable about piggies. And trying to keep Zuki comfortable as best I can. Really glad she may be here for Xmas, after a challenging year. My little old lady.

User avatar
Tracy

Post   » Sat May 07, 2022 7:21 pm


Hello. Haven't posted about Zuki for a while... plus I see some earlier photos disappeared (I think because I had to reduce my Flickr photos and forgot I linked some here).

Anyway, Zuki and I have been on a roller coaster, trying to manage her excess calcium and periodic urinary infections. She gets trimethaprimsulfa antibiotic for 7-10 days (sometimes longer) whenever she has a wet bottom, smelly urine, and/or inflamed back end. She gets metacam whenever she whimpers during urination, hunches during urination, or spends too much time facing a corner in cage. I'm trying not to give both meds long-term, and my vet said on/off is a good strategy for now.

I continue to feed her by syringe, in addition to normal veggies, pellets, and hay. She's down to about 640 grams... on a good day maybe 650 or max 670. I give homemade Critical Care (ground up pellets) mixed with baby food (usually butternut squash or pumpkin) and water, plus ground millet and a dash of shilintong for each supplemental meal. Sometimes add pure cranberry juice. She enjoys our quality time together and I think still enjoys time with her 2 cagemates. She gets more mini carrots than the others, too.

Vet prescribed potassium citrate during last calcium concern, saying it might help but maybe not. Zuki doesn't like that one, so I've been holding off unless we're really "throwing the kitchen sink" at her. Right now (this week) she's been urinating pretty well, and her last Xrays (March?) looked better than previous two in terms of less calcium build-up. Prior to our last vet appt, she had two instances of bright red blood (2 days apart) but was otherwise acting normally, so I think maybe she passed some sludge or a stone, which may be why she's feeling okay lately.

I've got fingers crossed we can celebrate her 7th birthday in July. In the meantime, trying to spoil her (without feeding too much calcium) and grateful for each day she's okay. She has a full coat of hair, too -- somehow her cystic ovaries not so problematic, even without repeating hormone injections. I'll try to post another photo soon since we appreciate folks here who have been sending good wishes and routing for my little lady.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat May 07, 2022 10:19 pm


It sounds like she is having a tough time. Glad to see you have a system to help manage this.

When you say a dash of shilintong, I think of instead giving it more like a medication (an amount of pill, crushed, in water, given daily). Is that a protocol you have tried?

Marvelous that she is almost 7! Hoping she can be more comfortable.

If there are particular pictures you'd like to re-add to your topic, you can email a few of them to me with a link to the original post where it was and I can fix things.

User avatar
Tracy

Post   » Sun May 08, 2022 8:48 am


Thanks Lynx. Not always a tough time, more like bad and then better, off and on. And I'll reread to see which photos to send. I think her last bday had cute shots but not important. If any of her hair loss shots disappeared I'll send you those (with page number). Also if maybe I posted a photo of the stone that was removed...that was a year ago, early May.

For the shilintong, I crush a pill into powder, then give about 1/3 or 1/2 mixed into her syringe with the crushed pellets and baby food. At some point I wondered if a whole pill daily (in 2 servings) was too much because her urine was dribbling out without Zuki even aware. At the same time, I'd rather see any urine output than none, so overall the shilintong protocol (amount) changes according to what I'm seeing and what's making me nervous. The other day I actually saw a urine "squirt" from her, a stream she hasn't done for a LONG time. That was exciting...or a relief.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sun May 08, 2022 11:29 am


I have no basis for recommending this but think giving the shilintong separately would work better (also increases fluids slightly). Have you tried any sort of vibrator, say, an hour after pushing extra fluids? Vibrations could help suspend sludge and get it out of the way, less incontinence.

Don't be afraid to ignore me if you don't feel it would be helpful!

Post Reply