[Gpdd] [HEALTH] Where do I begin? Need serious help...again!

SnowDreamer117 at aol.com SnowDreamer117 at aol.com
Thu Oct 16 05:04:32 EDT 2003


Hi everyone.

This is long...I'm sorry, but I have 3 piggies and separate problems.  PLEASE 
bare with me. I guess I'll just start off with Alisa:

She is a 4-month old piggy that adopted me from a rescue group (along with 
her mother, Jessica).  She started sneezing the same day she arrived.  I asked 
for help with that about a week ago (btw, THANK YOU to everyone that sent me an 
email or replied via this digest...I haven't had time to sit and answer every 
email anymore, but don't think I don't appreciate all the suggestions, 
because I do!!).

Anyway, it's been almost 2 weeks now.  She's still sneezing.  I went from 
Carefresh Ultra to Kaytee SoftSorbent (horrible stuff...very dusty...the piggies 
were covered with the dust when I picked them up!!) and the sneezing 
continued.  So, I put them on aspen tonight.  So far, it's much better.  I've been 
giving her examinations every day and she's in perfect health otherwise (she's 
also been to the vet who confirmed she's not sick).  I've decided that for now, 
it's probably an allergy to something and hopefully, if the aspen doesn't fix 
it, there will be something else that works when replaced (I even ordered the 
timothy pellet and different hay from oxbowhay so I can change everything in 
the cage).

Now, for Miss Piggy:

She's my wonderful agouti (approx. 5 1/2 years old).  I noticed a scab on her 
back  about a week ago.  When examining her, she nipped me (which she NEVER 
does). Everytime I examined the area, she started to move her head from side to 
side and occasionally reaching back to try to get me to stop. It obviously 
bothered her.  I rushed her to the vet (a new vet since they have appts. for 
after work and weekends, whereas when I go to my regular vet, I have to use 
vacation time and I've been out so much lately that I can't risk my job by 
continuously taking off with such short notice...and my regular vet is way too quick 
to put piggies on antibiotics...she suggested that over the phone without even 
seeing the scab!!).

Anyway, the new vet pointed out all these black little things that were 
coming out with Miss Piggy's fur (she was shedding a bit because she was scared) 
and said it was lice.  He gave her a shot, told me to clean our her entire cage 
every day (which I've been doing) and told me to come back in 10 days and that 
the scab would heal on its own.  He explained that he doesn't prescribe 
antibiotics unless he sees a real reason to do so, which I loved because that's the 
opposite of my regular vet.  However, later on that day, it hit me. If she 
has lice, why did he give her a shot?  That's for mites!  But by then the office 
was closed.

Monday morning I called and questioned it and he got defensive, saying yes, 
she has lice and that his veterinary book suggests a shot. Upon me asking, he 
told me what shampoo to use so I looked it up and later that night, bathed Miss 
Piggy with the shampoo (I also use it to wash out the cage).

Well, although her coat is now SUPER soft, she still has tons of those tiny 
black things that come out of her fur when I pet her (the look like black 
dandruff)!  They don't move and I've examined her fur so much...I don't see 
anything moving, ever.  I never see her scratching anywhere and I've watched her for 
hours.  The scab seems to be healing and now I found another scab that I 
hadn't noticed (by her butt) which seems to have healed to the point of the scab 
coming off....BUT, it STILL bothers her when I examine there.  When I examine 
the rest of her fur, she doesn't mind...only those 2 spots still bother her.  

Also, I went back to the 2nd vet tonight to get some Advantage and had a 
question about the bill from Saturday.  The receptionist insisted that the vet 
would never give a shot for lice....but I insisted that he did.  Can you imagine 
how I felt when even his receptionist knows not to give a shot for lice, while 
the vet doesn't?????  I don't know what to do...I don't know which vet to 
trust now!

And now Jessica:

I noticed last night that one of her ears has a spot by the tip that looked 
bad. I can't really explain it, it just didn't look right, a bit thicker and a 
dark grey color.  Tonight's examination showed it spread a bit and has some 
flake to it now...and the inside of her ear has a bit now too.  What could that 
be????  I guess I'll have to not work my overtime again this Saturday so I can 
take HER to the vet, or I'll have to wait until next week to take her to my 
regular vet (who will probably just put her on antibiotics anyway!!). I'm 
scared to trust either vet now and am so worried that I'm going to end up getting 
sick myself.

ALSO, the woman from the rescue group left a message for me asking me how 
Alisa and Jessica are doing.  If I tell her the truth, she'll more than likely 
come and take them back, assuming I can't take care of them (she was VERY clear 
that she has the right to take them back if she even THINKS they aren't being 
treated right and made me sign a contract allowing her to do so...but I don't 
want to lie to her either.  All my time and money is going towards these 
piggies right now and I don't know what to do...all 3 of them at the same time is 
so overwhelming).

Any suggestions will be great and again, SORRY for how long this is. :(



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