[Gpdd] HEALTH: Tansy and her babies

Thu Aug 5 13:40:17 EDT 2004

Well, after Marigold's uneventful delivery of her 4 beautiful babies, Tansy gave birth to her babies last Saturday evening and there were a few problems (as I think I said in a previous post).
I took her and the babies to my vet on Monday morning to have her hips checked out as she was unable to walk normally and couldn't raise her body up to feed the babies properly. The vet told me to leave them with him and he would do x-rays and I would need to go back later in the day to pick them up and have an appointment with him again.
I did so and went back in the early afternoon to pick them up. When I went into the consulting room for my appointment with the vet I was horrified to notice that my beloved piggies were in a different basket than the one they had gone down there in (i.e. one with a solid plastic bottom with nothing for little feet to get caught in). They were now in an all-over wire cat basket with only a thin layer of newspaper on the bottom and nothing up the sides.
I pointed this out to the vet and said that really guinea pigs should not be in a wire bottomed cage of any kind and especially with the babies so small. He looked at me slightly non-plussed and said that he didn't know that (though I would have thought it would have been common senses with babies of only 2 days old).
Anyway, I digress for the moment.  Tansy's x-ray showed that there was a problem with her hips - the vet thinks they are broken, though it is possible they are sub-luxated.  This was the worst case scenario and I was devastated.  However, I was even more devastated to discover on transferring my piggies back to their original box that there was a problem with one of the babies' legs and it appeared to be broken.  I insisted that they x-ray it there and then while I waited, fretting in the main reception and smoking furiously outside!
When the x-ray came back it showed that the baby's forearm was dislocated - all this because they put them in the wrong damn cage!  I asked what they were going to do about it and he said nothing as he felt that the force required to put back the dislocated limb (on a 2 day old guinea pig???) would probably cause a break in the forearm bones!  I was, needless to say, not very pleased with this as it had been a similar response regarding Tansy's hips (the, "do nothing").
I went home very unhappy and seething with anger that my 2 day old baby guinea had been subjected to this trauma needlessly...and phoned the lady from the Cambridge Cavy Trust who told me not to worry and that she could "sort out my piggies".  So I will be going to Cambridge on Saturday (very kindly driven there by my friend's husband as I don't drive) and leaving my piggies with Vedra for about 2 wheeeeks while she fixes my pigs.  I shall be presenting my vet with the bill for the baby at the end of that time too and he's lucky that I'm not suing him for failing to provide a proper duty of care towards my animals.
I am disgusted with him (though I doubt any of you will be surprised with THAT!), but I have called all the local vets armed with some questions from Vedra to ask prospective new ones and none of them have responded with the correct answers to those questions which hasn't exactly filled me with confidence as I have to take my 3 boars to be castrated (ouch) very soon as I really can't cope with any more babies.  I also can't take them all the way to Cambridge each time I need veterinary assistance either, so I'm in a terrible quandry at the moment.
I dared email Peter Gurney with this story as I think he will go ballistic...I know Vedra did!
Wheeeks to everyone.

Alex and the Herd

========================================
Message date : Aug 05 2004, 05:02 PM
>From : Gpdd-request at gpdd.org
To : Gpdd at gpdd.org
Copy to : 
Subject : Gpdd Digest, Vol 3, Issue 236
Send Gpdd mailing list submissions to
Gpdd at gpdd.org

To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
http://gpdd.org/mailman/listinfo/gpdd_gpdd.org
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
Gpdd-request at gpdd.org

You can reach the person managing the list at
Gpdd-owner at gpdd.org

When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
than "Re: Contents of Gpdd digest..."

----------------------------------------------------------------------
The GPDD moderators frequently reject messages that do not follow
these guidelines: 
A lack of a Topic label is the most common reason for message rejection. Please use a Topic Label (HEALTH, CARE, ANNOUNCEMENT, RAINBOW BRIDGE, BEHAVIOR, RESCUE, BREEDING, SILLY, PIGLETS, MISC. or VIRTUAL) and DESCRIPTIVE SUBJECT. More information on Topic use, post restrictions and permissions can be found at http://www.gpdd.org/topics.html 

Postings to the digest must conform to the rules stated at 
http://www.gpdd.org/guidelines.html

Please consult the GPDD FAQ at http:/www.gpdd.org/faq.html for
a list of commonly asked questions.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
All material posted and archived is copyright The Guinea Pigs' Daily Digest, and may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any media - printed or electronic - without written permission of the administrators.

Today's Topics:

1. [HEALTH] (petunia_loo at yahoo.com)
2. [CARE] (petunia_loo at yahoo.com)
3. Health: lumps (Glenda Gabriel)
4. MISC. to Joseph re: George (Kskosich at aol.com)
5. ANNOUNCEMENT: New Arrival!! yay!!!!! (nicola atton)
6. George, my sick piggy (Gailsie1 at aol.com)
7. HEALTH response to feeding gras (Bellarobi at aol.com)
8. Re: Announcement: George the GP and we thank you ALL
(Off1Knight at aol.com)
9. Re: (MISC) WILF PIG SMALL SIZE (BARRINGER JAMIE MAE)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2004 13:40:58 -0700 (PDT)
From: "petunia_loo at yahoo.com" 
Subject: [Gpdd] [HEALTH] 
To: lyndsayhunter1 at yahoo.com
Cc: gpdd at gpdd.org
Message-ID: <20040804204058.74587.qmail at web60505.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Please stop using the aspen bedding if they are eating
it. I don't mean to scare you but wood chips have been
known to block pigs' digestive tracts if eaten. If you
can't find a bedding right away that you aren't
allergic to, try using fleece or towels. Don't wait!
Lauren, Piglet and Pooh

**********************
We recently started using aspen bedding for our
piggies, and we've 
discovered they like to eat it. They didn't eat their
old bedding (but I 
was allergic to it so we switched to aspen). Is this
normal and will it 
hurt them in any way?

The Hunters (Lyndsay and Mike) and the Piggies (Molly,
Emily, Lucy and 
Stella)

=====
Tens of millions of healthy companion animals are euthanized each year in the U.S. Adopt a homeless pet. Have your pets spayed and neutered.

Join the Guinea Pig Rescue Transport Group!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gpig_transport

__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Mail - 50x more storage than other providers!
http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2004 14:44:19 -0700 (PDT)
From: "petunia_loo at yahoo.com" 
Subject: [Gpdd] [CARE] 
To: gpdd at gpdd.org
Message-ID: <20040804214419.47094.qmail at web60506.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Hi Chris, Paisley and Claire,
I would say no on the millet seed, and on seeds in
general (on a regular basis). Seeds are too fattening
for pigs. Yes, there are some "fiesta" foods that have
seeds in them, but they are not the most healthy
option in my opinion. If you do give an occasional
seed treat (mine enjoy pumpkin seeds), make sure it
doesn't contain any seeds with hard shells, such as
sunflower seeds, as they are a choking hazard.
I like your idea for a playpen! Where can I get the
cable ties?

~Lauren, Piglet and Pooh

=====
Tens of millions of healthy companion animals are euthanized each year in the U.S. Adopt a homeless pet. Have your pets spayed and neutered.

Join the Guinea Pig Rescue Transport Group!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gpig_transport

__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - 100MB free storage!
http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail 

------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2004 17:09:14 +0200
From: "Glenda Gabriel" 
Subject: [Gpdd] Health: lumps
To: 
Message-ID:
<303E98BD76A8AF43883E1BFF8A366F8902EFBBC2 at sovmail01.sovint.co.za>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Hi Everyone

I have a question I hope you'll can help with. Yesterday when I was playing with one of my girls, I felt a small piece of skin (kinda like a mole) behind her head between her shoulders. I touched it and it turned Red. She doesn't seem to bothered by it but I got worried cause it turned absolutely red like it just filled up with blood. My vet is really far away so I'll only get to take my girl on Saturday. Does anyone know what this could be??

Also my three little pigs and I just want to send our condolences and healing wheeks to all those piggies who are sick or have passed on to the Rainbow Bridge. 

Wheeks from us all

Glenda and the 3 little pigs (Gizmo, Gidget and little Autumn)

------------------------------

Message: 4
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2004 11:13:14 EDT
From: Kskosich at aol.com
Subject: [Gpdd] MISC. to Joseph re: George
To: gpdd at gpdd.org
Message-ID: <1d0.27952a49.2e42570a at aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Joseph, I am relieved to hear George is doing better and amazed at the 
sophisticated treatment he received. Hope he continues to improve. You have been 
so kind in offering sympathy to others on Digest and we are all wishing George 
the best. Sincerely, Kathy S

------------------------------

Message: 5
Date: Wed, 04 Aug 2004 19:16:52 +0100
From: "nicola atton" 
Subject: [Gpdd] ANNOUNCEMENT: New Arrival!! yay!!!!!
To: Gpdd at gpdd.org
Message-ID: 
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

I got a new pig today!! I forgot how cute they are when they are little! I 
tried to get one from my local rescue shelter but they didn't have any 
females (which is what i needed so that she could live with my existing 
pigs), so I went to the pet shop where I used to work, so I know that they 
look after the animals very well.

She is a Lemon Agouti Rex ( I think rex is known as teddy in the US) with 
lemon all the way up her nose and a little spot of it between her ears. I 
have never had a rex before so I did not realise they were so soft! But 
maybe they are only soft in the baby stage, I don't know. She is absolutely 
adorable and I picked her out of about 15. I have named her Heather.

She has been introduced to all three of my other guinea pigs and is getting 
on with them surprisingly well, as Ruby, my abbysinian can be aggressive 
toward strange pigs but after the initial dominance displays they have all 
settled down nicely.

I shall let you know how she is getting on,

Nicola xxx

_________________________________________________________________
Want to block unwanted pop-ups? Download the free MSN Toolbar now! 
http://toolbar.msn.co.uk/

------------------------------

Message: 6
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2004 15:54:30 EDT
From: Gailsie1 at aol.com
Subject: [Gpdd] George, my sick piggy
To: Gpdd at gpdd.org
Message-ID: <15a.3b76e0f0.2e4298f6 at aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

I am not the poster to the GPDD like Joe is. But he always tells me of the 
piggies who are sick and who have passed over the Bridge and I feel his pain 
when he knows he has to write that night to someone who has lost their beloved 
piggy. 

I would, for the first time, like to take this opportunity to thank each and 
every one of you for the genuine, caring prayers and good wishes for our 
cherished Georgie Boy. My heart is breaking - he has been diagnosed by our beloved 
Dr. Mock from West Caldwell, NJ via ultrasound (the only way to go) as having 
cysts in one kidney (not really affecting him) and a mass on his liver. Not 
sure if it is malignant but his liver enzymes are elevated. We will watch to 
see if they go down and perhaps that would be a sign of no malignancy and just 
a large mass. He is on antibiotics for probable infection as his white 
counts are up a bit as well.

Thank you again, each and every one of you who are so devoted to these 
cherished members of the animal kingdom. You are all wonderful people and hopefully 
your prayers will be answered as I hope mine will be. He's geriatric (5 
years old) but I will do everything in my power to keep him with us as long as he 
will keep fighting for life and everything humanly can be done for him.

Gail, George's heartbroken but hopeful Mom xxxooo

------------------------------

Message: 7
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2004 17:01:06 EDT
From: Bellarobi at aol.com
Subject: [Gpdd] HEALTH response to feeding gras
To: gpdd at gpdd.org
Message-ID: <149.2fb7f211.2e42a892 at aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Heather,
I usually give my piggies one handful of gras for each piggy per feeding. 
They get carrots, romaine lettuce, dandelions, or gras twice a day. 
When I let them run outside, of course, they eat as much as they want. They 
have never gotten sick of it, so far. You want to watch the clover, because 
that is known to cause bloating. 
I have also heard of a suggestion to first feed hay before greens, otherwise 
they fill up on greens and won't eat their hay. Poly and Sweetie are good 
little piggies and gobble on hay all day long, so, I do not follow that suggestion.

best wishes,
Marion, Poly and Sweetie

------------------------------

Message: 8
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2004 20:32:18 EDT
From: Off1Knight at aol.com
Subject: [Gpdd] Re: Announcement: George the GP and we thank you ALL
To: Gpdd at gpdd.org
Message-ID: <197.2c8d47e7.2e42da12 at aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Both Gail, George's mother, and I want to truly thank every one of you on the 
digest for the outpouring of best wishes and prayers offered up for the "Boy" 
(George). There has been an update which is as follows. The initial diagnosis 
by the emergency room vet was incorrect, this being he had pneumonia and an 
enlarged heart with an accumulation of fluid. But I'm sure that by placing him 
in an oxygen environment and giving him the antibiotics and lasix may very 
well have relieved the symptoms and helped him breath easier. George has since 
paid a visit to HIS vet, Dr. Mock, who knows and loves him as though he were her 
own. She has done both blood tests and an ultrasound and based on these 
tests, George has some rather large cysts in one of his kidneys but more seriously 
he has a growth on one of the lobes of his liver. His readings from the blood 
show elevated liver enzymes which is indicative of the growth being cancerous. 
There is the option to operate but at this point we are going to try and keep 
his weight up and since he is not suffering in the least, to give him all the 
love he has had for the last 5 years and then some. To operate on him might 
well be more stress than he can handle at this time so his life remains in 
God's hands. I only continue to pray that when his time comes to cross the bridge, 
he will not suffer but simply go to sleep and wake up on the other side with 
all those I have tried to remember in that same prayer. To see him, he looks 
like a perfectly healthy piggy and I hope that with his mother's care which is 
more than I can out into words and my hugs, he will stay with us for a bit 
more time. In closing I once again thank you ALL for your wonderful words and it 
truly warms my heart that you have done for George the guinea pig what I have 
tried to do for all of those that have already made the crossing, given THEIR 
NAMES a place in all of our hearts. From all that I have seen, our little boy 
will always be remembered as "George the guinea pig" and for that I shall 
always be in your debt.

Sincerely,

Joseph C. Petrillo, George the guinea pigs daddy

PS: His mother Gail also thanks you for your well wishes and prayers.

------------------------------

Message: 9
Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2004 18:50:42 -0600 (MDT)
From: BARRINGER JAMIE MAE 
Subject: Re: [Gpdd] (MISC) WILF PIG SMALL SIZE
To: gpdd at gpdd.org
Message-ID: 
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

>From what I've heard so far about Wilf ( I love his name, btw) He may
never get very big. I have a runty pig named Max who at 7-8 months has
still not caught up to his sister in size. He was underfed and neglected
till he was about 3-4mo. and was the runt anway, so he's noticeably small.
His brother, Gus, weighed in at a little over 3lbs at the vet a few weeks
ago, and with his Peruvian style long hair, he's about as huge-looking as
his brother Max is tiny, about 1.7lb(~27oz), so similar to Wilf. Both
checked out as perfectly healthy, and I think Max actually recovered a day
before Gus did from the whole neutering ordeal. Max also runs a LOT faster
than all 3 of my other, larger piggies. Smaller piggies may get sicker
faster, but otherwise it seems they are just cuter, brattier and more
stubborn than their larger counterparts.

-Jamie B and the Kids

On Tue, 3 Aug 2004, Rebecca Wilmot wrote:

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> The GPDD moderators frequently reject messages that do not follow
> these guidelines:
> A lack of a Topic label is the most common reason for message rejection. Please use a Topic Label (HEALTH, CARE, ANNOUNCEMENT, BEHAVIOR, RESCUE, BREEDING, SILLY, PIGLETS, MISC. or VIRTUAL) and descriptive subject. More information on Topic use, post restrictions and permissions can be found at http://www.gpdd.org/topics.html
>
> Postings to the digest must conform to the rules stated at
> http://www.gpdd.org/guidelines.html
>
> Please consult the GPDD FAQ at http:/www.gpdd.org/faq.html for
> a list of commonly asked questions.
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> All material posted is copyright The Guinea Pigs' Daily Digest, and may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any media - printed or electronic - without written permission of the administrators.
> Hi GP's
>
> Wilf Pig doesn't seem to be getting any bigger, we have had him a month
> now and he doesn't seem any bigger than when we first got him. He weighs
> in at about 600g (about 20 oz). I would imagine he was 7 or 8 wheeks old
> when we got him so now he's 12 wheeks. He's munching away quite happily,
> poops are firm. I've never seen such a fast moving pig in my life, he
> has got endless amounts of energy.
>
> I will continue to plot his weight weekly. Do you think I am being a
> neurotic mother or am I right to be concerned?
>
> I feed my pigs guinea pig dried food, excel, hay, veg (carrot, parsnip,
> celery, raw beetroot, corn leaves, fruit - apples and pears) and loads
> of grass. By contrast Jimmy is 60 ounces.
>
> They are mainly kept separate so Jimmy is not stealing all the food.
>
> Toodle-Pip
>
> Bec and the Boys
>
>
>
> Rebecca Wilmot
>
>
>
> Permabond Engineering Adhesives Ltd
>
> Wessex House
>
> Upper Market Street
>
> Eastleigh
>
> Hampshire
>
> SO50 9FD
>
> Tel. 02380 648533 Fax. 02380 611700
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Gpdd mailing list
> Gpdd at gpdd.org
> http://gpdd.org/mailman/listinfo/gpdd_gpdd.org
>

------------------------------

_______________________________________________
Gpdd mailing list
Gpdd at gpdd.org
http://gpdd.org/mailman/listinfo/gpdd_gpdd.org

End of Gpdd Digest, Vol 3, Issue 236
************************************

-- 

Whatever you Wanadoo:
http://www.wanadoo.co.uk/time/

This email has been checked for most known viruses - find out more at: http://www.wanadoo.co.uk/help/id/7098.htm