[Gpdd] HEALTH: Puzzled by symptoms -- Ideas?

Cuttlefish Arts cuttlefisharts at comcast.net
Thu Jul 5 12:41:22 EDT 2007


Dear GPDD,

I have a female, Angela, who has very odd symptoms, related or not, I have
no idea, but I'm hoping this will add up to someone on the list. I have a
good exotics vet who has found nothing apparently wrong with her, and has
tried to treat what she can (mostly keeping her going)

A note: several months ago, Angela had a huge bladder stone which she
passed. This may or may not be related to everything else. She hasn't had
any more stones. 

A some time around the bladder incident, Angela started having trouble with
one of her back legs, so she now tends to hop rather than walk normally. At
first I thought maybe she was experiencing some kind of pain connected to
the bladder stone, but it has become obvious that her left rear leg/hind is
weak and she isn't able to use it very well. Her leg trembles if you put any
load on the leg. She's unsteady.

Gradually, she started to have problems keeping on weight. The vet checked
her teeth and overall health-- and she seemed to be fine (no fever, or signs
of organic illness). Angela seemed to be eating/chewing, but she became very
thin. In general, her behavior has been normal. I realized that the problem
had become profound and she wasn't keeping her teeth trimmed, and wasn't
eating enough. In the midst of this period I tried every kind of food that I
could find to induce her to eat.

The vet trimmed her teeth, which had either overgrown fairly quickly or had
not presented as overgrown earlier -- she admits she might have missed
slightly overgrown teeth. After the trimming, I began giving Angela Critical
Care, and she is eating on her own since the trimming, although not really
enough -- just as before. I've continued to supplement her with the CC. She
seems to be hungry, and can eat pellets and grains slowly; she seems to be
unable to eat anything long or large (like hay or lettuce) and can't seem to
perform that "caterpillar" like motion with her mouth, drawing the food in
and chewing it as she goes. Also, she has a hard time eating vegetables
unless she can pull against them and take bites. IF they are left for her,
she has a  very slow time of it and tends to give up after a while. I
repeat, she IS hungry, and is a valiant little pig who is trying very hard.
I'm trying to just maintain her weight, which is just about 1 lb, 6 oz (from
a high point when she was 2 lb, 11 oz, when she was younger).  AND, she is a
shelter pig, but is supposed to be about 4 years old in August 07; I am now
entertaining the idea that she could be significantly older.

Sorry about the long post but... ANY IDEAS about what's going on? My shot in
the dark guess is that maybe she had a stroke and what I'm seeing is a
neurological deficit, and/or maybe she is significantly older than we think
and is having age related difficulties.

You help would be appreciated.


Thanks,
Vic, resident caretaker
For Angela Mysterioso (F), and Ravi Shankar (N), lady and master of the
house






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