[Gpdd] HEALTH: Senior pig

[warmbreath]

Hi its Sandy,  I am glad to hear you are reunited. Manny too. Your Pumpkin 
should be exercised more and you should up his Vit C if he isn't getting a 
supplement already One of the first ways a Vit C deficiency shows is in week 
back legs. Metacam is not so bad on piggy tums, give it when he's going to 
be eating anyway.  If it gets worse, I would ask the vet for an e. cuniculi 
titre, this is a protozoan parasite know mostly to bunny owners, about 80% 
of buns get it at birth, and it may stay dormant a lifetime or it can rise 
up in babyhood, old age or anytime his immune system drops. A titre is a 
hard thing to evaluate the results A low to medium titre means he was 
exposed at some time, a medium titre may mean a active infestation as does a 
higher titre. If there is a suspicion it must be treated as these nasty 
buggers migrate to the brain, sudden blindness or head tilt is another 
symptom. It is transmissible to guinea pigs but probably not it great 
numbers or we would hear more about it. The medication is relatively cheap, 
panacur is one. and the problem can reoccur, but it can be knocked down to 
noise level.
I read www.etherbun.org and have for the last 2 years and this is a common 
thread. I even do some advising even though the main experience I have is 
with piggies, my grown daughter has a bun and I study for him. I found out 
from a Swiss vet that it can affect piggies, since Pumpkins age is unknown 
I'm guessing you don't know his whole history so he may have been infected 
read about here www.medirabbit.com    One article here talks about hind leg 
paralysis in several disease e.c/ is down the page under slow onset 
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Differentials/paresis.htm  back up 
one page to get all neurological differential diagnosis. Another page 
discuses drug treatments 
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/cuniculi/pyrimethamine.pdf , also 
shows toxoplasmosis as another or coccidosis which is often more acute, but 
I don't think they affect hind legs. Toxo is a common parasite in cats, do 
you know of any exposures there? e.c. is common in buns if any of those 3 
symptoms show up they often don't bother with the test, just go straight to 
meds.  medirabbit has a search engine that will show other articles.

In my opinion the first possibilities we discussed are much more likely, 
needs more exercise, More Vit C, add the Metacam if it seems painful to walk 
or if a dose makes him able to be more active. Metacam will be a better 
option than a pure pain reliever like opoids like Buprenex aren't an NSAID 
like metacam, which has anti-inflammatory properties, and Buprenex and other 
opoids slow down the gut (boy do I know this is true).

Sandy and Manny want Pumpkin to get well so he can play with Peaches (they 
are just friends right?) Manny's pet piggie Li'l Bit does too! Pumpkin is 
too young to be an old Piggie, right!!