[Gpdd] HEALTH - Mimi and Jaime

[Juwles]

Dearest Jaime

I'm sorry to read of Mimi's losing weight.   Especially at this time of
year.  I seem to have had a lot of experience with guinea pigs of late - so
I might just have some ideas which you might think of following through
with.

Firstly, check teeth.  Is she only eating soft veges and not carrot or the
outsides of cucumber, etc.

Is it a mouth infection?  Possibly a course of Nystatin may not hurt.  If it
is the infection, she may not be grinding the molars and maybe they need a
bit of a snip.

Or, is it a gut infection?   Like we humans, if we are sick in the tummy, we
don't want to each or move around because it can be very painful.'=
Mostly people think firstly of teeth problems, but after my beloved Joey's
experience, I would also ensure Mimi's gut is lookee at.

I've read in Peter Gurney's Piggy Potions book that sometimes a piggy
becomes anorexic for no reason, and one method he used to make the piggy
interested in eating was a bit of whiskey (check the website in case it's
another liquor).

I would ask the vet for an x-ray.   Joey was sick for 3 years, and I did
everything I'm advising you to do.  He never suffered teething problems, but
he had horrible masses growing from each side of his abdomen.  We though it
was pus from one of his horridly painful and ugly cyst.  Finally I had the
vet take an xray, and it came back showing absolutely and unbelievably huge
masses on each side of his abdomen.   I was told it was gas, and the big
worry was because of the gas that his gut might twist.  They tried to
relieve the gas, but Joey was too ill and what little gas they expelled was
too little too late.  It just put him through further pain.

But if Mimi was x-rayed, maybe the vet could check internally, with no need
for anaesthesia.

What about tempting Mimi with clover, parsley, dandelion and gradually add
slithers of carrot in and continue with the Critical Care.

I found when Sooty was sick with that pus behind the eye, he was always
cold.   I used to heat a hot water bottle, cover it well so he couldn't get
burned, put it against his wigwam, and eventually I would find Sooty pushed
close to the side of his cage for warmth.  

What gave Sooty an interest in food and helped keep his teeth trimmed, was
the crusts off wheatmeal/grain toast., or even wheatmeal biscuits.  Never
give bread, but the toast is fine.  Actually, the rest of my babies all like
a bit of toast each day.

Oh, and at that time Sooty because desperate for corn cobs too.   He'd eat
his and other left over cobs, and lots of cucumber, but he only ate the
middle out of it, never the skin!  He appears to be cured without any need
for surgery.

I pray and wish only the best for you and Mimi.   At this special time of
year, I will pray doubly hard for her recovery, once you know what it is.
Please accept my biggest hugs across the miles, and love and prayers for all
to be well again in 2012.
Love Julie + 5 xxxxxx