[Gpdd] HEALTH Sooty and Kimba

[Penny Charlesworth]

No wonder you get confused Julie, It must be so hard trying to care for
piggies when you live somewhere with such extreme temperatures. Even at
your coolest of 24 with the aircon, that is far warmer than we have in
England for most of the year.

By the time that you read this, you will have been to see your vet and I
sincerely hope that he has some good news for you.

Flagyl is not an antibiotic - it is an anti-parasitic ( although all drugs
have differing names between my country and others and it is hard to keep
up.)

Tribrissen is an old fashioned antibiotic here. Vets used it before the
advent of Baytril and my vet still uses it on occasions when Baytril or
Marbocyl do not seem to be working. My Rodentologists favour paediatric
Septrin, which is gentler on the tummy and this is the one that I always
keep on hand in my piggy medicine box.

It is quite possible that Sooty might be incubating an abscess but your vet
is the best person to determine that. An abscess can certainly cause the
eye to bulge or he could have a hay poke injury, which can look really
horrible. My Polo had a hayseed in his eye recently and his eye looked
horrendous for a while ( all good now ).

Whatever happens, you have done the very best possible for your little
boys. I know how hard it is to lose these little ones - I once lost two on
the same day.

Re Hugo - I would suggest that the blueness of his lips may be due to a
lack of oxygen and your vet might consider prescribing heart meds. It is no
use me suggesting names as they will be different in your country. I hope
that you took him along with Sooty and Kimba.

Please let us all know how you get on at the vets.

I wonder if there are any other small animals that are better adapted to
your climate upon which you could lavish the care and love that you have
given to so many piggies. We have been enjoying a tv programme about a guy
in Australia who rescues orphaned kangaroos. Now, I am not suggesting for a
moment that this would be for you but fostering other little ones in need
could fill the gap.

Sending you and your boys all our love and best wishes.

Penny and the Piggyfriends. Paws crossed for success.