Sierra

[Paula]

What is the very longest they can go without being force fed? On Wednesday I will be away for 7 hours.

If she's eating a little on her own, that'll be fine. Ideally it's every 4-6 hours, but if she's eating on her own that isn't necessary.

As for heat, do you have just a cuddle sack or something she could curl up in if she wanted to, or would she chew that too?

Good luck, I'm glad to hear she's doing a little bit better.

[newguineamom]

B, I'm praying for Sierra. She will be in my thoughts. I'm so sorry. <HUGS>

[bugsmom]

Just found this and I'm sorry. I hope Sierra keeps up with starting to eat. Fingers crossed here for her.

[Sef]

Fingers crossed for her, brenda.

Does she like canned pumpkin? (plain; no other ingredients). It's high in fiber and moist, and might help a little with the poops. I'd get her on a probiotic with the SMZ, since her gut is already a little out of whack.

How are you dosing the Metacam?

I'm sorry about the job situation, too. That truly sucks.

[brendab]

Hi all,
Well she will eat all of the lettuce I give her but suddenly acts like baby carrots are evil incarnate (used to be her favorite).
She is nibbling on her own here and there but not enough. Her poops are still tiny but moist now.

I am doing find grind critical care, will pick up new hay and pumpkin today. I also am going to start acidophilus powder in the critical care.

She also has no tolerance for Guinness right now. Cass came up to lick off the critical care and she was fine but when Guinness came she chattered at her. They never really liked each other much.

He wants me to give a higher dose of metacam and then wean down so I am doing .2 twice a day. Can go as high as .3.

She used to love the cuddle sacks but now prefers a bed. Funny how so much about her has suddenly changed. But I just got her a nice warm one from the dryer.

I am guardedly hopeful. She seems to not be as chipper as yesterdday when I posted. But she did go all night without me...

[Sef]

Sending good thoughts your way. Sounds like you're doing all that you can.

I'd be very careful with the Metacam, though; NSAIDs can put a major strain on kidneys. Even though your vet wants you to start high and wean down, .2cc's-.3cc's twice a day is a really high dose. For Sierra's weight, the standard dose would be roughly .1cc every 24 hours. I'd be really reluctant to go much higher than that, given her bladder/kidney issues...

[brendab]

Crap, I gave her a full dose before I left for work.
I will give her less from now on.

She turned her nose up at carrot and escarole but ate lettuce and parsley this morning.

Should I take her for another sub q?

I have a bad feeling...I need help.

[Paula]

She just had a subcue yesterday, right? If so, I'd say you can wait till tomorrow to take her for another one if you decide you want to. If it were me I'd probably just let her be at the moment.

Refresh my memory, have they ever done xrays on her?

[brendab]

Yes, xrays were done when she kept having intermittent bleeding. No stones. No real bad sludge. I call her my sludge pig but she isn't probably "truly" one as what she passes is always powdery and never gritty. But, she passes more than the other two.

I am sick to my stomach. I know she won't live forever, so why am I so upset. I should not have any pets. I always get so upset. Good grief I am 40 years old for crying out loud...

[brendab]

<-------- It's that sweet face and little pink nose that wriggled into my heart. I had 2 pigs, did not want 3. Then I saw her. I just hope I can save her yet again.

[Sef]

I'm so sorry you're going through this, brenda. I know how hard it is when they're ill like this.

Maybe try a few different things with her: parsley, cilantro, grape tomatoes, cucumber, a little celery (you of course know the remove the strings). Anything to stimulate her appetite.

Is she drinking water on her own?

[brendab]

I saw her take a little bit this morning. Not sure how much she did or did not drink over night. Vet says she needs 30mls per day. So, I think I will supplement with pedialyte as well just incase.

She is getting some in the critical care and veggies.

I feel like a big baby. Is it normal to be so upset or is there something wrong with me?

[Paula]

It's normal.

When it became clear that Chompksy wasn't going to recover, I had to leave work early. I couldn't focus on anything and every time I thought about it I'd tear up and have to run to a conference room to get ahold of myself, so I feel your pain.

[brendab]

Paula,

How did you know he was not going to recover? Did you have to have him put to sleep? These are all questions I have running through my head.

She is acting normal otherwsie. Not puffed up. She is moving around, getting pissy at Guinness.

[Paula]

He declined pretty steadily over the period of about a week. He'd had a long history with bladder infections and sludge. Ultimately what made it clear he wasn't going to recover was a combination of his weight loss and his gradual loss of interest in all the things he'd loved eating. First he gave up pellets, then the acidophilus that he loved, then lettuce, then cilantro, etc.

I didn't have to have him put to sleep, because it seemed unlikely that he'd actually survive the car ride to the vet's office, and most importantly he wasn't in any pain, so my husband and I decided that as long as that was the case, it was most kind to let him pass in his cage with his "wife" Izzie with him and all the sounds and smells he'd grown accustomed to over his life all around him.