The "Guinea Pigs Rule!!" Movement/Truffle's Health News

Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful and unconditionally loving moms out there!

We had to bring the ever adorable Truffle in to see Dr. Sara Neuman this afternoon. Since about Wednesday, we'd noticed he was having some breathing abnormalities - he would make this little hacking sound, sneezing and wheezing his way through the last few days. On Friday morning, a pretty big ball of green snot shot out of his nose, much to our shock (we'd never seen any of our pigs do that before). We got very worried and quickly started him on leftover Sulfatrim from Dumbo's last upper respiratory infection (URI) last October. Yesterday, he was doing a bit better, having improved a little with the wheezing and hacking. However, he does sneeze on and off. And a second round of snot came flying out of his nose (OK, hope no one is eating as s/he is reading this post, LOL). But this time, it was not as green or thick, which was a good sign. We'll take any good signs when we can get 'em!

However, early this morning, we noticed his appetite started dropping as he seemed to not want to eat any Critical Care from an open syringe. :(( :O :/ We had e-mailed Dr. Sara Neuman late yesterday afternoon to seek her advice. She replied to Billye that the red flag we ought to look out for was a complete stoppage of eating and pooping in Truffle. Because we saw that Truffle, always a voracious eater, really did not have his usual big interest in eating (or drinking), we went ahead and booked an appointment with Dr. Neuman today.

While at the vet, he received a couple of injections, one for hydration, the other to jump-start his appetite. He was out and about for a little over five hours in all today. He's very pooped right now, so it's obvious his first priority is to sleep. I hope when he wakes up and feels refreshed that he will head straight for his hay basket and food bowl. :] Dr. Neuman put him on a stronger antibiotic for the respiratory infection he has. It's called "Orbax" (Orbifloxacin). Truffle will need to be on it for the next two weeks. Aside from that, we'll dose him Reglan for his slowed GI tract to help get it up and moving again. I hope he will be A-OK. It's quite nerve-wracking but we've got all fingers crossed for a complete turnaround sooner than later. We hate seeing Truffle like this. :(

Obviously, it could have been anything that caused Truffle to come down with this URI, but my small unfounded suspicion is that maybe sleeping over and hanging out at Sammy's made him sick. (New pigs from pet stores are often notorious for suffering from URIs, hence the reason why quarantining the new pig from your established brood/gang/fraternity/etc. at the beginning is highly advised.) Anyhow, Sammy was a bit wheezy on and off around the same time that we noticed Truffle wasn't being his usual self. However, unlike Truffle, Sammy is an amazing ball of energy! (OK, I do acknowledge the sizeable age difference between Truffle and Sammy. :P) He still has his normal appetite and flies around his cage constantly, thinking he's a speeding bullet!!! It's quite entertaining to see.

Here are Truffle and Sammy in happier - and healthier - times.

Bonding over a snack of hay together.

This is Truffle yesterday afternoon. Sick and not looking like himself. :'( We would find him puffed up (a self-defense mechanism that sick or injured pigs use to mask their illness/injury from predators - a tactic inherited from their ancestral pigs who lived in the wild) in his igloo from time to time throughout the day yesterday.

The good news is he has maintained his weight, which is extremely important for any sick guinea pig. He was 2 lbs., 11 oz. This morning, he was about 2 lbs., 11.75 oz. However, he needs to start eating and drinking again, so he can do his usual bathroom business! 

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In other news, Billye ordered a custom silkscreen thingamajig (LOL, I've no idea what the technical term is or maybe I'm just really tired right now) from Pearl Paint on Canal Street last week. So he made some very cool T-shirts with the silkscreen template. 

Two orange T-shirts for Billye and two grey ones for me. Buy 4 for $10 at a variety store, add your own silkscreen, and BAM! You've got four novelty/boutique looking T-shirts. :) In the upper left photo, Billye is showing off a pair of his underwear that he silkscreened yesterday. Guinea pig briefs - ha ha! And, yes, he used Truffle for the silkscreen, as  you can see in the bottom right photo.

Anyhow, please send healthy and healing vibes to Truffle. He is absolutely the sweetest pig in the world, his heart is as big as any that has ever been made and he is full of SO much love and kindness. I really hate seeing him have to suffer. I hope he bounces back quickly.

Have a good Mother's Day.

Until next time...