Greetings! Or, shall I say, SEASON'S greetings!
Wow, long time no speak... or update/blog/write/post/inform!
My free WIFI here at home went MIA sometime in early July, hence the complete lack of updates. :X Still, that's no excuse, I know. *hangs head in shame* But I don't own a laptap or iPad or anything fancy, portable and type-friendly like that, so Starbucks' or anybody else's WIFI was not a viable option, ever. Hmm, OK, well, what really matters is that we now have free WIFI once again in our home and that's why you see this post today. :) YAY!
I got home not too long ago as I had to bring Dumbo, the all-black pig, to the vet out in DUMBO, Brooklyn. He was overdue by a hair for his annual checkup and we'd also discovered a bump on his left thigh area around mid-July. Since then we'd made sure to monitor it every couple weeks or so, and it's never really gotten any bigger or smaller and has virtually made no real impact on his everyday health. During these last several months, he's always had as voracious an appetite as ever! (READ: He is really fat! The vet took notice, too, remarking on how he's packed on the pounds, ha, since last year.)
Dumbo's vet, Dr. Neuman, over at Vinegar Hill, took his vitals and said he was fine. She then took a sample of the fluids in his bump (the medical term is 'cytology') and said I'd hear back from her either Tuesday at the earliest, or Wednesday, at the latest, while the sample gets sent to the pathologist. So now we just play the waiting game...
The vet said she is leaning towards the bump being a cyst, in which case we would just ignore it completely. However, if that bump on Dumbo's thigh has to do with the ever-dreaded C-word (sob), then she would operate on it.
Please, please, please keep your fingers/toes/eyes/hair crossed that it is not that horrible C-word and that it's actually a cyst (gosh, it would probably be the first time that anybody would be so utterly relieved and thrilled to have a cyst present)!!!
Anyhow, I shall bid adieu here. If I go another 7-8 months without posting, then I shall wish you all a very merry Christmas and a very happy, healthy, prosperous and fulfilling 2012 now! Farewell, 2011! :3
Showing posts with label Vinegar Hill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vinegar Hill. Show all posts
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
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.
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...
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!
***
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. |
Have a good Mother's Day.
Until next time...
Friday, November 5, 2010
Omelet is fine!
Omelet came down with a diagnosed case of ileus last week. Dr. Jessica Pizzillo over at the Vinegar Hill Veterinary Group (love them!) examined him, along with her sidekick/technician Jean (who, according to another technician, Tara, knows a TON about rabbits and guinea pigs), and sent him home with Reglan. Dr. Jessica told us to feed Omelet three days of Critical Care (which she then amended to 'not completely necessary' as long as he was eating his normal food) and unlimited amounts of hay. She also recommended we pick up some simethicone (basically, Gas-X in liquid form for babies). We did but then returned it to the store the next day as we did not feel he was exceptionally in need of it.
As of Thursday morning, he has been off of Reglan (which makes you regular, ha ha ha!) and is pooping on his own again. Let it be known that he was switched to a new brand of pellet food last Sunday (actually, two Sundays ago - not Halloween Sunday) and about three days later we observed him suffering from a bit of lethargy and not being overly, well, poopy.
Now he looks better. His poops are self-produced and he is eating normally again. (However, for the record, Truffle, dear sweet little Truffle, is STILL the poop king! Yowza, that little guy with the big rump sure can push those little poops out really quick!)
Here's Omelet:
As of Thursday morning, he has been off of Reglan (which makes you regular, ha ha ha!) and is pooping on his own again. Let it be known that he was switched to a new brand of pellet food last Sunday (actually, two Sundays ago - not Halloween Sunday) and about three days later we observed him suffering from a bit of lethargy and not being overly, well, poopy.
Now he looks better. His poops are self-produced and he is eating normally again. (However, for the record, Truffle, dear sweet little Truffle, is STILL the poop king! Yowza, that little guy with the big rump sure can push those little poops out really quick!)
Here's Omelet:
"What did you say about me, lady?!" (Yes, that's his trademark "angry" stare, LOL.)
Monday, October 11, 2010
Dumbo is in the clear!
We took our youngest (LOL, I started typing "dumbest"!) one, Dumbo, to a place we've never been to yesterday afternoon. It's Vinegar Hill Veterinary Group out in DUMBO (not kidding :P), Brooklyn. Billye said that the technician thought he was prank-calling her when she asked for the animal's name and he answered, "Dumbo." Hehe.
We suspected he had a recurring upper respiratory infection as he would cough on and off during these last couple of months. His vet, Dr. Sara Neuman, seems like a great doctor and lady. I have my fingers crossed hoping she's a keeper. She was quite skilled with Dumbo and received him warmly and fondly in the examination room. She prescribed Sulfatrim for him and said she is partial to that med. She had a great bedside manner and seemed confident and knowledgeable. I thought it was quirky when she chose to divulge gossip about a fellow vet. It made it easier to connect with her. :)
It's been extremely challenging trying to track down vets that specialize in exotic pets here in NYC (such irony!), but right now I feel good about Dr. Neuman and her capabilities. She did say that she does make referrals, at least with G pigs, if she doesn't think she can handle the case presented to her.
Dumbo is doing well. His weigh-in was 2 lbs., 1 oz. He saw part of DUMBO, the Bridge and the promenade. He is slowly becoming a worldly piglet. He was really pooped when he arrived home. I think he hates the noise of the train because he'd run like crazy from one end of his carrier to the other. The gal on the train sitting next to me was excited when he darted from one side to the other. She yanked her earphones out of her ears to ask whether he was a dog and looked like she wanted to pee on herself from giddiness when I replied, "No, it's a guinea pig." People are funny sometimes. :)
We suspected he had a recurring upper respiratory infection as he would cough on and off during these last couple of months. His vet, Dr. Sara Neuman, seems like a great doctor and lady. I have my fingers crossed hoping she's a keeper. She was quite skilled with Dumbo and received him warmly and fondly in the examination room. She prescribed Sulfatrim for him and said she is partial to that med. She had a great bedside manner and seemed confident and knowledgeable. I thought it was quirky when she chose to divulge gossip about a fellow vet. It made it easier to connect with her. :)
It's been extremely challenging trying to track down vets that specialize in exotic pets here in NYC (such irony!), but right now I feel good about Dr. Neuman and her capabilities. She did say that she does make referrals, at least with G pigs, if she doesn't think she can handle the case presented to her.
Dumbo is doing well. His weigh-in was 2 lbs., 1 oz. He saw part of DUMBO, the Bridge and the promenade. He is slowly becoming a worldly piglet. He was really pooped when he arrived home. I think he hates the noise of the train because he'd run like crazy from one end of his carrier to the other. The gal on the train sitting next to me was excited when he darted from one side to the other. She yanked her earphones out of her ears to ask whether he was a dog and looked like she wanted to pee on herself from giddiness when I replied, "No, it's a guinea pig." People are funny sometimes. :)
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