Trix is going bald - Page 3

Ellie Bee · 10-28-2014, 10:03 AM

The cage sounds fine to me then. Give us the vet's verdict if you get them to come out - we've all got our paws crossed over here! Sending good thoughts.

Ellie Bee xx

Acorn · 11-21-2014, 06:02 PM

I have not had the chance to log on in a bit...busy with work, life, you name it! The vet says this is not mites. She is fairly certain it relates to aging, though cancer is not ruled out, but we would need to being her into the office to test for this. From my understanding, nothing could be done to help this, especially at her age? If I am wrong, let me know and we will pack her up for the drive to the vet.

Trix is still eating and constantly adding to her nest. She, however, rarely runs in her wheel at night now. We take her out for runs every second night in the hallway, but tonight, she just sat still, and whimpered. We gave her broccoli and she ate it, but she remained in the same spot, whimpering. We put her back in her tank, and she went to her nest. We put some toilet paper beside the nest, and she retrieved it and brought it into her nest. Poor girl still whimpers every so often.

I feel like we are losing her. I truly think that she is on her way out. I wish I could do something

Skeever · 11-21-2014, 07:38 PM

What does the 'whimpering' sound like? And did she ever make it before recent days?

Acorn · 11-21-2014, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skeever

What does the 'whimpering' sound like? And did she ever make it before recent days?

It is tough to describe, but it is like a quick, soft 'squeak' but also like a grunt...Hard to describe. She has made this same sound in the past when we took her downstairs, I assume because it was unfamiliar to her. It only happened once though, we never took her downstairs after that. She only runs in the hallway upstairs and in the room where her tank is located.

Thin Lizzy · 11-22-2014, 10:46 PM

My male Archie had bald patches on the back of his head and down his back and it was underskin mites which caused a lot of stress and discomfort, he got treated over 3 weeks with 3 injections and his fur grew back. Hamsters as they get older their immune system isn't as strong and they can find it hard to keep these little mites away.

3 ,months after Archie's treatment I noticed him stressed and agitated and a small bald patch on his back, so I took him back to the vet and he's getting another 3 weeks of treatment.

Acorn · 11-28-2014, 07:05 PM

Thanks for the comments and support - much appreciated. Trix now has a lump by her shoulder, visible to us about two weeks ago, we did not panic much at first as it was so small, and our skinny pigs often developed these as they got older. We noticed, however, that this lump has grown bigger since then, much bigger...for two weeks, it seems too fast.

She will no longer run in the hallway, instead she seems afraid in the open space. She no longer runs in her wheel in her tank. She has moved her nest into the small wooden house in her tank. She is still eating, peeing, and pooping fine.

My poor, beautiful girl. Such a strong, amazing baby. Yet, such a worried momma...

karlh · 11-29-2014, 12:12 AM

could be an abcess or a tumour. They look very much alike.

Thin Lizzy · 11-29-2014, 12:59 AM

Dear Acorn,
Said a little prayer for Trix and for you.
It's good she's still got her appetite.
Archie and Twinkle send hammie hugs to Trix xx

Acorn · 12-03-2014, 04:33 PM

Thank you Karlh and Thin Lizzy, much appreciated. It could be an abcess or tumour for sure, but, as far as I know, there is nothing that can be done with either. As I said, we had 4 skinny pigs before and two of them had stone surgeries, and so we would be willing to do anything for Trix, no doubt. She is aging for sure...what a change in her behaviour over the last few months. I had a slight panic attack last night, I thought she was gone...petted her a few times and she did not move - figured we had lost our baby - I went to pick her up, and she freaked! I was happy to see her defence mechanism kick in....but, this is a heartbreaking experience in general.

our beautiful gal is amazing, and she still loves to eat, for sure!

Acorn · 12-10-2014, 07:34 PM

Trix just had a massive set of convulsions, she came out to eat, and then flopped on her back and laid twitching for about 1 minute, I stupidly went in after a minute and tried to put her right side up and she bit me quite deep....quite a bit of blood on my end - I suppose the fight and defence mechanism is still strong! She is now eating broccoli...my poor girl, she is very stiff in movement, but by gosh, she is still moving forward!