• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Advice needed - Piggies with UTI's

Status
Not open for further replies.
DarwinTesla

DarwinTesla

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jul 12, 2008
Messages
86
Reaction score
0
Points
0
We think both our girls may have UTIs

Their behaviour had changed somewhat, lots of uncharacteristic squeaking (in general, not just while peeing) so last night we seperated them and put them on white towels overnight. By morning they each had a spot or two of blood on the towels. They're going to the vets today and I'm guessing they're going to be on antibiotics (which they HATE, poor things). I have a couple of questions if anyone can help us.

1) Which flooring is best for preventing them staying in contact with urine in their area?

2) Are there any really good water dispensers for them? At the moment they're using a water bottle tied to a little cage fence that surrounds their area but it never looks very easy for them to use, and I don't want anything discouraging them from drinking. If there are any more sturdy/controllable water dispensers for them it might make things easier.

3) We give them the 'selective' pellets, which were recommended to us. Looking at the ingredients, the main one is alfalfa. Is this unsuitable for pigs of 3-4yrs?

Any other advice is appreciated.
 
O dear

I don't have much advice I am afraid.

Apparently piggies drink more from a glass bottle.....saying that my pair want touch their water in a glass bottle.

Hope the antibiotics do the trick x
 
Hi

Hope you got ok at the vets?

Vetbed is very good I believe as it draws moisture away from the surface. I never used it as I had fleece/towels but there are plenty of other guys on here that do that can advise.

Also, Alfalfa should only really be given to young/growing pigs. It has a high calcium content so shouldnt be fed to mature piggies.

Cant advise on the water bottle, sorry.
 
Hi!

I would change the pellets - they are high in calcium. If necessary, switch over slowly.

The best antibiotic for UTIs is actually pediatric septrin, an oral form of the bactrim mentioned in the link. It is banana flavoured and usually a great hit with most piggies on top of being much easier on the guts than baytril. 0.5 ml twice daily is the usual dose for adult piggies (baytril would be 0.4 ml twice daily).
Giving unsweetened cranberry juice either pure or mixed with water help also. A mild diuretic like a portion of dandelions will also help flushing the bladder, provided they get extra water/cranberry juice. You may have to ask your vet for septrin and have to sign a form as it is not officially licensed (only baytril is). However, many piggy vets now use septrin quite widely. You may need to give septrin for at least 3 weeks to get on top of any UTI and prevent a return.
http://www.guinealynx.info/uti.html

If they are in pain, I find metacam for the first 2-3 days helpful. It is a painkiller/anti-inflammatory.

You can use vetbed or cheap fleece from a supermarket (polyester bed spreads or baby blankets) which you can change daily. I have also had some success with stopping a UTI spreading through my Tribe last year by washing the fleeces with a little bit of antibacterial fabric solution (from the baby section - make sure that you run an extra rinse, though!). You will need to prewash any fleece 2-3 times before use to get rid of any softener which seals it up. Never overfill the washing machine, or your fleece will come out stinking!
 
Thanks for the replies, they're very much appreciated and I'll go through them properly in a sec.

The girls are back from the vets. Darwin, the one we were most concerned about the vet didn't spend too much time with. He said the blood in her urine was probably caused by dehydration and should clear up. Unfortunately, little Tesla didn't fare so well. The vet said he's basically certain she has polycystic ovary tumors, which were causing the bleeding, and that without (fair major) surgery she'll die.

I've ordered a replacement water bottle and I'm going to try hand watering them until it comes. I'm going to try to get some critical care for post-op feeding, but I'm struggling to find somewhere that sends it quickly.

At a bit of a loss really.

AZtqs.jpg


Little Tesla on the left in happier times.
 
DarwinTesla said:
Thanks for the replies, they're very much appreciated and I'll go through them properly in a sec.

The girls are back from the vets. Darwin, the one we were most concerned about the vet didn't spend too much time with. He said the blood in her urine was probably caused by dehydration and should clear up. Unfortunately, little Tesla didn't fare so well. The vet said he's basically certain she has polycystic ovary tumors, which were causing the bleeding, and that without (fair major) surgery she'll die.

I've ordered a replacement water bottle and I'm going to try hand watering them until it comes. I'm going to try to get some critical care for post-op feeding, but I'm struggling to find somewhere that sends it quickly.

At a bit of a loss really.

AZtqs.jpg


Little Tesla on the left in happier times.
Click to expand...

Just read your thread and it sounded a little strange that the vet dismissed Darwins symptoms and only recommend to you up her water intake?

I'm sorry I dont have any knowledge on polycystic ovary tumors but I hope someone comes along and can offer their experience.

Critical care you can buy from the vets (or they will order it in) - However I'm sorry I'm assuming you live in the UK. It is cheaper on-line and usually arrives with in 48hrs in my experience. http://www.vetuk.co.uk/rabbit-suppl...97/oxbow-critical-care-fine-grind-100g-p-2747

I still feel concerned and puzzled by your vets recommendation that water would do the trick ?/


Anyone....?
 
I'm with you Salt and Pepper - Water will not solve an infection.

Antibiotics are needed to clear an infection, As for the tumours how where they diagnosed?

Did they do an ultra-sound or Xray?
 
He basically just felt them, and he's probably right. I'm ashamed to say I'd noticed the swellings a long time ago. Both our girls are chubby, and they both have big bums but Teslas felt like there were two little weightless balloons under the skin, but when I'd mentioned it I was told I was just paranoid.

Re the water thing, I agree. It was my other half that took them to the vet and by the looks of it the vet was told the wee was discolored, which would explain the diagnosis - when really, it was dispersed (because the towel was on a flat impermeable surface) but pink which to me would suggest a UTI - and not the sludgy discoloration of dehydration. So I'm probably going to have to try & get a urine sample and take Darwin in again. The girls were really shook up from their visit (they hate the vets) and weren't drinking last night though (even by hand) so that'll have to wait I suppose.

I've ordered some critical care from vet uk and some pipettes. I'll try and pick up some preparation h for the scar healing too.
 
Well she's booked in for her op. She's going in at 8:30 am and the vets said she'll stay there until the evening for observation and we should bring in her favourite food and treats for her to have, which is nice. We've taken time off work so she'll have at least one of us with her all day for the first 5 days of post-op.
 
Ovarian cysts are very common in adult sows and don't need to be operated on at all times. There is the possiblity of hormonal treatment now; and it is worth researching.

However, I completely agree with the others that dismissing blood in the urine as mere dehydration is not right; it is CERTAINLY not a proper diagnosis!

If I were you, I'd cancel the operation slot and get a second opinion from an exotics specialist (guinea pigs are classed as such) before you risk an operation. I can't say that I would entrust the life and health of any of my own piggies to this particular vet! Tesla is not going to pass away from not being treated for a day or two, but you may be able to get adequate and not life endangering treatment for both of your girls. The fact that they are both having bloody urine at the same time indicates that they are rather suffering from the same complaint, which has not been addressed.
 
Wiebke said:
Ovarian cysts are very common in adult sows and don't need to be operated on at all times. There is the possiblity of hormonal treatment now; and it is worth researching.

However, I completely agree with the others that dismissing blood in the urine as mere dehydration is not right; it is CERTAINLY not a proper diagnosis!

If I were you, I'd cancel the operation slot and get a second opinion from an exotics specialist (guinea pigs are classed as such) before you risk an operation. I can't say that I would entrust the life and health of any of my own piggies to this particular vet! Tesla is not going to pass away from not being treated for a day or two, but you may be able to get adequate and not life endangering treatment for both of your girls. The fact that they are both having bloody urine at the same time indicates that they are rather suffering from the same complaint, which has not been addressed.
Click to expand...

I quite agree one of mine had ovarian cysts, felt by the rodentologist & had two injections for them & was fine after. She also used to pee "pink" occasionally, so please don't undertake such a serious op until you get another opinion with a specialist in cavies first :)
 
Unfortunately, we don't really have any specialists in our area as far as I can tell. The vet we're going to seems to be better than the ones we've seen previously.

Regards the other treatments I did ask my other half if the vet had mentioned hormonal treatments or draining, but he didn't. To be perfectly honest, if I had the chance I probably would go down that route first but the op's very expensive and if we pursued other treatments and they failed we may very well be unable to afford to have the op, and I don't think I'd be able to forgive myself.
 
Hey, were do you live? Hopefully someone may know a cavy savy vet nearby to you..
 
Well, I killed our little girl. We had a new area set up next to her sisters for her post op, bought loads of new bedding, got all her favourite treats in, new toys, her critical care stuff, a new soft carrier so we didn't disturb her scar when we had to move her, a ton of grass from the garden. I came down this morning and she was running around, happy, healthy, full of beans, we popped her in her carrier with some grass and she was munching away happily watching through the door and I took her in to the vets and two hours later she was dead.

I should have taken her to a different vet for hormone treatment, I should have gotten the cysts drained, but with all the vets around here being even worse than this one I thought I'd be risking her by having failed treatments and then not being able to afford the op.

Well, the jokes on me. My little girl's dead and her sisters left alone. But hey, at least I can afford to pay for the op that killed her.
 
I am very sorry for your loss. It's heart-breaking.

Please don't beat yourself up so much. You made a difficult decision for her to have the op based on your vet's advice to give her the best chance. I know it doesn't feel like it right now, but there's no blame here. It's just very sad.

Huge hugs. x
 
BIG HUG

I lost one of my own piggies in an ovarian cyst operation last year myself after only seven weeks of having her. You have tried your best under the circumstances; that is all you can do! It is not like Tesla died from neglect, is it? It would also not have helped if you had run out of money halfway through her treatment - provided that you had got access to a rodentologist in the first place, which are not exactly around every corner! You always need to take all aspects into count, and you did that. You went to the best vet available to you. But it is difficult not to grapple with feelings of guilt in a situation like that. I did the same; all loving pet owners do, if that is of some small consolation to you! It is always just so gutting to lose a piggy in or after a major operation.

PS: Have you got a reputable rescue within your reach where you can piggy date Darwin to find him a friend of his choosing once he comes out of deep mourning? I have found that the best way to go - I have always got a wonderful, loving relationship out of it because it is based on mutual liking.

RIP Tesla - so sad that it was not to be!
 
Last edited:
So sorry to hear this. Please don't be so hard on yourself up about this. You did everything that you could for her, you obviously loved her very much. You followed the vets advice and tried to help your little girl. Hugs to you at this sad time.
 
No, there have been no more pee marks for a good while. Darwin seems perfectly fine healthwise. Just confused and out of sorts. She's missing her sister. Every time we mention Tesla she stops what she's doing and looks up, waiting, then goes and hides when Tesla doesn't appear. She keeps picking up a treat and running away (which they both did to stop the treat getting nicked by the other one) but then kind of stopping half way and just dropping the food, like she's remembering she doesn't need to run anymore.
 
DarwinTesla said:
No, there have been no more pee marks for a good while. Darwin seems perfectly fine healthwise. Just confused and out of sorts. She's missing her sister. Every time we mention Tesla she stops what she's doing and looks up, waiting, then goes and hides when Tesla doesn't appear. She keeps picking up a treat and running away (which they both did to stop the treat getting nicked by the other one) but then kind of stopping half way and just dropping the food, like she's remembering she doesn't need to run anymore.
Click to expand...

:0awww how hearbreaking.....I'm so sorry you lost Tesla but please dont blame yourself. Ive been through all that blame thing myself and its horrible. You think youre doing the right thing, and the right thing turns out to be the wrong thing etc etc. IT WASNT YOUR FAULT x

I am only just coming to terms with the fact that I didnt kill Rodney. I did what I thought was the best for him based on the advice from the vet. Still hurts like hell but, if I had to make that choice again I would do the same thing. His health was important to me, as was Tesla to you.

((BIG HUG)) xx
 
Please don't blame yourself xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>
I too have been thru ops and then only to have the piggie pass away (our dear Sully) but it's cause whee love them soooo much that whee try our best...........sadly way to often it's not enough :(

HUGE HUGS FROM US ALL XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I will post on your rb thread.......

RIP Tesla a very brave little girlie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top