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Billiam in pain - cystitis?

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vickie

vickie

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Billiam is really straining and crying when he wees - it is heartbreaking to see him like this. I took him to the vet on Monday and she said it was probably cystitis due to the pain and blood in the urine. She couldn't feel any bladder stones. I have been given Baytril to give twice daily for 7 days and if there is no change to carry on for another 7 days. I am also giving him 0.2ml of Calpol twice daily to help with his pain although there seems to be no improvement in him at all. I also give him unsweetened cranberry juice - how much of this can I give him?

The vet also had a feel of a lump he has on his tummy and suspects it is a tumour. She said they CAN operate but in some cases, due to age and disability (Bill is 5 and blind) it is probably not the best option for the piggy. I tend to agree as I could not imagine him bouncing back from surgery when he is seemingly in a lot of pain from cystitis.

Is there anything else I can give him or do for him to help him at the moment?
 
Poor Billiam. Sorry not to have any useful advice but I hope he feels a bit more comfortable soon. xx>>>
 
My girl Pebble has been crying when peeing there is no blood in the urine, but she was giving Septrin from the vet 0.5mls per day she hasn't finished the course but already the symptons are gone.

How can she be so sure its a tumour without having a look?

I also think as there is blood and the infection doesn't seem to be getting any better on Baytril I would ask for an Xray without GA to check for stones as they can not be felt by palpation alone.

Are you giving a pro-biotic to help the gut?

Maybe be worth asking for Septrin it's also said to be easier on the gut I believe.
 
I'm sorry Billiam is struggling. Septrin is the preferable antibiotic for cystitis, if your vet will prescribe Septrin it may help if Baytril doesn't do the trick. If no luck with Baytril and the vet won't prescribe Septrin, the next step would be a x-ray to check for stones; not all stones can be felt in the bladder.

Is the tumour you mention under the skin, on the lower abdomen? From your description, a mammary tumour comes to mind, but obviously more info would be needed to back that idea up.
 
I would strongly recommend an x-ray for a bladder stone - it must not necessarily sit in the bladder!

Usually, UTI does react to antibiotics within a week, even though just one week is not enough to cure it and it may take more than one course. So far, any cases on here where the strong pain when peeing persisted did turn out to have another reason for the pain.

I agree with Laura that pediatric septrin is the antibiotic of choice for cystitis. It also has the advantage ithat it is much easier on the guts than baytril. Please ask your vet to prescribe you a probiotic with any antibiotic, in order to counter the effects on the gut and help keeping up the appetite.

For that reason I would NOT recommend giving Billiam lots of unsweetened cranberry juice as is recommended for cystitis, as that could make his problem worse instead of better if it turned out to BE a stone!

Please have Billiam booked in at your vets again; you need to check whether it is the tumor or a bladder stone (could sit in the urethra, for instance) is the cause of Billiam's suffering.

Here is more info on cystitis and bladder stones from the best medical website available for guinea pigs:
http://www.guinealynx.info/uti.html

I am sending you and poor Billiam my vibes!
http://www.guinealynx.info/stones.html

Here is more
 
Thanks for all of your replies, I have found the information most helpful. I am now however in a bit of a quandary. As the vet I am seeing is only ever going to prescribe Baytril (I have asked them for Septrin previously for my rabbit and it was refused) and is also reluctant to perform surgery I am not sure what they will suggest. Are there any non-surgical treatments for bladder stones?

Can anyone recommend a good guinea pig vet in the Leicester or the East Midlands? I have been down this road before with my bunnies and the best and nearest I have found is in Northampton. I think I've tried most vets in Leicester!
 
Some people have chosen not to have bladder stones removed from their piggies, for one reason or another, but it really is too big a risk and I generally wouldn't condone leaving stones in a boar. If the stone enters the urethra and blocks it, it becomes an emergency situation and the pig will be in a lot of discomfort and pain and surgery to remove the stone can't wait.

An x-ray to show the size and position of any stones may give you some indicators and is still worthwhile.

There are three vets on the Recommended Vet List for Leicestershire:
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=38481
 
If you are willing to travel to Northampton to see a vet then I recommend The Cat & Rabbit Clinic in Northampton.
Simon is excellent and we trust him 100% with all our pigs. A few other members will also back me up when it comes to Simon's expertise!
 
Roo3 said:
If you are willing to travel to Northampton to see a vet then I recommend The Cat & Rabbit Clinic in Northampton.
Simon is excellent and we trust him 100% with all our pigs. A few other members will also back me up when it comes to Simon's expertise!
Click to expand...

It's Simon at the Cat & Rabbit Clinic who I take my rabbits to! I completely agree that he is fantastic, I cannot rate him highly enough!
However, getting there is sometimes an issue and I have looked up one of the Leicester vets on the list that Laura has very kindly sent me and am going to give Craig at Chine House a try. I am thrilled that there is a small animal expert in Leicestershire - I never knew! And I thought I had tried everywhere! I'll let you know what he suggests.

Thanks once again.
 
When one of our boars (who sadly is no longer with us) got an infection last year, our old vets in Northampton referred us to Craig at Chine House. Fuzzy had been with our old vets for a week and half before we took him to see Craig and they couldn't work out what was wrong with him.
We took him to see Craig who pretty much worked out what was wrong with him as soon as he saw him, and another 2 weeks later Fuzzy was eating for himself again.
During a conversation with Simon at the Cat & Rabbit Clinic, he told me he'd trained at Chine House with Craig.
I can't rate Craig highly enough either. Without him, I doubt we would have had Fuzzy for the further 18 months we did.
Your pig will be very well looked after at Chine House.
Please keep us informed.

X
 
I took Billiam to see Craig the vet tonight and have left him there as he will be needing an x-ray tomorrow. I am thrilled to know that Craig trained with Simon, it made me feel even more confident with him so thank you Roo3 for sharing that information with me!

The vet had a good feel of Billiam and suspects he does have stones, but obviously needs an x-ray to make sure of this and to find out exactly where (and how many) there are. As he is an elderly pig he has told me that the risks of surgery are high and depending on where the stones are it may not be operable. He is going to ring me whilst Billiam is still sedated following his x-ray and let me know what he has found. I am very worried I may have a very difficult decision to make tomorrow. I also have a horrendous day at work and am going to find it very hard to keep it together if it's bad news.

I meant to reply to Laura regarding the lump, it is very close to a nipple on his belly but if it is a tumour the vet suggested to worry about what is causing his pain for now and the potential tumour can be tackled later if necessary.

Please send all the vibes you can for my little trooper. He needs to come home to his mummy tomorrow. Although I did give him a 'just in case' goodbye kiss from his mum and dad before I left him. Please let there be good news.
 
Sending lots of good luck vibes and well wishes for Billiam, I really hope that you get some good news tomorrow. I'm thrilled you've found a vet you can trust, it does make a big difference, must feel like such a relief for you despite all the concern around Billiam.

Will keep an eye on this thread tomorrow, fingers crossed, and hugs to you!
xx
 
I recognise Billiam from a calendar that was made by the forum a few years ago... 2007 I think? Is he the same pig? He's lovely, he was always one of my favourites on there :)

I really hope it goes ok today. It's so horrible waiting for the phone call, especially if you're at work.

I have a 4-year old who has made it through 2 bladder stone operations since Easter, so there is some hope if it does turn out to be stones (in fact, he was on the same calendar!)

Let us know how you get on x
 
I really hope things went ok today for Billiam.

Sending you lots of good luck wishes.

x
 
sarahp said:
I recognise Billiam from a calendar that was made by the forum a few years ago... 2007 I think? Is he the same pig? He's lovely, he was always one of my favourites on there :)
Click to expand...

Aww, thanks! Yes it is the very same Billiam or Mister April as he sometimes prefers to be called! How nice of you to say that he was one of your favourites, I will make sure I tell him when he is returned to me!

The latest news is that he had an x-ray at lunchtime which showed up several stones. The vet said he had a 70% chance so I said we should go for it. He rang me back at 4ish and said the op had been successful and he'd removed a big stone and several little ones. He said Billy had recovered well and seems fine so far although the next few days are critical. He explained that sometimes even if the op has gone well guinea pigs can just give up sometimes if they are in pain, so I guess it's up to Billy now. I have to ring again tomorrow to find out when I can pick him up. I'm really missing the little man, I bet he's wondering what's going on.

Thanks for all your well-wishing I have really appreciated it as it has been vile waiting for that phonecall.
xx
 
Hope that Billiam feels better soon and that he is home with you in no time.

Sending healing vibes his way x x x x x
 
So pleased that Billiam is recovering well. I'll keep my fingers crossed that he continues to improve and is soon back home with you.
 
I'm so glad it went ok and hope he feels better soon. At least he's in safe hands for tonight.

Provided everything goes well it might be best to talk to your vet about preventing more stones. Charlie developed more just 2 weeks after the first operation, I was shocked.

Anyway, for now I hope the poor little man gets well soon

x
 
My 5 year old sow Lilloet made a full recovery after having bladder stones removed last summer, I think that during the operation they actually gave her a louder wheek! because since then it has reached ear piercing levels.

I hope that Billiam is now well along the road of recovery.

Ange

Honeybunnies Rehoming
Rabbit & Guinea Pig Rescue
Leicester
 
I am pleased that he's come through his op, fingers crossed he does well and makes a full recovery. xx
 
Another update. I spoke to the nurse this morning - she said she's really pleased with him but he's still in pain when weeing. I asked if this was just down to having had an op on his bladder yesterday - she said hoped this was the case. They x-rayed him again after surgery and there were still a couple of little stones in his urethra that they had not been able to remove. She wants to keep him in another night and then I can possibly pick him up tomorrow.

I really hope that he is just sore because of the op. I want him to be pain free when he comes home.
 
Bless him, I hope he can come home soon.

It's normal for them to be in some pain for a few days post-op. Clairelove went through a lot with one of her piggies, Buff, and she was concerned about the level of pain he experienced when peeing for some days post-op, but he did rally round and make a full recovery.
 
Billiams home! :<>

He's a little quiet as you'd expect and I haven't seen him wee yet but the nurse was very pleased with him today, she said she had hardly seen any blood in his urine compared to yesterday when it was very bloody and she said it's not currently hurting him to wee. He's eating ok and licking my hand as normal but the best moment was putting him back in his cage where he found his little hut and he squeaked with joy because he recognised he was home!

When I see him urinate without straining or crying I will feel even happier.

Thanks for all your support!

Can anything be done to prevent bladder stones from reoccurring?
 
Good news that Billiam is home now :)

Yes, I'd recommend a change of diet, although unfortunately this wasn't enough for Charlie and his stones returned after two weeks.

It seems there's no sure way of preventing stones but there are a few things around that people try:

Uriflow - have a look at this article: http://www.gorgeousguineas.com/documents/Marbles Bladder Stones.pdf

Shilintong - a Chinese herb - see: http://www.guinealynx.info/stones.html

Charlie is currently on Uriflow twice a day, plus Cystopurin (human cystitis treatment), and another herbal remedy recommended by my vet, calcarea carbonica. It has been about 2 months since his last operation and despite not doing brilliantly at the moment, he's still going.

It's worth seeing what your vet suggests.

Sarah x
 
I can happily report that Billiam seems a teeny bit livelier today. He's not the most active of piggies normally as he's blind and a bit chubby but I have noticed a slight improvement today.

I am still concerned that he is still wetting his back legs though - I had to wash his bum and back legs tonight which I was reluctant to do as it's around his operation wound but I couldn't leave him as he was smelly. Whilst washing him I noticed a jelly-like poo come out. He has some irregular shaped ones in his cage. Is this just because of his medication? He's on Metacam and Baytril.

He's also still hunching his back and straining when he wees and poos although he's not squeaking in pain anymore.

Am I expecting too much too soon?
 
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