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Bladder stone - surgery tomorrow

serendivinity

serendivinity

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
May 5, 2026
Messages
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Location
London
Hey everyone.
Well in 4 months I've had 3 poorly piggies out of the 5 I had...
Gary sadly passed to renal failure that wasn't picked up before an x-ray. He didn't make it out of recovery.
Biscuit made a wonderful recovery after tumour removal which were benign.
Binx is in tomorrow for bladder stones after over a week treating a suspected UTI which were confirmed stoned by ultrasound 2 days ago. I am terrified, my little boy is in pain and the last 2 days he's less interested in food (I have been topping up with critical care) and he's been on meds, loxicom, gabapentin and adding in paracetamol as of 2 days ago from the vet after his ultrasound.

I can't bear seeing him in pain, I'm exhausted. I've cried so much for my babies these last few months and I'm just so fed up of one problem after another after having no issues with any of them for years.

He's almost 4. I will be changing his diet not that there was much wrong with it in the first place but I live in a hard water area and am now investing in a filter, and no kale or parsley for him.

All that aside can people please share positive stories? I've been reading through so many bad ones I'm overwhelmed with worst case scenario.... or a very long and tough road to recovery and it is doing nothing for my mental health besides making me spiral... so I need good stories to at least give me hope or tonight/tomorrow is going to be miserable.

Thanks guys, everyone was wonderful before I just need a bit of support and well wishes for my baby.
 
serendivinity said:
Hey everyone.
Well in 4 months I've had 3 poorly piggies out of the 5 I had...
Gary sadly passed to renal failure that wasn't picked up before an x-ray. He didn't make it out of recovery.
Biscuit made a wonderful recovery after tumour removal which were benign.
Binx is in tomorrow for bladder stones after over a week treating a suspected UTI which were confirmed stoned by ultrasound 2 days ago. I am terrified, my little boy is in pain and the last 2 days he's less interested in food (I have been topping up with critical care) and he's been on meds, loxicom, gabapentin and adding in paracetamol as of 2 days ago from the vet after his ultrasound.

I can't bear seeing him in pain, I'm exhausted. I've cried so much for my babies these last few months and I'm just so fed up of one problem after another after having no issues with any of them for years.

He's almost 4. I will be changing his diet not that there was much wrong with it in the first place but I live in a hard water area and am now investing in a filter, and no kale or parsley for him.

All that aside can people please share positive stories? I've been reading through so many bad ones I'm overwhelmed with worst case scenario.... or a very long and tough road to recovery and it is doing nothing for my mental health besides making me spiral... so I need good stories to at least give me hope or tonight/tomorrow is going to be miserable.

Thanks guys, everyone was wonderful before I just need a bit of support and well wishes for my baby.
Click to expand...

Hi

I am very sorry that you are facing a bladder stone op

I have had about 5-6 piggies, mostly sows, needing a bladder stone op. My oldest was 5 years old with a large urethral stone in the wake of the supply problems during the first lockdown. They have all made a full recovery, including my old lady.

Here are our operation care tips (pre- and post-op): Tips For Post-operative Care

Wishing your piggy all the best. As long as the stones are still in the bladder, it should be a more straight forward operation.

Please be aware that most calcium in the diet comes from (hard) water and pellets. We recommend to feed once weekly a 1 inch slice of greens instead of kale as they need the magnesium. With filtered water and reduced pellets (no more than 1 tablespoon per piggy per day max, preferably less) you have more leeway veg-wise as kale contains less calcium weight for weight than even no added calcium pellets. You can also think about forage instead of or in combination with pellets.
Diet is all about trade-offs. I haven't had much in the way of stones once I switched to filtered water. It is however important that you are aware that there is a balanced sweet spot in the diet and that a diet too low in calcium can also lead to problems, just as much as a diet just that bit too high in calcium. The problem is that there are so m,any different factors in a diet that there simply is not one rule works for everybody wherever in the world, unfortunately.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

You are welcome to open a thread in our diet section to discuss the various aspects if you feel that this would help you.

I am wishing your poorly little one all the best for tomorrow.
 
Wiebke said:
Hi

I am very sorry that you are facing a bladder stone op

I have had about 5-6 piggies, mostly sows, needing a bladder stone op. My oldest was 5 years old with a large urethral stone in the wake of the supply problems during the first lockdown. They have all made a full recovery, including my old lady.

Here are our operation care tips (pre- and post-op): Tips For Post-operative Care

Wishing your piggy all the best. As long as the stones are still in the bladder, it should be a more straight forward operation.

Please be aware that most calcium in the diet comes from (hard) water and pellets. We recommend to feed once weekly a 1 inch slice of greens instead of kale as they need the magnesium. With filtered water and reduced pellets (no more than 1 tablespoon per piggy per day max, preferably less) you have more leeway veg-wise as kale contains less calcium weight for weight than even no added calcium pellets. You can also think about forage instead of or in combination with pellets.
Diet is all about trade-offs. I haven't had much in the way of stones once I switched to filtered water. It is however important that you are aware that there is a balanced sweet spot in the diet and that a diet too low in calcium can also lead to problems, just as much as a diet just that bit too high in calcium. The problem is that there are so m,any different factors in a diet that there simply is not one rule works for everybody wherever in the world, unfortunately.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

You are welcome to open a thread in our diet section to discuss the various aspects if you feel that this would help you.

I am wishing your poorly little one all the best for tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Thank you, I'll have a look tomorrow when I'm not an anxious mess, thank you for the info and positive stories! I've ordered a Brita water filter and will look at other things I can do. 💙

Binx is now in the vets for x-rays and then surgery, here goes the horrible wait!
 
serendivinity said:
Thank you, I'll have a look tomorrow when I'm not an anxious mess, thank you for the info and positive stories! I've ordered a Brita water filter and will look at other things I can do. 💙

Binx is now in the vets for x-rays and then surgery, here goes the horrible wait!
Click to expand...

Concentrate on sending her calm green healing vibes.
 
Update: phone calm from the vets.

They found crystals in his Ureter, I told them to proceed with surgery for bladder stone removal, and I'm now scared I made the wrong decision. Because they won't be able to remove rhe ureter today, so if he makes it through, he will still wake up in pain.

I feel lost and helpless, I panicked on the phone because the phone kept cutting out and he's already under. I have this sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
 
Just to add, not his urethra, she explained it was a tiny tube that connects one of his kidneys. So if he makes it through he will need another surgery to remove the ureter and probably kidney.... and I bet that will cost an absolute fortune.

I feel sick.
 
serendivinity said:
Just to add, not his urethra, she explained it was a tiny tube that connects one of his kidneys. So if he makes it through he will need another surgery to remove the ureter and probably kidney.... and I bet that will cost an absolute fortune.

I feel sick.
Click to expand...

HUGS

All stones start in the kidnets and travel down the ureter (each kidney has one that ends in the bladder.

Please do NOT put your boy through a ureter or a kidney removal. As things stand, for guinea pigs this still beyond the horizon and a very expensive way of euthanasia. We haven't heard of a successful operation yet.
 
Wiebke said:
HUGS

All stones start in the kidnets and travel down the ureter (each kidney has one that ends in the bladder.

Please do NOT put your boy through a ureter or a kidney removal. As things stand, for guinea pigs this still beyond the horizon and a very expensive way of euthanasia. We haven't heard of a successful operation yet.
Click to expand...
I don't think I have the heart to do that to him. As it stands he's out of surgery and obviously will be recovering at RVC until tomorrow, but does this mean he will just form another stone immediately after removal?
I assume this will travel down and form into a new one in no time at all?
Or will it just form in his Ureter?
 
serendivinity said:
I don't think I have the heart to do that to him. As it stands he's out of surgery and obviously will be recovering at RVC until tomorrow, but does this mean he will just form another stone immediately after removal?
I assume this will travel down and form into a new one in no time at all?
Or will it just form in his Ureter?
Click to expand...

The problem is that if just the ureter is removed, this doesn't prevent stones from forming in the kidneys and causing pain there if they cannot move down the urinary tract.

Removing ureters or kidneys is very much at the cutting edge and usually beyond it in terms of veterinary skill. It is always worth (and allowed to ask) a vet how many operations of the sort have been performed by their operating team and how the success rate stands. It can be that the RVC have several successful guinea pig operations in that area under their belly.

But there is also an ethical and these days very much a financial side to whether you want to risk such an operation or not.

For the ethical side, I have written a set of questions in the link below to help our members making very difficult decisions or seeking confirmation that they have made the right decision when the soul-searching and overthinking sets in.
There is no right or wrong in any of them whichever way you answer them but they can help you to work out how you rate the various factors in play, what your personal priorities are and where your heart truly stands.
Operation, Terminal Care or Euthanasia? - Helpful Questions to Ask Ahead or in Hindsight

I am very sorry that you find yourself in this situation. Please never hesitate to ask your vet any questions, including their estimate of success and operation history, any possible complications or knock-on effects of an operation.
 
I’m glad he’s out of surgery. I hope you get can answers to your further questions from your vet.

I hope he has a speedy recovery ❤️
 
After a phone call with the vets, I have decided that if he is still in considerable pain tomorrow (not just groggy from the surgery but struggling and screaming to pee/poo) I cannot in good conscience let his pain continue by adding risky surgeries. Obviously if he is a bit perkier and the vet feels comfortable that he has a couple months left with us and no pain, I will bring him home and let him tell me when it is time. But if we are talking weeks and potential misery my fear of emotional pain will not cause him more suffering.
I love him, with all my heart. I just don't want to see him suffer like I have the past few weeks. Obviously I'd rather have him with me happy and healthy but that doesn't seem likely somehow.

The vet seemed like she was pushing the palliative care option more than anything to be honest, but we will see how he doing in 24 hours. I will update everyone when I know more.
 
serendivinity said:
After a phone call with the vets, I have decided that if he is still in considerable pain tomorrow (not just groggy from the surgery but struggling and screaming to pee/poo) I cannot in good conscience let his pain continue by adding risky surgeries. Obviously if he is a bit perkier and the vet feels comfortable that he has a couple months left with us and no pain, I will bring him home and let him tell me when it is time. But if we are talking weeks and potential misery my fear of emotional pain will not cause him more suffering.
I love him, with all my heart. I just don't want to see him suffer like I have the past few weeks. Obviously I'd rather have him with me happy and healthy but that doesn't seem likely somehow.

The vet seemed like she was pushing the palliative care option more than anything to be honest, but we will see how he doing in 24 hours. I will update everyone when I know more.
Click to expand...

I am holding both of you in my thoughts.
 
He's stable. Vets said he has eaten hay on his own and is taking his meds well, he's pooped. Still peeing blood though. But getting a little bit more comfortable.
He's on strong pain meds so not himself which is understandable.
A few small victories at a time.
I'm gonna log off for the evening and try and read my book. Cried so much today I'm dehydrated myself ahah.
 
Another update, he is coming home! He's recovered from surgery. No blood in the urine, he's eating on his own.
Sending the samples off for testing for his urine and bladder tissue.

Just picked him up and on our way back and he looks fab, no squeaking in pain, eating, has energy!

Hoping for a miracle here, a far cry from yesterday.
He may need another ultrasound in a few weeks, hoping to god those mineralised bits shift into the bladder and get flushed out naturally or manually at the vets.
 
That’s brilliant news.

Keep a close eye on him for the next few days.

Fingers crossed for a smooth and quick recovery 🤞🏻
 
Tonight he started squeaking again a little while going toilet. Is this normal?
I can't see any blood but this is worrying me.
Before this he was healing wonderfully and acted like himself the last few days of being home, but now I'm at a loss... we post a post op check-up tomorrow.
 
Ah I’m just offering support and healing vibes for your piggy
Is he still on his pain meds ?
Hopefully it will be a good post op check tomorrow
Sending love to you both ❤️
 
Roselina said:
Ah I’m just offering support and healing vibes for your piggy
Is he still on his pain meds ?
Hopefully it will be a good post op check tomorrow
Sending love to you both ❤️
Click to expand...
Yeah he's on a fair bit of meds, his next dose is at 9pm so hopefully it will give him a little more comfort. Thank-you, I genuinely naively through we were in the clear because I haven't heard a peep from him since we got home.
 
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