Bladder stones/sludge

[kkewharding94]

Hello, I need help with one of my pigs milo he is 5 years old in December and he has bladder stones/sludge. He is currently on antibiotics and pain relief, he eats fruity nuggets, hay, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli and cucumber with plenty of water, I also clean their bedroom every 2 days. I’m not sure how long he has had bladder stones but what I do know he weighed 1kg & 200 grams and now he is 700 grams it’s kind of hard to know his every move because I also have 4 other guinea pigs all female hence the reason they have their own bedroom. I need advice, is there any changes I could make? Should I do anything different? Anything that will help him. I don’t want him to deteriorate and be in any pain. Thank you

 

[Wiebke]

Hello, I need help with one of my pigs milo he is 5 years old in December and he has bladder stones/sludge. He is currently on antibiotics and pain relief, he eats fruity nuggets, hay, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli and cucumber with plenty of water, I also clean their bedroom every 2 days. I’m not sure how long he has had bladder stones but what I do know he weighed 1kg & 200 grams and now he is 700 grams it’s kind of hard to know his every move because I also have 4 other guinea pigs all female hence the reason they have their own bedroom. I need advice, is there any changes I could make? Should I do anything different? Anything that will help him. I don’t want him to deteriorate and be in any pain. Thank you

Hi!

What has your vet diagnosed, which treatment/medication he is on and is he on painkillers?

Unfortunately stones and sludge do not go away on their own and get only worse with time. The pain is excruciating, which accounts for the massive weight loss; it acts as an appetite dampener. You will have to face a make-or-break operation or otherwise consider having him put to sleep if he continues to deteriorate. There is sadly no medical cure that can dissolves stones.

Please step in with top syringe feeding asap; he is not eating enough!
Your boy is very close to if not already on the danger line where he cannot lose any more weight and will die; he has already lost any weight he can afford to lose. You cannot afford to dither any moment! You can use mushed up pellets as an emergency and cut off the the syringe tip as shown. But you will have to switch to a hay based recovery formula powder that is not so high in calcium in the longer term.
Please check your pellets very carefully. When you look at the small print, many 'fruity' pellets are actually only 'fruit flavoured' and full of junk as well as high in calcium.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

You monitor the food intake by weighing daily at the same time (like before you give their dinner). Over 80% what a guinea pig eats should be unlimited hay, with 10% veg and only 5% of low calcium nuggets. Any water should be filtered. Most of the excess calcium that causes stones is coming from pellets and water, plus a diet too high in calcium (broccoli). Please read our diet guide; there are recommendations for bladder piggies.
Weekly weighing for any healthy and daily for any ill piggies is an important part of keeping a close eye in a group to make sure that all piggies are OK and eating their fair share.

Please take the time to read these guides here:
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight
Tips For Post-operative Care

 

[kkewharding94]

Hi!

What has your vet diagnosed, which treatment/medication he is on and is he on painkillers?

Unfortunately stones and sludge do not go away on their own and get only worse with time. The pain is excruciating, which accounts for the massive weight loss; it acts as an appetite dampener. You will have to face a make-or-break operation or otherwise consider having him put to sleep if he continues to deteriorate. There is sadly no medical cure that can dissolves stones.

Please step in with top syringe feeding asap; he is not eating enough!
Your boy is very close to if not already on the danger line where he cannot lose any more weight and will die; he has already lost any weight he can afford to lose. You cannot afford to dither any moment! You can use mushed up pellets as an emergency and cut off the the syringe tip as shown.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

You monitor the food intake by weighing daily at the same time (like before you give their dinner). Over 80% what a guinea pig eats should be unlimited hay, with 10% veg and only 5% of low calcium nuggets. Any water should be filtered. Most of the excess calcium that causes stones is coming from pellets and water, plus a diet too high in calcium (broccoli). Please read our diet guide; there are recommendations for bladder piggies.
Weekly weighing for any healthy and daily for any ill piggies is an important part of keeping a close eye in a group to make sure that all piggies are OK and eating their fair share.

Please take the time to read these guides here:
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight
Tips For Post-operative Care

Oh my god thank you soo so much for getting back to me I really appreciate it! I will get on to it now! Thank you thank you

 

[Wiebke]

Fingers VERY firmly crossed!

Can you please tell me what your vet has done and is planning for treatment?

 

[kkewharding94]

I know me too!
Well a week ago Friday I took him to the vets, they taken a wee sample it was cloudy and had blood in it. So she gave me some antibiotics and pain relief (kidney infection) one of them are called metacam I’m sure the other one starts with a B can’t think of the name. I have been giving him 0,3 twice a day and 1,0 once a day for a week. I taken him back Friday just gone they done another wee sample and weighed him, nothing has changed so they wanted to do an X-ray to check for bladder stones/sludge but I can’t afford £120 for a X-ray but I have found a vet who might do it cheaper I just need Monday hurry up so I can ring them

 

[kkewharding94]

He’s on metacam and baytril

 

[Wiebke]

I know me too!
Well a week ago Friday I took him to the vets, they taken a wee sample it was cloudy and had blood in it. So she gave me some antibiotics and pain relief (kidney infection) one of them are called metacam I’m sure the other one starts with a B can’t think of the name. I have been giving him 0,3 twice a day and 1,0 once a day for a week. I taken him back Friday just gone they done another wee sample and weighed him, nothing has changed so they wanted to do an X-ray to check for bladder stones/sludge but I can’t afford £120 for a X-ray but I have found a vet who might do it cheaper I just need Monday hurry up so I can ring them

All the best!

How much metacam is he on?

 

[kkewharding94]

Thank you and he’s on 0,3

 

[kkewharding94]

Plenty of cuddles

 

[kkewharding94]

All the best!

How much metacam is he on?

Sorry I was meant put 0,3 baytril twice a day and 1,0 metacam once a day. I can’t think straight

 

[DM030819]

@kkewharding94 How have they diagnosed bladder stones if he hasn't had an x-ray/scan?

Because of their anatomy it is very risky to leave a boar with a bladder stone. Surgery is the only option to remove it.

I had a 5year old boar who had 2 bladder stone surgeries so it's not a death sentence if you get the right vet for the job.

 

[kkewharding94]

I’m not sure if he has bladder stones/sludge but since the vet told me on Friday it could be that all’s I’ve done is ring vets by vets because I don’t have £120 if I did I would pay it because they are my babies. Because it’s weekend obviously vets aren’t open so I’ve been revising and reading about it hoping for something, anything to help milo threw the weekend in any way shape or form and came across this website and signed up for advice and so I know what he needs at home as well as treatment if it is bladder stones/sludge . Milo is registered to vets4pets and has been for years same with the others but I can’t afford their prices for what he needs and it kills me! But I have found a vets that are genuine they are called pdsa and they are just as good as rspca

 

[kkewharding94]

@Wiebke is this any good?

 

[Wiebke]

@Wiebke is this any good?

Yes, that is OK. Just as long as you are aware that probiotics (whichever brand) are not a surefire method of preventing a bad reaction from any antibiotic. They are a supportive measure and not a medication. You either give them 1 hour before the antibiotic (US recommendation) or 2 hours after the antibiotic (UK recommendation).

 

[kkewharding94]

Yes, that is OK. Just as long as you are aware that probiotics (whichever brand) are not a surefire method of preventing a bad reaction from any antibiotic. They are a supportive measure and not a medication. You either give them 1 hour before the antibiotic (US recommendation) or 2 hours after the antibiotic (UK recommendation).

Thank you, he’s had his antibiotics and pain relief at 10:00 this morning and he’ll have another antibiotic at 19:00 and I’ve boiled water in a kettle sat it in the fridge until it was cool so I thought would it help if I put the probiotic in with the filtered water. I got it from pets at home and it’s a vetark product wether that means anything I don’t know. I know it won’t cure him or anything but will it help him?

 

[Flutterby]

Sending lots of healing vibes!

 

[kkewharding94]

Thank you

 

[LittleGems]

Hello,
How is he this afternoon?

 

[kkewharding94]

Hello,
Honestly he seems absolutely fine in himself it’s just the weight loss and his wee still cloudy with blood what concerns me. I’m ringing pdsa in the morning hopefully they’ll see him same day. I’ve had cuddles with him earlier he was chatting away with me I took a photo off him and I had to take another because of his reaction to the photo lol

 

[DMS260820]

Are you sure it isn't a certain veg dying the pee.although weight loss is a bit weird.is it alot.

 

[DMS260820]

Lovely pig.looks like a badger

 

[kkewharding94]

I genuinely hope it’s something very simple. He’s lost a lot of weight

 

[DMS260820]

Are you sure it isn't a certain veg dying the pee.although weight loss is a bit weird.is it alot.

Sorry didn't see all the replies above.

 

[kkewharding94]

It’s okay, pdsa opens at 9 so I will keep you all updated. Thank you everyone for your support and concerns it means a lot

 

[Claire W]

I hope you manage to get an appointment today xx

 

[Swissgreys]

Fingers crossed you get an appointment soon, and I have had friends who use the PDSA, and they are normally very good.
Well done for finding a solution to get your boy the treatment that he needs.

 

[kkewharding94]

Thank you

 

[kkewharding94]

Hello everyone,
I am so angry.
Vets4pets- £120
Anrich vets £118.60
Holly house £119.01
PDSA - not licensed for anyone out of the M post code
Wigan RSPCA not licensed for guinea pigs and FINALLY so called animal trust have quoted me for milo X-ray £199.00!

 

[Claire W]

I'm so sorry that the PDSA or RSPCA can't help

Are the prices quoted for surgery or just for an X-ray? I'm sorry but he really does need further investigations if he has lost so much weight

Do any of the vets listed offer payment plans? My vet offers help if clients are struggling but then I have been a regular for the last 10 years

 

[kkewharding94]

No love that’s just for the X-ray I’ve found another 10 vets just waiting on for one to ring me back with a quote