• 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

Bladder stones

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tatty.xxx
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

Tatty.xxx

My guinea pig Tatty has a suspected bladder stone the vet is 99% sure.Is an op for this normally a sucsess?can anyone give me some advice?
 
99% is not certain enough. It needs to be confirmed, or not, by an x-ray.
How old is Tatty, male or female? Why is a bladder stone suspected?
The operation is normally a success, provided that the vet is experienced in bladder surgery on guinea pigs.
 
She's been on antibiotics for as they suspected a uti.Shes coming up to 5.shes fine in her self apart from in pain whilst weeing.she has to go back on monday to see if shes improved if not they will then do an xray.I'm scared for her but I will not take the option to put her 2 sleep!
 
I'd ask for an xray reguardless of whether she seems better. If its a stone then the quicker its spotted and dealt with the better. My piggies stone passed into the urethra and was in too awkward a place for them to operate.
If the first vet surgery I went to had done an xray perhaps it could have been different. But thats just a could.
Has she got a wet tummy all the time from her wee?

I really hope Tatty gets better. Aslong as shes eating and drinking then theres no immediate worrys. Keep checking her lady bits for blood aswell.

Take care x
 
I'm going to get the xray done either way as somthing is not right.no she does not seem wet on her tummy she has had some blood but thats stopped with the antibiotics now.
 
Whatever, your vet needs to take an x-ray before he can operate - provided there is a stone. You cannot always feel one - in fact, you can have a bladder stone in a bladder that is not enlarged!

I had a lady who had two bladder stone operations, the second 14 months after the first. She recovered from both operations, but we never got on top of the infection/imflammation in the bladder caused by the stones.

Any operation is always a risk; but if she HAS got a bladder stone, it has to come out, or she'll be in absolute agony!

If she has an operation, ask for septrin instead of baytril (0.4 ml twice daily)as an antibiotic. It's a lot easier on the digestive system and work especially well with urinary tract infections, but not legal yet. Baytril is the only "legal" antibiotic for guinea pigs.
Also ask for metacam (painkiller) for the first two days after the op to ease the upset in her belly. A lot of not specialised vets won't give painkillers after an op, but it can make a big difference with how she is feeling, and therefore how she is recovering.

Minx had her first stone without any sign of cystitis (wet tummy), only occasional bleeding that stopped after a day or so.

My heart goes out to you and your poor lady! I wish you both the best!
 
I don't think I am duplicating a post but there is no need for a general anaesthetic in order to take an x-ray.
 
When my sow had bladder stones the vet could feel them. If this is not the case with Tatty I agree with the others and would request an xray.
 
I have to agree with what everyone else has said. I am going to tell my story and I apologise in advance if it upsets you as that is not the intention here. My Connie was on and off medication for 5 months due to bladder problems. An x ray back in early December showed no stones. After 3 months of Connie being in and out of pain, she had a second xray. No stones were present but the x ray showed lots of blotches around her abdomen. The decision was made to open her up as the vet was concerned that she could have tumors. Thankfully, no tumors were found and the conclusion was made that this on going infection had scarred and inflamed her abdomen. Anyway, Connie did fine after the operation but 5 days later, she died in her sleep. To this day, we are not 100% sure why she died as she was only 18 months old but I am now full of regrets wishing that she'd had the second x ray sooner, changed antibiotics sooner etc etc.
I suggest that you get things moving asap and ask your vet to prescribe Septin as this is the better antibiotic for UTI's. Sending lots of vibes for Tatty x
 
I agree with what Claire says, get things moving asap. I have been in the same situation, my guinea had a stone in her urethra, which was removed, she suffered from a UTI due to the stone. The longer they have the infections the harder they are to clear up. Good luck, hope all goes well at the vets.
 
Thankyou all for all your advice.Tatty is looking a little brighter today.We have the vet tommorow so I will keep you up to date!So will she just be sudated to have her xray?Ive never had any illness problems with any of my Guinea pig so I'm not sure what to expect!
 
Ideally, no or a light sedation should be enough for an x-ray, but some vets (especially the more old-school ones) prefer full general anesthesia. If he finds a bladder stone, he will probably want to operate immediately afterwards.

Make sure that he speaks to you when he has the x-ray, but before he operates (if he does so). If she has to have an op, ask BEFORE the op to be given some painkiller (metacam, meloxicam or some such) and some probiotic (pro-lapsis or avipro) when you take your girl back home, and if necessary, insist on it!

Keep us posted; we'll be watching the boards.

PS: As guinea pigs are grazers and need to eat regularly, make sure she has breakfast before you take her to the vet! She might not get anything to eat there and it can be hours before they get round to her.

All the best for you and your poor girl!
 
The vet. should give Rimadyl, by injection, before the operation.
 
Good luck for tomorrow. I shall be keeping an eye on this thread tomorrow until I leave for work at 1pm. Yes, do make sure she has some breakfast before she goes in. Also, if she does need an op, your vet shouldn't let her go home until she is eating and drinking again xx
 
Has she gone to the vets, yet?

Thinking of you and sending my vibes!
Wiebke x
 
Sorry i didnt put a time we dont go until 3 as they were fully booked!will let you know later thanks 4 all your support!ive got everything crossed4 good news!
 
So will I!

If you have to take her in at that time, I don't think there will be an immediate operation. Hopefully, he can take a x-ray without a full GA.

All the best for both of you! And your nerves - I hope you've got some sleep!
 
Hi all we are home from the vet we saw our "usual"vet 2day who i take my dogs to.He seems to think the injections are doing a good job as shes seeming better so wats her to carry on with injecting the antibiotics 1 for 2day and again 2moro and see how she goes he felt her bladder and said he can feel "abit of a swelling there" rather than a stone as the other vet described and was keen to continue injecting the antibiotics a few more days.I agreed she was better but told him I **** was keen to get her xrayed do * think I'm right ?her pain has eased alot when weeing and shes only doing a wee bout once an hour not every 10-20 mkins as she was b4 the injections!
 
Sounds rather like cystitis, but yes, better HAVE her x-rayed for stones, or slush in the bladder, as they can cause constant irritation and worse.
So glad that Tatty is doing better!

I had my Llewelyn x-rayed and urine tested the moment he started to come down with cystitis on Good Friday. (But after what I went through with his predecessor Minx, I'm perhaps a bit overanxious!)

If necessary, cut out the bottom of a shoe box and ask the vet to x-ray her inside that, if he's reluctant to do it without anesthesia!

You can also have a urine sample tested. On the day you have your next appointment, or the evening before, you sit your girl down on a plastic surface with some cucumber and wait until she's peed. Suck up the pee with a syringe (if necessary get one from the pharmacy), put the full syringe in a frezzer bag and keep it in the fridge until you go to the vets. They can take some urine there, if they want, but they have to press her poor bladder...

Good recovery!
 
"cut out the bottom of a shoe box "
I am puzzled by this, can you explain why you cut the bottom out of the box?
Thanks.
 
I totally agree with what Vicky T has said. This is what i did each time I had to take Connie to the vets. If they have to take urine from her at the vets, they will need to take it from the bladder themselves which can be uncomfortable for the pig. Connie had sludge in her bladder (it showed up on the x ray) and it caused her pain and discomfort. I still suggest you ask for an x ray as then if it is clear, you will have piece of mind xx
 
Hi,

Tatty has been doing reallywell up until today the antibiotic injections seemed to be working wonders.When i came home from work i found bright red blood in her cage so called the vet straght away shes now booked in for her xray tommorow but it doesnt look to good the vet has said if it is stones if he can remove them he will but should it be cancer or any thing else they think they will have to let her go.I'm in pieces my poor baby girl ive had to leave her with my mum this evening as she lives close by the vet so she can take her in first thing in the morning so we have said our goodbyes hopefully just until tommorow.All i can do now is to hope any pray my little girl will pull though!
 
I have seen many, many pigs with bladder stones but, to the best of my belief, I have never seen one with bladder cancer. Cancer in gps is not a common disease, they are not really suitable for cancer studies because of that.
Stones which have been present for a long time in the bladder can become embedded in the bladder wall, which can make their removal a little more difficult. Stones which have been moving around freely can cause irritation and hence thickening of the bladder wall which usually resolves once the stone(s) have been removed.
Don't be too down hearted just yet.
 
T
You say you found bright red blood in the cage, was it blood or a blood clot?
 
So sorry to hear of your troubles. My mimsi recently had a bladder stone revealed during an x-ray. Since he was a pup I have had him back and forth to the vets with occasional bleeding. This was put down to problems in Mimsi rear end and an x-ray was never volunteered. In those days I was quite naive in piggy matters and it wasnt until I joined the forum that I gained valuable knowledge. Anyway, Mimsis x-ray revealed a bladder stone that is embedded in the wall. As Mimsi has apparently has this since he was a pup, I opted not to have surgery owing to Mimsis age and that fact that the vet said the stone was unlikely to move, Apart from occasional bleeding he has no other symptoms. The vet said if he has lived with the stone this long then it is unlikely to cause any problems in the future. As far as I know Bladder Surgery is fairly successful so if your piggy has to get the stone removed, dont despair and the success rate is high. Its such a worrying time when a piggy is ill but hang in there and keep us up to date with any developments
 
Are you absolutely sure that she wees when she squeaks, which is slightly different from squeaking when she wees?
 
Hi

We have no news from the vet yet I'm hoping no news is good news though.Will let you know later thanks for all your support I hope you are right and I'm holding my little piggy in my arms before the day is out!
 
I'm not suer about the blood it was just bright red in with her wee's and poos.And she is squeeking when she wees
 
I have a sow who "squeaked when she wees". Investigation showed no sign of a stone. She then passed a blood clot and has not squeaked since. The problem was uterus based and she has recovered and is back to normal. That is why I wondered exactly when she squeaked.
 
I think that is when she does it.Ive got everything crossed for her and I'm hoping the more time passes the better the news should be.Time has not gone this slow since my jack russel went in for her op!8...
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top