• 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 treatment

Status
Not open for further replies.
Piggies&buns said:
We have lots of pigs on the forum who have had a stone removed from the bladder successfully. They can sadly go on to form more stones though if there is a genetic element. Some don’t form more and live a normal life. It needs an experienced and confident vet to do it though

I think if it’s the case that the vet won’t remove a stone then you need to get to the advice (for your own sake) whether the vet is now thinking palliative care. If it is palliative care then you make sure he is kept comfortable and don’t worry about the normal ‘rules’.
I just don’t want you to get hopes up that cisapride will dissolve a stone - as free ranger has said if stones could be dissolved I’m sure the forum would have heard
Click to expand...
I'm not getting my hopes up at all. Infact, with my anxiety, its the opposite. I know stones can't be dissolved. They must think I'm thick. I'm not. How much is bladder surgery then? & there's the care after. Not sure I would be able get time off work. I'm just so devastated
 
Mclayton said:
I'm not getting my hopes up at all. Infact, with my anxiety, its the opposite. I know stones can't be dissolved. They must think I'm thick. I'm not. How much is bladder surgery then? & there's the care after. Not sure I would be able get time off work. I'm just so devastated
Click to expand...

You’d have to ask the vet how much it would cost, the thing is if they wouldn’t do it anyway then they may not be able to tell you.
 
Mclayton said:
Hi the vet wanted to leave it 2 weeks, as even she is uncertain if the bacteria in the urine sample was actually from him. Now, while he was in the container waiting for him to wee, there ended up quite a few hairs in there as he is moulting,, so its very possible the bacteria could actually have come from the hairs. Vet did mention it could even be the hairs. He is always on metacam when on antibiotics,, but to be honest, he did still have this certain squeak while taking it. Thats what makes me think,,, is it actually a pain squeak. I just don't know. Its not a very loud squeak or squeal. To be honest, there's no change in him whether on treatment or not. He has no other symptoms. He eats loads, drinks enough, plays, chases, popcorn etc. He has never behaved like a piggie with a UTI. He has no stones or crystals in his wee. There is no bad urine smell. Surely if he was poorly, he wouldn't be active. This is the dilemma I keep facing. I don't want to keep putting medication into him, if there is nothing wrong with him.
Click to expand...
how long has it been now? sorry for my extremely late reply! how is he doing? yes all them things are a good thing then! if you say theres no other symtoms? although when my girl has been poorly other than the usual UTI symptoms she seems completely fine, piggies are good at hiding illness!
 
Mclayton said:
Squeak has a stone 😭😭 was that stressed, can't remember if vet said ureter or urethra. Definitely not bladder. He said surgery risky, & I can't afford a CT scan at £1500, looks like time is limited. He had a more in depth scan. This is an exotic vet. Cat metacam only once a day, & Cisapride oral suspension. Also been asked to buy some potassium citrate to put in his water. But how much? Please can you help me? Floods of tears here 😢 😭 💔
Click to expand...
oh my gosh no😞
 
this sounds quite similar to my girls current situation to be honest.. i wonder if you’d like to take a read and see if it soubds like your experience? how is your baby doing? i’m so sorry to hear your both going through this, it’s heartbreaking, i just hope my della isn’t in the same boat😭💔
 
reading through this has honestly killed me it sounds so similar to my girls i’m absolutely heartbroken😭
 
piggiemummy03x said:
this sounds quite similar to my girls current situation to be honest.. i wonder if you’d like to take a read and see if it soubds like your experience? how is your baby doing? i’m so sorry to hear your both going through this, it’s heartbreaking, i just hope my della isn’t in the same boat😭💔
Click to expand...
Yes please tell me. We are here to support each other ❤
 
Piggies&buns said:
You’d have to ask the vet how much it would cost, the thing is if they wouldn’t do it anyway then they may not be able to tell you.
Click to expand...
Squeak having a flare tonight, after nearly 4 days ok. & blood again in urine. This is SO upsetting for me. 😭
 
Mclayton said:
Squeak having a flare tonight, after nearly 4 days ok. & blood again in urine. This is SO upsetting for me. 😭
Click to expand...
I'm so sorry. In my country we have a saying that goes something like "a shared pain is half a joy", so if it gives you a bit of confidence that you can get through this, know that I too struggle with anxiety and depression and Rutto is having a particularly nasty flare-up today too. We are stronger that we believe ourselves to be, and you are doing everything you can for Squeak. Unfortunately for him, his stone is in a difficult place, and believe me I understand your fear and frustration. I am lucky to have my husband's support, you are in a hard place having to take care of this all by yourself and you're doing brilliantly. If it helps you, I'd suggest writing down a sort of diary for Squeak's condition, medications, food in case some cause him to flare up, and so on, so you have a reference for when you go to the vet, as anxiety can make you forget important details or forget to ask certain questions, or the vet's answers. A blockage is a dangerous thing though, and I'm sorry to say this, but you need to mentally prepare yourself for the worst case scenario. Keep the emergency/out of hours vet contact details close at hand.
We tried a bladder relaxant called Pratsiol for my boys. It's a human medication and it's supposed to relax their urinary tract so it would make expelling a stone easier, provided it's small enough to pass. It was under vet supervision of course. It unfortunately didn't help, but it did its job- they were slightly incontinent during this treatment and needed extra pee pads changes and gentle butt rinsing and drying. You can ask your vet if they think it's worth trying to perhaps make his stone fall into the bladder so it can be removed.
I really hope you can find a vet confident enough to operate Squeak. It's a difficult one. Best wishes ❤️
 
LunaticPoodle said:
I'm so sorry. In my country we have a saying that goes something like "a shared pain is half a joy", so if it gives you a bit of confidence that you can get through this, know that I too struggle with anxiety and depression and Rutto is having a particularly nasty flare-up today too. We are stronger that we believe ourselves to be, and you are doing everything you can for Squeak. Unfortunately for him, his stone is in a difficult place, and believe me I understand your fear and frustration. I am lucky to have my husband's support, you are in a hard place having to take care of this all by yourself and you're doing brilliantly. If it helps you, I'd suggest writing down a sort of diary for Squeak's condition, medications, food in case some cause him to flare up, and so on, so you have a reference for when you go to the vet, as anxiety can make you forget important details or forget to ask certain questions, or the vet's answers. A blockage is a dangerous thing though, and I'm sorry to say this, but you need to mentally prepare yourself for the worst case scenario. Keep the emergency/out of hours vet contact details close at hand.
We tried a bladder relaxant called Pratsiol for my boys. It's a human medication and it's supposed to relax their urinary tract so it would make expelling a stone easier, provided it's small enough to pass. It was under vet supervision of course. It unfortunately didn't help, but it did its job- they were slightly incontinent during this treatment and needed extra pee pads changes and gentle butt rinsing and drying. You can ask your vet if they think it's worth trying to perhaps make his stone fall into the bladder so it can be removed.
I really hope you can find a vet confident enough to operate Squeak. It's a difficult one. Best wishes ❤️
Click to expand...
My vet won't operate, & I'm so scared I can't afford out of hours emergency care, so he could suffer more. I'm absolutely in pieces. This is a photo not long taken, of the blood, in woodshavings I've pulled out his cage. Bit more in there
 

Attachments

  • 20230513_205544.webp
    20230513_205544.webp
    77.6 KB · Views: 11
I know Sweetie, and especially if you ran out of vet fund money it can be very scary. Believe me I've been there.
It's possible that the stone being in his urether makes a surgery too risky, as it's so small that it can't be repaired. I know for a fact that kidney stones can't be removed in piggies, for example, but as long as the other kidney is unaffected, they can live with it.
Keep giving him pain medication. If he has enough and doesn't want to fight anymore, he will let you know. As long as he's otherwise happy, and comfortable, it's ok until you can take him to his next vet appointment.
The ER near me gives the possibility to pay in installments, ask if your vet clinic does this too.
Do you have the chance to keep him on fleece? Light coloured one would be best so you can really see what his pee looks like and how much he goes.
 
LunaticPoodle said:
I know Sweetie, and especially if you ran out of vet fund money it can be very scary. Believe me I've been there.
It's possible that the stone being in his urether makes a surgery too risky, as it's so small that it can't be repaired. I know for a fact that kidney stones can't be removed in piggies, for example, but as long as the other kidney is unaffected, they can live with it.
Keep giving him pain medication. If he has enough and doesn't want to fight anymore, he will let you know. As long as he's otherwise happy, and comfortable, it's ok until you can take him to his next vet appointment.
The ER near me gives the possibility to pay in installments, ask if your vet clinic does this too.
Do you have the chance to keep him on fleece? Light coloured one would be best so you can really see what his pee looks like and how much he goes.
Click to expand...
Its in his ureter, not urethra. This has happened just
 

Attachments

  • 20230513_213614.webp
    20230513_213614.webp
    85.7 KB · Views: 9
Piggies&buns said:
You’d have to ask the vet how much it would cost, the thing is if they wouldn’t do it anyway then they may not be able to tell you.
Click to expand...
Squeak was terrible last night painful, blood wees for 4 hours, & he did alot of wees. This is 3 times this week he's been like this, but last night, the worst. I just don't know what to do for the best 😭
 
If there is no prospect of him passing the stone himself, and there is no prospect of surgery to remove the stone, and the only option is conservative treatment then I’m going to be blunt again - he will continue to pass blood like this and go through episodes of pain until the stone causes a blockage that prevents the passage of urine. The time will eventually come when you have to make the decision in his best interests to put him to sleep. It’s absolutely rotten luck. It’s heartbreaking. But many of us have been in exactly the same position. It’s not for any of us to tell you what to do or when to do it. But if all your vets can offer is conservative treatment, then you really do need to prepare yourself for making the decision at some point to say goodbye. And I am an advocate of the better a day too soon than a minute too late school of thinking. I’ve had to say goodbye in exactly these circumstances more than once. But sometimes you just have to love them enough to let them go. I’m really sorry that this isn’t what you want to hear. But I’m just being honest with you.
 
VickiA said:
If there is no prospect of him passing the stone himself, and there is no prospect of surgery to remove the stone, and the only option is conservative treatment then I’m going to be blunt again - he will continue to pass blood like this and go through episodes of pain until the stone causes a blockage that prevents the passage of urine. The time will eventually come when you have to make the decision in his best interests to put him to sleep. It’s absolutely rotten luck. It’s heartbreaking. But many of us have been in exactly the same position. It’s not for any of us to tell you what to do or when to do it. But if all your vets can offer is conservative treatment, then you really do need to prepare yourself for making the decision at some point to say goodbye. And I am an advocate of the better a day too soon than a minute too late school of thinking. I’ve had to say goodbye in exactly these circumstances more than once. But sometimes you just have to love them enough to let them go. I’m really sorry that this isn’t what you want to hear. But I’m just being honest with you.
Click to expand...
I'm expecting everything you have said. I've had 5 hamsters, 4 have been put to sleep. I'm very selfless regarding animals, & I absolutely do think a day early, even a few, rather than late. I will absolutely NOT let him suffer. How long do I let Bubble grieve for? There's a plan in place for him to go to my local rescue to be with others. I'm not leaving him on his own. Its not fair, & cruel. They are herd animals. My first ever guinea pigs, which I rescued, & this happens. I'm absolutely broken already 💔
 
Mclayton said:
I'm expecting everything you have said. I've had 5 hamsters, 4 have been put to sleep. I'm very selfless regarding animals, & I absolutely do think a day early, even a few, rather than late. I will absolutely NOT let him suffer. How long do I let Bubble grieve for? There's a plan in place for him to go to my local rescue to be with others. I'm not leaving him on his own. Its not fair, & cruel. They are herd animals. My first ever guinea pigs, which I rescued, & this happens. I'm absolutely broken already 💔
Click to expand...
I’m so sorry that you are in this position. It’s heartbreaking, I know. Especially when they are young and look otherwise healthy. We just never know what genetics are at play with any of our pets. It’s just such a difficult a balance between keeping him comfortable and being ready to step in if he’s in pain and his quality of life is affected.
 
VickiA said:
I’m so sorry that you are in this position. It’s heartbreaking, I know. Especially when they are young and look otherwise healthy. We just never know what genetics are at play with any of our pets. It’s just such a difficult a balance between keeping him comfortable and being ready to step in if he’s in pain and his quality of life is affected.
Click to expand...
What about Bubble? I asked for advice please
 
The length of time you let them grieve depends on each individual piggy. If he’s okay then you have a few weeks. If he goes into deep mourning then it’s as soon as you can really.

Piggies know when their friends are unwell and will sometimes say goodbye to them before the time actually comes. Be guided by Bubble as to when to get him a friend.

Sorry you’re in such a difficult position. Sending you best wishes.
 
Siikibam said:
The length of time you let them grieve depends on each individual piggy. If he’s okay then you have a few weeks. If he goes into deep mourning then it’s as soon as you can really.

Piggies know when their friends are unwell and will sometimes say goodbye to them before the time actually comes. Be guided by Bubble as to when to get him a friend.

Sorry you’re in such a difficult position. Sending you best wishes.
Click to expand...
I'm not getting Bubble a friend. I don't want anymore guinea pigs. I wouldn't have had these, if their needs were met at their previous place. I suffer anxiety, & I can't put myself through this anymore. No more pets full stop. Its already in place. Bubble will go to my local rescue to be with others. No way am I keeping him on his own. I just needed to know roughly,, the time frame when to let him go to his new home
 
If it were me I would let him say goodbye to his friends body, by taking squeak home from the vets and allowing time for bubble to process what has happened. This process generally lasts around 10-15 minutes.

From then I would keep an eye on him for a couple of days, look for signs of loneliness and if he starts to show signs of acute pining (you will find more about this in the attached guides) then I would get him to the rescue asap so they can find him a new friend and if he is acting fine you can always have a couple of days with him just to say goodbye, but it is really up to you and your boy if he doesn't show signs of acute pining etc.
Generally speaking if you give him a chance to say goodbye to the body, around 4 days (the general grieving period) later he should be ready to move on to his new adventure, there is no set time-line for this sort of thing.

You may find these guides helpful -
A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs
Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig

I am sorry you are done owning animals, I also suffer from anxiety and I know how hard it is. Wishing you, squeak and bubbles the best x
 
Sending you a huge amount of support. It’s absolutely heartbreaking having to go through this.

In terms of bubble, I agree that I would take him to the vet with Squeak so he can say goodbye there and then.
We normally say you have a couple of weeks after the passing of a cage mate to get plans in place for the remaining piggy. As you have the plan in place already then the reality is you can take Bubble to the rescue anywhere from that same day until a few weeks later. He should be ok for a few weeks but if he shows signs of loneliness then he may need to go sooner.
 
piggl said:
If it were me I would let him say goodbye to his friends body, by taking squeak home from the vets and allowing time for bubble to process what has happened. This process generally lasts around 10-15 minutes.

From then I would keep an eye on him for a couple of days, look for signs of loneliness and if he starts to show signs of acute pining (you will find more about this in the attached guides) then I would get him to the rescue asap so they can find him a new friend and if he is acting fine you can always have a couple of days with him just to say goodbye, but it is really up to you and your boy if he doesn't show signs of acute pining etc.
Generally speaking if you give him a chance to say goodbye to the body, around 4 days (the general grieving period) later he should be ready to move on to his new adventure, there is no set time-line for this sort of thing.

You may find these guides helpful -
A Practical and Sensitive Guide to Dying, Terminal Illness and Euthanasia in Guinea Pigs
Looking After a Bereaved Guinea Pig

I am sorry you are done owning animals, I also suffer from anxiety and I know how hard it is. Wishing you, squeak and bubbles the best x
Click to expand...
Thank you. Yes, I do realise you need to put the body in the cage so Bubble can mourn.
 
Mclayton said:
Thank you. Yes, I do realise you need to put the body in the cage so Bubble can mourn.
Click to expand...
He's had 3 episodes of blood pee 3 times this week alone, & last night was dreadful
 

Attachments

  • 20230513_213614.webp
    20230513_213614.webp
    85.7 KB · Views: 6
Sorry I misread. Your question has been answered above in any case.

Well done for taking them on. I’m sorry he’s struggling and sorry you’re finding it hard. It shows what a caring owner you are.
 
I am sorry you are in this position. I have had to let two piggies go due to inoperable stones (too big to pass from the kidney), it is horrible to have to make the decision to let them go but it really is the kindest once pain killers no longer help their pain.
Thinking of you at what is a very sad and difficult time.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top