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blood in the cage - maybe ches?

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gutted - there was blood in the cage again. two smallish puddles mixed with urine. vet said to ring if there was anymore blood so i'm ringing him first thing and then ches's tests will probably have to be brought forward. :(
 
i've left a message for the vet so he should ring hopefully in the next few hours.

i really need some advice though because we had a treatment plan for ches because the bleeding had stopped, which was to give him a week or so to build his body strength and hopefully his weight back up from being anaemic and the test results showed he had lost alot of blood and although his body had begun to fight it, he was very weak and he needed time to get some strength, then we would go back to the vets next week and he would have more bloods and urine samples and xrays. then if the xrays did show sludge or stones then ches would be in a better state to have an op.

now i'm really worried about what to do for the best. there is blood again, last night i finally saw him wee, he looked shocked and shot across the cage and into 'his' corner and looked very upset. he was also drinking more water than he normally would. in himself though he is much brighter, his lips have started to get the smallest bit of colour back into them and he is doing well with his eating and generally moving around ok.

now my problem is whether he should be having the tests sooner or still wait until next week. his anaemia is the problem here. if he has them sooner then its another car journey (40mins each way) plus having the tests. then if they do show something he won't be in the best body condition to go through an op, due to him not having enough time to replace his red blood cells.

but if we wait until next week, what if he does have stones or sludge and something happens between now and then? i thought of asking the vet to put him back on some antibiotic for a possible uti and keep him on metacam and then go for the tests and possible op next week as planned.

the vet said he would be very surprised if this amount of blood was just due to a uti. so really, we are probably looking at something else like sludge or stones, or a burst blood vessel/hamorrhage.

i'm sorry to type so much but i am getting myself really worked up. i don't want to make the wrong decision for ches. i feel like i am leaving him in discomfort if we wait, and putting his body through too much if we don't. i really don't know what to do for the best. i love him so much and i don't want to get this wrong. 8...

the only thing making me think to wait is because of how bright he does seem now. he is getting some colour back and he is eating nearly completely back to normal, he is moving around and rumbling and he did gain some weight yesterday. but i really don't know.
 
Hi,

I really don't know what you should do for the best but I would ring Aiden and ask what he thinks is the best. I take my piggies to Ashleigh and they are an amazing vets.

It is always difficult trying to decide what to do. I am the same I drive a 30 minute journey to get to Ashleigh and worry if it stresses them out more but they are in the best hands there.

Sending big hugs and kisses for Ches.

x
 
I have to agree, I find forum's are very good for suggestions but when it comes down to it you have to trust your vet.

I remember once getting so upsetting over conflicting advice that I was useless and just more confused than before.

There are no right or wrong decisions, you can do your best for Ches. Sending healing vibes to your boy he's very lucky to have such a loving owner. X
 
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thank you both. i'm sorry, i get myself in a bit of a state at times. you're right, i will wait and speak to aidan. i always tell him he has to tell me what to do! but he does always manage to get me to decide myself. i will see what he says and then i will decide what i feel is best for ches.

i need to calm down. my anxiety is through the roof and it won't help ches at all. and he's looking really bright and i'm a nervous wreck!

thanks again for the support though x
 
biscandmatt said:
thank you both. i'm sorry, i get myself in a bit of a state at times. you're right, i will wait and speak to aidan. i always tell him he has to tell me what to do! but he does always manage to get me to decide myself. i will see what he says and then i will decide what i feel is best for ches.

i need to calm down. my anxiety is through the roof and it won't help ches at all. and he's looking really bright and i'm a nervous wreck!

thanks again for the support though x
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That's sounds familiar! :))
 
biscandmatt said:
thank you both. i'm sorry, i get myself in a bit of a state at times. you're right, i will wait and speak to aidan. i always tell him he has to tell me what to do! but he does always manage to get me to decide myself. i will see what he says and then i will decide what i feel is best for ches.

i need to calm down. my anxiety is through the roof and it won't help ches at all. and he's looking really bright and i'm a nervous wreck!

thanks again for the support though x
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Don't worry it's hard not to get so worked up when you love them so much. I am exactly the same. My 5 year old Tilly has ovarian cysts, she has had these syringed twice before (don't want to risk having her ovaries removed) but they are getting big again, they don't seem to he bothering her but I am taking her to Ashleigh tomorrow for them done. Just put your trust in them to do the right thing for Ches.

Please keep us updated.

x
 
so upset -

weight - 1000g to 945g (-55g in one day) 8...

still waiting on the vet to ring.
 
Best ring again - vets can be very busy and may forget. I have found that when I asked a vet to please ring back, he needed at least one reminder.

I agree with the others - forums have their places, but they simply can't replace a vet.
 
spoken to the vet and he thinks it's best for ches to go back in tomorrow morning first thing for tests. then we will take it from there.
 
Your vet sounds like he's on the ball, Ches really has got the best people supporting him.

Sending nice healthy vibes to your boy, please keep us updated! X
 
biscandmatt said:
spoken to the vet and he thinks it's best for ches to go back in tomorrow morning first thing for tests. then we will take it from there.
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Hi,

Did you take Ches this morning? What did Aiden say? My other half took Tilly to Ashleigh this morning for her cysts done, she is in all day :(

x
 
we've just got back now -

looks like we went in at just the right time really. in the carrier on the way there ches tried to wee and he was really upset. when we got there, he had blood and sludge oozing out of his penis. :(

he had xrays done which showed a build up of 'material' in his bladder so the vet kept him asleep and came out to say he wanted to flush ches's bladder out straight away whilst he was already in and asleep. so they flushed it six times and it flushed really well. then they took more xrays to make sure it had all gone. two xrays views of course.

it was all gritty sludge and blood. there was one tiny tiny area still showing in the bladder but the vet thinks it could just be showing a mineral build up area, rather than a stone. he explained it better than me so i hope i make sense. he said it could also be a lesion on the bladder wall but for now he doesn't want to go opening ches up when this 'thing' is so tiny that they may not find it.

he said we now know there is was sludge and also ches now has a bad cystitis aswell but he still thinks that the amount of bleeding that ches had could still mean there is something else going on. he did mention some kind of haemorrhage, lesion on the bladder wall, or that tiny area could be something.

i forgot to mention last time aswell that ches seemed to become more unwell when he started having septrin. it could just be a coincedence but the vet has seen other animals have some issues with septrin and become anaemic, but never seen it happen to a guinea pig. and he said it is probably that the anaemia is due to the amount of blood lost, but he wants to not use septrin just on that small chance it didn't agree with ches.

ches is now on marbocyl and metacam twice a day. this will be for about 12 days and then hopefully his red blood cells will be replenished and his bladder area will heal and then we will re-assess the situation.

it broke my heart when we got home because ches wouldn't come out of the carrier so i went to lift him out and i only lightly placed my hands on his underneath and he cried. 8... he is looking quite sad but is in his corner burrowed in hay and we're keeping him warm. it must have taken it out of him so he will probably be tired and quiet the rest of the day. but he should feel some relief now his bladder has been flushed.

x

guinea wiggies - sorry you're little girl is staying in all day. it's horrible leaving them isn't it. x
 
p.s. just wondering - which vet did you go to?

I live in London but I'm from Manchester. Your vet does sound really good!
 
biscandmatt said:
we've just got back now -

looks like we went in at just the right time really. in the carrier on the way there ches tried to wee and he was really upset. when we got there, he had blood and sludge oozing out of his penis. :(

he had xrays done which showed a build up of 'material' in his bladder so the vet kept him asleep and came out to say he wanted to flush ches's bladder out straight away whilst he was already in and asleep. so they flushed it six times and it flushed really well. then they took more xrays to make sure it had all gone. two xrays views of course.

it was all gritty sludge and blood. there was one tiny tiny area still showing in the bladder but the vet thinks it could just be showing a mineral build up area, rather than a stone. he explained it better than me so i hope i make sense. he said it could also be a lesion on the bladder wall but for now he doesn't want to go opening ches up when this 'thing' is so tiny that they may not find it.

he said we now know there is was sludge and also ches now has a bad cystitis aswell but he still thinks that the amount of bleeding that ches had could still mean there is something else going on. he did mention some kind of haemorrhage, lesion on the bladder wall, or that tiny area could be something.

i forgot to mention last time aswell that ches seemed to become more unwell when he started having septrin. it could just be a coincedence but the vet has seen other animals have some issues with septrin and become anaemic, but never seen it happen to a guinea pig. and he said it is probably that the anaemia is due to the amount of blood lost, but he wants to not use septrin just on that small chance it didn't agree with ches.

ches is now on marbocyl and metacam twice a day. this will be for about 12 days and then hopefully his red blood cells will be replenished and his bladder area will heal and then we will re-assess the situation.

it broke my heart when we got home because ches wouldn't come out of the carrier so i went to lift him out and i only lightly placed my hands on his underneath and he cried. 8... he is looking quite sad but is in his corner burrowed in hay and we're keeping him warm. it must have taken it out of him so he will probably be tired and quiet the rest of the day. but he should feel some relief now his bladder has been flushed.

x

guinea wiggies - sorry you're little girl is staying in all day. it's horrible leaving them isn't it. x
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That's awful, really hope Ches feels better soon. I am sure now he is home he will perk up a bit.

Got my fingers crossed for him!

x
 
Poor boy! Sludge can be as bad a stone. I hope that he recovers well from having his bladder flushed. After all that blood loss, Ches will feel very low and painful. What a wringer for you!

Make sure that you keep up his weight and hand feed.

Sending my vibes to your precious boy!
 
thanks for the well wishes for ches.

he is keeping warm on his heatpad and has had some lettuce to eat and nibbled some hay aswell.

i rang the vets again to see if i could give him his metacam because i forgot to ask what he had after his bladder flush. he had an anti-inflammatory/pain relief but the vet said i could give his metacam and it would be safe and i wouldn't overdose him.

we came home armed with recovery food aswell.

i forgot to mention before that the vet agreed that ches's lips and nose do look less pale. so that's good.

i think he will be very sleepy and quiet today, possibly even a few days. it's been a tough week for him. i love my little boy so much. x) and he has his maisie looking after him aswell. x)

i will keep you updated of course. x

eta: i read my long update back and half if it didn't make sense or was written in a weird way. i'm so tired. lol
 
ches is a bit brighter and he warned maisie off the veg earlier which he always used to do but stopped when ill. he eats veg fine, the odd bit of pellet mash and bits of hay.

last night he decided marbocyl will not be tolerated! rolleyes then today he was a bit awkward with his metacam.

i've noticed his tummy is making loud gurgles every so often aswell. really loud. it has been doing that all week but the xrays showed no gas or anything. :{ could it be just because his digestive system is under a bit of strain?

he is occasionally refusing to swallow his meds and it's taking me ages to get them in him as i don't want to make him choke or send the meds to his lungs. :... so i'm giving him time to swallow but our meds times are taking ages as a result. he moves his head and mouth away but from past experience i know he gets more upset if i place my hand on him to keep him still or towel wrap him. it just upsets him more. so i will just have to carry on as i am.

he is spending alot of time resting and he loves his heatpad. but he is getting up and wandering around, especially from the evening onwards. and he is fairly bright but looks quite tired and soooo skinny.

his weight today -

945g to 933g (-12g) but we were expecting a loss after the day he had yesterday.

there was no blood in the cage last night. i am cleaning the whole cage daily to keep him as warm and dry as possible and to check for blood.

re: the recovery food. i make up a whole sachet at a time, with 70ml of water and then put it in the fridge and then to reheat i add a bit more boiled water. this is the right way isn't it? i am sure i have always done it like this in the past but for some reason i doubted it was right today. :{

x
 
Bless Ches seems to be doing better. I just mix CC and water together I don't have any particular way to make it. x
 
Just caught up with your thread. Healing (((((hugs))))) for Ches, hope he's back to his old self soon. :laluot_29:
 
we were laughing so much before. ches was loving his recovery food so much that he was practically eating the syringe! he had it all over his nose and chin and round his mouth. :)) he loves it. :)) i must have got it at the perfect temperature.

he's been eating more pellet mash aswell and gradually more hay. :)
 
omg, i nearly had heart failure before. i got their veg ready and ches didn't come out of the hay.. :...

he came wandering out a minute later, all sleepy and with bed hair! :))
 
flintstones said:
I know that feeling good to hear he finally decided he wanted his breakfast! x
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it's awful isn't it. my heart stopped there for a minute. :...

he's interested in food, although he didn't eat all of it, maybe 3/4 of what he normally would. good news is that he seems to want hay instead. the amount of hay he is having has increased alot. so that's good. and i put the pellet mash in a bowl instead and he much prefers it in there than to the plate so he was eating alot of that aswell.

there was no blood in the cage last night.

weighing him in a bit when he has his metacam and some recovery food. x
 
weight loss again -

933g to 902g (-31g) :(

is it normal he would still be losing weight because it's only friday we went to the vets? i know weight loss isn't normal, but i mean could he still be stressed from it?

he has some veg after his metacam and he is mainly only eating lettuce again. he had one or two coriander leaves and one or two basil leaves but then he leaves them. he still has exaggerated head movements when eating. i am still wondering about his teeth - that maybe because last week his eating slowed down that his teeth have had the chance to overgrow again. the vet thought they looked ok but not perfect, which we know they're not from his dental last time.

his tummy is still gurgling aswell. i don't know why.

he takes recovery food well. how much should i be aiming to give him?

my poor ches. he's all skin and bone. :(
 
forgot to say - the grass is soaking wet but if i picked some and dried it would it be ok to feed? the last thing i want to do is bloat him. but he does love grass.
 
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