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First ever stone

Lotusdrm

Lotusdrm

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hello everyone! I currently have a 5.5 year old sow named Hermanie. I recently noticed her genetalia was swollen and strain while peeing. After taking her to emergancy vet, I was told after x-ray she had 2 stones in her bladder. Operation was a choice but not recommended. I was told to keep her comfortable. I brought her home after she stayed overnight. I seperated her from her sister to be safe. She was like a zombie as she's slowly coming out of it. Her sister is depressed. She has to take 2 meds but doesnt seem to eat much but DIY CC formula. Anyone had encounters like this? I was all for the operation. Broke my heart. Thank u.
 
Sorry to hear this! I have no experience, but wanted to offer support! Hopefully someone will offer some advice! Why did they want you to separate? Maybe a second opinion on wouldn't hurt? If the advice of keep her comfortable was given, but you were up for the surgery, it may be worth a shot!
 
Thank you for your support. I asked when I picked her up if I should re-introduce them to each other. They told me I should just in case. The 1st Dr told me she would need scopic surgery. I was willing to do it if it meant helping her. They gave her oxygen for her breathing. The next day a different Dr on duty called to update me and said the risk is too high. She has a big stone bouncing around and another small one by her urethra. When I brought her home she was a zombie and her sister, Snuggles, was jumping on top of her cozy with her underneath. I got scared. Cages are side by side so they can smell and hear each other but Hermine is still collecting her faculties after the injection they gave her. Poop soup with pellets, probiotic, baby food is what I'm giving her until I get something better.
 
Sorry! I hope I didn't come off rude. Was not my intention at all! I am so sorry if I did! I have no knowledge of stones. Hopefully someone can offer you some advice!
 
Livia- not rude at all. I know I wanted to share with other GP lovers so I can educate myself. I dont want to see her suffer. I brought her to a 24 hr vet on a Sunday. I didnt care about the cost. I asked about an acidifier but he said because of the location he didnt think it was possible. She perked up a bit. I havent seen her drink from her bottle but I've been feeding her gently with a syringe. She has pee on her underbelly so I need to wash and make sure there's no scolding on her feet, etc. He said she could live for a week or for 6 months with these stones happily even unless it blocks her totally. Then he said I should make a humane choice. I'm from the states but I'm reaching out to other Mums and Dads for advice wherever I can. I was told to not feel like I didnt do whatever I could for her. My heart wishes she could have surgery. She ate a little bit of cucumber, romaine and hay. I feel like I made it worse for her in a way. She was mobile before the vet but now seems to stay in the same spot unless I take her cozy out. She has skinny long poops after not pooping the 1st night so I know her gut flora is working.
 
I think floor time and keeping her moving might help too. I still think a second opinion may be worth a shot. They may have a different option or maybe decide surgery should be considered if she can't pass them. I am sorry you are in this situation. I really hope someone can help you ❤️.
 
Thank you so much. I'm going to try and bring Herminie to a different vet after work today. Unless I travel to the city my options are limited. I dont drive but I'm willing to walk to wherever I can. Slight blood in urine but I was told its from the stone moving around. She was munching on some veggies when I left for work. Thank u for advice. I got her as a gift but I'm willing to spend another $1000 on her surgery( thats what I spent at the emergency vet).
 
Lotusdrm said:
Thank you so much. I'm going to try and bring Herminie to a different vet after work today. Unless I travel to the city my options are limited. I dont drive but I'm willing to walk to wherever I can. Slight blood in urine but I was told its from the stone moving around. She was munching on some veggies when I left for work. Thank you for advice. I got her as a gift but I'm willing to spend another $1000 on her surgery( thats what I spent at the emergency vet).
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Have you looked on guinea lynx to see if there’s a vet near you? I guess you’re in the USA?
 
Thank you for the support. I called my local vet today to see if I could bring her in for a second opinion. I'm willing to try anything that could help my little munchkin. I'm here at work worried sick if my baby is ok by herself. I'm also scared about the stress she might be under but I'm sure her Medicam is helping her. She's a little fighter at the moment. Is it true that a 5yr old piggie is like being 80 in human years? That's why the Dr was concerned with her going under. All I can do now is wait for a different Dr to call so I can rush her in. Meanwhile I'm trying to keep her gut flora moving so she poops.
 
I live in Hoboken, NJ. Herminie is a Liverpool fan and watches soccer so I leave it on for her. I know there's specialists in NY and I would take a train with her there. I'm willing to go to 10 vets if I have to. I'm going to reach out locally and see what others may suggest. I read people had surgeries on 6.5 year old piggies and some did rather well. My other piggie Snuggles is almost 3 yrs old. I'm going to put them together again and see if Herminie( she loves Harry Potter) perks up again. Lots of love for all the piggies and their owners in the UK!
 
I would think if it was life or death and you knew the risks you could push for it? I don't know. I would, but that is just me. You have to do what is right for you. It just doesn't seem right to leave it, but I have no experience with stones. Hopefully you will have some good luck and answers soon!
 
@Lotusdrm My 5 year old boar had bladder stone surgery and he recovered fine.

The problem is they're never going to go away once they get too big to pass. So your options are surgery or keeping them dosed on pain relief as stones are quite sharp and spiky.

Although there is always a risk with surgery I decided to go for it with my boy.
 
I saw guinea lynx mentioned above. Here's a link to their list of your local good vets Veterinarians: New Jersey - Guinea Lynx Records

5 is classed as elderly. Not sure if it's quite 80 years old but it's definitely senior citizen stage. Obviously anaesthetic carries a risk for all small animals and that risk is increased with age and also with fragility through health. A knowledgeable and experienced piggy vet would be best placed to advise whether that risk is great or small in your case

Send you healing wheeks from across the pond
 
Thank you for your well wishes. I took Herminie to my vet earlier for a second opinion. I called the previous vet for her x-rays. I didn't realize how big it was. I took a pic and will post soon. He squeezed her abdomen and she cried a little. I had her on a white towel and blood came out. This was a first for me cause the blood on her fleece bedding was diluted with pee. He told me what the prior vet said about the risks with her age. She must've had the stone for a while. I was able to purchase CritCare and came home with her. She's much more alert today. I switched her water from tap to bottled and gave her a nice mix of hay between timothy, oat, meadow, and botanical. Fed her water before CC. She wasnt crazy about it but hopefully she'll come around. She was just munching on a cucumber and some romaine. I didnt find any poops in her cage which worries me. I want to get some bloodwork done and will contemplate surgery. He didnt rule it out completely so maybe there's still hope. I'm sad cause he told me to keep my girls seperated. Snuggles doesnt seem to be lonely but she's not as active as she was so that tells me thta maybe she's sad. Good news is he said she's in pretty good shape otherwise. I just want them to be happy. I'm going to bring Snuggles in for bloodwork too. I wish they could be together but I feel until Herminie feels better this is probably best.
 

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I'm sorry for the long thread. I'll make it shorter next time. Here are pics of my 2 girls. The brown one is Herminie and the beige one is Snuggles.20161002_091948.webp
 

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I want to get her up and going again so she's strong enough. Then I will look for a specialist. Thanks Lady Kelly for the list.
 
Thank you Merab! Herminie has perked up a bit and seems more alert today. She is responding well to her medication. She ate some bell pepper, romaine, and cucumber during the night. I'm going to continue syringe feeding her until she uses her water bottle and eats her pellets. I think she's happy this morning as we're taking it day by day. Maybe with a little weight put on she'll be ok for surgery in near future. Some floor time with her sister would be fun.
 
Thanks Tiamolly. Putting her down is a last resort to me. Her quality of life is what matters most. She's content right now. I spent $1200 at emerg vet and I'm willing to spend another $1000 for her surgery. I'm working on her eating and looking at her poops. I found a few but with meds she hasnt been producing much. I plan on taking her somewhere better in the city next week. Thank you for your thoughts.
 
Lotusdrm said:
Hello everyone! I currently have a 5.5 year old sow named Hermanie. I recently noticed her genetalia was swollen and strain while peeing. After taking her to emergancy vet, I was told after x-ray she had 2 stones in her bladder. Operation was a choice but not recommended. I was told to keep her comfortable. I brought her home after she stayed overnight. I seperated her from her sister to be safe. She was like a zombie as she's slowly coming out of it. Her sister is depressed. She has to take 2 meds but doesnt seem to eat much but DIY CC formula. Anyone had encounters like this? I was all for the operation. Broke my heart. Thank you.
Click to expand...
My sow has a growth in her bladder high up. I have also been advised by my vet not to operate.
 
If it was me, I would go ahead with an op. If her stone is big then eventually you will have to say goodbye at some point. So I don't know, I had a beautiful piggy & she had a massive tumour, I had the choose of operate or let her go to her end not pumped full of painkillers. I gambled with the op, & lost, but she died not knowing she was going to the rainbow bridge as she was under anathestic. She knew nothing. But my heart broke, but I did the best I could. At the end it's a gamble but try & weigh the pros & cons then you should have your answer my thoughts arewith you x
 
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