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Guinea pig bladder issues and penis issue

I am so pleased to see Stan is doing so well, it's such a worry when they are ill.
I am sorry your village has been flooded, the weather has been so awful recently. I'm glad your house is okay, well done for helping those who are less fortunate. I hope you get some much needed rest soon.
 
Hi all

I know I’m prone to worry but would someone be able to tell me if this is normal. It’s been in the tray since before lunch as I moved them from their home to their indoor run at lunch time. This is an additional tray of hay I popped in this morning to grab a sample as I the newspaper soaked wee wouldn’t show you properly. Stan is going great guns - he seems to be drinking plenty and his weight this morning 1244g. It’s been dark like this for a bit - I wondered if it was the red pepper oxidising so didn’t give them yesterday. They have romaine and cucumber and the rest is hay and their portion of piggy parcels urinary pellets. If you don’t think it’s right I’m straight off to the vet tomorrow ! Thanks so much
 

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I’m glad Stan is still doing ok.

I’m not an expert on pee. Does it come out this colour? Can you sit him on a light blanket or tissue and wait for him to go.

Is it definitely not pee mixed in with hay?

I’ll see if I can find the urine guide.
 
weepweeps said:
I’m glad Stan is still doing ok.

I’m not an expert on pee. Does it come out this colour? Can you sit him on a light blanket or tissue and wait for him to go.

Is it definitely not pee mixed in with hay?

I’ll see if I can find the urine guide.
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Thank for the guide - maybe it’s because he was on the antibiotic baytril for so long - nearly 5 weeks. I’m going back to re read the guide again - a bit slower this time.

I’ll try and catch it as a fresh wee.
 

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KK327 said:
Thank for the guide - maybe it’s because he was on the antibiotic baytril for so long - nearly 5 weeks. I’m going back to re read the guide again - a bit slower this time.

I’ll try and catch it as a fresh wee.
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That’s interesting. Hopefully that’s what it is.
 
weepweeps said:
That’s interesting. Hopefully that’s what it is.
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I managed to get a new sample from Stan and I think that’s pretty normal. I think the increased drinking is going hand in hand with the increased munching - he’s protesting he is starving every five minutes. I think is forgotten what a good appetite was for him where he was so ill. Waffles eats well but doesn’t make the drama like Stan does. I am monitoring him but hopefully he’s well.
 

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Tonight I’ve booked the vet for the morning. He seemed a bit uncomfortable doing a poo. I’ve cleaned his bottom for him which was a little bit dirty but not major so I don’t think it’s that but he is eating like a thing possessed and drinking a lot. I’ve given him a dose of Bayril as I had some left and some Metacam. I’ll take urine sample for lab work. His fur seems spiky and he seems to be itching a bit more than usual…. I feel sick with worry !
 

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Good luck tomorrow. I hope there’s nothing to worry about but it will put your mind at ease either way.
 
weepweeps said:
Good luck tomorrow. I hope there’s nothing to worry about but it will put your mind at ease either way.
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Sadly I think it is very much to worry about - he’s been up all night drinking and he’s clearly very uncomfortable weeing. His coat is spiky. He is eating well but I think it’s likely to be kidney failure I’m afraid. 😪 thanks for the good wishes I’ll let you know
 
weepweeps said:
Oh no. Sending you hugs. 🥰
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I don't know what to do if they think it is do I let him go now before he gets too bad, it's clearly giving him pain when he wees and poos and I just can't bear the thought of him suffering. I love him so much.
 
Maybe it’s a UTI and antibiotics will clear it up. Try not to think the worst. I know that’s easier said than done. More painkillers will help too. See what the vet says. What time is the appointment?
 
weepweeps said:
Maybe it’s a UTI and antibiotics will clear it up. Try not to think the worst. I know that’s easier said than done. More painkillers will help too. See what the vet says. What time is the appointment?
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We’ve arrived it 10.45 ❤️
 
Hi

We are going down the antibiotic Matacam and tramadol route - urine being tested. No change in a few days then sedation and blood tests for kidney function.
 
I’m pleased there’s a plan of action. I’ll be sending healing vibes to Stan.
 
weepweeps said:
I’m pleased there’s a plan of action. I’ll be sending healing vibes to Stan.
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The vet has just called - sadly Stan is in kidney failure - the sample was so full of grit and debris and the concentration is not right. We have decided not to put him through a GA to prove what we already know and we will have to make the decision soon before he starts to suffer. I am devastated.
 
I am so very sorry to hear this devastating update
My prayers and thoughts are with you both 😥
 
CTWC said:
I am so very sorry to hear this devastating update
My prayers and thoughts are with you both 😥
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Thank you ❤️
KK327 said:
The vet has just called - sadly Stan is in kidney failure - the sample was so full of grit and debris and the concentration is not right. We have decided not to put him through a GA to prove what we already know and we will have to make the decision soon before he starts to suffer. I am devastated.
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KK327 said:
The vet has just called - sadly Stan is in kidney failure - the sample was so full of grit and debris and the concentration is not right. We have decided not to put him through a GA to prove what we already know and we will have to make the decision soon before he starts to suffer. I am devastated.
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Could they be wrong ? He was drinking so much last night but today not so much. Could a uti cause him to drink excessively enough to cause weak concentration. They are saying to me that the debris in his urine is also a sign his kidneys not working properly and will his history of bladder stone that is likely why he ended up with one. I have read lovely Wiekbe guides and I’m probably clutching at straws. I’m in such a mess
 
No! I’m so sorry. You’ve done your absolute best for Stan. Maybe give it a few days on the pain medication and see if things settle down 🤞🏻
 
weepweeps said:
No! I’m so sorry. You’ve done your absolute best for Stan. Maybe give it a few days on the pain medication and see if things settle down 🤞🏻
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I am going to do just that. The carry box paper had a lot of wee on it but it was all good wee - no rust colours, no calcium nothing... Since coming home Stan has only had one normal sized drink and has been eating hay and generally acting very normal. If he perks up I am going to take another sample in and get them to test the concentration. Maybe he knew he had to drink loads to flush out his bladder - I don't know, but the baytril, metacam and Tramadol are in (the vet said to me that the Metacam just do for a few days as it can damage the kidneys and the tramadol was a safer issue.... I know it's the "go to" drug for inflammation and pain relief. I have read so much I am dizzy from it all. Thanks weep x
 
I am sorry you have had such devastating news.
I wonder how piggy savvy your vet is? The comment about Metacam for a few days because it can damage the kidneys is a red flag for me. Metacam can be a problem long term for cats and dogs but it's long been noted that piggies tolerate it far better. I have had several piggies on Metacam for years (due to arthritis) with no damage to their kidney's. It's our vets go to painkiller/anti inflammatory and is prescribed for as long as it's needed not restricted to a few days.
I would give him sometime to see how he goes and perhaps get a second opinion, if his bladder is sore due to sludge he will need Metacam.
 
piggieminder said:
I am sorry you have had such devastating news.
I wonder how piggy savvy your vet is? The comment about Metacam for a few days because it can damage the kidneys is a red flag for me. Metacam can be a problem long term for cats and dogs but it's long been noted that piggies tolerate it far better. I have had several piggies on Metacam for years (due to arthritis) with no damage to their kidney's. It's our vets go to painkiller/anti inflammatory and is prescribed for as long as it's needed not restricted to a few days.
I would give him sometime to see how he goes and perhaps get a second opinion, if his bladder is sore due to sludge he will need Metacam.
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Hi Piggieminder

He was on Metacam for a good month after his op and the tramadol and I have plenty and I will certainly be using my judgement rather than the vets. She did have a discussion with the vet that performed the op and the other vet that assisted after the appointment this morning and it wasn't mentioned in the follow up phone call. I won't be writing my little boy off without a fight - we have gone through the loss of our dear Squirrel together and his bladder stone op and recovery. If they had told me that putting him under to get bloods and do ultrasound etc would help the outcome and give him a better chance then I would have opted for this but it appeared to be just an exercise in saying yes his kidneys are failing. I am going to give it a few days and see how he responds and photograph his wee as soon as he has peed and then what happens to it after say an hour. I am going to monitor how much he is drinking and what his weight is and what his appetite is but Baytril can suppress that. It is my intention to get another sample to them in maybe 5-7 days and see what the concentration level is like then. To be fair to Stan he had literally been up all night drinking (for whatever reason) so it will be weak won't it. I had an awful experience with Squirrel at the supposed "exotic vet" that I won't mention the name of on here and these vets are a small practice over two locations and try really hard - they are also the vets the rescue where we adopted from use. Stan is napping after his hay munch and I am in my office which is next door and can hear if he is at the bottle. I have also marked the volume in them.

Thanks for the support PM I really appreciate it. x
 
I am determined to keep telling Stan’s story because what we go through on this journey might just help another piggy and parent navigating this issue and the vet system.

I kept going back last night to lovely Wiekbe guides to sterile cystitis last and trolled the internet. The weak concentration of urine that the vet said indicated kidney failure can show itself exactly the same with this condition and I also read that piggies will drink more on instinct. Without a GA which I don’t really want to put him through for vet to take bloods and ultrasound etc the information gleaned from urine is limited. It is also a picture of the exact moment when the wee was expelled from Stan so a snap shop.

I administered the Metacam, tramadol and Baytril at 8.00 and sat with them both until bed time and his drinking behaviour was normal and did a lot of thinking.

I decided to start an I phone journal on top of the written journal I have always kept. It will contain photos of the newspaper from his hay box to show the wee so we can see debris content, colour etc - the boxes get changed morning and night and I’ll add the time of the change too. I’ll take a photo of him too so we have a reference of what he looks like at this time as well as the things I put in the written piggy journal - weight, medicine, looks etc so it’s all in one place.

This morning I recorded that over night 120ml had been drunk from the water bottle - some of that will be Waffles - they have two bottles but always go for the same one but that’s a vast reduction on the night before. Urine is also better looking in my opinion. Pain meds are certainly helping him. He’s bright, eating well and looks well.

I am going to put together everything I’ve explored about sterile cystitis and send it over to the vets and ask them to research and consider.

I need to give this process time as only that will tell us if this might be Stan’s issue but with the improvements (although likely to be assisted by drugs) give me a bit of hope.

Sorry for the long post - the information and posts on this forum are invaluable for references and experiences and for me it’s important I pay back and hopefully give someone else some clues to help them.
 
I agree with CTWC, as long as he is eating and drinking and acting normally I would let him be. He is on meds that will help him with any pain or infection, time will tell if something is seriously wrong.
Be careful with internet research it can be very misleading. Try not to stress yourself too much with this your own health is important as well. We are all here for you and Stan.
 
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