Help For Incontinent Sow...

[Roz]

Hi all,
Just joined up this evening so not sure if you can help? I have a sow who's probably about 5 now, and the last couple of weeks she's been really stinky, even within a day of having a full cage clean out. As usual I did the spot checks but the smell continued and then I realised it was her who smelt really bad, you know, the strong urine smell. Her backside was soaking too so I gave her a bath and by the next morning, she was sodden again and really smelly. She seems pretty ok in herself other than that, she's eating, drinking (not more than usual though)' squeaks for her fresh food, and still grinds her teeth at my partner! Anyway, I obviously took her to the vets, who had her for a couple of days, and after blood tests, urine tests, an X-ray, scans and a load of money, they decided it was most likely a simple UTI so prescribed antibiotics for ten days, and arranged a follow up appointment 6 days later. I had this appointment yesterday, and over the week she has not improved at all, she is dribbling urine, especially when any pressure is put on her belly, and still smells horrific. All her tests came up fine, no diabetes, no stones, no cysts or anything, so the vets say she is simply an old lady now and her urinary tract has given up, this deeming her incontinent. He gave me the option of trying a medication used for cats and dogs (in smaller doses obviously!) that would be used three times a day for the rest of her life, or to just persevere with her, or out her to sleep. I've decided against the medication, although I love her to bits, I can not afford it, and well I think it's too much work (sorry). He suggested then that I obviously clean her daily, but also use Vaseline on her back end, and get rid of the wood shavings I use in her cage to prevent sticking to her bum. I've only ever used shavings and hay, so could anyone advise me on what I should use? I was thinking incontinence pads, but I need opinions please as I'm out of money and can't afford wasting it! Also to add, I am not going to get her put to sleep whilst she is still happy in herself; I will only consider that when I can see a difference in her. Thanks in advance for any advice and help given!

 

[helen105281]

What was the medication they suggested? was it Metacam? Does she move about ok? sometimes older pigs can get arthritic and it stops them moving about as normal and they end up sitting in their wee.

Vaseline as you have suggested or Bepanthen will stop her getting urine scald.

For bedding I recommend Vetbed with either newspaper or incontinence bed pads underneath.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! I am very sorry for your problems. One of my older sows is rather dribbly; she is no longer moving around a lot and has ended up with interstitial cystitis (inflammation of the bladder walls) after a couple of years of her having issues with the calcium absorption, which has let to a fast growing bladder stone and the need of several bladder flushes in the following year. Her treatment involves mainly metacam, as interstitial cystitis is something that is rather managed than healed.

Like @helen105281 is asking, what medication/dosage for her body weight is she on? UTI and cystitis can be very different things although they are generally lumped together.

 

[Wiebke]

PS: Have your vets checked her womb? Cariad needed an emergency spay due to a grossly enlarged, borderline pyometric womb with a lump in it a year ago. The symptoms were VERY smelly, very leaky fluid which I mistook for a cystitis.

 

[Claire W]

Hello and welcome.

This is exactly what happened to my sow Erin when she was just 3 years old.

She was prescribed a course of Septrin (an antibiotic used to treat guinea pigs with a uti) and metacam. It didn't help so Erin was given an ultrasound to check for bladder stones after she started passing blood.

The ultrasound scan showed no stones but it did show an enlarged wound / bladder as Wiebke has mentioned above. She was due to have an emergency spay but when my vet opened her up, it turned out it was her bladder that was the problem. It was inflamed and full of sludge so she was given a bladder flush.

The flush stopped the leaking but we sadly lost Erin a few days later due to an unrelated issue.

May be it is worth mentioning to your vet although I'm not sure how comfortable you are with putting her through surgery and how cavy savy your vet is x

 

[Roz]

Thanks all for your swift replies.

She is on Septrin 0.3mls twice a day, but as said, this hasn't made any difference.

She had both ultrasounds and X-ray's last week, with no negative results for either of them, apart from a very cute shaved belly now!

Helen, she moves about perfectly fine, she's still as energetic as ever and doesn't seem to specifically be sitting in her urine, it's that it's almost constantly leaking out.

Vet bed, I'll look into that thank you.

 

[kerry]

Sorry to hear about your girl, 5 isnt that old so I wont call her old

Its awful when they stink and although I have no experience with an pig who is incontinent and I hope not to, I have a girl who constantly sits in her own wee puddles before the fleece absorbs it.

Instead of bathing your girl every day maybe you could wipe her over with special pet wipes. I get them from pets at home and they smell lovely and it would be less stressful for both you and her

 

[Roz]

Hi Kerry,
Thanks for your advice, I have those wipes already but was advised not to use them daily on a pet as it is unnatural for them?

It's only been a few days since I last saw the vet and already I'm struggling to keep her clean and smell free, especially in this weather. I can't even give her proper cuddles anymore because she's so wet and stinky so she now seems to associate being picked up with being bathed and/or being given antibiotics.

 

[Claire W]

Is there a possibility you could discuss with your vet whether a bladder flush would be beneficial? but that also depends on how competent your vet is doing bladder surgery on guinea pigs.

I'm not sure how bad it is with your girl but with Erin, the urine literally dripped from her like a tap. She was a white piggy but from her tummy right towards her back end was pure yellow / brown

You also need to try and make sure that she doesn't develop urine scald.

I'm very sorry you are going through this x

 

[jenny57]

Hi Roz, I can't help with any advice, I just want to commend you on your efforts on trying to help your piggie, well done you.

 

[kerry]

Oh right

Hi Kerry,
Thanks for your advice, I have those wipes already but was advised not to use them daily on a pet as it is unnatural for them?

It's only been a few days since I last saw the vet and already I'm struggling to keep her clean and smell free, especially in this weather. I can't even give her proper cuddles anymore because she's so wet and stinky so she now seems to associate being picked up with being bathed and/or being given antibiotics.

Oh right, not sure about that but I guess neither is bathing them every day. You just have to do what is best for her I guess

 

[Roz]

Is there a possibility you could discuss with your vet whether a bladder flush would be beneficial? but that also depends on how competent your vet is doing bladder surgery on guinea pigs.

I'm not sure how bad it is with your girl but with Erin, the urine literally dripped from her like a tap. She was a white piggy but from her tummy right towards her back end was pure yellow / brown

You also need to try and make sure that she doesn't develop urine scald.

I'm very sorry you are going through this x

That's what I'm concerned about, I don't want her getting scalded, but it's also near impossible to keep up with the urine coming out. I also don't want to be bathing her everyday as that itself is unnatural, but so far I'm not keeping up with it very well

Thank you @jenny57 , I'm trying my best but finding it quite difficult now! It's horrible to say but how far do you go for a piggy? Am going to get some vet bed and incontinence pads for her today and see how we go with that...

Thanks for all your help!