Help - Uti And Possible Stones

[JackJack1]

I have just lost a guinea pig because of teeth issues 4 weeks ago and now his cage mate is having some problems. I have just come from the vets and she has diagnosed a possible UTI. A dipstick showed blood and protein in the urine and Joe is straining when going to the toilet and it is hurting. I have Baytril and Metacam to treat him for a week and then take him back in a weeks time. I have got to keep him on kitchen towel to make sure he is passing urine.

I believe dandelions are good food for UTI as diuretic, not parsley as high in oxalates I think.
I will be giving him his usual favourite cucumber to keep his fluids high and vegetables. Has anyone got any suggestions on good foods to give in this situation. He does not like bell peppers.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

 

[Wiebke]

The stress of losing a companion lowers the immune system and can lead to opportunistic illnesses like UTI to hit. Spring and autumn with the greatest fluctuation in temperatures are generally UTI high season.

Dandelion, cucumber and lettuce are all mildly diuretic, but you have to be careful not to overdo it or you will end up with diarrhea on top of everything; you can stop with them as soon as acute sympoms disappear.
It is better to make sure that your boy is drinking enough and if necessary to syringe him filtered water once or twice a day, as much as he will take in one go to help flush out any bacteria. Fresh grass is also good, provided you can get hold of some dog pee free one. You can give a bit extra vitamin C, but please take into account the overall amount that includes other food sources like veg and pellets.

The acute symptoms should disappear within a few days if it is a straight forward UTI. As with any antibiotic, it would be good to prop up the guts with a pinch of probiotic 1-2 hours after the antibiotic, especially with baytril, which is well known for causing soft poos and/or loss of appetite. With urinary tract problems, avipro plus would be the best probiotic as it is the only one without added calcium.

If symptoms don't disappear within a week or get worse, you will need an x-ray for stones/bladder sludge as the next step. You can also look at septrin as a more effective antibiotic. Please make sure that your vet gives you an antibiotic for longer even if the symptoms have disappeared. UTIs can be tenacious and make a return if not cleared out properly.

Weigh him daily to make sure that he is eating enough and if necessary, top him up with hand feed.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/...vitamin-c-overview-with-product-links.115404/
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/complete-hand-feeding-guide.115359/
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/low-calcium-diet-for-bladder-piggies.105930/

 

[JackJack1]

The stress of losing a companion lowers the immune system and can lead to opportunistic illnesses like UTI to hit. Spring and autumn with the greatest fluctuation in temperatures are generally UTI high season.

Dandelion, cucumber and lettuce are all mildly diuretic, but you have to be careful not to overdo it or you will end up with diarrhea on top of everything; you can stop with them as soon as acute sympoms disappear.
It is better to make sure that your boy is drinking enough and if necessary to syringe him filtered water once or twice a day, as much as he will take in one go to help flush out any bacteria. Fresh grass is also good, provided you can get hold of some dog pee free one. You can give a bit extra vitamin C, but please take into account the overall amount that includes other food sources like veg and pellets.

The acute symptoms should disappear within a few days if it is a straight forward UTI. As with any antibiotic, it would be good to prop up the guts with a pinch of probiotic 1-2 hours after the antibiotic, especially with baytril, which is well known for causing soft poos and/or loss of appetite. With urinary tract problems, avipro plus would be the best as it is the only one without added calcium.

If symptoms don't disappear within a week or get worse, you will need an x-ray for stones/bladder sludge as the next step. You can also look at septrin as a more effective antibiotic. Please make sure that your vet gives you an antibiotic for longer even if the symptoms have disappeared. UTIs can be tenacious and make a return if not cleared out properly.

Weigh him daily to make sure that he is eating enough and if necessary, top him up with hand feed.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/...vitamin-c-overview-with-product-links.115404/
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/complete-hand-feeding-guide.115359/
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/low-calcium-diet-for-bladder-piggies.105930/

Thanks for the advice.

Where can I get the pro-biotic? I am worried about giving him the Baytril. I did question the vet about this and she said that this is the only one licensed for guinea pigs and she said there was a treatment chart or something they would need to follow when administering antibiotic types. I would rather have had the Bactrim, but she was adamant about Baytril and quite off hand. This was at Alfreton Park Vet Hospital, one which features on the recommended list. However, Ellie the normal guinea vet is on maternity leave. I am quite worried about the Baytril and do not want to give him anything which is going to worsen the situation. They are so reliant on us and we have a responsibility to do what is right for them and the thought of syringing something into his mouth which may do him more harm than good is scary.

He seems OK at the moment, eating well and only signs are difficulty when toileting. His weight is steady at 1150g so is health weight.

 

[Wiebke]

You can get a probiotic from a pet shop in an emergency, but it would be advisable to have a good quality one in your first aid corner.
Pediatric septrin is the UK version for US bactrim; septrin has the additional advantage of tasting of banana, so most piggies like it a lot better than foul tasting baytril.
In your case, I would continue on the baytril for the time being, but look for somewhere else if things don't clear up. Baytril is unfortunately still the only licensed antibiotic for guinea pigs, but it is often not the most ideal.

 

[JackJack1]

You can get a probiotic from a pet shop in an emergency, but it would be advisable to have a good quality one in your first aid corner.
Pediatric septrin is the UK version for US bactrim; septrin has the additional advantage of tasting of banana, so most piggies like it a lot better than foul tasting baytril.
In your case, I would continue on the baytril for the time being, but look for somewhere else if things don't clear up. Baytril is unfortunately still the only licensed antibiotic for guinea pigs, but it is often not the most ideal.

Thanks for your advice - really appreciated. I have located one at Pets at Home so I can start him on it straight away, I think called Pro C and will use this to help support him while he is on antibiotics. I will be looking elsewhere for another vet I think, as I did not like the attitude of this young vet. She needs to get used to people questioning her about treatment and not expect that people will accept everything she says. I have a degree in Pharmacology and understand very well how drugs work and resented how she spoke to me. I find it extremely hard to find a good vet who knows AND CARES about guinea pig health. I think they are so used to dealing with dogs and cats that they think guinea pigs are insignificant and parm us off with anything to see if it works or not. Really angry about it all.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for your advice - really appreciated. I have located one at Pets at Home so I can start him on it straight away, I think called Pro C and will use this to help support him while he is on antibiotics. I will be looking elsewhere for another vet I think, as I did not like the attitude of this young vet. She needs to get used to people questioning her about treatment and not expect that people will accept everything she says. I have a degree in Pharmacology and understand very well how drugs work and resented how she spoke to me. I find it extremely hard to find a good vet who knows AND CARES about guinea pig health. I think they are so used to dealing with dogs and cats that they think guinea pigs are insignificant and parm us off with anything to see if it works or not. Really angry about it all.

Many vets have generally better people and pet manners these days. I am sorry you got one you were not happy about.