How do I know if a piggy has diabetes?

[Maxellnimons]

I checked the symptoms but I don't really know....
My guinea has been drinking and peeing a lot for two days now, when should I be worried?
She's only 8 month old :0

 

[sport_billy]

The vet can check for you. Glucose and ketones shows up on the dipstick test.

Cookie is diabetic and it is controlled through her diet, she doesn't get any fruit or veggies high in sugar except for a rare treat..
Try not to worry though, piggies can start drinking more if it gets a little hotter, this will in turn make them wee more. Ours always drink more even if the temperature goes up a little.

 

[shiny]

They also use quite a bit of water to digest all that fibre. I was worried about Pip's water intake at first but it has calmed down now. He was eating for Britain as he was so thin when we got him so I realised that increased food intake = increased water intake. If you are worried about your piggie though, you should be able to just pop a urine sample to the vets for dipping, only takes 2 minutes.

Hope your guinea is ok

 

[Maxellnimons]

Thank you guys I will take her to the vet but I'm so stupid I forgot that today was so hot the poor thing would have felt it too! Haha thanks you guys

 

[shiny]

If you're going to the vets, take a urine sample with you. It's much easier to get one at home. Do you know about how to get it?

 

[Maxellnimons]

Oh thanks for the tip! and No i have no idea how @)

 

[sport_billy]

Here's a thread on how to collect a sample http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?97156-How-to-collect-a-urine-sample&highlight= t

 

[Maxellnimons]

Thank you so much

 

[Freela]

As others have said- the vet will check their urine. I always put my piggie in a tupperware container until they pee, and then syringe up the urine and put it in a clean container (it doesn't have be sterile for a dipstick test.) Last time I had to take my pigs to check for UTI, I got the 'no diabetes' verdict as a bonus! Hope it's nothing... one of my pigs drinks constantly, but has been tested and is not diabetic, so I am betting, especially that young, that it's okay.

 

[Wiggie]

my vet pierced my piggy's ear and did a blood test. she put the pin through about 3 times because it did not bleed the first couple of tries. I thought my piggy had diabetes but she just drinks more, it could be nervousness.