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Increasing water consumption

spock

spock

Junior Guinea Pig
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Big thanks to everyone on this forum! :clap:

Ronnie has bladder issues and just got back from referral vets, everything they told me I already knew from reading the posts on here (hence the thanks)
but just wanted to share the one thing I didn't know.
The vet said to give them a bowl of water as well as their bottle as its been documented that they will drink more this way as its harder to get the water from the bottles and I guess they give up sooner. She said she knows that they will probably tip it over/ poo in it but it was still worth doing.
Hope this helps. xx
 
spock said:
Big thanks to everyone on this forum! :clap:

Ronnie has bladder issues and just got back from referral vets, everything they told me I already knew from reading the posts on here (hence the thanks)
but just wanted to share the one thing I didn't know.
The vet said to give them a bowl of water as well as their bottle as its been documented that they will drink more this way as its harder to get the water from the bottles and I guess they give up sooner. She said she knows that they will probably tip it over/ poo in it but it was still worth doing.
Hope this helps. xx
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It's worth having both in the cage if a piggy doesn't drink much. Some do prefer a bowl. Also if the bottle isn't going down check the sipper tube is not blocked or faulty.
 
Thanks, pig in the city. He does drink ok, it was because he has bladder issues that the vet said we need to increase the water consumption beyond normal to keep flushing out his bladder. Just thought I'd post for other people in the same situation. xx
 
Thanks for the post. I'm one of the ones you are really helping with this; I had no clue. Haven't had problems and hope not to but the ones I've had and gone to the vet for still leave me woefully uninformed and my vet not knowing some things either.

I will definitely tuck this away for future use.
 
Thanks Merab's slave. He's had ultrasound and urinalysis but booking him in for CT scan, bloods and referral exotic vet wants to repeat the urinalysis. He's on Tramadol and meloxaid and cystease so fairly comfortable for now. x
 
I was really surprised too fanniephina, I've not seen any posts mentioning this and I hope it helps.
One of the other vets suggested mixing up a really sloppy critical care soup and pop that in his cage to lap and that seems to work well as long as he doesn't put on too much weight! I ran it by the referral vet and she had no objections, as he has very few pellets.
Yes I know what you mean, I've seen a few vets and had the same feeling, but this exotic vet really seems to know her stuff and I feel poor Ronnie is in good hands, even though I'm going to have to sell a kidney to pay the bill!:(
 
spock said:
I was really surprised too fanniephina, I've not seen any posts mentioning this and I hope it helps.
One of the other vets suggested mixing up a really sloppy critical care soup and pop that in his cage to lap and that seems to work well as long as he doesn't put on too much weight! I ran it by the referral vet and she had no objections, as he has very few pellets.
Yes I know what you mean, I've seen a few vets and had the same feeling, but this exotic vet really seems to know her stuff and I feel poor Ronnie is in good hands, even though I'm going to have to sell a kidney to pay the bill!:(
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Ugh-sounds like she's really in good hands though. Yeah, we keep a fund on-going now after some lessons for future guinea pig problems. It was a learning experience that vet bills can actually exceed my cat and 2 dogs; and my chihuahua just had to have a few teeth pulled last year. Still doesn't come close to what I expect any vet bill for the babies here can be in the future. Hope the little guy does well and you guys get a break for awhile after he gets all better.
 
Thanks fanniephina, hope its interstitial cystitis and not stones, poor thing, he's only 2! I've been following all the low calcium advice just in case. Fingers crossed.
Yes, its funny the looks you get from people after they've paid for their dog/ cat and the receptionist announces your bill! xx
 
For my pig with bladder issues I also soaked his veg in water before feeding him so he got a bit extra from the veg.

He never drank from a bottle or bowl so we gave him a small bottle of water with a tiny bit of 100% fresh orange juice (as recommended by my vet). He loved that and would drink upto 30ml on his own accord.

The only downside is that the bottle needed changing twice a day as the orange could spoil if left any longer.
 
spock said:
I was really surprised too fanniephina, I've not seen any posts mentioning this and I hope it helps.
One of the other vets suggested mixing up a really sloppy critical care soup and pop that in his cage to lap and that seems to work well as long as he doesn't put on too much weight! I ran it by the referral vet and she had no objections, as he has very few pellets.
Yes I know what you mean, I've seen a few vets and had the same feeling, but this exotic vet really seems to know her stuff and I feel poor Ronnie is in good hands, even though I'm going to have to sell a kidney to pay the bill!:(
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That's Ok, about the kidney, if you get desperate you can sell that one, & go on dialysis.
 
Thanks Jaycey! Good to know. :)
I always rinse off any grass I pick and although I pat it with a tea towel it seems to retain a lot of water so I think you're right and they get some that way.
The critical care soup seems to be working a treat though, they love it and peeing like there's no tomorrow! :D
 
spock said:
:xd: yes thank goodness our healthcare is free! x
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Now I know I'm on a European forum lol! Our healthcare is supposedly a better one where my husband works (I never had a position here in America from jobs that included healthcare where I worked). We just finished finally reaching our $750 deductible along with the $80 a week that comes from paychecks and our co pay. My son is included but we still don't get a discount and have to pay out of pocket for his medications ($158 each refill) because it's not covered.

We lived in Italy for some years and I lived on the Siggiorno di Permisso residency there but it wasn't even necessary for our daughter to get the best health care she's ever gotten (also on the same Famiglia residency-not even full residency yet completed at the time). It was all covered under my husband's fiscal code and id. She had severe asthma and chronic bronchitis but was treated by the best doctor's ever under the Italian healthcare. Even now, after being back here in America, we still can't get her treated with the medication and care she had in Italy. The doctor's here want to know nothing about the care she got in Italy and put it down for not being up to American standards. :hmm:
 
fanniephina said:
Now I know I'm on a European forum lol! Our healthcare is supposedly a better one where my husband works (I never had a position here in America from jobs that included healthcare where I worked). We just finished finally reaching our $750 deductible along with the $80 a week that comes from paychecks and our co pay. My son is included but we still don't get a discount and have to pay out of pocket for his medications ($158 each refill) because it's not covered.

We lived in Italy for some years and I lived on the Siggiorno di Permisso residency there but it wasn't even necessary for our daughter to get the best health care she's ever gotten (also on the same Famiglia residency-not even full residency yet completed at the time). It was all covered under my husband's fiscal code and id. She had severe asthma and chronic bronchitis but was treated by the best doctor's ever under the Italian healthcare. Even now, after being back here in America, we still can't get her treated with the medication and care she had in Italy. The doctor's here want to know nothing about the care she got in Italy and put it down for not being up to American standards. :hmm:
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Sorry to hear that Fanniephina :( I hope your children are now doing well.
Here in the UK our healthcare can be a bit hit and miss, but the Italians do seem very professional.
I remember talking to an Italian bartender who said that in Italy you aren't even allowed to stand behind the bar in the first year, you're in the back cutting up lemons until you are considered to be at the right level of proficiency! xx
 
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