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More blood spots

Lymaine

Lymaine

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jul 4, 2017
Messages
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Location
Denbighshire
Freddie had some blood spots a few weeks ago. He didn’t seem bothered by it and passed a small stone. We took him and the stone to the vet. The vet felt him all over and said he couldn’t feel anything more. He weighed him and pronounced him healthy and happy. He gave me a weeks worth of baytril which we did. Straight after the stone we had a tiny tiny bit of blood and then it stopped completely. Freddie completed his course of baytril on Saturday and last night I noticed spots of blood again! I’m finding it hard to discern if he is in any pain as he did wheek while peeing but only the once and he is a very vocal piggy who walks around wheeking to himself for no apparent reason! (He has done this his whole life.) I changed the fleece last night and there was a tiny bit more this morning but no where near as much. Checked him over and he seemed fine. He wasn’t bothered when I checked his belly or his penis. He popcorned for his hay as usual and is drinking normally. If anything they are both drinking a bit more but I think that is the heat.

I’m reluctant to take him back to the vet as the journey stresses him out. What do you think?
 
Please contact your vet if symptoms of an infection do not react to an antibiotic or recur after the end of antibiotic.

Your vet needs to check for:
- whether the red stains actually contain blood
- bladder stones or sludge (x-ray under minimal sedation)
- urine infection (UTI) (may need another antibiotic/longer run)
- cystitis/bladder trauma, a non-bacterial inflammation of the bladder walls which can only be suppressed but not cured by an antibiotic and requires anti-inflammatories (metacam) and ideally glucosamine support (cystease).

The symptoms are very similar for all three issues but they require different approaches. Cystitis is not all that uncommon after a stone as the bladder walls can become very irritated from having a stone or several stones sloshed against them every time the bladder is emptied.

Unfortunately there is no home cure or way around it.

The first vet visit can be frightening, but piggies will get used to regular vet visits. If he has got a companion, then take the companion with him. In the end, his longer term health/survival is more important than the temporary stress of a vet trip!
Tips For Vet Visits
Travelling with guinea pigs
 
I will take him to the vet again. I am devastated. I have anxiety and depression and it’s very much affecting me. I have no kids and my piggies are my babies. I must admit I am a bit concerned about how much all this is going to cost but of course my main worry is that I won’t be able to get him better.
I have them on fleece and they get high quality food and hay. Just worried I’m doing something wrong. Is it because of the bedding? The food? Sorry I’m rambling... I’m just so worried about him :soz:
 
Also there is no flipping exotic vet anywhere near me from what I can gather and although my vets are very nice... I’m not 100% convinced they know exactly what they are on about when it comes to guinea pigs. Argh!
 
Lymaine said:
Also there is no flipping exotic vet anywhere near me from what I can gather and although my vets are very nice... I’m not 100% convinced they know exactly what they are on about when it comes to guinea pigs. Argh!
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Where in Denbighshire are you? We live in Denbigh and we take our piggies to Birch Heath Exotic Vets in Chester. That's the nearest one. Mind you they are quite expensive, being exotic vets and all. But we take the piggies there IF treatments are needed urgently. If the case is not as urgent, then we travel down to Cat& Rabbit Care Clinic in Northampton because Simon and Kim Maddock are highly recommended by a lot here in the forum. Our nearest vet where we live are farm vets (and of course for animals like dogs and cats). We take my piggies there for minor issues or check up.
 
We are in st Asaph. We use a vets in Abergele. I will lookup the Chester one. How do your pigs find the journeys to Chester and Northampton?
 
Lymaine said:
We are in st Asaph. We use a vets in Abergele. I will lookup the Chester one. How do your pigs find the journeys to Chester and Northampton?
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They are okay though they eat less in the journey. I just make sure to feed them during a few stop over especially when travelling to Northampton. Also, I usually put them in a big office box and not in their carrier so they can still have a place to roam while on the road. I only use the carrier bringing them from the car to the vet.
 
He went back to the vet today and the vet felt him over. He is going to spend the day at the vets tomorrow to have X-rays and tests. I’m so worried about him! The vet said if they find stones he may need surgery... that really scares me!
 
Also he has lost 70g in a week but I’m not sure if that’s because I cut the food and veg down because I was worried I was feeding them too much and I was worried about the calcium
 
I don’t think the weight loss is too much of a problem though I will mention it to vet tomorrow. I’m watching him now and he’s scoffing like there’s no tomorrow :))8C3D47DF-3C69-44CB-B00B-D9493A7EF5B8.webp
 
Lymaine said:
I don’t think the weight loss is too much of a problem though I will mention it to vet tomorrow. I’m watching him now and he’s scoffing like there’s no tomorrow :))View attachment 90469
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All piggies eat like they haven't been fed in eleventy billion years!

Good luck at the vets. Let us know what happens.
 
Ok he is in all day today with Elvis for company. He is having X-rays and tests and Elvis will have an mot. He has lost 70g in a week so I’m not happy about that as it’s npt the cut down in food as Elvis has only lost a few grams. The vet thinks it’s connected. No more blood over the last couple of nights but I’m concerned with this weight loss as well. Maybe he is just under the weather with all what’s happened in his little body recently but you know how we worry! Will update later with his results
 
Freddie and Elvis spent the day in the vets today. Elvis had an MOT and passed with flying colours. Freddie had a scan and some tests to check what’s going on with his belly and bladder. Conclusion, he has no more stones etc and the bleeding was from the irritation from the last one. He has lost some weight from being poorly so we are weighing him daily and giving him a bit extra food to tempt him. All in all he is on the mend and eating well... he seems a bit miffed that he had his belly shaved though! We were told that all staff in the vets fell in love with them and everyone had a cuddle of them both! The vet said they are overall healthy and to keep an eye on Freddie’s weight. He thinks the loss is due to the heat and stress of being ill. I weighed him again today and he has gained 16g overnight.
 
Poor piggy! Glad to hear he's on the mend! He's lucky to have such a caring and attentive mum!
 
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