On Going Bladder Problems, Where Too Next?

[Yasmin Marie]

***Please be aware some images may be upsetting***

So its been a while since I have posted on here, tough but rewarding work being a piggie mum!
So my eldest piggie Rosie is around 4 years old.
Ever since I adopted her shes suffered with recurring urine infections.
My old vet was forever putting her Baytril then we moved onto Spetrin (I can't remember the dosage)
When I moved into a new area I got a new vet who was so on the ball!
Rosie was taken in for an x-ray and is found to have bladder sediment (no stones!)
She then went onto long term Loxicom 0.24 as you can hear that it hurts her
We then got a new vet because our vet moved down south.
Carried on with the Loxicom which helped a bit but I could still she was peeing sediment out.
However something really alarming happened and she started to pee blood, went back on Sulfatrin (assumed UTI) She then peed out lumps of tissues, 3 lumps one being the size of a petit pois pea.
When in discussion with the vet what to do next (She had to refer to my previous vet who moved down south) the blood subsided and went back to sediment.
We have had to completely take her off the Loxicom as it gave her the runs and she was getting so sore.
Tomorrow we are going to pick up a different pain killer for Rosie which is some kind of opioid painkiller on a very low dosage for long term.
I have found that giving Rosie a warm bath in front of the fire every night is really comforting to her and shes quite content watching tv and been fed (like the princess she is)
Just wondering if anyone else has some more thoughts. Me and the vet will be looking to do a further ultra sound as she suggested it may be some kind of tumour shedding that didnt show up on the x ray. I should also add she is eating and drinking very well.
Thanks x

 

[TAN]

I have a piggy specialist vet called Rachel Mowbray who works at Vale vets in Dursley - she also has kept pigs herself for many years and performed complex surgery on my Bumble - and spayed 3 of my ladies- and done loads of other stuff on my pigs over the years - she is also the director of the pet rehab centre - they are a referrals hospital - so they get cases referred to them from other vet practices who can't work out what the problem is - I am sure Rachel would be happy to speak to your vet if your vet could email her and send over the pictures you have on here - her email is [email protected] - is your vet going to ultrasound your piggy? as that may pick up the problem? good luck.

 

[flowerfairy]

Best of luck with Rosie. She looks like a real sweetie. I love her fluffy hair do!

 

[Yasmin Marie]

I have a piggy specialist vet called Rachel Mowbray who works at Vale vets in Dursley - she also has kept pigs herself for many years and performed complex surgery on my Bumble - and spayed 3 of my ladies- and done loads of other stuff on my pigs over the years - she is also the director of the pet rehab centre - they are a referrals hospital - so they get cases referred to them from other vet practices who can't work out what the problem is - I am sure Rachel would be happy to speak to your vet if your vet could email her and send over the pictures you have on here - her email is [email protected] - is your vet going to ultrasound your piggy? as that may pick up the problem? good luck.

Hi Tan, Thanks so much for the reply! Well thats the next plan is to have an ultrasound Rosie has now been put on 0.05 tramadol daily (have to monitor to make sure it doesn't make her sedated. Whilst bathing her tonight she passed not her normal sediment. On lump was gooey like with hard white bits in (size of a sesame seed if that) and then gritty lumps. Do you think this is a possible bladder stone that hasn't been picked up by x ray or is this how bladder sludge presents itself?

 

[Flamestriker]

Awww love little Rosie! Such a cute piggie!

I hope that these problems are sorted quickly, bless her. Then I will have to pignap her.

She really is lucky to have such a caring owner such as yourself.

I have had no Experience with sludge or stones (yet!) but I am on my first poorly piggy with Ringworm issues.

 

[Elwickcavies]

The tissue-like bits could be blood clots. Actual stones are very hard and can be quite spiky, so I think the white bits are sludge. It's good that it's coming out. Has your vet considered flushing out the bladder? It can help with some piggies by getting rid of some of the sludge for a while. It sounds like you have a good vet there and Rosie couldn't ask for a better owner. She looks like she loves those warm baths.

 

[Yasmin Marie]

Awww love little Rosie! Such a cute piggie!

I hope that these problems are sorted quickly, bless her. Then I will have to pignap her.

She really is lucky to have such a caring owner such as yourself.

I have had no Experience with sludge or stones (yet!) but I am on my first poorly piggy with Ringworm issues.

She is super cute, even being ill and fed up she still gives me kisses <3
Thank you so much I would do anything for my animals
xxxxx

 

[Yasmin Marie]

The tissue-like bits could be blood clots. Actual stones are very hard and can be quite spiky, so I think the white bits are sludge. It's good that it's coming out. Has your vet considered flushing out the bladder? It can help with some piggies by getting rid of some of the sludge for a while. It sounds like you have a good vet there and Rosie couldn't ask for a better owner. She looks like she loves those warm baths.

Yeah I was pleased more was coming out. The tramadol seems to make her a bit more comfortable but I can still hear her cry. It breaks my heart
No hasn't mentioned anything, just read a post mentioning a bladder flush. Could you talk me through it or is it pretty self explanitory. Sounds like it would work for my little love. My vet is wonderful, shes so enthusiastic and gets guidance from our previous vet who was just incredible. Rosie loves her baths, really settles her. Before her issues she used to have a right paddy about baths but now she has one every night in front of the fire <3

 

[Adelle]

Is she on a low calcium diet for the sludge? This should help to prevent it building up. Have they also considered glucosamine supplements for the bladder such as Cystease? I have a sow with a thickened bladder and lots of crystals/sludge, Cystease has helped her a lot.

It's clear she has a bladder problem but I'd be more concerned about those blood clots/tissue being uterine based.

If she's having a scan please have them scan her uterus to check for masses or thickening of the uterus.

Is her bladder thickened and inflammed? If so, you will be better with an anti inflammatory rather than just a pain killer. I'd still give the tramadol but you could maybe enquire about rimadyl. I have a pig sensitive to Metacam and she gets a sore stomach with it (she needs it for arthritis in the spine and hips), she now gets a dose of Zantac 1 hour before her Metacam and something to eat along with the Metacam to ease the irritation (I give her either a teaspoon of naughty burgess pellets or a spoonful of critical care ).This has helped.

Really hope u get answers soon x