Possible bladder issue?

[Emx93]

Pretty sure I sort one piggie out and someone else decides to develop an issue... Blooming pigs!

Anyhow weekly weigh in and health check time for piggies and after hearing a few squeeeks coming from piggy cages I discover this on fluffys bits... She is spayed (full spay) so it can't be a reproductive issue... Its come away with a bum bath but was followed by a bit of blood and yellowy brown gunky stuff and I have noticed a bit of squeeky weeing and tender tummyness so I'm thinking bladder related shes also had some rather gritty looking wees previously, I thought we wouldn't get bladder issues as I filter water and follow the forum diet

Anyhow nugget has an appointment for her dodgy feet at 6:15pm tomorrow with the exotic vet but they are looking better... I'm wondering whether to take fluffy in her place assuming nuggets feet still look good tomorrow, it's technically a vet consult for a guinnea pig so can't see it being a major issue if I show up with the wrong pig, obviously if nuggets feet look bad again I'll take her as planned and try to get fluffy in too

 

[sport_billy]

Well worth a check up tomorrow. Please let us know how she gets on. Sending lots of love

 

[piggieminder]

Sending lots of love and hugs. You realy have had a lot of bad luck lately. I've turned up at the vets several times with a different piggy than the one booked when someone else's need seemed greater. Good luck tomorrow. X

 

[PigglePuggle]

Oh dear that does look a bit yucky, I think if you are off to the vet tomorrow anyway you could take both piggies to the same appointment, my vet usually doesnt mind squeezing an extra piggy into the same appointment slot- I think in fact once I cheekily took 3 in!
Healing wheeks for Fluffy's bladder and Nugget's feet x

 

[piggieminder]

Mine would be very off with me if I did that! You are so lucky with your vets.

 

[Emx93]

Thanks everyone, I'm hoping it's just excess calcium and nothing to worry about but i think with potential bladder stuff I'd sooner get it checked, if it is excess calcium I can deal with it then before it becomes a bigger issue and if its an infection we've caught it early I've never turned up with a stowaway before but I regularly ask about other pets problems during a different appointment and change their medication doses etc, my vets pretty good and likely would see them both but I know they're super busy atm cause I had to wait a week to get nuggets feet the appointment in the first place and previously the longest I've had to wait is a day so I wouldn't feel right plus I'll have 3 kids and a dog with me as Callie is going to the nurse for flea and worming just before nugget/fluffy sees the vet, I will assess them both tomorrow, if nuggets feet still look better I'll take fluffy because I think if they are getting better they likely don't need antibiotics and I'll show the vet a picture of them while there to make sure if they do look bad tomorrow I will call ahead to see if we can squeeze in fluffy since nugget has already waited a week nugget and fluffy are arch enemies too xx

 

[Emx93]

On the positive... Princess is doing a million times better

 

[Emx93]

I'm going to take nugget... Fluffy hasn't done a squeek wee since I got that stuff out and there's been no more weird stuff nuggets feet do still look better than last week but not 100% so I'm going to get them checked to be safe, I'll tell the vet about fluffy while I'm there and show her the picture and let her decide if fluffy needs an appointment

 

[Wiebke]

I'm going to take nugget... Fluffy hasn't done a squeek wee since I got that stuff out and there's been no more weird stuff nuggets feet do still look better than last week but not 100% so I'm going to get them checked to be safe, I'll tell the vet about fluffy while I'm there and show her the picture and let her decide if fluffy needs an appointment

Calcium pees can often signal the very onset of a cystitis. Symptoms can take several days to solidify; at the very start they can be very inconsistent.

You are most likely looking at either a UTI (urine infection caused by faecal bacteria getting into the urinary tract), a bacterial cystitis (bladder infection) or a sterile interstitial cystitis (i.e. a non-bacterial recurring bladder infection). The last has become rather common over the last decade but can only be diagnosed once all the other potential bladder issues (including stones/sludge) have been excluded. Sterile IC cannot be healed, only managed similar to feline sterile cystitis (FSC). Many general vets have never heard of sterile cystitis in guinea pigs.

 

[Emx93]

Oh bums I really can't decide who to take, fluffy still has a tender tummy and where she had her spay/hernia repair looks a little bruised nuggets feet are healing but it's been a reoccuring problem for her and she's already waited a week for the appointment I can only take one with me but can discuss the other with the vet and try get them an appointment if the vet thinks they need one I think fluffys wee is clear now but she is refusing to wee anywhere other than pink fleece so it's hard to tell I'm definitely not seeing anymore white xx

 

[Wiebke]

Oh bums I really can't decide who to take, fluffy still has a tender tummy and where she had her spay/hernia repair looks a little bruised nuggets feet are healing but it's been a reoccuring problem for her and she's already waited a week for the appointment I can only take one with me but can discuss the other with the vet and try get them an appointment if the vet thinks they need one I think fluffys wee is clear now but she is refusing to wee anywhere other than pink fleece so it's hard to tell I'm definitely not seeing anymore white xx

Take Nugget and discuss Fluffy with your vet; or take both anyway.
The vet will struggle with a diagnosis while symptoms are still inconsistent.

 

[Emx93]

Take Nugget and discuss Fluffy with your vet; or take both. they will struggle with a diagnosis while symptoms are still inconsistent.

Thankyou I will do that, should I be concerned about the potential bruising around her hernia repair site?

 

[Wiebke]

Thankyou I will do that, should I be concerned about the potential bruising around her hernia repair site?

Ideally I would take them both and show the bruise quickly to the vet.

 

[Emx93]

Ideally I would take them both and show the bruise quickly to the vet.

They are arch enemies and they only have one appointment, I can take a picture of the bruising however, fluffy can't have any more abdominal surgery even if she does reherniate as she is riddled with adhesions i also think my cat may have the snuffles again pretty sure this next week will be spent at the vets... Bad time for half term!

 

[Swissgreys]

If it were me I would take both to be honest.
Explain to the vet that you feel both need a quick check up and you understand if they don't have time today, but you are concerned.
If you are a regular they should be able to do at least a very brief check and can then decide if further tests or treamtent are needed.
I have often taken an extra animal to an appointment with my vet, and even if she doesn't have time to deal with the issue fully, she always makes time to do a quick assesment.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

My vet feels that a lot of the bladder issues are caused by stress, in the same way as the cats can suffer from Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC). He suggests feeding a wetter diet (plenty of fresh grass and veg), only a few pellets, less handling and getting the piggies moving around more!

 

[Emx93]

My vet feels that a lot of the bladder issues are caused by stress, in the same way as the cats can suffer from Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC). He suggests feeding a wetter diet (plenty of fresh grass and veg), only a few pellets, less handling and getting the piggies moving around more!

She has been back and forward to the vets with her terminally ill friend more than usual the last few weeks so it could well be stress!

I've attached photos of the slight bruising (near my fingers) and how her wee currently looks (not terrible but is leaving a coating on the fleece and not soaking through like usual), my vets are amazing but I think they'd draw a line at me taking a stowaway itlll be one or the other and if they think the other needs an urgent appointment they'll get us one

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

Personally I wouldn't worry too much, at this stage. It could well be stress related, with all the travelling. If you've got any Metacam/Loxicom, then you could give that for a few days, as a lot of cystitis is inflammatory rather than infection based. Up the amount of leafy salad you feed too!

 

[Emx93]

I do and have given metacam thankyou I've given 0.6 twice a day, I will give fluffy extra leafy salad, I can't give princess extra though she has on and off cow pats xx

 

[Emx93]

I've brought fluffy.... Nuggets feet looked a lot lot better when I picked her up to put here in the carrier

 

[Emx93]

Fluffy may have passed some small stones so a week of metacam and if no improvement x rays but hopefully she's passed them nuggets feet will be fine she doesn't need an appointment and babybelle (cat) has an appointment for Saturday xx

 

[PigglePuggle]

Healing wheeks for Fluffy and your pussycat, and glad Nugget's feet are doing well! Hope all your lovely animals settle down now and stop causing you so much worry and so many vet bills x

 

[Emx93]

Healing wheeks for Fluffy and your pussycat, and glad Nugget's feet are doing well! Hope all your lovely animals settle down now and stop causing you so much worry and so many vet bills x

Thankyou me too! I think we're due a break from drama in this house! Xx