Possible kidney stones?

[Swamp Pig]

Hi everyone,

Over the last week or so, my 4.5 year old pig Snap has been making some high-pitched yelping noises and raising his behind (looks like when he pees but obviously I can’t really see him peeing). I also noticed some pinkish colour in his pee when I took him out to examine him (and he weed on me!)

I took him to the vet who examined him and gave some painkillers. She said if he’s not seeming better in three weeks he’ll need an x-ray. She mentioned stones but said they could be small ones that he passes naturally, or could need surgery if they’re larger.

He’s also got arthritis in his back legs and is having trouble with his poop muscles, leading to a bit of a backlog there.

Can anyone recommend what the best thing to do is from here? He seems in a lot of pain although he is eating and drinking fine and getting along with his brother.

My main concerns are:

Him suffering and being in pain.

And, to be blunt, money. I’m a single mum on universal credit and my son is autistic, ADHD and currently out of school due to his mental health. Financially, I’m already in crisis mode owing loads in debt and unpaid bills, and it cost me £100 for the consultation and meds for Snap.

I need to find a way to get him better that I can afford. It’s not a case of not wanting to spend the money on him but literally not having it. We are in a tough spot for reasons outside of my control so please be kind.

Any recommendations/ advice welcome

 

[Truffolo]

I'm sorry you are having this difficult dilemma. The pain does sound quite bad. Your vet may be hoping he will discharge some of what is causing the pain, but it sounds quite severe. If he is still making squeaks and yelps and straining, he will need veterinary treatment. There is no over the counter remedy that can help unfortunately. The imaging is the only way to find out where the problem lies. If it is a stone, if you cannot afford the operation, the kindest thing would be to put him to sleep very sadly. What we see of their pain is often only a very little of how bad it is as guinea pigs hide their discomfort
Weighing him daily is very important as this will tell you how severe the pain and impact are on your piggy. If his weight goes down, he is not eating enough. You may see him eating, but weighing him is the only way to quantify his food intake. Piggies will try to keep eating no matter what, so weight loss means the problem is very bad.
Could you visit the PDSA? They might have a low cost option that could help you with the imaging and possible treatment.