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Possible UTI or bladder stone?

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loulx

loulx

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Hi everyone,

OK, so my boy Porthos is 4 years old. He was the runt of the litter and always had issues gaining weight so originally the vet had us on some powder to sprinkle on his food to help him absorc the nutrients (I can't remember what that was now). When he was 2 he had a bladder stone which he had an operation for which didn't work, but 24 hours later the internal stiches broke and he had to have another operation to put that right and they did the bladder stone removal thing again and this time it worked. It was a long slog to make him completely better but eventually he was and he's been fine since then until now.

On wednesday I saw him grunt, strain and ear-flap when he was peeing. I gave him 12 hours and then took him to the vets yesterday (thursday) when it didn't get any better. The vet prescribed baytril (0.16m 2x daily) and metacam (3-4 drops daily) this seemed to be working up til this evening when I came home from work. He had only eaten half of his supper (fresh veg) that I gave before I went to work. I got him out for a cuddle and noticed his breathing also seems to be very rapid

He doesn't seem in any obvious distress, and I haven't heard him grunt or strain all day, but come to think of it I haven't seen him pee since this morning, but I've been at work most of the day so I can't really comment about this... There's plenty of mess in his cage and I only cleaned him out on Wednesday so he must still be going to the loo. Obviously if he's still breathing fast in the morning, I'll take him back to the vets but the next option is another bladder stone and at his age I don't really want to have to put him through that again... he's always been a bit delicate and as the runt he was always small (about half the size of a normal healthy guinea pig) but he's lost weight over the last 8/9 months and I'm not sure that he'd be strong enough for an op :(

Any thoughts? Syringe feeding distresses him (although I'd do it if it's necessary) metacam sends him running (he won't even sniff my fingers anymore in case I'm plying him with medication) and I don't know what to do...
 
Have you had an x-ray done? Porthos doesn't need to be put under for that; swaddling him firmly in a towel and place him on a soft surface will do to keep him still at the vets. It may take some persuasion, but I finally managed to talk my vet round. That should be your first priority, because you need to know what is going on.

We usually recommend 0.4 ml of baytril twice daily for an adult guinea pig. As you haven't mentioned how much Porthos actually weighs, so it is difficult to judge whether it is right what he has been prescribed, but it seems on the low side to me!
Guinealynx recommends pediatric septrin as an antibiotic; it is a lot easier on the guts and tastes nicely of banana (which most guineas love! They usually even lick the syringe clean!). However, it is not listed, so some vets are reluctant to prescribe it. Best take a printout of the page with you if you want to ask for it. The recommendation on here is 0.5 ml twice daily for an adult guinea pig. Has your Porthos got some probiotic to counter the effect of bayril on the digestive system?

Here is the link to guinealynx, which is the best medical website available:
http://www.guinealynx.info/stones.html

I have been through the wars with a bladder stone piggy myself (sadly, before I found this forum), so I can understand your feelings!

PS: His weight loss abnd loss of condition can be simply down to his age, if it has come on very slowly.
 
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PS 2: If he really had a stone stuck in his urethra and blocking it, you'd have found splodges of blood long before it got that far!

PS 3: Alternative painkillers are rimadyl or meloxidyl (for cats).
 
my boy Teddy had a bladder stone removed earlier this year, he's at least 4yrs old(rescue so age unknown). He had lost weight prior to op and had stopped peeing altogether so we had to operate. Post op he was on baytril, meloxicam and metoclopramide, and I fed him up on critcal care.
Touch wood- he's doing well now and I know if he hadn't had the op he wouldn't be with me now.:)
 
Septrin, paediatric suspension, is the preferred antibiotic for a UTI
In the meantime, give him as much cranberry juice as you can, the natural juice that is not the sort made from concentrate, Ocean Spray is the "favourite" brand.
 
Hi Guys,

Thanks for your replies. No I haven't had an x-ray done - thats the next option my vets listed... he weights a rather ppor 0.80kg at the moment and the vets prescribed 0.16ml of baytril 2x daily together with the 4 drops of metacam.

Thing is he seems to have deteriorated today and I'm not sure what to do anymore. He didn't eat all of his fresh veg today again but he did eat some. I saw him drink a tiny bit, but I cleaned him out again this morning and I can only find eveidence of one pee, but I saw him do that and there was no blood and no crying when he did it. When he had a bladder stone before, the pain and the blood were constants.

Whats worrying me most at the moment is that although he seems to have his nomal character, his breathing is still rapid and now it's labored and a little eratic too. His coat is still glossy (Most of my poorly pigs over the years have stuck their fur out on end when they're feeling bad) and his eyes are bright and completely open so that good right? I know piggies are good at hiding illness until sometimes its too late, but I just don't know how much use a vets trip is going to be at this time of night (nearly midnight) or if I should wait until morning as it seems he isn't going to spontanitously get better...

He doesn't seem distressed - just very lethargic. He's not crying, but he does make some noises when he moves around as if moving is an effort which he's never done before. On the other hand, he's sat here at the moment chewing the *** (or whatever that is) which he only does when he's relaxed. *sigh* I wish he could just tell me whats wrong and what he wants!

I'll keep you all updated on what happens.

Thanks for the replies
 
From your description it seems as though he could be in heart/kidney failure.
Unfortunately, if this is the case, there is not much that can de done to help him
other than giving him pain-relief.
 
I agree with alcesterpigs - it rather sounds like one of the organs is failing; nothing to do with the bladder.

My Dizzy who passed away in July showed some similar symptoms; her fur stayed soft and shiny until the end.

Make him as comfy as you can and give him as many cuddles as he wants.
 
Ah. I wondered if that could be the case. He's made it through the night with very little change to his condition. I'm going to give it 2 more hours to try and get some food/liquid into him then take him to the vets. I rang the emergancy vet last night and they said it sounded like there was little they could so they said just bring him in if I want to.

Anyway. Thanks for the reply.
 
If you don't mind my asking... how long did it take for your piggy to go after he showed the sypmtoms VickyT? I don't want him to suffer for long...
 
Dizzy died after the heat wave at the beginning of July. She hadn't been 100% just going into it, but there hadn't been anything concrete to put my finger on and I had planned to have her checked out thoroughly at the vets as soon as my visitors had gone back home.

I picked her up with a raging fever and a massive weight loss on the Monday after, coming back from a weekend away with family from Switzerland and took her straight to the vets. We got the fever down, but she went from eating and drinking very little to completely refusing to eat and drink on Tuesday. She also went quite stiff.

On Wednesday night, she had a bad night with a return of her fever and quite a bit of internal pain (couldn't get comfy), so I decided to have her PTS on Thursday morning. I was prepared to let her go in peace, but not in such discomfort. I had been staying up with her for three nights; especially the last one where we were in body contact (which she craved) all the time.

In Dizzy's case, it was suspected liver failure (could have been the result of an infection running amok, hence the fever). She was five years old.

The heavy breathing points rather towards heart/kidney trouble with your boy. It is difficult to say how long it can take; hours or days. Have him seen by a vet, as you need to have confirmation of the diagnosis.

I am so sorry - I know only too well how gutting and upsetting it is. If you need somebody to talk to, please feel free to pm me.

BIG HUG
 
Thank you.

We're just having a nice cuddle now then we're going to the vets. The awkward thing is I was in a car accident on Monday and my car is getting repaired to every time I need to take him to the vets I have to call a taxi and thats not ideal.

It's so sad. We've been through so much together and I love him so much. I'd do anything to keep him with me but I so very badly don't want him to be in pain or discomfort. He keeps trying to do his normal things - he puts his head in his food bowl but doesn't eat anything. He ate a sprig of parsley from my hands this morning but won't eat anything else now.

At least there is a vets open not too far away from me today. I'll take him there when we've had our cuddle. Thank you for the advice and I'm sorry you lost your girl too...x
 
I'll be thinking of you - these things always seem to happen at the worst of times...

Keep us updated! Teddy knows that he is much loved and cared for for.
 
Big (((hugs))) to you xx
Please let us know how you get on at the vets, I'll be thinking of you & Porthos xx
 
ok, I'm back from the vets. Apparently his bladder is fine - whatever started all this had gone away. The bad news is the vet reckons he's got chronic pneumonia. Something sounds wrong in his lungs apparently which is causing the erratic and laboured breathing.

Because he ate some parsley and apple this morning and had pooped and wee-ed since the vet said he has got a slight chance of recovery but its small and the next 24 hours are crucial.

So he had a shot of fluids into his abdomen to re-hydrate him and a shot of metacam so I don't have to administer it orally. I've got to keep on with the baytril to fight the pnuemonia and we'll see how he goes. Back to the vets tomorrow afternoon for a check up and possible lung x-ray. The vet said it was a good sign that he seems quite bright and to keep plying him with his favorite food...

He's eaten a fine green bean since we got home and now he's sleeping.

It's a small chance he'll make it but I'm glad there is a chance - at least I'm helping him fight.
 
It is good to hear that here is at least some scope for hope - I'm sure you will fight for him as much as you can!
 
Good luck, I do hope he responds to the treatment soon.

I fought two bouts of pneumonia in one of my sows - it was hard work, she needed three emergency trips to the vet each time for a diuretic injection, which I feel sure saved her life the first time. She was ill with other problems when she had her second bout of pneumonia a year later, so she didn't make it despite multiple out-of-hours trips to the vet.

I feel as long as it is caught fairly early and the pig is otherwise quite well, you have a good chance at beating it. Do keep us updated.
 
Porthos just died at home with me. We had a cuddle when I got home from work and I'd try to ply him with food but he didn't want any. He suddenly started trying to get home so I put him back in his cage where he looked uncomfortable for a few seconds and then curled up in a ball and left me. :0

It didn't take long and he's not in any pain or discomfort any more.

I took him to the vets and they're going to cremate him.

Thank you for all your kind previous replies... it means a lot to have piggy people support when I'm a long way from home and now piggy-less.

Louise
 
I am so sorry for your loss, Louise. We were all hoping he would pull through; sometimes it is just their time. Big hugs to you.

Rest well, dear Porthos. xx
 
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