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Ruby has smelly urine.

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Guess who's bits these are?

TiaBlood_zps6a541ba6.jpg



Good job I was taking all 4 girls to the vets today as Tia has started squeaking and peeing blood last night.
I don't think I have had to take all four, for an actual problem.
 
Oh no Tia :( If it is an infection it may have passed between them... Is every wee bloody? What time is the vets? x
 
sport_billy said:
Oh no Tia :( If it is an infection it may have passed between them... Is every wee bloody? What time is the vets? x
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Not every wee.
Vets was pretty inconclusive, he has asked me to come back with a urine sample from both of them so they can test for blood. I have got one from Tia, who is now sat on my lap on a towel with a wet belly.
I am still waiting for Ruby to go.
They said they would have to ga and sedate them to be xrayed, which is something I don't want if possible.
This is the problem I have, cavy savvy vets are so few and far between, and the exotics I have been to did nothing different really for over double the cost.
 
Feel like I've been fobbed off. They took the samples and tested them for blood under the microscope i assume and come back negative, and apparently we don't need to do anything.
Obviously on examination there was no tenderness on either so they don't think there is anything wrong despite me telling him that she squealed just before I took that picture as well as showing him the picture.
 
That's annoying, they should at least be offering anti inflamatory metacam as there is obviously something causing the blood and the squeaking.... Blood isn't always present in every wee with cystitis. Did they test the blood with a dipstick?

What is it with vets and GA's for xray's, it is so not needed.
Was it a different vet to the one you have seen before? As you said they have done xray's without GA previously. Sorry you are finding the vets unhelpful it is very frustrating when you know something is not right and they are not been helpful.

I would seek a second opinion.

Just having a look for vets nearby to you, unsure if these are any good but are popping up on threads http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?74456-Vets-personal-recommendations-Chester-area - Birch Heath Vets
 
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The problem with UTI is that especially in the early stages not every wee contains blood (not even every red one). Blood can turn up in clear wees... I have been playing the same game with inconclusive results, too - and a week later I was back with a full blown UTI case.

Don't remind me of the time I had to push through at my regular vets to get septrin several years ago before it became more widely accepted. I had to go through the full baytril not working out cycle for the sake of all the piggies afterwards. mallethead

And yes, UTI can be passed on. :(

All the best! Please keep your girls under supervision. Please keep in mind that repeated bleeding can indicate a problem with the womb, not just the urinary tract.
 
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sport_billy said:
That's annoying, they should at least be offering anti inflamatory metacam as there is obviously something causing the blood and the squeaking.... Blood isn't always present in every wee with cystitis. Did they test the blood with a dipstick?

What is it with vets and GA's for xray's, it is so not needed.
Was it a different vet to the one you have seen before? As you said they have done xray's without GA previously. Sorry you are finding the vets unhelpful it is very frustrating when you know something is not right and they are not been helpful.

I would seek a second opinion.

Just having a look for vets nearby to you, unsure if these are any good but are popping up on threads http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?74456-Vets-personal-recommendations-Chester-area - Birch Heath Vets
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I don't know what they tested it with. Initially during the consultation he said he would look under the microscope, but I was only in there for a couple of minutes when I dropped the sample off and they gave me the results there and then- so it may well have been a dipstick?
He was pretty adamant that there wasn't anything there as he couldn't feel any stones and they didn't seem tender. When I got back home Tia seemed to be guarding her stomach a little, i.e. pulling it in if touched but this was after she had peed so it is unlikely that she had a full bladder.


Apparently, they need to GA them as they need to get them lying on their sides, otherwise the spine is superimposed onto the xray and you can't see the bladder.

We had Ruby XRayed and ultrasound scanned at another vets, as we were recommended them on here. They are actually pretty good but they are about 40 minutes away over the Runcorn-Widnes bridge (towards Liverpool) which can be a nightmare at the best of times. The vet said to us, why are you coming out of your way when we are not an exotics vet, and that there was a vets closer that were more specialised. However, when we went there we found that they were not that cavy savvy.
 
Wiebke said:
The problem with UTI is that especially in the early stages not every wee contains blood (not even every red one). Blood can turn up in clear wees... I have been playing the same game with inconclusive results, too - and a week later I was back with a full blown UTI case.

Don't remind me of the time I had to push through at my regular vets to get septrin several years ago before it became more widely accepted. I had to go through the full baytril not working out cycle for the sake of all the piggies afterwards. mallethead

And yes, UTI can be passed on. :(

All the best! Please keep your girls under supervision. Please keep in mind that repeated bleeding can indicate a problem with the womb, not just the urinary tract.
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It is frustrating because I know they are not quite right. It isn't to the point that they are not eating, drinking etc normally, but I still feel there is something going on.
The problem is, until I can go into the vets with some definitive proof they are unlikely to do anything.

I think they only tested for blood in the sample and not bacteria, so may not have picked up any infection which is a bit of a pain. At the end of the day if it turns out to be a UTI, I have a nearly full 100ml bottle of septrin which will mean I don't have to wait for it to be ordered.
 
sport_billy said:
I would suggest getting some dipsticks http://www.amazon.co.uk/Urinalysis-...=UTF8&qid=1368103280&sr=8-1&keywords=dipstick you can test the wee at home then when you have a sample with blood showing in it take it up to them... We keep some in because of the girls cystitis. Hugs to you and love to all your girls x
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Yes we use those as well :)

I have a 3 year old sow, Petal, who is going through this as well at the moment. Initially she did bloody wees, so we have been down the bladder flush/x-ray/scan route already.

My vet is currently treating her for crystals in the urine & every now & then we have a flare up of cystitis which is likely to be chronic & ongoing for her lifetime :(

Petal has had the same problem recently (Blood at her opening) & when I tested her urine there was no blood in her urine at all. This is still possible apparently as I have been told the blood is coming from the bladder wall as it is constantly irritated & the cells have been stretched with all the ongoing infections she's had :(

You also need to rule out the possibility of stones & a problem with the wombs themselves (Guinea pigs have 2!) A scan can be done whilst she is conscious so maybe try that route first, it will pick up any obvious problems & show bladder sludge & any tumours etc if present. With x-rays they need to give a little whiff of gas so they can position them flat out for a really clear picture. They can do them without gas but it could cost you £45 approx & it may be blurred or inconclusive :(

So don't give up, you could also monitor & keep a note of the dates so if she bleeds again see if it is linked to the reproductive cycle, although bleeding when on heat is very rare it can happen. I am keeping a note of Petal's bleeding too, in case whilst she is treated. She is on Potassium Citrate, Metacam & Cartrophen injections at present.

I really hope you get to the bottom of her problem soon & use the sniff test; if her botty whiffs then it could be a UTI & you need antibiotics & Metacam asap :)
 
With Tia she had been in season like a day before as she was rumbling and generally chasing everyone everything, there was a definite squeak though before she weed/pooped so I assume it was more bladder related and the fact she was in season was coincidental.
I think when they did the previous x ray they sedated her with gas but didn't give a GA, but I may be wrong as she was kept in all day.
 
My gut is telling me its a UTI for both of them. As to me I think that they do smell more than the other two (yes I have had a sniff of them all). There is no blood apparent and no squeaking when peeing, Ruby seems a little tender when I gently wiped her bits with a cotton bud. Tia seems to be holding her stomach in if touched so may be a bit painful but other than her being a little smelly you wouldn't notice any thing different.
I can't go back to the vets I have been to as they will likely pass me off as the nutty guinea pig woman who is in every week and no doubt will fob me off that there is nothing wrong. To be honest I am a bit annoyed with myself for not pushing more yesterday as they could have checked for bacteria with the fresh urine samples I had brought in, but instead they jumped to the conclusion of stones
I just don't know what to do next, would it be worth starting them on septrin as I have a bottle here?
 
Going for a secomd opinion this morning at a vets I've been to before where several of the vets have an interest in exotics x
 
We are making progress with the new vets with both Rosie and the gingers. Will update later when I can get to the computer x
 
Good luck! Love to Rosie and The Sausages x x
 
Firstly the girls didn't smell quite so much today. Which makes me wonder if they had been sitting in pee as those two like to hide under cover so essentially that it is where they all use like a toilet. The vet was fab. She did a thorough examination of both the gingers, Tia didn't show any discomfort upon palpation. Ruby, who had turned round and nipped me this morning when stroking her was slightly uncomfortable to an extent upon palpation and would not stay still despite me doing my best to keep hold of her, she nearly ran off the table several times.She was a complete handful.
We were given the option to treat it as cystitis (I think she said sterile cystitis) and treat the inflammation of the bladder, so we have a two week course of metacam for both gingers to see if it improves their problems. The other option was to X-Ray both pigs there and then, but I have chosen to try the metacam and then if that doesn't work we will consider X-Ray. She did ask whether they are related, as there tends to be a genetic link that she has seen. The likelihood is that Ruby is related to some extent to Esme and Tia. She even remembered seeing Esme for the same problem last year.
I will update about Rosie on her thread!
 
If you are treating as sterile cystitis I would suggest you also consider giving cystaid/cystease. You can buy it off the internet. Just ring your vet to discuss first.
I would suggest one capsule per day each at the moment.
HTH
x
 
Pebble said:
If you are treating as sterile cystitis I would suggest you also consider giving cystaid/cystease. You can buy it off the internet. Just ring your vet to discuss first.
I would suggest one capsule per day each at the moment.
HTH
x
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I actually have maybe one or two capsules left in my pot from when Esme had her problems and we were recommended to use it alongside the treatment she was having. I have actually been looking into getting some more anyway so I will likely order some in the next few days and I can speak to the vet during the week about it.
 
Glad you have got something sorted for the girls, the metacam will help, it did wonders with Treacy's cystitis flare ups when she had blood and no bacteria present and would settle it down in days. Good call on the cystease too, it can only help line the bladder. Love to Ruby and Tia x
 
Fluffy suffers with flare ups and the first thing we reach for is the metacam, the second thing we get is dandelions and cranberry juice (although i'm not convinced of the effectiveness of it, its just another way to encourage her to drink). We see the vet as quickly as possible for anti biotics and so far the combination has worked fast. The very first sign of Fluffy starting an episode is a strong smelly urine so the minute she has that we know what to do.
 
Ruby has blood? round her back end again.

Just given the girls some more hay and coriander and noticed Ruby has a wet backend. I have got her out and wiped her and it looks like blood and she is a bit smelly again, it has gone fairly high from her bum but there is no sign of any injury or bites round that area.

First thing I have done is give some metacam and she is sat quiet on my knee for the moment. Hopefully she lets me know when she wants a wee and I can check if she is squeaking again.
 
So she did let me know she wanted a wee by licking me excessively and I ignored her (bad mummy) and she weed through the fleece onto my knee. Definitely seems to be when she wees that she passes blood.

Here is the fleece.

20130716_205748_zpsff8b2ba1.jpg
 
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Poor Ruby, she really does suffer with bladder problems. Hopefully the metacam may stop it in its tracks if it is cystitis. If not - best to get her checked out for a UTI. Lots of love to your ginger sausage x
 
sport_billy said:
Poor Ruby, she really does suffer with bladder problems. Hopefully the metacam may stop it in its tracks if it is cystitis. If not - best to get her checked out for a UTI. Lots of love to your ginger sausage x
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Going to give her a couple of doses tomorrow, one in the morning and one evening and see how she goes. I won't be able to get to the vets tomorrow but if it still continues I will get another appointment on Thursday.

Last time she was just given 0.2ml cat metacam daily for 2 weeks, I know in the past at a recommended piggy vet Esme had 0.4ml daily.
I think I will give 0.2ml in the morning and see how she is and if she is still obviously bleeding I may give a further 0.2ml.
 
klee said:
Going to give her a couple of doses tomorrow, one in the morning and one evening and see how she goes. I won't be able to get to the vets tomorrow but if it still continues I will get another appointment on Thursday.

Last time she was just given 0.2ml cat metacam daily for 2 weeks, I know in the past at a recommended piggy vet Esme had 0.4ml daily.
I think I will give 0.2ml in the morning and see how she is and if she is still obviously bleeding I may give a further 0.2ml.
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Good idea, do you have any cystease in? x
 
sport_billy said:
Good idea, do you have any cystease in? x
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Unfortunately I don't. I used the last of the tub with the last bout, and have forgotten to reorder.
Have just placed an order for 30 so should hopefully get here in the next few days, and if I'm at the vets on Thursday I will ask for some then to tide me over.
 
How is the Rubylicious one today?
 
sport_billy said:
How is the Rubylicious one today?
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She is very much herself, seems uncomfy if you touch her tummy and spins to get to you if you do.
No obvious blood today, but seems to be a bit urgent in letting you know she wants to go. Licking you excessively to get your attention to put her down so she may be a bit uncomfortable.

I have made an appointment with jen, got her last available one at 7pm tomorrow so I am hoping to get a sample from her before we set off and it can be tested touchwood.
 
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