So worried :(

[Hemmy]

Hi everyone.
I posted a different thread around a week ago when Mabel started to pass blood in her urine. She's been on Baytril for 6 days, but over the last 2 days has been uncomfortable again.
Then tonight Daphne has started to wee blood, too.
I'm so worried and scared. Fingers crossed we can get them both in at the vets tomorrow and Beatrice isn't affected too.
Advice, guys? Can these things spread?

x

 

[Piggycrazy]

*fingers crossed from me!*

 

[suem]

blood in their wee is so scarey. I am constantly peering in Berties cage, not helped by the newspaper he is on having coloured adverts. Hope they feel better soon. Have you been giving them cranberry juice or something else to help a bit?

 

[Zar-Zar]

That happened to my guinea too and I was soo scared. I did tons of research and found that cranberry juice is supposed to help. I tried giving it to my guinea pig in a dropper bottle and it worked!

 

[Hemmy]

Thanks guys, I've provided watered-down cranberry juice but only Beatrice will drink it (ironic!).
I just collected a urine sample with the help of a laminate floor and half a stick of cucumber (and a trip to the doctors to get a pathology pot!), but it's not bloody. I'm guessing it could still have blood in it..?
x

 

[Wiebke]

UTI can be spread. Please change the cage/hutch bedding frequently - UTI is transmitted by bacteria travelling up the urethra.

If baytril is not working, as your vet for switching to septrin; it is not licensed (only baytril is), but you can sign a form that it is on your responsibility. The usual dose is 0.5ml twice daily for a piggy if ca. 1000g. Septrin seems to work better especially with UTIs. In severe cases ask for adult septrin instead of pediatric.
Ask your vet to contact Simon Maddock, a guinea pig specialist vet, about medication and dosage if necessary: http://www.catandrabbit.co.uk/html/contact_us.html

Also ask for metacam or an equivalent painkiller/anti-inflammatory. If symptoms don't go down within 2-3 days, have an x-ray done to make sure that there is no underlying bladder problem.

UTIs can be very persistent and not easy to clear out. In my experience, it needs at least 3-4 weeks of antibiotics.

Cranberry juice doesn't make too much of a difference in my experience; water intake does. Combine it with mild diuretics like dandelion to help flush the bladder in the first few acute days.

 

[Hemmy]

My cage liner is changed and laundered every day.
Just got back from the vets and I feel like crying. The website said they specialised in small animals including guineas, however the vet didn't even know how to pick Daphne up and she squealed the entire time. He's prescribed 0.2ml, which sounds no where near like enough to me, considering Mable is 100g heavier and on double this dose?!
When I asked him about this he said the book he consulted said 0.2ml per kg weight of guinea pig. Is there a published chart of dosage online by the pharmaceutical company which produces Baytril?
He also wanted to inject her with steroids until I kindly told him I thought that was cruel and not required. Was I right to say this?

 

[ILoveGilbertTheGuineaPig]

From the sound of it, seems like you need a new vet!mallethead

 

[Hemmy]

From the sound of it, seems like you need a new vet!mallethead

Helpful...

This was a new vet, who I picked after research. I will be going back to my local vet who was much friendlier, calmer and wasn't shy about checking a few textbooks in front of us.

 

[pig in the city]

My cage liner is changed and laundered every day.
Just got back from the vets and I feel like crying. The website said they specialised in small animals including guineas, however the vet didn't even know how to pick Daphne up and she squealed the entire time. He's prescribed 0.2ml, which sounds no where near like enough to me, considering Mable is 100g heavier and on double this dose?!
When I asked him about this he said the book he consulted said 0.2ml per kg weight of guinea pig. Is there a published chart of dosage online by the pharmaceutical company which produces Baytril?
He also wanted to inject her with steroids until I kindly told him I thought that was cruel and not required. Was I right to say this?

Hi Hemmy, I am in Sheffield, I go to park veterinary hospital on abbeydale road south, who are quite good but the best guinea pig vet I have found locally is Ellie at Alfreton park veterinary hospital in Alfreton, about 40 mins drive but well worth it. Their number is 01773832218. You did right not having the steroids and an average sized guinea pig usually has 0.8ml daily of baytril for a significant infection. Syringe fluids into your piggies -aim for 40mls a day, plain water is fine, this helps to flush out the infection, cystitis isnt always infective so make sure you get some metacam to treat inflammation. Good luck!

 

[Hemmy]

Hi Hemmy, I am in Sheffield, I go to park veterinary hospital on abbeydale road south, who are quite good but the best guinea pig vet I have found locally is Ellie at Alfreton park veterinary hospital in Alfreton, about 40 mins drive but well worth it. Their number is 01773832218. You did right not having the steroids and an average sized guinea pig usually has 0.8ml daily of baytril for a significant infection. Syringe fluids into your piggies -aim for 40mls a day, plain water is fine, this helps to flush out the infection, cystitis isnt always infective so make sure you get some metacam to treat inflammation. Good luck!

Thanks, if the two of them aren't cleared up in a few days I'll give them a ring.

 

[Kamila]

My Wooly got 3 baytril injections

and he rather reacted badly (lost his appetite and I had to hand feed him) so the vet prescribed him with septrin injections. What worries me is that is not popular, I only heared about oral septrin. My vet has only injectable one and said it is better as it goes directly into the blood stream. I got him critical care now and he loves it, nibbles bits and bobs on his own, seems stronger and happier. But I am still worried sick about him as he only got one septrin injection and has 5 more to go. I have to keep an eye on him. I hope this nightmare will end soon and he will be healthy again (no blood in urine).