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Spice possible UTI advice apreciated

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Connie

Connie

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Well hello!

I have a feeling this is going to be a long thread, so please bare with me. :)

Firstly, here are the weight of sugar over the last couple of weeks

26/3 1.198kg
3/4 1.140kg (loss of 58g) I started monitoring more closely after this, but I wont put in each days weighing, just every few days)
10/4 1.140kg (thats good, no further weight loss)
17/4 1.135kg (ok, but 5g is basically nothing...)
22/4 1.172kg (this is good, back up again)

Spices weight (probably more relavant as he has other symptoms)
26/3 1.111kg
3/4 1.065kg (loss of 46g) same time as sugar. Because they both lost the weight at once I wasnt too concerned (I assumed it was to do with more run time, and more grass less pellets)
10/4 1.072kg (thats good, up a little)
17/4 1.064kg
22/4 1.082kg (again, back up again)

However, Spice has started whining/crying when weeing. (I know this is bad, he will be going to the vets tomorrow :) )
Between them they have been eating less. I havnt seen spice at the food bowl/hay rack as much as sugar so I mashed up some pellets, mixed in some probiotic and syringed that to him earlier. He loved it, took alot before he was full. Also got some water into him. Good to know he definatly has an appetite! So, their cage is now full of all the food they like and I will syringe him some more before I go to bed. :)

I know the likely hood is its just a UTI, Possibly a stone. Just... Any comments or advice would be apreciated. :)
 
It sounds like you are doing everything ok - great that the top up feeding went down so well, the additional fluids are very important when dealing with UTI's. Check out some of the UTI threads - Flintstones/Patrick's in particular.

Suzy x
 
I know many people try antibiotics first but I alway's opt immediately for an Xray, as you don't want to be flushing his bladder if he has a stone.

I would also have a urine analysis done to check for crystal formation within the urine, I know several boys with this problem. I believe these boys may go on to develop stones and some have including my Patrick. If your boy show's crystals in the urine or a sludgey bladder the best thing you can do is increase fluids.

Septrin is widely recommended for UTI's, metacam is good also it is a PK and has anti-inflamatry properties.

Barley Water - natural remedy for soothing the bladder, Boil Barley Pearl for 30 - 45 minutes drain the fluid, leave to cool and syringe to Pig.

Good Luck tomorrow!
 
Fluids are important. Mild diuretics (like dandelion or tea made from dandelions) can also help to flush bacteria out and ease the symptoms quickly. I have a herbal tea which I syringe, but I got that in a pharmacy in Switzerland because I couldn't find any in this country.

When seeing a vet, please also ask for metacam for the first 2-3 days on top of the septrin that is recommended for UTIs until the screaming stops. The lessening of pain can help with the appetite coming up again. Metacam is an anti-inflammatory as well as a painkiller.

With two piggies showing similar symptoms, it is much less likely that there are stones.
 
Tis the season for UTIs!

If I recall, your boys are young but not babies? Are they at the age where they may be slowing down on their eating as they're stopping growing?

Good luck at the vets tomorrow - take a urine sample if you can.
 
Just thought I'd add my tip for UTIs and decreased appetites...bran and cranberry juice mixed together! Jeff loved it when he was poorly :)
 
Amanda they are 17 months... so nearly a year and a half, I dont know if that counts as still young but I hope so! lol

Thats why I didnt take the weight loss as too urgent to begin with, but as spice is squeaking its clearly more than that. I will try and get hold of some barley water tomorrow. Anybody know where I can get some of that?

So dandilions as in from the garden would work?

Thanks flintstones! I will ask the vet about having a urine analysis done, I'm reluctant to Xray yet for two reasons, the first being they both have similar symptoms. Its also possibly sugar has been squeaking aswell, because I can only hear them rather than see them most of the time, However I happened to actually see spice wee and squeak earlier. And secondly because I have never been to the vet surgery I intend to use before, I am unsure if they would use anistetic when Xraying (however this is something I will also ask about tomorrow)

You guys are always great. :) I feel much better now I'm armed with questions!
 
Connie said:
Amanda they are 17 months... so nearly a year and a half, I dont know if that counts as still young but I hope so! lol

Thats why I didnt take the weight loss as too urgent to begin with, but as spice is squeaking its clearly more than that. I will try and get hold of some barley water tomorrow. Anybody know where I can get some of that?

So dandilions as in from the garden would work?

Thanks flintstones! I will ask the vet about having a urine analysis done, I'm reluctant to Xray yet for two reasons, the first being they both have similar symptoms. Its also possibly sugar has been squeaking aswell, because I can only hear them rather than see them most of the time, However I happened to actually see spice wee and squeak earlier. And secondly because I have never been to the vet surgery I intend to use before, I am unsure if they would use anistetic when Xraying (however this is something I will also ask about tomorrow)

You guys are always great. :) I feel much better now I'm armed with questions!
Click to expand...

I give Jeff dandelions, too! He loves them...especially the leaves!
 
Also, They urine sample, What should I take it in/how is the best way to collect?
 
Connie said:
Amanda they are 17 months... so nearly a year and a half, I dont know if that counts as still young but I hope so! lol

Thats why I didnt take the weight loss as too urgent to begin with, but as spice is squeaking its clearly more than that. I will try and get hold of some barley water tomorrow. Anybody know where I can get some of that?

So dandilions as in from the garden would work?

Thanks flintstones! I will ask the vet about having a urine analysis done, I'm reluctant to Xray yet for two reasons, the first being they both have similar symptoms. Its also possibly sugar has been squeaking aswell, because I can only hear them rather than see them most of the time, However I happened to actually see spice wee and squeak earlier. And secondly because I have never been to the vet surgery I intend to use before, I am unsure if they would use anistetic when Xraying (however this is something I will also ask about tomorrow)

You guys are always great. :) I feel much better now I'm armed with questions!
Click to expand...

Barley water is easy.

Buy some pearl barley (usually really cheap!), can get it in most supermarkets.

Pop some in a saucepan, chuck some water in, boil for 15 mins or so, and let the water cool - it should be a cloudy, "thick" texture, kind of like the consistency of cream.
 
When I dipped Jeff's, I sat him on a clean plastic bag and syringed him juice...what goes in, must come out-eventually! It did takes, ages though...Jeff is quite proud and likes to use his litter tray!
 
So, would getting him to pee in a clean litter tray work? Then decant it into... what? lol.

Whatever I decant it into will need to be washed with washing up liquid first. Will this affect results?
 
Connie said:
So, would getting him to pee in a clean litter tray work? Then decant it into... what? lol.

Whatever I decant it into will need to be washed with washing up liquid first. Will this affect results?
Click to expand...

Can you pop into a chemist or your doctors first thing tomorrow and get a sterile pot? Even large supermarkets with pharmacies in sell them quite cheaply.
 
I don't think I'd advise taking it from a clean litter tray-unless it's been basically sterilised, as it could give false positive readings...

The cleanest thing you probably have to take it in is probs a new sandwich bag? Not sterile, but very clean! I think zip locks are water proof? Or just tie a knot in it. Also, I think the vet will probs ask for a fairly fresh sample, so don't take it too early.
 
I dont drive, So getting a sterile pot could be hard. But I will see what I can do! :)
 
As long as you refrigerate the sample of urine and then take straight to vets they'll usually use that sample.....

GOOD LUCK AT THE VETS, SENDING SOME HEALING LOVES AND WHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKS FROM US ALL XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
 
The appointment is 11:15 :) Ive gone for cling film covering the tray, so its all clean that way. They syringe it up with a straight out of the dishwasher neurophen syringe to take in to the vets :)

Spice is happy to take food from me this morning, but I dont think he ate much, if anything last night. Hopefully some pain killers will fix this.
 
Connie said:
The appointment is 11:15 :) Ive gone for cling film covering the tray, so its all clean that way. They syringe it up with a straight out of the dishwasher neurophen syringe to take in to the vets :)

Spice is happy to take food from me this morning, but I dont think he ate much, if anything last night. Hopefully some pain killers will fix this.
Click to expand...

Good idea, just keep the urine in the syringe :)

I'd advise that you soak it in some boiling water after the dishwasher, just so that any soap residues are removed.

Also, if you come home from the vets armed with antibiotics, dont forget to ask for probiotics if you dont have any at home. Likewise critical care and syringes. Better to have some rather than find that at midnight hes off his food! Its always useful to have some at home for other times too!
 
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Hi Connie,

Sorry no advice hun, just wanted to say that i wish spice well and am sending healing vibes xx
 
Thanks :) I have some probiotic at home, But I will ask for critical care (I also have a miriad of syringes and I had great fun cutting the tops off them to find the best size yesterday to feed him with. lol) Hes eating grass right now, so thats good.

I bought a 1ml syringe at the pharmacy, because they didnt have any urine sample pots. I put as much of the wee in that as possible, then put whatever was left in the nuerofen syringe. Hopefully they wont need more than is in the new one, but yano :)

I'm lucky in that my boys are very happy to eat pellet paste. :) I treat them with it once a month in the cage, so they are used to the taste. However I have to mix probiotic into this to feed spice, So I will ask for some CC as that would be more effecient and probably better for him. :)

Thankyou to everyone who has helped. Its so much less stressfull when I know I'm armed with all of the info. :)
 
Posted on behalf of Connie as she is unable post just now.

Well, I'm back! The vets were suberb. I'm very impressed.

They have Xrayd spice (Unfortunatly spice was very unco-operative so had to be sedated a little for this. Despite their best efforts!) , and given him zan-tac(or is it zan-tax?), metacam, and baytril(baytril for now, however before I even said anything he suggested the next step would be septrin). He gave him fluids. The vet has given me millions of syringes, Including a large one for giving him liquids.

I have also gotten a baby hot water bottle (which is completely fleece covered) and this is under spices favourite hooded cuddle up, which hes snuggled up in to keep warm atm. I have also got 100% pure fruit apple and pear baby food to mix in with the softened pellets to make it taste better. The vet recomended a Disolvable vit C tablet. (The only ones I could find came in a tube and were either blackcurrant or lemmon flavour, I chose blackcurrant anyone know if thats ok?)

Unfortunatly the machine to view the Xray is broken so they have said they will call me as soon as its fixed (tomorrow morning at the latest) He said if that shows nothing the next step is an ultrasound or taking blood.

Oh, and after all my effort to collect a urine sample, I left it in the fridge! So, I had to pop back and drop that off so they can test that later

Not including the Urine sample, Totaly cost was aprox £170, Anyone know if this is reasonable? I was fairly pleased.

Also, the vet suggested I get some of the new senstive food for while they are recoving. This is made by burgess yes?
 
Thankyou very much flintstones. :)

Spices weight has gone up from 1.082kg to 1.125kg. However sugars has lost 7g (7g is nothing, I know that, but I'm just keeping a super close eye on him. Hes eating much better than spice, drinking like normal, not other symptoms.)

The burgess senstive nuggets went down very well mixed with a little apple and pear. Got a good 5ml into him (not very much i know, but he is also eating alot of grass and some dandilion. I will try again in an hour or so.)

Is there anything else I should be doing.

P.s. I swear it wasnt working before! lol
 
Just had the ideal call from the vets! The Xray showed no signs of sludge or stones. However the urine analysis came back as having no significantly incrased protients but being high in bacteria. So the vet has said continue with the antibiotics.

*sighs with relief*
 
Still trying to gt losts of fluid into him though. Hes not a big drinker. He still doesnt seem too keep on hay right now, but I have been giving them loads of grass from the garden so hoping this will be doing a similar job.

The vet said 10ml each time... but he didnt say how many times?

Also, Are those vit C tablets ok?

Sorry for all the questions.
 
Just to update, spice was still grumbling when urinating, So he is now on septrin and some stronger metacam to hopefully clear it. Its definatly a UTI as urine analysis shows no exess calcium, Xray shows no sign of stones or sludge, but the urine did have a little blood. Hopefully this will knock it on the head! :)
 
Bumping this up for some more advice. Spice is still squeeling when urinating. This is day 5 of spice being on septrin. He is also having metacam (dog strength) 0.14ml twice daily.

I'm also giving fluids.

I will (ofcourse) be ringing the vets in the morning, but I am running out of money And while the vets seem very experienced They also seem to be running every test under the sun on spice, having already done Xrays that show no signs of calcium or bladder sludge (over £100 for the Xray) 2 urine analysis' (over £50 each) neither showed high levels of calcium, the first showed alot of bacteria, the second more bacteria and a little blood. They also give him fluids when he goes in to them, with seems to cost me another £20. (Plus a consultation fee of nearly £50) It seems we are still none the wiser as to what is going on and I'm over £300 down. I know keeping piggies is expensive, but this is getting a little rediculous. I have aproximatly £200 left in my "piggy bank" after that I'm borrowing money.

So, before I call again I'm hoping someone will be able to suggest any way of furthering our knowledge. Is it expected for him to still be squeeling this far into his treatment? (I feel not)
 
I would suggest a urine culture at this point, with Patrick I was well over £1000, with him squeaking and passing blood.

Although costly personally I would if bacteria is present I would expect the lab to do an antibiotic sensitivity test on the culture.

I hope you get to the bottom of his problem's soon but I wouldn't give up, worse case you can manage his pain.

x
 
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