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Sterile IC help

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LaurenS

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So back in May, Peach had an X-ray due to blood in her urine and the vet believed it to be sterile IC. She was on gabapentin and cystophan which she was on for a little while. Well since may she’s had what I assume to be a few flare ups and everytime I ask the vet what can be done (I’ve never been able to see the original vet who knows more about pigs) they just give her antibiotics and metacam. Her most recent flare up was last week and I’ve phoned to speak to the guinea pig vet and a different one has phoned me back again and told me to feed her damp hay.. and get as much water into her as I can.. I’m so confused because she doesn’t have stones lol and she keeps going on about bladder stones even though she’s never had them.

Anyway.. my question is, can I just buy cystophan myself and give her it, and is it safe to give long term if so how long? (The vet said I can give her it if I want but wasn’t really a great answer)
 
Hi

You can buy cystophan or cystease yourself (available online) and you can give it long term to sterile IC piggies. Glucosamine (the active ingredient in these products) is classed as a food supplement and not as a prescription-only medication (POM).

In my own experience and experimentation over the years, it is the glucosamine that is key because sterile IC seems to affect the natural glucosamine coating of the walls in the urinary track. This layer acts as an insulation that keeps highly corrosive urine from coming into very pain contact with the raw tissue in the walls.
Upping the glucosamine shortly to get a flare back under control is more effective than upping the metacam/generic meloxicam-based brand for the same purpose in mild to medium cases.
 
Wiebke said:
Hi

You can buy cystophan or cystease yourself (available online) and you can give it long term to sterile IC piggies. Glucosamine (the active ingredient in these products) is classed as a food supplement and not as a prescription-only medication (POM).

In my own experience and experimentation over the years, it is the glucosamine that is key because sterile IC seems to affect the natural glucosamine coating of the walls in the urinary track. This layer acts as an insulation that keeps highly corrosive urine from coming into very pain contact with the raw tissue in the walls.
Upping the glucosamine shortly to get a flare back under control is more effective than upping the metacam/generic meloxicam-based brand for the same purpose in mild to medium cases.
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That’s great thank you, how long have you had to give it for in the past? Just to give me a rough idea of how long I should expect to be giving it for
 
I would make sure they do an x ray/ultrasound and a urine sample too, to rule out anything else xx
 
It's perfectly safe longterm, they can have it every day for the rest of their lives if needed. I would also ask about trialling your piggy with cartrophen injections too, it's been an absolute game changer with my pigs with IC and I also have one with very bad arthritis on them as well, again with great results, very quickly.
I've never found glucosamine supplements to make much of a difference to my own pigs, but I still used it up until the injections started just for the sake of doing something, it may have taken the edge off at least, as I couldn't ask them directly I figured it better to use it and it not work, than not give it and risk removing something that was providing mild relief. But yeah, it's fine for them to have long term :)
 
LaurenS said:
That’s great thank you, how long have you had to give it for in the past? Just to give me a rough idea of how long I should expect to be giving it for
Click to expand...
Anything between 18 months at the mildest and coming up to 4 years with my most persistent case which is finally starting to settle down with much longer gaps between flares.
 
Hi can I just ask (as my vet said no) can you still give Metacam and cystease after having one course of cartrophen? Conflicting advice. My boy still in pain after 1 course a few weeks ago so now just on tramadol & gabapentin now & then. Thanks
 
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