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Terrible Morning

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So Benji was at the vets last week for his USS and X ray and the report came back saying that he had two very tiny bladder stones.
His course of antibiotics and pot citrate was extended with some metacam added in to make him more comfortable.
He's still struggling a little- there's no blood now but peeing seems to be causing him some bother. He's booked in for a repeat scan next week to see if he's managed to shift these stones.
HOWEVER
I have just been doing the weekly weigh ins and turned Benji's cage mate and vet travel companion over... and Rodney has a shaved patch on his tummy.
Now the vets are highly recommended, but I am a little concerned that instead of Benji, my little agouti ridge back, they scanned massive ginger and white fluff monster Rodney.
Back on the phone first thing- they're going to get fed up of hearing from me soon!
 
BertisKing said:
So Benji was at the vets last week for his USS and X ray and the report came back saying that he had two very tiny bladder stones.
His course of antibiotics and pot citrate was extended with some metacam added in to make him more comfortable.
He's still struggling a little- there's no blood now but peeing seems to be causing him some bother. He's booked in for a repeat scan next week to see if he's managed to shift these stones.
HOWEVER
I have just been doing the weekly weigh ins and turned Benji's cage mate and vet travel companion over... and Rodney has a shaved patch on his tummy.
Now the vets are highly recommended, but I am a little concerned that instead of Benji, my little agouti ridge back, they scanned massive ginger and white fluff monster Rodney.
Back on the phone first thing- they're going to get fed up of hearing from me soon!
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Oh no - surely not?
 
oh no, hope there wasn't a mix up.
Sounds like you and your piggies have really been through it.
Hope all is well soon.
 
Poor Benji & Rodney. Well you now no that Rodney has got 2 tiny bladder stones, I'm sorry I know I shouldn't laugh, but sorry I can't help it. Perhaps she will get the right one this time, poor Benji let's hope he gets his problem sorted ASAP especially as the poor guy is in pain.
 
Omg he's been scanned ! No wonder Benji is still in pain ! I bet he has a sperm rod still :( I would ring them first thing & get Benji back in, make sure that you don't pay again though & also check his meds are correct for HIS weight not your other boys :( x
 
Oh no! So it's not like they scanned both of them? That's terrible. What a mix up.
When I take the girls in in pairs for the day the vet nurse always writes down a clear description of the one who is being investigated/treated. Thank goodness they didn't operate on poor Rodney. He must be a really chilled guy.
 
Poppy'sMum said:
Omg he's been scanned ! No wonder Benji is still in pain ! I bet he has a sperm rod still :( I would ring them first thing & get Benji back in, make sure that you don't pay again though & also check his meds are correct for HIS weight not your other boys :( x
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That was the first thing I checked, although I think I was automatically giving him the doses for his weight anyway.

It's not like they look similar and I double checked when I signed the consent form that they were aware that Rodney was staying too.
What a mess. Poor Benji. On the plus side although he initially dropped about 80g he's not lost anymore since I was able to suss out syringe feeding- bless him he's been so patient with me- and after a bit of worry over the state of his poos they've returned to a better shape, if a little soft. He's also enjoying his veg even if he's not bothering with the nuggets at the moment
 
Oh how awful that there seems to have been a mix up. Hope you get to the bottom of it and get poor Benji sorted out soon. You must have some very patient piggies.
 
Just spoken to the vets and they are saying that they will sometimes scan another pig for comparison and only shave longer haired pigs, which COULD explain whats happened. However, he also said though that things could be missed and it may be worth bringing him back in. He also then started to mention fibrosis and scarring, and the fact that they'd probably use a different probe.
Does that sound like they may be covering their backs? Is it worth trying another practice?
Whatever happens, I'll be taking Benji (and only Benji this time) for a scan somewhere as I won't feel at ease until I know that he's been done and given the correct diagnosis.
 
It all sounds a bit weird to me. Both my girls are short haired and were shaved so I'm not sure why your vet would only shave long haired guinea pigs.

I'm not sure why they would scan one for comparison either. Surely that's stressing an animal out for no reason?
 
Sounds like a fudge to me, too. My short haired girls have always been shaved for scanning - they need a clean skin surface for the probe contact. You didn't give consent for shaving and scanning of Rodney. And I've never heard of scanning another for comparison - a vet should know what is normal and abnormal otherwise what's the point of scanning in the first place.
 
All my pigs short haired , Rex etc have had shaved tummies when they have had scans, they have to to be able to get close contact with the scan probe. You are right to be concerned, plus he probably still has a sperm rod stuck in his willy! What did they decide that was?
 
VickiA said:
Sounds like a fudge to me, too. My short haired girls have always been shaved for scanning - they need a clean skin surface for the probe contact. You didn't give consent for shaving and scanning of Rodney. And I've never heard of scanning another for comparison - a vet should know what is normal and abnormal otherwise what's the point of scanning in the first place.
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I didn't even think of that! Image if Rodney had had a reaction to the whiff of gas!?

Poppy'sMum said:
All my pigs short haired , Rex etc have had shaved tummies when they have had scans, they have to to be able to get close contact with the scan probe. You are right to be concerned, plus he probably still has a sperm rod stuck in his willy! What did they decide that was?
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They told me what I could see was probably a bit of sludge that was making its way out and the potassium citrate would help calm the inflammation so he could pass it.
He still peeing (though it's not comfortable as far as I can tell) and there's no blood anymore.

I wish I had fought more with the vets as I wasn't entirely convinced that the "tiny bladder stones" would account for Benjis symptoms, but at the end of the day they are the experts and I was starting to sound a bit neurotic.

It does mean that those little stones belong to Rodney though... :hb:
 
Finally FINALLY someone at the vets listened to me!
Benji went back this morning and I explained everything that had happened to the vet who did Cocos bladder stone operation a few weeks ago, who I was very impressed with at the time.
He immediately acknowledged that they had made a mistake and scanned the wrong pig, and for once in this whole mess made me feel like I wasn't being completely crazy.
Benji had now been flushed and the blockage in his willy was a build up of sludge from the 5mm bladder stone that he's got.
The vet isn't happy to operate to remove it despite its size as Benji has lost so much weight, so I'm having him at home to feed him up- hopefully his appetite will improve now the blockage has gone before taking him (and Rodney) back to be rescanned to see what the situation is.
I'm so glad I spotted the shaved patch, though I wish I'd seen it sooner- I can't help but think I've let Benji down by not pushing more, but at least we're on the road to recovery, however long that may be!
 
You are doing everything you can, and thank goodness you finally got one of the vets to admit you are right.
You are clearly a wonderful advocate for both of your boys, and fingers crossed Benji starts to feel better soon.
 
Well done Beth for getting to the bottom of this. None of this is your fault. The vets owe you a massive apology and a refund. At last you can start to sort Benji's problems out. Poor little man. He's in the best hands with you. Are you ok for syringe feeding etc to top him up and help him build up his weight again?
 
Well done, you haven't failed Benji. It's very difficult to argue against a professional when they are insistent this & that is wrong, you don't have the knowledge, but you know your piggy. Like I said Well Done for standing your ground takes a brave person to do that. What are they going to do about Rodney?
 
VickiA said:
Well done Beth for getting to the bottom of this. None of this is your fault. The vets owe you a massive apology and a refund. At last you can start to sort Benji's problems out. Poor little man. He's in the best hands with you. Are you ok for syringe feeding etc to top him up and help him build up his weight again?
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I've been using @helen105281 guide since I started attempting to stop him from losing the weight- he's been on rotation with family members doing him during the day and me taking over in the evening. I have got tomorrow off work though so with three days of me doing it (I think my mum especially felt like she was being cruel when Benji put up a bit of a fight) I'm hoping he'll feel well enough to be eating normally- he been off his pellets and only picking at hay (though he's not turned cucumber down yet!) I'll have to see how this weekend goes.

Tiamolly123 said:
Well done, you haven't failed Benji. It's very difficult to argue against a professional when they are insistent this & that is wrong, you don't have the knowledge, but you know your piggy. Like I said Well Done for standing your ground takes a brave person to do that. What are they going to do about Rodney?
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I could see by the way that the vet reacted that he was horrified that this had happened. I think he is going to look into a review of the consent forms which at the moment only include the patients name, no description of the animal.
All of Benji's investigations today were done for free so at least I won't have to pay again. (With 20 pigs and a cat they want to keep me on their books, I'm sure!)
Rodneys going to be put onto the potassium citrate in the hopes that the two little stones will move themselves. He's showing no symptoms at all (and certainly not losing any weight, the little porker) so he'll get scanned when Benji goes back to see if he's managed to shift them at all.
 
Oh my god I would have hit the roof. Glad they have finally given you some answers. I once had one of my pigs given high dose pain relief when she was not the one needing it (not even my pig). It was at a vets I no longer use. They reviewed their procedures after that.
 
helen105281 said:
Oh my god I would have hit the roof. Glad they have finally given you some answers. I once had one of my pigs given high dose pain relief when she was not the one needing it (not even my pig). It was at a vets I no longer use. They reviewed their procedures after that.
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What really bothered me was the blatant lies yesterday when I first raised this. I'd have had much more respect for them if they'd just put their hands up straight away instead of trying to fob me off.
It could have had much worse consequences- it's lucky that nothing more serious than a whiff of gas was administered and the medication would have been helping Benji anyway.
I will be writing to the practice to make a complaint, since pigs often go in together, I think the situation needs reviewing as personally I'd be worried about having them go in as a pair oin the future, which isn't fair on them as not all of mine travel well alone.
 
@BertisKing if he's not keen on critical care have you tried Emeraid herbivore? Poppy preferred the Emeraid and wolfed it down whereas she wasn't keen on the Critical Care. Or have you tried mixing it with a bit of Ella's kitchen sachets to make it more tasty? Sorry if he's putting up a bit of a fight, but you know it's in his best interests. Poor chap x
 
VickiA said:
@BertisKing if he's not keen on critical care have you tried Emeraid herbivore? Poppy preferred the Emeraid and wolfed it down whereas she wasn't keen on the Critical Care. Or have you tried mixing it with a bit of Ella's kitchen sachets to make it more tasty? Sorry if he's putting up a bit of a fight, but you know it's in his best interests. Poor chap x
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I think half the problem is Benjis a one human kind of pig and my mum was probably just not being firm enough. I've been wrapping him in a blanket tucked on my lap and he's been reasonably okay with it (apart from one episode where the mix went flying due to Rodney being extra nosy and coating me, both pigs and the settee) but I probably scared her a little with all the warnings of not choking him :mal:
I'll see how he goes with me tomorrow, but if he's still not enjoying it I may well get some baby food in.
 
I use Burgess Blackcurrant & Oregano pellets, I whizz them in a coffee grinder (Not used for coffee) & they eat that happily, whereas one of mine hated Critical Care & another one hated the other syringe food. Emeraid is fab stuff, much higher calorie, they love it & you only need to do about half the normal CC feeds as a result. It is pretty expensive though, it cost me about £25 for 3 days worth :)

Just to say, Potassium Citrate works by clumping the calcium together so he will need regular ultrasounds to check where the stone is going; it is far easier to remove a bladder stone in a male than if it travels down his ureter x
 
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