Update: Bladder Stones, Low Calcuim Diet, Advice ?

[Salt and Pepper]

Hi, to update you from my last thread, my piggy was sent for another x Ray which discovered a stone in the urethra. The stone was removed then and there with a small incision. She is now at home with a 10 day course of antibiotics (to help heal the scar) and a week course of metacam.

She still squeaks when peeing/pooing and the urine is still slightly red tinged which the vet said was to be expected for a few days. (not sure if the redness in the urine only comes when she does a poo)

Can anyone offer any advice on what I can do to help her recover quickly?

Also if anyone has any advice on a low calcium diet it would be helpful, my girls were fed on spinach, kale, celery, cucumber, carrots, lettuce, bell pepper. I have found that spinach and kale are very high in calcium so have cut them out for now. What veg should I be feeding her and should I be cutting kale etc. out completely (how much calcium should they have in there diet) ?

I am very grateful for any advice people can give, thanks.

 

[VickiA]

Good to hear that the vet was able to remove the stone,

In answer to your question, please take a look at these threads

Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diet

Nugget Comparison Chart

The first thread details a low calcium diet and the amount of veg to feed.

The second shows the calcium in nuggets/pellets.

Please avoid kale and spinach, parsley and other high calcium veg as your girl is at risk of developing another stone (poor girl - it just goes thst way) and cut out high calcium pellets. These will help reduce the risk of another stone.

 

[DM030819]

@Salt and Pepper The squeaking and red tinged urine can happen for a little while after surgery. They can be quite sore. The Metacam should really help so you're already helping her recover.

I try to provide them with as comfortable bedding as possible so when they lay down it's nice and soft on their underneath.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! From my own experiences with bladder and urethral stones, the red urine and the pain may take a while. Quite often the bladder and urethral tract can exhibit some trauma from the irritation of the stone after the removal.
What is your sow's weight and how much metacam are you giving? Please ask for more if the symptoms have not subsided when you come towards the end of your course.

You have already been given our diet links. Make sure that you filter your water in any case even if you live in a soft water area, but especially if your water is hard - a lot of what goes into a stone comes with the water. Water and calcium from the pellets are the main contributors to stones.

For the longer term we recommend supplementing with glucosamine or a glucosamine based cat food supplement called cystease (choose the capsules) to help support the natural glucosamine coating of the bladder and urinary tract walls.

 

[Salt and Pepper]

@VickiA @Jaycey @Wiebke
Thank you all for your replies. I will certainly be changing the piggies diet. She seems constipated too (I'm assuming it is because of the antibiotics), we are syringe feeding her water, we have tried her with fibreplex probiotic but she just won't take it. Her appetite is fine eating hay and veg and she's fine in herself. Can anybody recommend any other way to help her with the constipation?

 

[Wiebke]

@VickiA @Jaycey @Wiebke
Thank you all for your replies. I will certainly be changing the piggies diet. She seems constipated too (I'm assuming it is because of the antibiotics), we are syringe feeding her water, we have tried her with fibreplex probiotic but she just won't take it. Her appetite is fine eating hay and veg and she's fine in herself. Can anybody recommend any other way to help her with the constipation?

What you do you mean about constipation? Very few poos (which is normal in the day after an operation as the output reflects what has gone in 1-2 days before) or arching when pooing (which is not uncommon from bladder trauma/damage from any stone)?
Please be aware that 80% or more of the daily food intake is hay, which you cannot control just by looking, only by weighing daily at the same time.
Tips For Post-operative Care
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Administering Medications

 

[DM030819]

@Salt and Pepper As Wiebke mentions poop output can be lower for a few days after an operation.

Also, if she seems to be straining or squeaking it can be a result of the surgery. It happened to my boar, although he had bladder stone surgery he was still quite sore when pooping too. My vet reckoned it was the poop travelling through him that was rubbing his insides and causing him pain.

Pigs don't really get constipation. It's probably be like Wiebke mentions but if it continues it's a sign of gut statis and needs a vet visit.

 

[Salt and Pepper]

Thanks for your advice I I'll keep an eye on her, she has done a couple of small poos now but we will call the vet Tomorrow.