Urine - High Protein, No Blood?

[Dilly's Piggies]

I have two 2 year old sows (Willow and Tizzie) that have interstitial cystitis and they get UTI's quite a lot along with it, they both saw the vet today and have antibiotics and metacam, they're doing better already. However I have concerns about another sow of mine who is 13 months old and Tizzie's daughter, she hasn't had a UTI before but I took her for a check up 4 weeks ago as I felt something was off with her, it was found in the consult that she had a very painful bladder and would squeal, she was given precautionary antibiotics and metacam for a week and seemed fine afterwards, there was no UTI present at the time only bladder pain, I had no idea she had such pain there before so I've been keeping a close eye on her since.

3 days ago I noticed her showing signs of something being off again, she becomes much less active, sleeps most of the time, hates being handled, squeals when handled, walks strangely like she's stiff/painful in the hind end and becomes very grumpy towards her cagemates and me too. I tested her urine today and the protein levels were very high, however everything else was normal, I'm just wondering what this means, she never has any blood but something is up with her urinary tract I think, does she also have interstitial cystitis like her Mum Tizzie, developing a UTI or could this be more serious like a kidney problem? It took her almost 2 hours to give me a urine sample and when she did it was a tiny, very cloudy/concentrated amount, she also squealed whilst peeing, this is exactly what Tizzie and Willow are like when they have flare ups of IC/UTI. I gave her a dose of metacam tonight and have been syringing water, it has done wonders for her, she's so much more comfortable after having it and acting more normal.

I also wonder, is IC genetic or just a random condition that can happen to any piggy?

 

[DM030819]

In the first instance she needs to see the vet so they can test her urine and possibly give you medicine for a UTI. They'll want to rule it out.

The high protein means that more is being disposed of by the body, and one of those reasons could be kidney problems. A vet will only see this as an issue in combination to the other results on the urine test.

 

[rome_italy]

In us humans a high level of proteins can mean there is an infection come to the kidneys or similar troubles linked with kidney function. About the talk of genetics, there is a link, but that does not mean that genetics can always do the damage and the damage itself is always linked to the ambient and the habits (which can be safe for most of piggies and not safe for yours, because of his wrong DNA). IC is a cronic damage which perhaps can be prevented.
One of my piggies showed something not good in her bladder before my adoption; the vet sent her home with a paper of alert; at home when I cuddled her and I tried to touch her belly she used to squeal. Her urine was always dark. Then I started breeding both my pets according with what I think is right and natural for them (about food). She immediately stopped feeling pain and is now 6 months old, her urine looks perfect and clear. I can also push on her belly, but she feels as fine as her mate.
Maybe you are on time for preventing further troubles... maybe you can experiment something unusual about the way of feeding the pigs.
I feed my piggies with only fresh mixed grass and hay; some dandelion leaves; very few vegs and no pellets (only few pieces by hand as a treat). Plus some (diluited) cranberry juice twice a day and a supplement of vit C (drops for newborn children).
But mine is only an experiment...
I guess two old sows (and two old women!) may have some troubles for the age... but a young sow shouldn't manifest the same symptoms. Moreover a wrong genetics should make the damage only after a long time.
My vet says there is a HUGE link between a "normal" consumption of pellets and the development of bladder/kidney issues (also in cats and other pets)... of course he can express only a personal opinion about the matter...