? Uti / bladder infection.

[sasiw]

Hi...we have 2 3yo piggys who really started to smell really strong of urine. After a couple of days we noticed one was quite soiled/wet round bottom area so went to vets ..sludgy wee tinged with blood. Vet identified solid bladder and prescribed antibiotics and metacam. Over the following few days she seemed to deteriorate off food sitting in one spot but smelling less.. so took her back to vets who did a Us to see if they could see anything....couldn't see clearly due to her constantly emptying her bladder. Given some recovery and told to persist. We are now 24hrs + into recovery and there has been some improvement...more movement some hay nibbling etc but she still smells really bad...still passing blood stained urine...albeit less. Am I expecting miracles to soon.? What else can I do? I'm taking her back to vets but they don't seem to have much knowledge of piggies! Any advice would.be greatly received...please xx

 

[Piggies&buns]

I'm Sorry to hear this.

Antibiotics take several days to start working, but for a severe case would take the entire course to fully deal with it.
How long is the course of antibiotics? I would expect 10 days.
Which antibiotic is she on?
What dosage of painkiller is she on?

Please ensure you have switched from the routine weekly weight checks and that you are instead weighing her every morning. This is the only way to gauge hay intake, it cannot be gauged by eye.
As she is not eating hay properly, please urgently step in with syringe feeding (if you haven’t already). This is essential to replace lost hay intake, keep her weight stable each day, and to prevent stasis.
Aim for 60ml of syringe feed per 24 hours bits the daily weight checks are your guide as to whether she is eating enough.

I would also recommend that you give her a probiotic while she is on antibiotics. Antibiotics can upset their appetite so we recommend a probiotic 1-2 hours before or after each antibiotic dose to help settle their tummy.

I’ve added guides below which explain everything more fully.

I hope she is ok

Wiebke's Guide to Pees and Stones

Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
How to Improvise Feeding Support in an Emergency

 

[Freela]

It can take awhile for antibiotics to kick in for UTIs. Keep at it and keep monitoring her weight. Hopefully you'll see some improvement soon.