UTI guinea pig

[Helsbell]

Hi
Could anyone help with reading a urine test strip?
Guinea pig on 2nd antibiotics it be 7 days tomorrow. Went the vet yesterday again and they gave a different antibiotic. And more metacam. I thought this morning she was getting better but tonight has started grunting and hunching and squeaking when peeing.
She’s only young she be 2 at Christmas.
Here is a picture of the test strip does it still show uti ?
Thanks Helen

 

[Helsbell]

Hi
Could anyone help with reading a urine test strip?
Guinea pig on 2nd antibiotics it be 7 days tomorrow. Went the vet yesterday again and they gave a different antibiotic. And more metacam. I thought this morning she was getting better but tonight has started grunting and hunching and squeaking when peeing.
She’s only young she be 2 at Christmas.
Here is a picture of the test strip does it still show uti ?
Thanks Helen

I forgot to mention she has done wees without pain. But tonight she’s in pain again

 

[Helsbell]

Hi I’m Helen I have posted a few months ago
No I have another question uti guinea pig


Could anyone help with reading a urine test strip?
Guinea pig on 2nd antibiotics it be 7 days tomorrow. Went the vet yesterday again and they gave a different antibiotic. And more metacam. I thought this morning she was getting better but tonight has started grunting and hunching and squeaking when peeing.
She’s only young she be 2 at Christmas.
Here is a picture of the test strip does it still show uti ?
Thanks Helen

 

[Piggies&buns]

Going off the first picture, It looks like it shows positive for blood and leukocytes (meaning inflammation).
Whether this is a bacterial, non bacterial or whether it’s something else such as bladder stones requires your vet to make a diagnosis.

Can you clarify, has she been on antibiotics for a total of 7 days (across two different types) or whether she is on day 7 of the second type so has been on 14 days worth of antibiotics.

(I have merged both your posts into one thread)

 

[Helsbell]

Hi thanks for replying
I’ve been to 2 different vets as first one didn’t have a clue
She was put on a child antibiotic banana one first for 5 days with metacam.
Then on Thursday I took her to a different vet. Who have her baytrill and more metacam.
I’m currently still feeding her crital care.
Thanks Helen

 

[Helsbell]

Going off the first picture, It looks like it shows positive for blood and leukocytes (meaning inflammation).
Whether this is a bacterial, non bacterial or whether it’s something else such as bladder stones requires your vet to make a diagnosis.

Can you clarify, has she been on antibiotics for a total of 7 days (across two different types) or whether she is on day 7 of the second type so has been on 14 days worth of antibiotics.

(I have merged both your posts into one thread)

Hi thanks for replying
I’ve been to 2 different vets as first one didn’t have a clue
She was put on a child antibiotic banana one first for 5 days with metacam.
Then on Thursday I took her to a different vet. Who have her baytrill and more metacam.
I’m currently still feeding her crital care.
Thanks Helen

 

[Piggies&buns]

Was the first antibiotic paediatric septrim?

Ok so she has had 7 days so far but two different antibiotics.
Antibiotics for a UTI are usually courses of 10-14 days long, and often it will take the entirety of the course before symptoms are fully cleared; although if it is the right antibiotic for the bacteria present then you can start to improvement after a few days.

If there is no improvement after Baytril then there are other checks that can be done:
- an x ray to rule out stones;
- tests to check for the presence of bacteria and which bacteria will work best
- if no stones are present, multiple rounds of antibiotics have failed and the issue is not bacterial, then a diagnosis of sterile cystitis is the final option

If there is deterioration during the Baytril, then do see the vet straight away.

Make sure you are weighing her every morning so you can be sure she is getting enough critical care.

Wiebke's Guide to Pees and Stones

 

[Helsbell]

Was the first antibiotic paediatric septrim?

Ok so she has had 7 days so far but two different antibiotics.
Antibiotics for a UTI are usually courses of 10-14 days long, and often it will take the entirety of the course before symptoms are fully cleared; although if it is the right antibiotic for the bacteria present then you can start to improvement after a few days.

If there is no improvement after Baytril then there are other checks that can be done:
- an x ray to rule out stones;
- tests to check for the presence of bacteria and which bacteria will work best
- if no stones are present, multiple rounds of antibiotics have failed and the issue is not bacterial, then a diagnosis of sterile cystitis is the final option

If there is deterioration during the Baytril, then do see the vet straight away.

Make sure you are weighing her every morning so you can be sure she is getting enough critical care.

Wiebke's Guide to Pees and Stones

Was the first antibiotic paediatric septrim?

Ok so she has had 7 days so far but two different antibiotics.
Antibiotics for a UTI are usually courses of 10-14 days long, and often it will take the entirety of the course before symptoms are fully cleared; although if it is the right antibiotic for the bacteria present then you can start to improvement after a few days.

If there is no improvement after Baytril then there are other checks that can be done:
- an x ray to rule out stones;
- tests to check for the presence of bacteria and which bacteria will work best
- if no stones are present, multiple rounds of antibiotics have failed and the issue is not bacterial, then a diagnosis of sterile cystitis is the final option

If there is deterioration during the Baytril, then do see the vet straight away.

Make sure you are weighing her every morning so you can be sure she is getting enough critical care.

Wiebke's Guide to Pees and Stones

Was the first antibiotic paediatric septrim?

Ok so she has had 7 days so far but two different antibiotics.
Antibiotics for a UTI are usually courses of 10-14 days long, and often it will take the entirety of the course before symptoms are fully cleared; although if it is the right antibiotic for the bacteria present then you can start to improvement after a few days.

If there is no improvement after Baytril then there are other checks that can be done:
- an x ray to rule out stones;
- tests to check for the presence of bacteria and which bacteria will work best
- if no stones are present, multiple rounds of antibiotics have failed and the issue is not bacterial, then a diagnosis of sterile cystitis is the final option

If there is deterioration during the Baytril, then do see the vet straight away.

Make sure you are weighing her every morning so you can be sure she is getting enough critical care.

Wiebke's Guide to Pees and Stones

Yes that’s the name of through the empty bottle away. I’d say she is improving she is eating in her own hay some cucumber and romaine. That’s all I’m giving her at the moment. She’s only eating a few pellets. But if I’m filling her belly up the she’s not going to want to eat by her self. He weigh has increased by 1g in a week so she hasn’t lost any she gained 1g yes I weigh her every morning.
The vet did feel for stones. And I can’t say her pees been cloudy or white. It’s clear yellow.
But she is grunting when peeing. But sometimes doesn’t grunt. I don’t understand it.
She has another appointment on Wednesday when antibiotics finish. She is quite happy she’s not just sitting in a corner she I eating with the others.
Thanks Helen

 

[Piggies&buns]

Syringe feeding doesn’t stop a piggy from eating for themselves. If a piggy is well enough to eat and eat enough to maintain their weight, then they will do so and consequently will refuse syringe feeds.
You syringe feed to replace lost hay intake. If she isn’t eating enough hay to maintain her weight by herself then she needs 60ml of syringe feed per day.
She doesn’t need to eat pellets, they aren’t important in the diet so it doesn’t matter whether she eats them or not.

A 1g increase essentially is no increase at all, her weight is considered stable.
That’s good, it she is being given enough food.

Grunting with pain sometimes and not as others is totally to be expected. She hasn’t been on antibiotics long enough for any bacterial infection to be fully cured.

An x ray is more conclusive way of confirming or ruling out stones, so if she still displays symptoms after the antibiotics then it may still be worth doing.
Any other diagnosis (in the event of antibiotics not helping) would be difficult to make until that is ruled out

 

[Helsbell]

Thank you for your help.
You have made it more clear for me.
I did just order some cystease off Amazon.
Yes I’m not to worried about the pellets. I don’t give them to many.
She has has a lot more than 60ml of critical care
She had 4ml this morning about 7am with her medication. Them about 5ml at lunch time and 6ml at tea time am I giving her to much.
Yes antibiotics finish Wednesday so let’s hope there’s an improvement. I’m going to ask for a longer course to make sure it’s cleared up. Then I’ll go down the X ray route if not look with anything Else.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Cystease is glucosamine and is useful to help relieve an inflamed bladder in cases of bladder stones and cystitis.
It takes several weeks to build up enough in the system to help with the discomfort.

Those amounts of critical care only add up to 15ml in a day.
If she is only needing to take 15ml in a day and is still maintaining her weight then that suggests that she has a good appetite and is actually eating enough hay on her own - her hay intake is sufficient and you are just giving her top up feeds as a boost. That is absolutely fine in a piggy who has not really lost their appetite.

(A piggy only needs 40-60ml if they have lost their appetite, aren’t eating hay and is losing weight every day. In that situation a piggy can need to be fed every 2 hours to get enough into them depending how much they take per feed (so if they take 10ml per feed then they would need six feeds per day; if they only take 5ml per feed then they can need up to 8-12 feeds per day etc) but it doesn’t sound like you are in that critical situation with her)

 

[Helsbell]

Hi
Thanks again all this information is really helping.
I weighed her this morning and she’s 1.10kg
But I’ve done a test strip for her pee and to me it looks worse.but she did hunch as much when she did a pee.
I’ll upload the test
Again thank you.

 

[Piggies&buns]

So she is 1100g this morning; what was her weight yesterday morning?

To be honest, I wouldn’t keep doing home strip tests, I cannot see how it is going to help but all it is going to do is cause you anxiety.
I would go by her symptoms and stay in touch with your vet and use their diagnostic capabilities.

How many doses of Baytril is she being given a day?

 

[CTWC]

Hi
Thanks again all this information is really helping.
I weighed her this morning and she’s 1.10kg
But I’ve done a test strip for her pee and to me it looks worse.but she did hunch as much when she did a pee.
I’ll upload the test
Again thank you.

I understand how you are worried but please try to stay calm, I have no idea about these results but when is she back at the vets?

 

[Helsbell]

I understand how you are worried but please try to stay calm, I have no idea about these results but when is she back at the vets?

Hi
She’s back at the vets on Wednesday when the antibiotics run out.

I know I just don’t wanna loose her she’s a beautiful guinea pig so tame

Thanks Helen

 

[Helsbell]

So she is 1100g this morning; what was her weight yesterday morning?

To be honest, I wouldn’t keep doing home strip tests, I cannot see how it is going to help but all it is going to do is cause you anxiety.
I would go by her symptoms and stay in touch with your vet and use their diagnostic capabilities.

How many doses of Baytril is she being given a day?

Yes your right
I just wanted to see if it was working and if she’s getting better not worse.
It’s 0.4ml twice a day they only give me 5 days as she’s back there on Wednesday.

Thanks Helen

 

[Helsbell]

Yes your right
I just wanted to see if it was working and if she’s getting better not worse.
It’s 0.4ml twice a day they only give me 5 days as she’s back there on Wednesday.

Thanks Helen

Her weight yesterday was 1.08kg and it was like that at the vets as well.

 

[Piggies&buns]

So she has gained 20g since yesterday. If you have only given her 15ml of syringe feed then she sounds to be eating a good amount of hay for herself

As I say, it takes 3-4 days for antibiotics to reach full efficacy but the entire course (usually 10-14 days of an antibiotics) to fully clear the bacteria.
Finish the course and see what the vet says on Wednesday.

 

[Helsbell]

Yes I’ll do that.
Yeah she’s eating with the others. And she’s moving around.
She doesn’t really like critical care I think she eat more of it for she likes it so it’s been hard trying to get her to eat it.
If she’s eating in her own and she’s put weight on there’s no need for me to keep feeding her is there ?

 

[Piggies&buns]

No need to feed her if she is stable each day.
You must continue to weigh her every morning though while she is unwell so you can monitor more closely.

If she loses more than 50g then you would need to start syringe feeding again.

 

[Helsbell]

Ok thanks for that
But if she’s the same can just leave her to feed herself

 

[Helsbell]

No need to feed her if she is stable each day.
You must continue to weigh her every morning though while she is unwell so you can monitor more closely.

If she loses more than 50g then you would need to start syringe feeding again.

Just an update on Maggie the guinea pig.
Went back vet today she gave her another 7 days of antibiotics.
But I’ve been giving her cystease. But today she’s stopped the squeaking when peeing just a tiny hunch and she’s more lively she looking 100% better.
So thanks everyone for advice you have helped a lot
Thanks Helen

 

[Merab]

Glad things are improving for Maggie

 

[Helsbell]

Thank you we had popcorns tonight for the first time since being sick.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Just an update on Maggie the guinea pig.
Went back vet today she gave her another 7 days of antibiotics.
But I’ve been giving her cystease. But today she’s stopped the squeaking when peeing just a tiny hunch and she’s more lively she looking 100% better.
So thanks everyone for advice you have helped a lot
Thanks Helen

That’s great news. Sounds like the antibiotics have fully kicked in and are working on making her feel better.
Cystease takes several weeks to build up enough before it helps relieve the bladder

I hope she continues to improve

 

[CTWC]

That is great news

 

[Helsbell]

That’s great news. Sounds like the antibiotics have fully kicked in and are working on making her feel better.
Cystease takes several weeks to build up enough before it helps relieve the bladder

I hope she continues to improve

Yes she’s even better today. She’s not stopped munching hay all day.
Still continuing the antibiotics.
And the cystease just to makes sure.

 

[Helsbell]

Hi all

Back to square one! Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Maggie has blood in her urine this evening she had a tiny spot in her pad where she was sitting.
Eating drinking fine on her own no weightless I weigh her every morning no change in weight. Playing with her sisters she seems fine. She is still on metacam. Also been giving her cystease. And potassium citrate.

Taking her to out of hours for appointment tomorrow Sunday at 9am
What else can I do ?
As going down the x-ray and scan root the vets are saying 100s of pounds that I really don’t have.
Is another round of antibiotics help ? And any ideas why blood would come back.?
The squeaking did subside a bit sometimes she did it a sometimes she never. But has continued to since having a UTI
Protein was up in there urine and the Leukocytes have also gone up where it came down.
The blood is showing it’s better than it was but I can see the blood on the urine where I couldn’t.

I’m so confused but determined to make her better.
Kind regards Helen

 

[Helsbell]

This is maggy

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear this

The situation is still as I have explained before, either:

1 - it’s a bacterial infection but the antibiotics were not the right ones for the type of bacteria, or the course was not long enough.
Determination of diagnosis would likely be that the vets can taken Cultures, their cultures can check which bacteria is present to know antibiotic would be the right one, identify whether it is actually blood or whether it is porphyrines, and then another appropriate course of antibiotics may help

2 - a stone may be in there. A scan or x ray would be needed to determine.
If no stone, then back to potential bacterial infection or sterile cystitis (see below)
If stone present, then depending upon size or position of stone next steps would need to be determined as to whether the stone can come out on its own (possible in sows provided the stone is small) or whether surgical removal would be needed

3 - If multiple rounds of antibiotics don’t work, if no bacteria present on cultures, if no stone present on scan or x ray, then a vet could determine a diagnosis of sterile cystitis ( non bacterial bladder inflammation). Sterile cystitis is usually only diagnosed once every other possibility including stones is ruled out. There is no test that can be done to diagnose sterile cystitis. It can only be done by ruling out everything else first.
Sterile cystitis can be suppressed by an antibiotic but symptoms return once the antibiotic is stopped because there is no bacteria in this condition so antibiotics are of no use.
There is no cure, only management with glucosamine and pain killers. Plus ensuring the diet is appropriate

The strip tests you are using don’t tell you specifics.
For example leukocytes mean there is inflammation but inflammation would be present in all three possible causes ie they show up whether it is bacterial, stones or sterile cystitis.
Protein will also be raised if there is a bacterial infection or a non bacterial infection. Also If there are bladder stones and the stone is bashing the bladder and causing an infection then proteins will also show as raised on a strip test.
So the tests are showing you that she has an issue but it doesn’t tell you what is actually wrong

Did the vet tell you to use potassium citrate? I don’t think I can see it mentioned on the thread before now.
Potassium citrate may be given when a piggy has had a stone but that stone has been removed. Potassium citrate might help reduce the risk of further stones forming (but it isn’t a miracle drug so it may not) but it definitely will not do anything to dissolve or help any stone which already exists. Any stone which is already in the bladder has to come out as explained in 2 above

Wiebke's Guide to Pees and Stones