Vetpro healthy urinary tract function caps

[purplepiggies5]

Hey all,

My vet has recommended the vetpro healthy urinary tract function capsule for my piggie who has recently been very unwell. The working idea is that he has bladder stones and these are marketed at dogs and cats but I've been told they use them for guinea pigs to help protect the lining of the bladder. The goal is to protect him as much as possible so the stones don't get worse and to help prevent further UTIs and illness like we have had the last few weeks (hopefully past the worst of this now!)

Just wondered if anyone has used these and thoughts on them? Also dose suggestions? I'm aware that the label only gives dog and cat doses.

Thanks in advance

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear this.

I’ve not heard of these but I would imagine your vet is the best person to ask about dosing, I would think it is based on weight.

Is the vet going to do a scan or x ray to confirm a stone?
A stone usually needs to be surgically removed in a boar, but I’m wondering if this is not possible in your case hence protection of the bladder being your goal.

I have added our stones guide below which you may find helpful

Wiebke's Guide to Pees and Stones

 

[purplepiggies5]

Thank you! I will take a look.

The theory is that it is stones due to the presence of blood in urine after the uti symptoms have cleared following antibiotics, ongoing discomfort when peeing but not to the point of pain if that makes sense?

We haven't scanned as they can't feel them and he has been through so much in the last few weeks it's early days to keep an eye as much as poss. My understanding is that if the stones are small enough it can be managed non surgically although this will not get rid of them. He isn't young and I am 50/50on putting him through scans and surgery if it can be managed without for now (he gets so stressed when handled at the vets), especially if this doesn't cause him further issues other than a susceptibility to UTIs which I'm confident that I can pick up on and get treatment.

They've shown me how to feel for stones and I'm pretty confident about monitoring at home for now, at least letting him recover from the trauma of the last few weeks before considering any further investigations if that makes sense.

I'm constantly worrying that I'm doing the wrong thing for him and I want the best for him but it's so hard to weigh it up with the pros and cons yknow? If I knew the more invasive route would solve everything with minimal stress and risk I'd do it in a heartbeat.
Any recommendations?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Yes it’s hard. If he had already been through a lot as isn’t young, then you have to do what you feel is right for him.

Once stones are present, you are right, nothing will get rid of them (other than surgical removal).
If a stone was to be small enough to attempt to move out of the bladder, given the angle boars have in their urethra, only very very tiny ones stand a chance of coming out safely. The angle can cause a stone to become stuck and in that event it is unfortunately a life threatening situation.
Stones left inside can grow and the would cause a lot of pain.
Is he on a good dose of pain relief?

We recommend glucosamine to help coat the bladder and at least try to help with the damage caused by a stone bashing on the bladder walls.

I have had a Quick Look at the vetpro product you mention. I am obviously no vet and haven’t heard of this product at all but if it is intended for the sight acidic urine of cats and dogs is that compatible with the alkaline urine or guinea pigs?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi

I agree with the points that @Piggies&buns has made.

Since I have not come across this before being used for guinea pigs I have googled it, Vetpro does contain glucosamine (as expected) but also quercetin, which supports the body's natural anti-inflammatory processes (i.e. it helps to suppress secondary bacterial cystitis in an inflamed and/or scratched bladder) and it also contains tryptophan, which contains serotonin (which helps to make you sleep) and in cats and dogs helps to destress them - I can't say whether that works for piggies as well or not.
I can also not say whether it would work with sterile cystitis since that is also a still developing area and there is still quite an amount of individual case to case trial going on.

Like cystease, it is not a prescription-only medication but a support product.

I hope that this helps you?

Wishing you and your poorly one all the best.

Wishing you all the best. Only an x-ray or scan

 

[Merab]

Hope everything works out well.
Holding you in my thoughts

 

[purplepiggies5]

Thank you all, these are all good things to thing about! I'll do a bit more research, he is on metacam at the moment (0.25ml)which seems to be managing his pain for the most part, we even trialled stopping it the other day because he seemed pain free, but alas he still seems uncomfortable so we have restarted it.

It seems that it is a bit if an ongoing thing and I think what triggered all of it is he passed one of the stones. It's a really difficult one because I obviously don't want to not take it any further and it lead to fatal consequences but I also don't want to put him through so much more procedures with higher risks (I worry about the anaesthetic and surgery element) as well as causing him a huge amount of stress if he seems happy and content enough at the moment? It's a really hard one, especially with the cost of vet bills in the back of my mind (which also makes me feel like a horrible owner for even considering that), although obviously it would never stop me from getting him the care he needs.

Just a lot of anxiety and a lot to think about!