Wet bottom on female guinea pig

[Claire B]

Hello

I am hoping someone can give me some advice please. Mid July I noticed one of my guinea pigs had a wet and smelly bottom. I took her to the vets and she was put on a week’s course of Baytril. This stopped the wetness but a day after coming off it, she became wet again. She was put on another week’s course of Baytril which had the same outcome - dry initially and then back to being wet. She also had an x-ray. I was referred to an Exotics vets and the first vet I saw there thought they saw bladder sludge on the x-ray. A wee sample showed some blood in it. We went back a couple of days later and saw another Exotics vet but she didn’t agree with the sludge diagnosis. She took a better x-ray under anaesthetic and said there was no sludge nor bladder stones. She could see an abnormality in her knees and put the diagnosis down as sore knees (I’ve not seen my piggie having any difficulty in moving though). She was put on a two week course of Sulfatrim, Tramadol and Metacam. Unfortunately in these two weeks, she still has a wet and smelly bottom. I have been told to go back for another consultation but I am already up to £1000 on vets bills and I am not getting anywhere. The Exotics vet has suggested potassium citrate and I am in the process of trying to organise it through my vets (I am currently on holiday with my piggies). Whilst the Baytril seemed to work, it did put my piggie off of eating and she lost weight (even with pro-c biotics). I am trying to see if a low dose split twice daily will help her but not upset her tummy.
I have heard people mention Oxbow natural science joint support and Vegetarian Glucosamine and wondered about starting her on one of these. Does anyone have any experience of this problem and could offer me some help please?
Many thanks

 

[Wiebke]

Hello

I am hoping someone can give me some advice please. Mid July I noticed one of my guinea pigs had a wet and smelly bottom. I took her to the vets and she was put on a week’s course of Baytril. This stopped the wetness but a day after coming off it, she became wet again. She was put on another week’s course of Baytril which had the same outcome - dry initially and then back to being wet. She also had an x-ray. I was referred to an Exotics vets and the first vet I saw there thought they saw bladder sludge on the x-ray. A wee sample showed some blood in it. We went back a couple of days later and saw another Exotics vet but she didn’t agree with the sludge diagnosis. She took a better x-ray under anaesthetic and said there was no sludge nor bladder stones. She could see an abnormality in her knees and put the diagnosis down as sore knees (I’ve not seen my piggie having any difficulty in moving though). She was put on a two week course of Sulfatrim, Tramadol and Metacam. Unfortunately in these two weeks, she still has a wet and smelly bottom. I have been told to go back for another consultation but I am already up to £1000 on vets bills and I am not getting anywhere. The Exotics vet has suggested potassium citrate and I am in the process of trying to organise it through my vets (I am currently on holiday with my piggies). Whilst the Baytril seemed to work, it did put my piggie off of eating and she lost weight (even with pro-c biotics). I am trying to see if a low dose split twice daily will help her but not upset her tummy.
I have heard people mention Oxbow natural science joint support and Vegetarian Glucosamine and wondered about starting her on one of these. Does anyone have any experience of this problem and could offer me some help please?
Many thanks

Have the vets checked the womb for an infection in the reproductive tract (which at least the exotics vets should have done?) and have they considered sterile interstitial cystitis?

The latter a cystitis which does not react to antibiotics (hence sterile). It cannot be cured, just managed with anti-inflammatories like metacam; some vets also prescribe potassium citrate. The main angle of treatment is glucosamine, which is not a medication, but a food supplement. The most commonly used are cystease capsules for cats (who are the other species with this condition).
Sterile IC with its recurring flare ups (that is what the 'interstitial' means) has become increasingly more common over the last decade, epsecially in indoors guinea pigs, but it not as well known in general vets or exotics that do not have much experience with guinea pigs. It can only be diagnosed by default after all other urinary and reproductive tract problems have been ruled out.
In many cases sterile IC will go away on its own eventually, but you are looking at years rather than months. The good news is that supportive treatment doesn't cost the world. Cystease capsules are widely available online; they are classed a food supplement and not as a medication.
Here is some more information on IC: Links - Interstitial Cystitis - Guinea Lynx Records

 

[Claire B]

Many thanks for your response. So far Starlight has just had an x-ray at the Exotics vets. I have been told she can have further tests but they are all so pricey. Presumably it is normal for Exotic vets to be so expensive? Two consultations an x-ray and some medicine has so far cost £800 and the problem is still there .

Would an ultrasound scan show up any infections in the womb?

I don’t know which way to turn. My original vet said it would be reasonable to monitor her quality of life until euthanasia was an option and the Exotics vets seem more interested in money.

Should I try the potassium citrate and also buy the cystease capsules for cats? How do I know how much of this to give her?

Thanks again

 

[Lady Kelly]

It sounds very expensive. The last time I had a £1000 vet bill £600 of it was an operation and the rest was consultation, medication, and a few nights staying in with round the clock syringe feeding. That was an exotics specialist as well. How confident did you feel the exotics vet knew what they were doing? Unfortunately it's hard to find cavy savvy vets as some of the best ones are "general" vets and in the same guise not all exotics vets are good with guinea pigs. I think confidence in the vet when agreeing to more money on tests is quite a big part of deciding how to move forward

 

[Wiebke]

Many thanks for your response. So far Starlight has just had an x-ray at the Exotics vets. I have been told she can have further tests but they are all so pricey. Presumably it is normal for Exotic vets to be so expensive? Two consultations an x-ray and some medicine has so far cost £800 and the problem is still there ☹.

Would an ultrasound scan show up any infections in the womb?

I don’t know which way to turn. My original vet said it would be reasonable to monitor her quality of life until euthanasia was an option and the Exotics vets seem more interested in money.

Should I try the potassium citrate and also buy the cystease capsules for cats? How do I know how much of this to give her?

Thanks again

Here is our recommended UK vets locator; that is A LOT of money for only two consultations and an x-ray! Recommended Guinea Pig Vets

I would try the potassium citrate and definitely the cystease.

For cystease you give one capsule a day; it is easiest when you mix it with a little water (1 syringe full) shake well and wait until the powder has absorbed the water; then shake again and give once a day. The advantage of the capsules is that they are already measured out, especially as you are dealing with very small amounts and you can make sure that it all goes in. The price is very much comparable to that of any oxbow products.
I currently have got two of my own piggies that have been diagnosed with sterile IC and that are on cystease and metacam. Thankfully my local general vets were willing to consider/research for sterile IC after antibiotic treatment didn't work and there was no indication for stones or sludge.

 

[piggieminder]

Sounds like you go to the same exotics vets as me! £500 for an xray £800 for a scan. £100 for a poop test and all results are inconclusive It's really frustrating when you are paying these prices and getting nowhere.Sending you my very best wishes, I know how you feel. Sending your girl healing vibes and I do hope you can find out what's going on soon.

 

[Claire B]

Piggieminder I love your banging your head against a brick wall emoji . That is just how I feel! It’s ridiculous how much these vets are charging and for us to be getting nowhere .

Thank you also Lady Kelly and Wiebke for your responses. I am going to try the cystease. Wiebke - when you say your vets were willing to try/research sterile IC and they had been diagnosed with it - was that because nothing else had worked for your piggies? Were they also wet around the bottom and has this dried up?

 

[Wiebke]

Piggieminder I love your banging your head against a brick wall emoji . That is just how I feel! It’s ridiculous how much these vets are charging and for us to be getting nowhere ☹.

Thank you also Lady Kelly and Wiebke for your responses. I am going to try the cystease. Wiebke - when you say your vets were willing to try/research sterile IC and they had been diagnosed with it - was that because nothing else had worked for your piggies? Were they also wet around the bottom and has this dried up?

Since I am a long term piggy owner and know more about guinea pig than they do but they have more veterinary knowledge than I, we have an understanding: I follow the proper protocol and respect their veterinary/medical knowledge. In turn they will accept any suggestions I make if the standard way is not working out and I do not ask for any silly online miracle cures but about medication that is already used by exotics UK vets and is proven to be safe for guinea pigs.

And yes, we did the normal protocol of trying antibiotic treatment first and checking for the possibility of stones which took a few weeks even though I was pretty sure from the start I'd end up with an IC diagnosis.
My local vets are part of a chain and have online access to an exotics specialist for back-up. For anything really tricky and for any operations I see a general vet specialising in guinea pigs further away. My local vets are fine with that once they realised that it was all problems they'd rather not find on their examination table!

My piggies were doing the classic wet around the bottom and squeaking when peeing several times a day thingie. No porphyrine (deep red) pees, which are a common symptom at the start of a flare up. Thankfully in both cases the IC is in the mild range.

 

[Claire B]

Many thanks again for your response Wiebke. So do you think this is a good plan of action: try and get hold of some potassium citrate from my local vets, keep going with the Metacam (she is currently on Metacam Dog 0.3ml twice daily) and buy the Cystease to give daily (is this the correct item - Feliway Cystease Urinary Tract Support for Cats - From £6.38 Also shall I keep going with the Pets at Home Pro C probiotic? If we are on the right track with her, will she eventually become dry again and if so, how long do you find this usually takes?

I just can’t keep affording the Exotics vets . Just for a re-consultation it’s £125

 

[piggieminder]

That's the ones I give my IC boar @Claire B.

 

[Merab]

Can’t advise but did want to add support for you

 

[Claire B]

Many thanks again for your response Wiebke. So do you think this is a good plan of action: try and get hold of some potassium citrate from my local vets, keep going with the Metacam (she is currently on Metacam Dog 0.3ml twice daily) and buy the Cystease to give daily (is this the correct item - Feliway Cystease Urinary Tract Support for Cats - From £6.38 Also shall I keep going with the Pets at Home Pro C probiotic? If we are on the right track with her, will she eventually become dry again and if so, how long do you find this usually takes?

I just can’t keep affording the Exotics vets ☹. Just for a re-consultation it’s £125

@Wiebke I have now ordered the cystease and will start this when we get home from holiday. Does the rest of my plan sound ok?

Many thanks