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Wet wet wet.

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This morning I woke up and Pirate was sat in his cage looking at me. Usually when I go to get him out he runs off in to his bed but today he didn't, he just let me pick him up. When i did so all underneath was very wet. I cleaned him out yesterday so checked around the cage and couldn't see any wet patches where he'd been for a wee. Do you think he'll be OK? He's just sat there now, not running around or hiding from me like he usually does... Very worried :-(
 
Poor pirate, sounds to me like cystitis.

The symptoms are constantly wet underneath with a stale order. Crusting of his manly bits with a yellow discharge. Pig may squeak in pain when passing urine. The area around where he passes urine from my lose hair and the surface of the skin can become inflamed. There may be blood in the urine more often than not caused by a kidney or bladder problem.

I would put Pirate on a towel to see if he is bleeding at all. If pirate is listless and any blood loss heavy he should be taken to a vet.

peter Guerney suggests treatment to be barley water with a dose of honey morning and night made with one part of pearl barley to eight parts water. Boil for 20-30 minutes and syringe feed.

He also suggests for any inflammation denes skin balm, calendula or a sulphur based ointment.

With cystitis loss of potassium can happen so feed some banana or a quarter of a 600-800mg potassium tablet for as long as the condition lasts.

The above is only for mild infections, as it is the Easter holiday if it isn't urgent then following the above and maybe go to a vet on Tuesday. I hope pirate picks up soon. :)
 
Thanks for the info. I will try the towel thing later. There's no discharge or anything from his back end by the way. He's perfectly clean, just wet and not himself. He doesn't smell, either.

I've tried giving him some of his favourites like celery and apple but he's not even looked at them. Usually he wakes me up wanting food, but today he didn't and his bowl still had loads of nuggest left, which it never usually does.

Could this have been caused by me? I don't want to make him ill, I love him more than anything in the world! What causes this illness?

-sc00t
 
He may be wet underneath because he isn't moving away from his wee, rather than having cystitis. Is he moving about at all? Has he stopped eating or is some food still going in? Has he stopped drinking? If so, this doesn't sound like cystitis.

My Columbine is prone to cystitis, poor girl, and it doesn't put her off her food. (She also becomes genuinely sore and loves warm salt water baths on just her rear end at times like that.)

Sarah x
 
He hasn't eaten or drank anything all day today and left some food yesterday which isn't like him. He isn't sore, I've tried touching him lightly and he has no discomfort at all.

He's moved all of once since I got up 4 hours ago. He was sat on top of his bed and now he's sat in it. He hasn't moved from his bed in hours, which is unlike him. Usually he roams around and begs me for attention.
 
If he isn't eating then it does sound like he needs a vet sooner rather than later. I would start syringe feeding him mashed pellets use a back of a spoon if you don't have a syringe.

It may not be cystitis as Sarah said it could be he can't be bothered moving and there is another problem. I do think a vet to check him out is best now.

Good luck!
 
Pirate has now eaten a stick of celery and a strawberry as well as some nuggets, so YAY! But he's still not had a drink or any hay. He's stood out on top of his bed just looking around.

Do Guinea Pigs get more outgoing and stay out or will they ALWAYS run off when you go near the cage? It's so weird not having him running away...

-sc00t
 
They do get tamer, I have a mix of pigs, some run off some come to the bars.

I think Pirates not running off is down to the fact he is under the weather, good he has started eating. Keep it up. You don't want his system shutting down. :)
 
Thanks for the advice. If he's no better in the morning I'll take him straight to the vets but he's at least eating when I feed him. I can't get him to drink though. Any suggestions there?

What might have caused this?
 
I would syringe him some water so he doesn't dehydrate. Or offer ona spoon. Put his back to your stomach and wrap him in a towel so he won't wriggle.

Not sure what would cause it, does depend on what it is. He could have something other than a bladder infection is his breathing ok? No clicking sound from it? That would indicate a respitary problem.
 
Eating his hay now, but still no drink. He wouldn't take it off a spoon either. I don't have a syringe. I'll put a shallow bowl of water in there to see if he goes for that I guess.

There's a 24 hour vets near me but they said it would be £50.00 just to see him today because it's Easter. :( Plus when I say "near me" I mean "40 minute drive each way."
 
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You could buy some unsweetened cranberry juice and syringe this to him. Feed him fruit/veg with a high water content like celery or cucumber.
 
Left some cranberry juice in there, he's not touched it. He's eating his celery though so that's ok I guess.

I've not got a syringe. Where can I get one on Easter Sunday? :-(
 
One of my sows has the same problem and is booked into the vet with possible kidney stones or cystitus.

Is your piggie suqeaking when going for a wee?

For the time being I would cut out all high calcium foods (Incl Celery as this is very high in calcium) and see if he improves.

My sow will only eat grass so I am piling that in her cage, the only difference from your piggie is that my sow is drinking alot.

Pls get him checked to put your mind at rest.
 
Just to follow on from Missbonbon's post, the calcium issue is in the ratio of calcium to phosphorus, not the level of calcium in itself (as many still believe, including myself until recently!). Cutting out the food won't solve the problem, balancing it inside the overall diet is more useful.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=30297

Fingers crossed he keeps munching and starts to pick up soon. From the sound of his overall condition and symptoms, cystitis sounds pretty likely, but it goes without saying he needs a professional to check him over to rule out other issues.

Why do they always manage to get sick at the most awkward times? rolleyes
 
ccc4
I have read your post on calcium/phosphorus balance. Is this what you have deduced for yourself or is it an accepted fact in dietetics? Either way, I am sure that others, as well as myself, would be interested to see references to substantiate this claim, as it does seem to contradict previously accepted data.
 
Phosphate stones form as well as calcium stones, hence the details on the ratio. Reading Guinea Pig Rescue is one major guinea pig welfare charity which promotes this diet, and Guinea Lynx a major internet player who promotes it in cases of bladder issues. A standard "daily/2x weekly/occasionally" list is perfectly fine for healthy pigs, but guinea pigs with bladder or general renal issues and stones benefit from this diet.

I am not the one who "founded " the diet, I wrote it up step by step in terms easier understood than has been previously written.
 
"Basically, guinea pigs, like rabbits, absorb any and all calcium that is made available to them. Excess calcium is filtered in the kidneys, passed into the bladder and expelled. Humans, on the other hand, tend to only absorb the calcium they need at any given time."
I have just copied the above from one of the links.
The first part is logical, relating to pigs excreting excess calcium.
However, if humans only absorb what they need, what becomes of the excess?
To me the same process is equally applicable in both species.
 
Any answers or has this thread disappeared over the page?
 
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