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Claire W

Claire W

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Not sure if I'm putting this is the right section so please move to the right section if this is wrong.
Well, Connie still has the strange coloured wee Bright orange / very light brown. The vet doesn't seem to think that there is an infection there as she doesn't squeek anymore whilst going to the toilet. I am wondering if it could be her diet as it was the calcium crystals in her urine that started all this in the first place. I have taken nearly all calcium rich foods from both of their diets (starting from just before Christmas) but they are eating wagg guinea pig crunch and have been for the past year from when I had them. I have heard that wagg and some other mixes has something in it can can upset a guinea pigs bladder but am not 100%. I am basically wondering if I would be wise to change their dry food to a plain pellet such as pets at home nuggets and see what happens?
 
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Did the vet test her urine? It could be something you're feeding them but if they didn't test her pee I would ask for it to be done. Also you could try a longer course of a/b's and syringing fluids into her to really flush the system through just incase...
 
Yes the vet tested her urine and found a trace of protein, ph of 8 and calcium crystals. She then had an X ray which luckily showed no stones. She was on antibiotics for around 5 to 6 weeks and finished the course just under 2 weeks ago.
 
if i were you, try weaning them onto burgess supa excel, or even just giving them a mix of a few different types to see if that helps. Does it say what it contains? as in amount of calcium/fibre/proteins ect? i've never tried your food x sonny sends lots of love, as do i,pheobe,ruby,bethany and maggie-may xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
Hi Claire, I googled guinea pig urinary problems the other day and looked at www.oginet.com/pgurney/kidneys.htm. It said that guineas need a certain amount calcium in their diet otherwise they start to draw it from their bones etc. You want to have a look at the item, I learned a few things that I didn't know from reading it.
 
My three always had the wagg guinea pig crunch with no problems at all, but of course Connie may need something different. I really don't know what to advise, I'm so sorry Claire. How does she seem in herself, is she eating and drinking alright, and not squeeking when she wees?
 
sueg said:
My three always had the wagg guinea pig crunch with no problems at all, but of course Connie may need something different. I really don't know what to advise, I'm so sorry Claire. How does she seem in herself, is she eating and drinking alright, and not squeeking when she wees?
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Thanks Sue. Yes she seems fine in herself eating and drinking normally and I haven't noticed any sqeeking whilst shes been weeing.
 
Well, I know I'm not an expert, but it seems a mystery to me. She's had quite a long course of antibiotics, and now seems to be feeling fine (which of course is good) ..... but still has the original symptoms of the discoloured wee. I just don't know .... Sorry, Claire.
 
I don't have an answer Claire but i had a piggy who was losing bright red blood (lots of it) & he never made a muff whilst urinating.
It was obviously an infection & it did clear up after 2 courses of antibiotics but i never got him back to his original weight. I feed mine on Wagg Crunch with no problems. It is higher in protein at 17% but as far as i know it's Gertie which can (or could, they may have changed the recipe) cause bladder problems due to the colourings in the biscuits :)

You could try them on a pellet & see how they go on or Chudleys Rabbit Royale, this doesn't have the added Vit C but if they're fed a good diet of veggies they get what they need from these. It is lower in protein & i know of quite a few people who do feed it. I've tried it myself (well the piggies, not me LOL) but mine being the fussy bug*ers they are wouldn't touch it :)
 
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Have just found this on Guinea Lynx Claire, it may help :)

Blood in urine:

Urine sometimes changes to an orange color on standing (this may be the oxidation of porphyrins in the urine). When your guinea pig has blood in its urine, it will appear red or pinkish (if diluted). Blood dries a brownish color.
 
Niki said:
Have just found this on Guinea Lynx Claire, it may help :)

Blood in urine:

Urine sometimes changes to an orange color on standing (this may be the oxidation of porphyrins in the urine). When your guinea pig has blood in its urine, it will appear red or pinkish (if diluted). Blood dries a brownish color.
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Sorry to sound thick but do you what what the 'if diluted' means? :red
 
Niki said:
I don't have an answer Claire but i had a piggy who was losing bright red blood (lots of it) & he never made a muff whilst urinating.
It was obviously an infection & it did clear up after 2 courses of antibiotics but i never got him back to his original weight. I feed mine on Wagg Crunch with no problems. It is higher in protein at 17% but as far as i know it's Gertie which can (or could, they may have changed the recipe) cause bladder problems due to the colourings in the biscuits :)

You could try them on a pellet & see how they go on or Chudleys Rabbit Royale, this doesn't have the added Vit C but if they're fed a good diet of veggies they get what they need from these. It is lower in protein & i know of quite a few people who do feed it. I've tried it myself (well the piggies, not me LOL) but mine being the fussy bug*ers they are wouldn't touch it :)
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When your boy was losing blood, did it come out in his urine or dry that colour? When Connie first wee's it looks a normal colour but then turns to the horrid colour a few minutes later :(
 
Sorry to hear you are still concerned about Connie Claire. When Smudge has an infection what she passes is immediately pink/red - this is particularly noticeable if she happens to be sitting on the white vetbed!

If Connie's urine is clear/creamy in colour I would think this is probably "normal" for her. Piggy urine does tend to dry a sort of orangey colour and I find that newspaper can turn a very funny shade of orange/brown if the wee has gone straight on it (oh the conversations we have:))).

As far as mixes go I think Gerty has been the problem one in the past. If you do change over to another food, make sure you do it slowly adding a little bit more of the new food to the girls Wagg each day. Give the girls a head scratch from me.
 
Caviesgalore said:
Sorry to hear you are still concerned about Connie Claire. When Smudge has an infection what she passes is immediately pink/red - this is particularly noticeable if she happens to be sitting on the white vetbed!

If Connie's urine is clear/creamy in colour I would think this is probably "normal" for her. Piggy urine does tend to dry a sort of orangey colour and I find that newspaper can turn a very funny shade of orange/brown if the wee has gone straight on it (oh the conversations we have:))).

As far as mixes go I think Gerty has been the problem one in the past. If you do change over to another food, make sure you do it slowly adding a little bit more of the new food to the girls Wagg each day. Give the girls a head scratch from me.
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When it first comes from her it looks clear but then changes to the awful colour :( It does look worse on a pink towel though than it does in the hutch x
 
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