Where to go next?

[Jesse's pigs]

Okay, here I am again.

So after the episode of bloat and getting Steve back to his sassy self- he is now eating like a trooper once more so weight gradually going up- I found a lump near his nipple. The vet said it felt only fatty and at this stage not to be too concerned. Just observe,check it doesn’t get bigger or angrier etc- which I’m doing. But he is still on and off crying while peeing/pooping. Thankfully no blood again as of yet but I don’t particularly want it to get back to that stage either.

Now I am not happy to go back onto baytril after the bloat episode which the vet said was likely due to the antibiotic and even the loxicom I was giving. However, I still have the issue of crying when peeing (even Bellamy is doing it now tho I believe his is just a bit of extra grit today- a girl can hope anyway!) so what other antibiotics/pain relief drugs should I be looking for/ expecting? I’m going to try some cranberry juice in their water also to see if this helps at all- figured it can’t hurt?

I just don’t see why they both get this? I don’t feed necessarily calcium rich veg and even the veg they do get I don’t give heaps. They’re on burgess pellets which I even checked with the vet as to whether they could be the cause and they said no they’re a good quality feed. Could it be the water? And if so why now? sorry I know none of us can really put an exact answer there but I want to try and prevent anymore of this happening- as In the sludge in wee- if I can help it.


Once again, I appreciate all your help. I’ve been looking into it myself and just want to know what other antibiotics or pain relief I can expect or even try and request from the vet. In terms of antibiotics I know a couple but it’s more the pain relief I’m struggling with. Can only really find loxicom/metacam which is pretty similar stuff.

 

[Wiebke]

Okay, here I am again.

So after the episode of bloat and getting Steve back to his sassy self- he is now eating like a trooper once more so weight gradually going up- I found a lump near his nipple. The vet said it felt only fatty and at this stage not to be too concerned. Just observe,check it doesn’t get bigger or angrier etc- which I’m doing. But he is still on and off crying while peeing/pooping. Thankfully no blood again as of yet but I don’t particularly want it to get back to that stage either.

Now I am not happy to go back onto baytril after the bloat episode which the vet said was likely due to the antibiotic and even the loxicom I was giving. However, I still have the issue of crying when peeing (even Bellamy is doing it now tho I believe his is just a bit of extra grit today- a girl can hope anyway!) so what other antibiotics/pain relief drugs should I be looking for/ expecting? I’m going to try some cranberry juice in their water also to see if this helps at all- figured it can’t hurt?

I just don’t see why they both get this? I don’t feed necessarily calcium rich veg and even the veg they do get I don’t give heaps. They’re on burgess pellets which I even checked with the vet as to whether they could be the cause and they said no they’re a good quality feed. Could it be the water? And if so why now? sorry I know none of us can really put an exact answer there but I want to try and prevent anymore of this happening- as In the sludge in wee- if I can help it.


Once again, I appreciate all your help. I’ve been looking into it myself and just want to know what other antibiotics or pain relief I can expect or even try and request from the vet. In terms of antibiotics I know a couple but it’s more the pain relief I’m struggling with. Can only really find loxicom/metacam which is pretty similar stuff.

Hi!

If the calcium balance is just wrong, then piggies can get stones. Has your vet checked for the presence of stones or sludge?
As to the order in how you work your way through urinary tract problems with squeaking when peeing:
- Checking the manly bit for things stuck/infection.
- Feeling the bladder to see whether it contains a stone or is hardened with thickened walls.

- Treating with antibiotic and metacam for UTI. The preferred antibiotic for the urinary tract is sulfatrim, which is now officially licensed for use in small exotics including guinea pigs (used to be half strength pediatric septrin; US brand name bactrim - although there are quite a few different brand names around now for trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole)

- If problems return, never go away or get worse while on treatment, an x-ray should be taken to look for stones anywhere in the urinary tract if there is the least suspicion/indication for stones.

- If stones from anywhere between the kidneys to the anus have been excluded, you are the looking at a sterile interstitial cystitis, i.e. a non-bacterial recurring bladder infection. Sterile IC has become increasingly common over the last decade but it is not well known amongst general vets or even exotic ones that don't see all that many piggies.
Management (it cannot be healed) is by plenty of glucosamine to support the affected glucosamine coating of the walls of the urinary tract which prevent the corrosive urine from getting in contact with raw any tissue and metacam. You will see flares every weeks or months. With luck, sterile IC will eventually go away on its own, never to return but that is more a matter of years.
It can transmit to companions although in my own experience, healthy piggies are usually able to get it under control with too much help from you or never get it so badly that they show much or anything in the way of acute symptoms. The worst affected seem to be mostly piggies with a very nervous disposition and high stress level settings which they have picked up from their mothers while still in the womb. This observation of mine has been also independently made by my specialist vet, who sees quite a number of IC cases.

I hope that that helps you? I don't know how piggy savvy your vet is.

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Hi!

If the calcium balance is just wrong, then piggies can get stones. Has your vet checked for the presence of stones or sludge?
As to the order in how you work your way through urinary tract problems with squeaking when peeing:
- Checking the manly bit for things stuck/infection.
- Feeling the bladder to see whether it contains a stone or is hardened with thickened walls.

- Treating with antibiotic and metacam for UTI. The preferred antibiotic for the urinary tract is sulfatrim, which is now officially licensed for use in small exotics including guinea pigs (used to be half strength pediatric septrin; US brand name bactrim - although there are quite a few different brand names around now for trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole)

- If problems return, never go away or get worse while on treatment, an x-ray should be taken to look for stones anywhere in the urinary tract if there is the least suspicion/indication for stones.

- If stones from anywhere between the kidneys to the anus have been excluded, you are the looking at a sterile interstitial cystitis, i.e. a non-bacterial recurring bladder infection. Sterile IC has become increasingly common over the last decade but it is not well known amongst general vets or even exotic ones that don't see all that many piggies.
Management (it cannot be healed) is by plenty of glucosamine to support the affected glucosamine coating of the walls of the urinary tract which prevent the corrosive urine from getting in contact with raw any tissue and metacam. You will see flares every weeks or months. With luck, sterile IC will eventually go away on its own, never to return but that is more a matter of years.
It can transmit to companions although in my own experience, healthy piggies are usually able to get it under control with too much help from you or never get it so badly that they show much or anything in the way of acute symptoms. The worst affected seem to be mostly piggies with a very nervous disposition and high stress level settings which they have picked up from their mothers while still in the womb. This observation of mine has been also independently made by my specialist vet, who sees quite a number of IC cases.

I hope that that helps you? I don't know how piggy savvy your vet is.

He’s had Xrays and neither showed any stones. Also had an ultrasound which didn’t pick up anything either. Just at a loss. They treated it as cystitis, but to be honest I can’t even tell of the baytril really helped at all.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

Has a bladder flush been suggested?

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Has a bladder flush been suggested?

Said that that would likely be our next option if it persists after the medication. Can this solve the problem then? And will he need to be sedated/ require more of the antibiotic if he has it flushed.

Thank you for your help!

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

Said that that would likely be our next option if it persists after the medication. Can this solve the problem then? And will he need to be sedated/ require more of the antibiotic if he has it flushed.

Thank you for your help!

He will need to be asleep for a bladder flush, but it can really make a big difference. Our vet tends to give Sulfatrim after a bladder flush. It is a far better antibiotic than baytril for bladder issues. Also, how long have the antibiotic courses been? Most vets don't give a long enough course. A stubburn UTI can take three weeks of antibiotic.

 

[Wiebke]

PS: If you are not happy with your local vet, you may want to consider travelling to Northampton to see a vet specialising in just cats, rabbits and guinea pigs. I certainly do this with all of mine that are in need of any expert diagnosis, operation or dental procedure that surpasses my local general vets' capabilities.
Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic | Northlands Vets

 

[Jesse's pigs]

PS: If you are not happy with your local vet, you may want to consider travelling to Northampton to see a vet specialising in just cats, rabbits and guinea pigs. I certainly do this with all of mine that are in need of any expert diagnosis, operation or dental procedure that surpasses my local general vets' capabilities.
Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic | Northlands Vets

Oh I’m happy with my vets, but thank you If there is no resolution but he still has fight in him I’ll definitely go further afield. Thankfully my vets won’t lead me on and my colleagues will say if they’re unsure. They’re not piggy savvy as such but they know their stuff about bladder stones (surgeon has done several stone removals etc) and so far have done all of the steps this forum advises that vets should take/aspect vets to take. I was a little unsure of the bladder flush cos I just want to be sure it is alright to do to piggies. We actually had one in today who has exact same symptoms as Steve and she opted not to try the flush as “you shouldn’t flush guinea pigs”. It is the next step in my opinion and I think I’d try that as opposed to just trying baytril again as he reacted so badly.

He will need to be asleep for a bladder flush, but it can really make a big difference. Our vet tends to give Sulfatrim after a bladder flush. It is a far better antibiotic than baytril for bladder issues. Also, how long have the antibiotic courses been? Most vets don't give a long enough course. A stubburn UTI can take three weeks of antibiotic.

He was meant to be on the baytril and loxicom for two weeks but then got the bloat so I stopped after only 4 days at the advise of the vetxx