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Worried.......

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mylittlepiggies

mylittlepiggies

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Hi GP Owners, i want to ask advice on a matter that is bothering me with my georgeous piggy - Ivy. Please let me fill you in on the history 1st....

A few months back Ivy was found to have rather red poo pellets but no other symptoms so rushed her straight to the vet and they gave her antibiotics and it cleared up....

About 2 months ago she started squeaking when weeing so thought this could be cystitis and tried home remedys first like barley water and cranberry use, didnt feel this was working so off to the vet we went again and got antibiotics and anti-imflamatorys. This worked for a while...

Over the past month there has been the occassional squeak but nothing alarming until the last week where i have witnessed the much more intense squeaking and hunching sometime but now this is when she poos?

Can be constipation as she has so much greens and food and hay everyday etc and she is perfectly fine in herself otherwise.

She is getting on a little bit - 4.5years and i dont know if this is an old age thing or what.......... i am worried if i take her to the vet they will want to operate or knock her out for an xray or something which i am again worried that that will harm her, god forbid she wouldnt come through it etc?

If anyone has any advise i would greatly appreciate some!

Thanks

Heather
 
Hello Heather
It does sound like the next thing would be to x ray to rule out bladder stones. It shouldn't be necessary to put her under anesthetic for an xray, a good cavy savvy vet will be able to do it without. I can highly recommend my vet Jenny Towers at Active Vet Care in Tilehurst near Reading which isn't too far from you. She's very experienced with guinea pigs and sees all of the Reading RSPCA guinea pig rescue pigs and Chrissie's at Gorgeous Guineas.
Was her urine tested for blood? It might not be a stone, it could be a stubbon UTI and just need a different antibiotic or longer course.
Kate
 
worried

Hi Kate

Thanks for your advice. Funny enough i have just moved back to Tilehurst so i will make an appointment asap. Presume if they found a stone that they would operate and it might kill her.........
 
Great advice from Katiepops! \i have nothin to add apart from it's almost always bladder probs rather than constipation.
 
Please dont worry, As with any anestetic there is a risk, however at 4.5 she really isnt THAT old, we have 8 year olds on here. A good cavvy savvy vet will reduce the risk and with good post op care provided by yourself she stands a good chance of living for a good few more years. (obviously aas i dont know her history, and am not a vet i cant say exactly how good or whether the risk is worth it etc, that will need to be discussed with your vet. :) )

And she may not even need an opperation. :)
 
I've only experienced bladder stones with a boar which did need surgery, I think with sows they can sometimes be massaged out depending on where they're located but the xray will show if that's possible if that's what it turns out to be.
There is always a risk with anesthetic but Jenny is very experienced. I've had three piggies have surgery with her and all were fine.
Fingers crossed it's not a stone but she'll be in good hands if it is.
Let us know how she gets on.
 
Healing vibes for Ivy. :laluot_29:
 
Hi
Took Ivy to see Jenny this morning and she said there were ni signs of bladder stones however she could feel ovarian cyst that may be causing problems. However at this stage she is very sore and swollen so on strong measure of Baytril and Metocam to see how she goes. She is currently in her bed with closed eyes....... not sure if this is because high dose of meds or if she is going down hill.....will be keeping a close eye on her this evening.......
 
Glad you got her to Jenny and good news it's not a bladder stone.
Closed eyes usually just means they are very relaxed, it's probably just taken it out of her the 'trauma' of going to the vets.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed the baytril and metacam does the trick and perks her up. Have you got any Fibreplex incase the baytril upsets her tummy?
 
Hi My Little Piggies

What a huge relief for you. She should be fine, you can get Fibreplex from the vet or I use Probiotics which are a powder you can mix with water and just syringe into them. I have two on Baytril at the moment and this works well.

I use Jenny a lot (rather too much at the moment :( ) she is an amazing guinea vet and from what you have said, you don't have anything to worry about :))

Best Wishes

Jackie x
 
I get probiotics from the vet I use Bio-Lapis. However I do believe Pets at Home sell something equivalent. You can also get Bio-Lapis on line I think as well. I just tend to buy it from the vets as soon as anyone mentions the word 'Baytril' rolleyes !
 
Hi I usually give them their first two doses of Baytril to see how they get on. Some of mine have been absolutely fine, others get soft (and very smelly!) poos. Fibreplex is a probiotic that will help to settle their tummy.
I always keep some in just incase. The vets sell it or you can get it online at vet uk.
There probably is an equivalent at P@H but I don't shop in there.
 
Hi Katie
Thanks for your advice. She is still doing ok-ish however i have noticed last night and today that she has a bit of a soggy belly and not sure if this is just where she has been laying in it or because her bladder is so sore and swollen that she is almost wetting herself? Any thoughts?

i have lowered the Baytril to 3ml twice a day rather than 4ml but will gradually creep this back up and see how she goes. Would like her on full strength asap and for as long as possible as i am hoping its a stubborn infection problem that we can knock on the head rather than it ** anything more serious that has to be treated. Jenny the vet said that often sows can have ovarian cysts and it never bothers then so will see how she goes....
 
Ah bless her, not sure about that tbh, just make sure she's not getting urine scould, she might need a wipe with a wet cloth to clean her up but I'm not sure she'll want you touching her tummy.
I just wanted to double check you Baaytril dose. Is it 0.3ml or 3ml?
 
Sometimes Septrin is better for an infection, I haven't read all the posts I'm afraid. If it doesn't clear up soon I would have her Xrayed, you can't always feel stones in the bladder. Just because she is an older guinea pig it does not mean she will pass during operation. Guinea pigs can be very robust at times.
 
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flintstones said:
Sometimes Septrin is better for an infection, I haven't read all the posts I'm afraid. If it doesn't clear up soon I would have her Xrayed, if not already been done.
Click to expand...

She's already been xrayed thought it was a bladder stone to start with.
Jenny does use Septrin as well, she favours Baytril for certain things and Septrin for others.
 
mylittlepiggies said:
Hi
Took Ivy to see Jenny this morning and she said there were ni signs of bladder stones however she could feel ovarian cyst that may be causing problems. However at this stage she is very sore and swollen so on strong measure of Baytril and Metocam to see how she goes. She is currently in her bed with closed eyes....... not sure if this is because high dose of meds or if she is going down hill.....will be keeping a close eye on her this evening.......
Click to expand...

I did have a read back Kate after I posted, and it didn't mention Xraying. Perhaps I'm going a bit loopy it has been known. I don't doubt Jenny know's what she's doing just advising sometimes Septrin is better, especially if the pig isn't responding well to the Baytril. I have had pigs in the past on both Septrin and Baytril.
 
Jenny tends to xray them straight away at first sign of squeaks so I guess I've assumed she's done the same for Ivy as she said there was no sign of a bladder stone.
Is that how she checked mylittlepiggies?
 
Jenny said she was not giving of symptoms of stones and that she could not feel anything? However i guess if symptoms persist after the swelling has reduced then we will xray....
 
katiepops said:
Jenny tends to xray them straight away at first sign of squeaks so I guess I've assumed she's done the same for Ivy as she said there was no sign of a bladder stone.
Is that how she checked mylittlepiggies?
Click to expand...

That's interesting as the only reason I presumed she hadn't Xrayed was firstly the OP said feel and also I know of another pig that went to see Jenny recently who was not Xrayed and the owner had to ask for it to be done. I wonder if Jenny treats boys and girl pigs different. As I know myself (I am just a piggy owner) and have no real medical knowledge but if I had a boy squeaking or displaying UTI symptoms I would push for an Xray, if it was a girl I have in the past tried Abs first, as I know girls have a bigger urethra and can pass some stones.

mylittlepiggies said:
Thanks so much Flintstones and can i just say i am so loving the santa hat on your piggie!
Click to expand...

Thank you, that's my Patrick. Funnily enough he has an Xray next week!

mylittlepiggies said:
Jenny said she was not giving of symptoms of stones and that she could not feel anything? However i guess if symptoms persist after the swelling has reduced then we will xray....
Click to expand...

A stone cannot always be felt by palpatations, which is why we use Xray's. If your girls symptoms do not ease within a 7 days, I would request an Xray.

I'm unsure if she's urinating blood or just squeaking but if she is I generally found with all my pigs except Patrick they would stop this behavior within 7 days. Patrick does not have an infection or bladder stones. He has interstitial cystitis and without pain killers he squeaks all his life so is on strong painkillers. It did however take numerous tests, Xrays, scans and urine cultures to get this diagnosis.
 
Hi She is not losing any blood, and pellets and urine all ok as i have kept a close eye on this. I guess i will just have to let the Baytril and Metacam do its job......
 
Piggy Progress

Hi All

Just to let you know that my Ivy is progressing well. By the time the 1st lot of Baytril was finished she was much better but not 100% so spoke to Jenny and we are doing another Baytril dose just to ensure we get on top of this. I am away in Cornwall this week and guess who came along for the ride! I was too worried to leave Ivy behind so she is having a little holiday with me.

Ivy is due back to see Jenny on 10th Jan however if the symptoms have ceased then no visit to the vet required so fingers crossed.

She is much happier now, nice shiny coat, clear eyes and great appititie so i am hoping i caught it at the right time...

Will keep you posted but in the meantime have a happy new year!
 
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