Jill, Jaffa and Jupiter

daisymay · Post » Sat Sep 05, 2020 5:03 am

Jill in now eating nothing and we are force feeding her Critical Care every 4 hours and offering her water too. Weighed her on our scales-a week ago 1023grams now 984grams a lost of 39grams in a week.

She just wants to sleep and looks very tired. She has urinated 3 more times and her poops while way down on usual amount are normal in size and texture.

She is on Bactrim and Protexin twice a day but have seen no improvement since being on them. She gets dose 3 of Bactrim in 90 minutes time. Hoping she improves really soon! Keep you posted!

Lisa12 · Post » Sat Sep 05, 2020 5:05 am

Oh, lord...We re hoping situation will turn for the better,soon...

We re keeping fingers, paws and everything crossed for Jill!! Please, get better, girl!!
T., Irie, Ziggy(cat)

Sef · Post » Sat Sep 05, 2020 7:24 am

I think the point Lynx was making, was for you to weigh something with a known weight, such as a new bag of sugar or flour, to see if your scales are operating correctly.

Not urinating in 17 hours is not normal and makes me wonder if there is a stone in her urethra causing at least a partial blockage. You will want to monitor this closely.

daisymay · Post » Sat Sep 05, 2020 8:10 am

We have just syringe fed Jill at 8.00pm and massaged her with toothbrush for 90 minutes. In that time she urinated 4 times and on the white towel it was a light brown coppery in colour. So am hoping if she has a stone she may have passed it.

On scales I weighed Jersey and she was still 835grams and weighed Jay to may sure and she went from 935grams to 953grams. So give or take I believe our scales are working. Remember Jill lost 100grams in 3 months, she was at vet in June and she was 1084grams. Friday she was 984 that is about 7-8grams a week. Thanks for the replies Lisa12 and Sef. Jill is in lounge right next to me and am watching closely! All the girls are in the lounge!

Bookfan · Post » Sat Sep 05, 2020 11:01 am

Did you see anything that looked like a little crystal on the towel? I don't think we've ever had light brown coppery urine. Maybe that has something to do with going so long without urinating. As I'm sure you know, not urinating is an emergency. If you can keep up gentle massage to keep her peeing, I think that would be good. Others might want to weigh in on that.

daisymay · Post » Sat Sep 05, 2020 1:17 pm

That is what I was trying to get through the thick vet's head! No pee warning signs but no all she said was she did a big pee when gassed for look at teeth just after 3.00pm (10.26pm when I rang)don't worry about it. We hardly slept at all last night. She gets massaged by toothbrush, offering water and has hot pack wrapped in a towel in case she has wind.

I got this from UTI page under heading 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.

Will keep you posted, thanks for the reply Bookfan and no saw no crystals and none were seen under microscope just bacteria. Am off to bed before Jill is due for feeding again!

Sef · Post » Sat Sep 05, 2020 5:18 pm

Dehydration can also cause urine to have a dark or orange tint. So can high amounts of vitamin C (can't remember if you're still supplementing).

Post » Sat Sep 05, 2020 9:18 pm

I hope she pulls through.

Yes, as Sef explained, just find an object in your house that will not change weight that you can use to see if the scale is consistent. Since you use kilos, I would look for an object that weighed around a kilo, note its precise weight, and reweigh if you think your scale is off.

ItsaZoo · Post » Sat Sep 05, 2020 10:47 pm

I hope Jill starts getting better, Daisymay, you have your hands full. Darker orange-copper color pee can come from dark green veggies. I see this once in a while after I give Lacey a little piece of dandelion green. Since Jill peed while the vet had her sedated, and then went several times at home, do you think maybe she passed a stone or whatever while at the vet? It's probably too much to hope for, but the sedative would have made her more relaxed.

Hoping the Bactrim kicks in and gets her back on track!

daisymay · Post » Mon Sep 07, 2020 8:03 am

Thanks for the reply ItsaZoo,Lynx and Sef! Went to the vet today and we know as much now as we did then. Nothing!

First urine was tested again, this time no blood and no bacteria. After 3 days? Keeping up Bactrim at least for another 3 days. She got sedated, shaved and again they tried to take blood from Jill's neck area, but their excuse again-Jill's neck area too fat. X-Rays were taken but vet has to do research to see what is normal for a guinea pig and she wants to put it on VIN website to get other vets opinions.

She did however rule out stones, she is looking at cancer, kidney failure or something else. So a big part of us don't want to know what is the matter!

She is eating the Critical Care but not on her own. She is still not peeing much 3-5 pees a day, poops are down too but they is due to her not eating by herself. Will post more when I know more.

Sef · Post » Mon Sep 07, 2020 9:12 am

Weight loss, reduced appetite and water intake, reduced urinary output (and even the color of the urine) would be classic signs of kidney failure. I'm not sure it would explain blood in the urine, but perhaps if it is in the later stages. It's definitely something to rule out.

daisymay · Post » Tue Sep 08, 2020 1:03 am

Thank-you for the reply Sef. I am having trouble believing it might be kidney failure as it came on so fast. I know piggies hide their illness but this came on way to quick. She showed no signs except for a UTI back in June. But NO blood back then.

She saw the vet Friday, urine tested, bacteria and blood, goes back to vet Monday(3 days) bacteria and blood gone. She wanted us to take Jill off Bactrim but GL says 2-3 weeks or longer so am going for at least the 2 weeks.

She is eating hay, and will take Critical Care for my husband(they have always been so close)and cucumbers don't stand a chance. We believe this to be due to the Meloxicam or perhaps bladder infection cleared up.

As vet said she needs to study Jill's X-rays to find out what was normal for a guinea pig I have offered to bring Jay or Jersey in-both healthy piggies and have them have an X-ray for comparison with Jill's. Vet not on again till tomorrow. Will keep you posted. Thanking all for the replies.

Before I go, she tried to get blood from Jill in her throat area but couldn't as vet claimed Jill's throat area was too fat. Any suggestions on that?