Bladder / urinary infection
- Ibepatience
- Supporter in '13
I’m gonna switch her to the Bactrim that I have from my last pig. We ended up stopping it for her because it wasn’t working on her ear infection.
- Sef
- I dissent.
Those poops are not only small but look mucousy to me. How long was she on the Baytril? I think it would be worth starting her on a probiotic to see if it'll help get her gut flora back into shape. I'd also continue to handfeed for a few more days and weigh her daily at the same time each day---preferably first thing each morning, before being fed. I'd also push fluids as much as possible.
Do make sure you base the Bactrim dose on her weight. See:
https://www.guinealynx.info/dose_calculator.html
Do make sure you base the Bactrim dose on her weight. See:
https://www.guinealynx.info/dose_calculator.html
- Ibepatience
- Supporter in '13
Faith was starting to seem better, her poop wa normal formed the day after I posted last. She was on the ABs for over a week and started peeing blood again this weekend. She will only nibble at hay or pellets but will eat as much lettuce and cilantro as I’ll give her. I took her back to my vet today and they gave her more sub-q fluids and did an X-ray and it looks like she has stones. They’re not round like stones normally look, it’s either clusters of small stones or sludge but there’s definitely sometime in her bladder. My normal vet was out today so the vet that saw her is going to go over the xrays with my regular vet tomorrow to see what she thinks. In the meantime they gave me more Metacam to give her daily, another week of ABs and told me to syringe Critical Care to supplement her eating. Im also giving her Shilintong and Renavive in case it’s sludge and can be flushed out. I decided in the beginning I am not going to put her through surgery if it is stones, she’s at least 5 and now underweight and the stone surgeries are just so hard on them. If I don’t see improvement in the next few dats and if she seems like she’s in pain I’m gonna let her go.
- Sef
- I dissent.
Oh no, I'm so sorry. :( Did you ever end up switching to Bactrim? I'd be interested to see the images, if they'll send them to you. With her weight being what it is, and seeing the small clusters that you describe, I wonder if she is forming stones in her ureters (which looks uniquely different from stones seen in the bladder). If that's the case, there really isn't anything to be done, unfortunately.
Keep us posted, okay?
Keep us posted, okay?
- Catie Cavy
- Supporter 2011-2020
I'm very sorry. Sometimes Valium or Ativan can be taken as a muscle relaxant to help pass stones. Extra fluids can sometimes help to. Good luck.
- Ibepatience
- Supporter in '13
Sef, yes I switched her to Bactrim. They’re putting her back on Baytril in case it’s just not responding to the Bactrim because she obviously has a urinary infection too. I googled guinea pig stone xrays and that’s what I’m thinking too, it might have been in her ureters. I’ll get copies tomorrow and post them for you to see and I’ll keep you posted
- Ibepatience
- Supporter in '13
So I haven’t got the X-ray copies yet, I’ll call again today to try to get them, but I did talk to my regular vet last night. She said there’s definitely the beginnings of stones in her bladder. She said she is comfortable doing surgery but I’m still not convinced. She said we could try to break the stones down with a high acidic diet and doing sub-q fluids 1-2x a day and see if that works. She said if the antibiotics are upsetting her stomach I can discontinue them since they’re obviously not going to do anything for the stone and the infection is just a symptom of the stone. She’s still eating and maintaining her (low) weight, my question is am I being selfish prolonging her suffering? I don’t think there’s a very good chance we can break up the stones and I know she’s uncomfortable. When do I call it quits and let her go?
- Sef
- I dissent.
I agree. Of all surgeries to have on a guinea pig, bladder stone removal is relatively straight-forward as long as there are no stones in ureters or in the urethra, and as long as the guinea pig is in good health otherwise. Having a decent vet is a must, of course. Does your vet not think the stones can be passed? Females can often do pass smaller stones; with males, it's not as common.
Acidifying the diet hasn't been shown to help, as far as I know.
Acidifying the diet hasn't been shown to help, as far as I know.