*URGENT* Passing blood...squeaking

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Fri Dec 28, 2007 7:58 pm


WALGREENS. I didn't even think of that. We do have one; it's on the other end of town. Is yours just plain potassium citrate, then? 99mg?

Mine is probably okay, but I would have preferred it without all the other stuff.

What dose are you using?

User avatar
averyl

Post   » Fri Dec 28, 2007 8:15 pm


sef- It's "Cytra-3 Syrup". His does was originally .2 cc with water but lowered to .1 cc. You need a prescription from your vet and they will put your pig into their system.

User avatar
Becky

Post   » Fri Dec 28, 2007 8:20 pm


Polycitra is a prescription. You'll need a vet to Rx it. I don't know a thing about any of the others.

ETA: Duh! Avryl just said it has to be rx'd.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Fri Dec 28, 2007 10:06 pm


Well, now I'm confused. My vet had said that potassium citrate is not a prescription. That's why I asked if potassium citrate and Polycitrate are the same thing. So...you're saying I don't want potassium citrate; I want Polycitrate, and I need to ask my vet to call it into a pharmacy, right?


Damn. Zachary is really having some discomfort this evening. I already gave him a dose of Metacam this a.m. and a dose of Torb this evening. Not good.

GP Lover
My home, ruled by pigs!

Post   » Sat Dec 29, 2007 9:52 am


I was given a prescription for Polycitra-K which is citric acid and potassium citrate oral solution. Perhaps the vet just doesn't realize that a prescription is needed.

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Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Sat Dec 29, 2007 10:12 am


She had discussed potassium citrate, not citric acid & potassium citrate. I didn't understand that they were two different things. Plain potassium citrate you can get at health food stores (that's what I bought); apparently the citric acid ingredient of Polycitra is what makes it a prescription item.

Now that I know what to ask for, I'll get in touch with her on Monday.

This is all so frustrating. I feel like I'm wasting valuable time going back and forth, not getting what I need, not having the resources avaialble to me.

He's crying quite a bit again this morning. Last night I ended up giving him more Metacam that I probably should have, but he was really hunching and crying and the lower dose wasn't doing squat. I can't say that the extra Metacam did much to help, though.

I'm hesitant to push Torb, since motility has been an issue (gas; small poops).

Is Tramadol better tolerated?

Is there a reason why just plain Ibuprofin isn't used instead of Metacam? Both are NSAIDs. I'm just wondering what the difference is. ?

User avatar
Becky

Post   » Sat Dec 29, 2007 3:13 pm


When he finishes crying when he pees or poops, does he go back to acting normal?

Tracis
Let Sleeping Pigs Lie

Post   » Sat Dec 29, 2007 3:59 pm


Sending more good thoughts for Zachary.

Not sure if this will help, but Salana mentioned a difference between Metacam and Ibuprofen on this thread.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Sat Dec 29, 2007 6:31 pm


When he finishes crying when he pees or poops, does he go back to acting normal?
Yes. Actually, if it weren't for the crying and hunching, you wouldn't know anything is wrong because he still trots around in his cage, munches hay, or plays on the sofa with me, etc. His eyes are bright, his coat looks good, and he doesn't even look like he has lost weight (but he has--quite a bit).

Vet gave me Tramadol today and a refill of Metacam.

Thanks, tracis -- I'll take a look shortly. :)

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Sat Dec 29, 2007 6:45 pm


Ibuprofen is harder on the GI tract (read: stomach ulceration) than meloxicam. My husband has an ulcer from Motrin.

Having said that, we've used infant's Motrin successfully in a pinch for our guinea pigs. Not for very long (one or two doses), but it seemed to do the job we needed it to do for as long as we needed it to.

Tylenol is not recommended, in general, on this board but we used it very successfully, long-term, for one of ours with chronic GI problems. IIRC the dose we used was 1 mg/kg, and we went higher from time to time with no problems.

I mixed the infant's formula (80 mg per dose) into 80 mL of fruit juice => 1 mg/mL solution.

Klynne: do you think Banamine could help Zachary? (without looking back to see if you've already mentioned it.)

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Sat Dec 29, 2007 7:39 pm


She hasn't mentioned Banamine. What is it?

I asked Dr. Johnson about Diazepam (sp?), but he said it would zonk him out too much. My worry is motility problems on the Tramadol, since Sebastian had issues w/ Torb longer-term. Does anyone here know what the recommended dose is for Tramadol in guinea pigs? I'm giving him .2cc twice a day, at Dr. J's instruction. He said it could be safely used with Metacam.

I'm backing the Metacam back down to around .03cc's but haven't given him any so far today. I wanted to see how well the Tram works.

Am doing subcues every other day, 15cc's. Dr. Mehringer had said daily, but I'm paranoid that it will over-tax his kidneys.

Dr. J's comment today was, "We were just surprised by the number of stones." Tell me about it. It's so damn frustrating that I don't know how to slow them down or prevent more from forming, because I have no idea what's causing them.


Seriously considering having one of our "healthy" pigs xrayed, just to see if it is likely to be something environmental going on, OR just genetics (and a big huge coincidence that three of our guys have had them).

User avatar
pax
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Sun Dec 30, 2007 8:01 am


I continue to be in the same boat as you sef, but wanted to add what is going on with Kirbs that might help. He has been on Baytril when the blood first appeared in his urine(Dec 1st) and that didn't help. Then he was switched on my insistence to Septra. He's been on this since Dec 18th. THe blood stopped, but he was still hunching and squeaking while peeing. I stopped the Septra for two - three days last week since I didn't see an improvement and thought his poops might be getting smaller. Blood came back! He became lethargic. I started him on the Septra again two days ago. Blood is gone and he seems to be his old self. Still crying while peeing, however and his output was not too great. I started him on dandelions after reading about that on this thread. Urine output is considerably better. His appetite has improved too. He's still on the metacam 2x per day. THis morning he practically flew over the cage in excitement when he realized I had dandelions for him! Perhaps they need more forage type greens in their diet vs the more cultivated lettuces and veggies we provide them?

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