*URGENT* Passing blood...squeaking

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Jan 10, 2006 12:08 pm


Rub it between your fingers once it has dried. If it is scratchy/sandy, it is sludge.

User avatar
Trisha

Post   » Thu Jan 12, 2006 3:55 am


yes, just plain water in a syringe. I give my Flatman around 50 cc daily this way on top of his normal drinking water.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Jan 12, 2006 9:42 am


50cc's sure is doing your part. The only other thing I can think of is that some people use gentle vibrators to shake up the sludge in the bladder so it gets flushed more easily when peeing. And pain meds can help.

User avatar
Trisha

Post   » Thu Jan 12, 2006 10:48 am


I agree Lynx. My vet said that a gathering of calcium in one place in the bladder is not helping preventing stones.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Sat Jan 14, 2006 9:25 pm


Update: Zachary just finished 3 weeks of Bactrim for the blood that was originally found in his urine, and squeaking when urinating/defecating.

I have not found any additional blood on his bedding, but this afternoon while I was holding him, he squeaked a little while defecating. Appetite and water consumption are normal; no weight loss. Good activity level. I'm concerned about the squeaking.

What should the next step be? I can either take him to our local vet for another urine test, or take him back to the exotics vet an hour from here if more extensive tests seem in order. The exotics vet did xrays and found nothing to indicate stones, but was a little concerned about the presence of red cells in the urine but no white.

She also didn't like the looks of the "air pockets" in his stomach/cecum, and said to monitor feces output closely. His feces have been okay. Not sure what her thinking was.

Any thoughts?

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Sat Jan 14, 2006 9:37 pm


PS to the above -- I also noticed today that his feces are smaller than normal.

User avatar
Mum
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Sat Jan 14, 2006 10:01 pm


Smaller poop usually means they're not eating enough.

By air pockets, I wonder if she means gas? I know it's common for heart pigs to have a lot of gas shown on x-ray.

Are you monitoring his weight daily?

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Sat Jan 14, 2006 10:53 pm


Yes, I think she meant gas. She said she didn't want to go with a motility drug just yet (that was three weeks ago), as long as he was still passing feces normally. At the time, his feces looked normal. Now they're a tad on the small side, although not mis-formed. He is still eating them, but making a slight squeak when passing them.

Would a second set of xrays be in order now, or another urine test, or what? She did two views the first time around and found nothing, nor anything in the urine to make her suspicious.

I'm at a loss as to why he's still squeaking. Doesn't seem to be upon urination.

I'm weighing every few days, and so far he is maintaining his weight...eating all pellets normally, devouring hay, and gobbling up veggies as usual.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Jan 14, 2006 11:09 pm


If there are no stones, was there any trace of sludge? How about interstitial cystitis? If you look at the stones diet, it is a sound diet for any pig. Increased fluids are good too. Perhaps pain medication and try shilintong?

pinta

Post   » Sun Jan 15, 2006 2:49 am


Ferdinand squaeks when he pees and poops due to an old back injury. Did the vet check the xray for signs of arthritis in the back?

Small poops can also be a sign of dehydration.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Sun Jan 15, 2006 9:44 am


Pinta,
No, but this is a relatively young boar -- will turn 2 in February. And we've had him since he was a baby, with no trauma or injury since he's been with us. Not to say he couldn't have been injured as a newborn, I guess. But the fact that he was passing blood 3 weeks ago makes me think this is all somehow inter-related.

I'm not seeing blood on the bedding now (towels and fleece), but had planned to take a sample in to our local vet for testing.

After squeaking yesterday, and after noticing that his poos are smaller, I'm wondering if the problem is still there.

Doesn't seem to be dehydration, as his water intake is normal, and skin snaps back nicely into place...no signs of eye crust, no lethargy, or other symptoms that might indicate dehydration. I'm going to go ahead and "up" fluids again, anyway.

Argh; this internal stuff is so frustrating, because you can't see what the heck's going on!

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Mon Jan 16, 2006 3:12 pm


I made another appointment for tomorrow afternoon...he squeaked when he made two tiny poos while I was holding him, but didn't do it when husband held him. I don't know what to think. Yesterday he made a number of very small poos, but later in the evening they looked more normal. Am I jumping the gun? Should I give it a few days and see? I hate to stress him out on another long trip if it's not necessary.

He has been off the Bactrim since Saturday.

Since nothing showed up on the first set of xrays, what is the next step? More xrays? Another urinalysis?

Thanks.

Post Reply