Pinniped's problems: random calcification (+ sludge, cysts)

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PooksiedAnimals
Supporting my GL Habit

Post   » Sun Jan 19, 2014 6:57 pm


Background - Pinni has had a variety of issues. She has sludgy tendencies. We've been watching her calcium intake and she gets occasional shilintong.

She was diagnosed with ovarian cysts in 2012, treated with hormones. Came back again in Dec 2013, treated again with Cystorelin. Cysts have shrunk again.

I could see that the cysts had shrunk, but she didn't gain back weight. She was grunting every so often, and seemed to need to pee all the time. Brought her into the vet a week ago. Vet found a stone in her urethra, and another floating around (in what appeared to be her digestive tract). Dr. Holmes removed the urethra stone, wanted us to come back in a week to try and figure out where that other stone really was.

We came back this week, and the stone still appeared near Pinni's backbone. Not at all where we'd think. Certainly isn't in Pinni's bladder. The calcification hasn't appeared to have moved at all, and appears to be the same side. Ultrasound confirmed that it's not in a kidney. We're due for a recheck in six weeks, unless something goes wrong with Pinni in the meantime.

Except for the occasional grunting (which I think is when she's pooing, or getting ready to poo) Pinni is her usual self. She's a bit on the light side than what I'd like, but she's eating on her own, and is maintaining her weight on her own. She's on tramadol, mostly from the stone removal, but she's still on it. The grunting is getting less frequent, and I'm hopeful to take her off the tramadol soon.

Anyone ever come across a random calcification that is not in the bladder or kidneys?

piggycosy

Post   » Mon Jan 20, 2014 1:44 am


I came across something about calcification which may be of interest to you, and wrote about it on this thread (as a guinea pig owner having dealt with similar problems): viewtopic.php?t=69607

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PooksiedAnimals
Supporting my GL Habit

Post   » Wed Mar 19, 2014 2:08 pm


Pinniped did better through February, and was a little light, but otherwise alright when she went in for a recheck the first week in March. I had weened her off of the tramadol. Xrays showed that the calcification was still near her spine, but the vet said it looked like it was breaking up.

Last week she took a nose-dive on Wednesday. I had her back into the vet on Thursday: smelly pee, crying, hunched in the corner. I had figured UTI. Sure enough, the vet expressed bloody sludge from her bladder. So I've got her on Baytril, metacam and back on the tramadol.

Pinni made tremendous progress during the weekend. Pee stopped smelling, whimpering lessened, she gained nearly 60g. I stopped the metacam (I was only to give her three doses), and on Monday she started to nose-dive again. Called the vet, and she's back on full doses of everything. I'm hand feeding and trying to get more water into her as well.

She's unhappy. I think the whimpering has improved a little today, after two doses of metacam. I was hoping to see more of an improvement. I honestly figured, when we went in last week, I'd get the drugs, and it would all be taken care of. It's discouraging.

Not necessarily looking for advice. Mostly here to document, vent and ask that you send healing thoughts her way.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Mar 19, 2014 3:23 pm


Hard when they need drugs but satisfying when they work. Hoping for the best.

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mmeadow
Supporter 2004-2022

Post   » Wed Mar 19, 2014 5:04 pm


Oh, Pinni, feel better soon!

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Delaine
Supporter in '14

Post   » Wed Mar 19, 2014 8:21 pm


I hope Pinni is feeling better very soon.

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PooksiedAnimals
Supporting my GL Habit

Post   » Fri Mar 21, 2014 3:29 pm


At what point should I worry about blockage? She's been peeing little bits all afternoon, although I'd like to see more, given her intake, I'm not surprised. However, I have seen her slowly graze all afternoon, and I fed her about 12cc of critical care at 1pm, and all I have is 4 poos. Every time she cries, she seems to pee, but I'm wondering if she's having problems pooing? I guess it's only 3:30pm... it takes about 4 hours for stuff to go through, right? I'd think I'd start to see the critical care making it's rounds soon? When do I worry that there's not enough poo?

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Fri Mar 21, 2014 3:36 pm


Stones make it painful for them to poop or pee.

I would think the metacam is slowing her digestive tract down, but not stopping it. I haven't re-read the whole thread, but did he give her any sort of motility drug along with the pain meds?

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PooksiedAnimals
Supporting my GL Habit

Post   » Fri Mar 21, 2014 6:36 pm


No motility drugs. I didn't know that about the metacam. I can see why the vet had wanted to use that as little as possible.

We have poo, though! They're small, but dark and not so crumbly as before. And she's eating more on her own. I'm crossing my fingers that this trend continues (she gained a whole ounce today).

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PooksiedAnimals
Supporting my GL Habit

Post   » Thu Apr 03, 2014 6:34 pm


We went back last week, put PInni on hydrochlorothiazide and subcues to try and get all of the sludge out of her bladder.

Pinni is driving me crazy. She gets better for one day, gains weight, looks good. Then she loses weight for two days. Then she gets better for a day, and the whole cycle starts again.

She wheeks and runs around the cage like nothing is wrong, yet has a constantly wet bum. She looks like she's eating hay and pellets all day, but she's losing weight. Her poos look healthy and she's peeing all over the place (which makes sense, given the subcues).

What the hell?

Awaiting a call back from the vet. I know she's as unhappy as I am about this whole thing.

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Delaine
Supporter in '14

Post   » Thu Apr 03, 2014 8:13 pm


It must be frustrating not to have answers. Black and white issues are much easier to deal with.

I quickly re-read the info so hope I didn't miss this. Did the calcification near her backbone totally break up? Has she had any more X-rays?

Please keep us posted.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Apr 03, 2014 8:13 pm


Are you logging her food? Is it easy to look at dried urine for calcium deposits on the bedding/fleece? Sounds like you are weighing regularly. Are the changes significant? (an ounce or two might not indicate a problem - it's a pattern of loss you would worry about). Are there changes in behavior too? Signs of pain? I'm sorry you are having a difficult time with this.

www.guinealynx.info/.html

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