GP Lover could you please go to my thread about lots of crystals? It sounds like we have the same thing going on except my vet is considering euthanasia. I would appreciate any thought you have since you have been dealing with it for so long.
Also, pinta, how did you discover the calcium problem?
First Angel...now it's Elsie..crying when peeing.!
Chippy never had an infection, so this might be different.
Carole, how debilitating is the pain, do you think? You probably covered this, but does she have pain, then go about her usual pig business?
It just might be that she'll have pain when she pees and poops. I've kind of come to terms with that. I've got the metacam for when it lasts more than a day and, for the most part, it hasn't impacted her life much.
Just something to discuss with your vet and think about.
Carole, how debilitating is the pain, do you think? You probably covered this, but does she have pain, then go about her usual pig business?
It just might be that she'll have pain when she pees and poops. I've kind of come to terms with that. I've got the metacam for when it lasts more than a day and, for the most part, it hasn't impacted her life much.
Just something to discuss with your vet and think about.
It was so long ago it's hard to remember. Neverending UTIs. Sludgy urine. An xray that showed a huge mass in the bladder that turned out to be sludge. Hunched pig always crying when peeing. I do remember my vet was recommending euth until Delilah purred when she stroked her even though she was hunched and crying.
Then she started consulting with other vets to get an answer and did from the University of Saskatchewan(I think)
Then she started consulting with other vets to get an answer and did from the University of Saskatchewan(I think)
-
GP Lover
- My home, ruled by pigs!
double trouble - I'll have a look and see if I can offer anything.
Pinta - she's on a low calcium diet and polycitra (3rd week now on it). Her culture showed Bactrim to be one of the drugs of choice. She was on it for 5 weeks. Baytril was tried first. She's not had sludge in her urine or blood that was visible by eye.
Becky - she has the pain for a few seconds sometimes while peeing and then goes about her business. I had to come to terms with that and accept it last fall when the first vet gave up and said to just accept it. It was only this past spring when I brought her to this new vet because I could see the pain escalated. She began crying louder and more often.
The only thing we know for sure (ha! I think!) is what E said. The white blood cells indicate an infection.
Angel has a wonderful quality of life and unless you were standing next to her when she peed you'd never know anything was wrong!
I just hope one more culture and one more antibiotic will do the trick.
Pinta - she's on a low calcium diet and polycitra (3rd week now on it). Her culture showed Bactrim to be one of the drugs of choice. She was on it for 5 weeks. Baytril was tried first. She's not had sludge in her urine or blood that was visible by eye.
Becky - she has the pain for a few seconds sometimes while peeing and then goes about her business. I had to come to terms with that and accept it last fall when the first vet gave up and said to just accept it. It was only this past spring when I brought her to this new vet because I could see the pain escalated. She began crying louder and more often.
The only thing we know for sure (ha! I think!) is what E said. The white blood cells indicate an infection.
Angel has a wonderful quality of life and unless you were standing next to her when she peed you'd never know anything was wrong!
I just hope one more culture and one more antibiotic will do the trick.
Thanks for your advice. Petie is the same way. He is perfectly heathly and extremely loveable. I have heard him squeal in pain from the other room though!! After he poops and pees he is back to normal. Some moments are normal and others particularly at night are worse .
Is it worth seeing him in pain for the rest of his life. I feel so helpless and sometimes he looks worn out with it!
Is it worth seeing him in pain for the rest of his life. I feel so helpless and sometimes he looks worn out with it!
-
GP Lover
- My home, ruled by pigs!
Update: Angel had her follow up urinalysis/cystocentisis today. The urine still has white blood cells.
I made a mistake about the last urine culture (2 weeks ago). There was no bacteria which is a good thing. The culture they are doing now is a follow up to see if there is still no bacteria.
I finally got a diagnosis - Interstitial Cystitis. I mentioned using the medication they give to cats for the bladder inflammation and he said the use of that would be experimental since they don't know the affects of it on a guinea pig. If this latest culture is negative for bacteria he may try a steroid on her.
I went shopping with Angel in the car after the vets. Angel got to get some lettuce from Wendy's drive thru window!
I made a mistake about the last urine culture (2 weeks ago). There was no bacteria which is a good thing. The culture they are doing now is a follow up to see if there is still no bacteria.
I finally got a diagnosis - Interstitial Cystitis. I mentioned using the medication they give to cats for the bladder inflammation and he said the use of that would be experimental since they don't know the affects of it on a guinea pig. If this latest culture is negative for bacteria he may try a steroid on her.
I went shopping with Angel in the car after the vets. Angel got to get some lettuce from Wendy's drive thru window!
GP Lover-I'm glad to hear that you finally know whats going on. Could I print this thread to take to my vet? Like I said before he is willing to look at all options. Oh, before I forget, did you ever had exploratory surgery on her? I was just thinking of going right for the cystocentisis. Petie is really straining when peeing and pooping. At least thats what it looks like. I just read a thread about satins having calcium deficency. I'm going to mention that too. Do you have a life other than taking care of these little ones? I don't. It's almost become an obsession! At least that's what my family says.
-
GP Lover
- My home, ruled by pigs!
Yes, we talked about the exploratory surgery. Please read about that back a few pages. $2,000 was spent so far. Angel has been spayed, explored, ultrasounded, x-rayed, poked and prodded since August 3, 2003.
It appears to me that there is no successful treatment for IC in a guinea pig. This is the conclusion I am coming too. Pain relief is the key and we just can't seem to get that for her.
Sure, you can print this thread and show your vet.
It appears to me that there is no successful treatment for IC in a guinea pig. This is the conclusion I am coming too. Pain relief is the key and we just can't seem to get that for her.
Sure, you can print this thread and show your vet.
Last edited by GP Lover on Sat Oct 16, 2004 3:37 pm, edited 6 times in total.
I'm sorry to hear about no treatment! That sucks(exuse the language). I have really bonded with these little ones. Did you ask the vet to try piroxam? That is what we tried first. The metacam seems to help as long as he has plenty of fluids in him. Does Angel do better with more fluids in her? I have been taking Petie in for subques all week.
No, it didn't work,but that's what the specialist at UC Davis recommended. She said they are trying it on GP now. Maybe his dose wasn't high enough? Well, I actually have to get off the computer for awhile to get ready to go to a Coast Guard Ball! The only bad thing about sick animals or people when you're in the military is moving so much. I hope we get Petie well before June because we'll be moving then!
GP, would your vet consider a higher dose of metacam? I'm sure he could consult with my vet re: dosage. After the discussion about dosage, it occurred to me that maybe it's working for Chippy because it seems to be a higher dose.
DT, your pig is a satin? Take a look at his x-rays. One thing we discovered with Chippy was she has some arthritis in her spine. The location could make it painful when she eliminates.
Just something to investigate.
DT, your pig is a satin? Take a look at his x-rays. One thing we discovered with Chippy was she has some arthritis in her spine. The location could make it painful when she eliminates.
Just something to investigate.
Becky- Yes, both of our boys are satins. How long can you keep them on metacam? Can they build up an immunity to it?
GPL her weight fluxuates, but generally is around 1000gm. Her dosage is 0.2ml and the concentration is 1.5mg/ml. When Buttercup had her surgery, her dosage was 0.25ml. Her weight is around 1200gm.
DT, I don't keep Chippy on the metacam all the time. I only give it to her if she has pain. For the most part, I give it to her for one or two days, and she stops crying; sometimes only one day.
DT, I don't keep Chippy on the metacam all the time. I only give it to her if she has pain. For the most part, I give it to her for one or two days, and she stops crying; sometimes only one day.
-
GP Lover
- My home, ruled by pigs!
Becky, I didn't see any thread about Chippy in the Reference and First Hand accounts forum. Would it be possible for you to post a history of Chippy and how you got to where you're at now, including the dosage you just posted here? I would appreciate that!
My vet wants me to send him info from here but I don't want to print out this thread.
Thanks!
My vet wants me to send him info from here but I don't want to print out this thread.
Thanks!