First Angel...now it's Elsie..crying when peeing.!
Was the subcue fluid warm? I find my pigs jerk around if the fluid is too cool or too warm. Massaging while subcuing helps a lot too. Sometimes the tip of the needle is hitting a sensitive area. A gentle adjustment can help. I do 4 subcues a day. Sometimes the needle goes in great, other times the pig is wiggling and I'm cursing.
Ditto on the temp of the subcues. The only time this happened with both Cookie and Chippy was when it was too cold. You might consider whether or not she'd be less stressed out if you were doing them at home in a more familiar situation. Trying to syringe that much fluid is near impossible if you want to have a life.
Lynx, yes, the purpose of the polycitra in herbivores is not to make the urine more alkaline, but to give the excess calcium something with which to bind so that it's passed instead of forming stones or sitting around as sludge.
Carol, I really, really don't know why you would want her urine to be more acidic. That just doesn't make any sense to me. The only time that would make sense would be for struvite crystals or stones.
Also, if she's doing OK aside from the crying when she pees and poops, have you considered just letting it be? When they have chronic bladder inflammation, aside from the metacam and keeping the sludge moving, it just may be something you control rather than cure.
Lynx, yes, the purpose of the polycitra in herbivores is not to make the urine more alkaline, but to give the excess calcium something with which to bind so that it's passed instead of forming stones or sitting around as sludge.
Carol, I really, really don't know why you would want her urine to be more acidic. That just doesn't make any sense to me. The only time that would make sense would be for struvite crystals or stones.
Also, if she's doing OK aside from the crying when she pees and poops, have you considered just letting it be? When they have chronic bladder inflammation, aside from the metacam and keeping the sludge moving, it just may be something you control rather than cure.
If the vet tech took the subcue fluid into a syringe and heated it under running hot water, it would have been warm. If it came from an IV bag hanging in the air, it would have been cool.
Our vet clinic always warms the subcue fluid for pigs. For cats and dogs, I just see it hanging from a stand.
Our vet clinic always warms the subcue fluid for pigs. For cats and dogs, I just see it hanging from a stand.
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- My home, ruled by pigs!
"Also, if she's doing OK aside from the crying when she pees and poops, have you considered just letting it be?"
Yup...after 18mths of trying different things I'm close to doing that. I'm now trying the diet changes per your suggestion ( I just bought Kale and Leaf lettuces tonight) along with the higher dose of Metacam and a trial run of Bactrim (2-3 wks).
My co-worker suggested bring the pH down a little by increasing the acid in her urine, not necessarily making it too acidic. The technician also said her urine pH should be lower. That was the first time anybody said that to me.
Yup...after 18mths of trying different things I'm close to doing that. I'm now trying the diet changes per your suggestion ( I just bought Kale and Leaf lettuces tonight) along with the higher dose of Metacam and a trial run of Bactrim (2-3 wks).
My co-worker suggested bring the pH down a little by increasing the acid in her urine, not necessarily making it too acidic. The technician also said her urine pH should be lower. That was the first time anybody said that to me.
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- My home, ruled by pigs!
Poor Angel. Last night I heard her cry out worse than ever. I pulled her out of the cage and examined her to see if I could find something. She has this reddish/brown mark on her skin. I guess it's the vagina area. I wonder if when she urinates it's burning. This mark is something new. It hasn't been there before.
I just don't know what to do for her. I tried putting Bacitracin ointment on it last night but it was still there this morning. I am going to give her a warm water butt bath tonight and see if that helps.
Any other ideas of what to do for her?
I just don't know what to do for her. I tried putting Bacitracin ointment on it last night but it was still there this morning. I am going to give her a warm water butt bath tonight and see if that helps.
Any other ideas of what to do for her?
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- My home, ruled by pigs!
Update. I took Angel in for an x-ray. No bladder stone. I took her back to the original vets office that we started with. We are sending out a urine sample to an outside lab to compare the results against the 10 that Dr. S did over the last 8 mths.
I was given Rimadyl to try to ease her pain when urinating. So far it doesn't seem to be working but I was told it should kick in 48hrs after starting it which was last night.
I was given Rimadyl to try to ease her pain when urinating. So far it doesn't seem to be working but I was told it should kick in 48hrs after starting it which was last night.