Reoccurring bladder infections
This is from an article by Dawn Hromanik. The bold is my emphasis as it pertains to this thread.
http://www.petsjunction.com/avantgo/47.htm
Enteritis, and the resulting endotoxemia, is a problem commonly associated with diets that contain high levels of energy, starch and glucose. A low fiber, high starch diet promotes gut hypomotility and changes the pH environment, which then allows pathogens to produce toxins that can kill a guinea pig. Feeds high in grains contain high levels of carbohydrates that are digested in the cecum and can lead to enteritis. Enteritis is commonly overlooked by the pet owner, even when diarrhoea and gas symptoms are exhibited.
http://www.petsjunction.com/avantgo/47.htm
Enteritis, and the resulting endotoxemia, is a problem commonly associated with diets that contain high levels of energy, starch and glucose. A low fiber, high starch diet promotes gut hypomotility and changes the pH environment, which then allows pathogens to produce toxins that can kill a guinea pig. Feeds high in grains contain high levels of carbohydrates that are digested in the cecum and can lead to enteritis. Enteritis is commonly overlooked by the pet owner, even when diarrhoea and gas symptoms are exhibited.
Many good vets aren't great on knowing the nutritional requirements of pigs and shouldn't expected to know this when they are dealing with multiple species. This is the owners' responsibility to research. The vet's expertise lies in diagnosis and treatment protocols.
My vet once hopefully suggested cheese when she knew my pig required extra calcium. That time it was my turn to derisively snort at her. See, she knew the pig needed calcium but didn't know the best way to deliver it for that species. It was my job to find out.
My vet once hopefully suggested cheese when she knew my pig required extra calcium. That time it was my turn to derisively snort at her. See, she knew the pig needed calcium but didn't know the best way to deliver it for that species. It was my job to find out.
No problem about removing the cereal, we’ll just substitute that treat for something else. Probably more blueberries since he will only eat those if they are hand fed. I’ll try leaving the cranberries in the cage a few days, if I can find them now. They usually are only sold at holiday time around here.
I guess we’re lucky, because our Vet makes the pets nutritional needs a vital part of every visit. I have printed off the article clip Becky posted and will bring it with us on our next visit so she knows for the future that pigs shouldn’t be eating even small amounts of cereal. In the 12 years I’ve been going to her, she has been a huge part of all our animals diets and is more then willing to research, ask questions and learn from others.
I’m going shopping tomorrow so will pick up the suggested new greens to try him on. He wasn’t overly impressed with the reduced fruits and veggies tonight and has been whining non stop since dinner as if protesting. He’s never been a huge greens eater so it will take him a while to get used to. He’d much prefer his veggies, fruit and hay if he fully had his way.
I guess we’re lucky, because our Vet makes the pets nutritional needs a vital part of every visit. I have printed off the article clip Becky posted and will bring it with us on our next visit so she knows for the future that pigs shouldn’t be eating even small amounts of cereal. In the 12 years I’ve been going to her, she has been a huge part of all our animals diets and is more then willing to research, ask questions and learn from others.
I’m going shopping tomorrow so will pick up the suggested new greens to try him on. He wasn’t overly impressed with the reduced fruits and veggies tonight and has been whining non stop since dinner as if protesting. He’s never been a huge greens eater so it will take him a while to get used to. He’d much prefer his veggies, fruit and hay if he fully had his way.
Chestnut just completed his 2nd month of pulse therapy with Nitrofurantoin on the 3rd of March and was doing great until Sunday night. I had him out for floor time and noticed a large puddle of pink pee. Nothing in his diet or cage has changed, so I have no clue what is happening now. He has been bleeding on and off since then. He still gets his daily dose of Metacam, still on towels changed twice daily etc.
This is the first flare-up since January. His weight hasn’t changed at all, still very active, and pee/poop are both normal (minus the blood of course)
The only food he gets now is cilantro, endive, leaf lettuce, tomato, 1 baby carrot, dandelion, green pepper, and blueberries – twice daily. He also still has unlimited Timothy pellets and Timothy hay. Still drinks a lot of water as well. Still can’t get him to eat or drink anything related to cranberries.
When the blood was noticed on Sunday, I immediately started the AB again, contacted his Vet Monday morning and was told to keep him on the AB for 5 days and to bring him in if he’s not improving after the 5 days – sooner if he gets worse.
I now have a nice hole in my wall from banging my head over and over again and a few more gray hairs.
This is the first flare-up since January. His weight hasn’t changed at all, still very active, and pee/poop are both normal (minus the blood of course)
The only food he gets now is cilantro, endive, leaf lettuce, tomato, 1 baby carrot, dandelion, green pepper, and blueberries – twice daily. He also still has unlimited Timothy pellets and Timothy hay. Still drinks a lot of water as well. Still can’t get him to eat or drink anything related to cranberries.
When the blood was noticed on Sunday, I immediately started the AB again, contacted his Vet Monday morning and was told to keep him on the AB for 5 days and to bring him in if he’s not improving after the 5 days – sooner if he gets worse.
I now have a nice hole in my wall from banging my head over and over again and a few more gray hairs.
You bet he’ll be getting yet another xray, I have to rule out the possibility of another stone, though I’m really hoping that isn’t the case. At 3+ years old, I hate the thought of him having to go through another surgery, especially since he hasn’t 100% recovered from the first surgery and stint of infections.
Using the excel calculator, his food reads in as: Vit C 0.65, Cal 1.76, Phos 0.95 (CA:PH 1.87). His food is weighed out daily to be exact every time. I’m not sure if this is good or not, since I don’t fully understand how to read these ratings. The only thing I don’t weigh is his Timothy pellets and hay. Should I be as well?
This is the weight of his food, maybe someone can offer suggestions on anything that needs to be changed:
Cilantro 0.5g
Dandelion 0.5g
Leaf lettuce 0.5g
Endive 0.5g
Blueberries 0.2g
Green pepper 0.2g
Baby carrot 0.1g
Tomato 0.1g
Like I said, I don’t weigh his pellets or hay which he has unlimited of.
Using the excel calculator, his food reads in as: Vit C 0.65, Cal 1.76, Phos 0.95 (CA:PH 1.87). His food is weighed out daily to be exact every time. I’m not sure if this is good or not, since I don’t fully understand how to read these ratings. The only thing I don’t weigh is his Timothy pellets and hay. Should I be as well?
This is the weight of his food, maybe someone can offer suggestions on anything that needs to be changed:
Cilantro 0.5g
Dandelion 0.5g
Leaf lettuce 0.5g
Endive 0.5g
Blueberries 0.2g
Green pepper 0.2g
Baby carrot 0.1g
Tomato 0.1g
Like I said, I don’t weigh his pellets or hay which he has unlimited of.
Hi Kallie,
Sorry to hear about the troubles with Chestnut, it is very frustating and can indeed result in more grey hairs (I know!!).
The amount of grams look strange to me? Are you sure you are talking grams? Say, for example, if I give my pigs 10 grams of green pepper, that piece is appr 1,5 inches big (square). 0.5 grams is nothing really. Try to reduce the ratio but not less than 1.33. Glad to see you have excluded certain veggies like spinach and parsley.
Also, have you stopped the apple juice???
I strongly suggest to stop that as have other people on this post. For fruit I would give banana, melon or peer, which they only get as a treat say once a week maybe (small piece).
I would also decrease the carrots to maybe every other day or less even.
Like Becky said, concentrate on the good greens (lettuces, endive) combined with say peppers or tomatoes or cilantro.
I have found out that certain veggies cause sludge with my Flatman. So it is a matter of trying things out.
I actually never read whether Chestnut is peeing sludge?
Also, did you read up on interstitial cystitis? My Snoop and Frenkie were diagnosed with it. I believe one of Becky's piggers suffers from it as well. Snoop and Frenkie (both female) have been on Cystaid for a couple of months, it helped Frenkie after say 1.5 months, but Snoop was still bleeding so now and then when she peed. She did not have any stones and was not in pain every time she peed pink. Kidneys were checked, they were fine. The vet then advised to continue with the Cystaid (to thickens the bladder lining) and to give Metacam for a week every time Snoop was peeing blood. So I did the Metacam thing twice since and Snoop has not peed any more blood for a couple of weeks now. It is very hard sometimes to find out what is wrong. With Snoop and Frenkie I have to make sure to reduce any stress due to their condition.
How much is Chestnut drinking on a daily basis?
Timothy pellets, I think they are ok but I think it is better to measure the amount instead of giving it unlimited. My pigs are not even on pellets.
Sorry to hear about the troubles with Chestnut, it is very frustating and can indeed result in more grey hairs (I know!!).
The amount of grams look strange to me? Are you sure you are talking grams? Say, for example, if I give my pigs 10 grams of green pepper, that piece is appr 1,5 inches big (square). 0.5 grams is nothing really. Try to reduce the ratio but not less than 1.33. Glad to see you have excluded certain veggies like spinach and parsley.
Also, have you stopped the apple juice???
I strongly suggest to stop that as have other people on this post. For fruit I would give banana, melon or peer, which they only get as a treat say once a week maybe (small piece).
I would also decrease the carrots to maybe every other day or less even.
Like Becky said, concentrate on the good greens (lettuces, endive) combined with say peppers or tomatoes or cilantro.
I have found out that certain veggies cause sludge with my Flatman. So it is a matter of trying things out.
I actually never read whether Chestnut is peeing sludge?
Also, did you read up on interstitial cystitis? My Snoop and Frenkie were diagnosed with it. I believe one of Becky's piggers suffers from it as well. Snoop and Frenkie (both female) have been on Cystaid for a couple of months, it helped Frenkie after say 1.5 months, but Snoop was still bleeding so now and then when she peed. She did not have any stones and was not in pain every time she peed pink. Kidneys were checked, they were fine. The vet then advised to continue with the Cystaid (to thickens the bladder lining) and to give Metacam for a week every time Snoop was peeing blood. So I did the Metacam thing twice since and Snoop has not peed any more blood for a couple of weeks now. It is very hard sometimes to find out what is wrong. With Snoop and Frenkie I have to make sure to reduce any stress due to their condition.
How much is Chestnut drinking on a daily basis?
Timothy pellets, I think they are ok but I think it is better to measure the amount instead of giving it unlimited. My pigs are not even on pellets.
-
capybara
- Supporter in '13
Have you considered using Polycitra? It has done wonders for Chester, who was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis. He has been on 0.1 cc twice daily for 3 months, and in that time has gained about 50 grams and kept it on, and has only had one mild episode with blood in his urine since we started it. Before, his weight constantly fluctuated. He's also very rarely in pain anymore when he pees.
It might be worth a try for Chesnut.
It might be worth a try for Chesnut.
-
mkkayla
- Supporter in '14
I would consider going pelletless, I know Prangus did that because of one of her pigs with chronic bladder issues and it helped tremendously. I have pigs with bladder issues too and I have gone to KM's timothy pellets but only once every three days and not unlimited. It has helped. Expect though for a small amount of weight loss initially around 30-40 grams, but many of mine regained it later.
Chestnut has an appointment tomorrow morning; I’m not waiting until Friday. He’ll get his x-ray and urine tests done again to hopefully figure out what is happening and what else we can do for him.
Trisha, I did stop the apple juice in January and as for the sludge, he would pee the odd time and there would be a bit of chalky sludge, which I was told was fine. He has irritable bladder syndrome – so basically anything even slight will set him off. It apparently is very similar to irritable bowel syndrome, where if the diet is even off the slightest bit it can flare up. But for Chestnut, it can be anything from a slight change in his diet, to stress, to god knows what. This is apparently genetics related, as well as his intolerance to the majority of medications that would normally help him.
He cries every time he goes to the bathroom still (since October 05) and it is only getting worse and louder as he gets older, even with the daily dose of Metacam. He drinks anywhere between 10-15 ounces of water a day, plus he gets some water from his deliberately wet veggies.
Capybara, I will ask his Vet tomorrow when we see her about the Polycitra and if she thinks he’ll tolerate it, or if it will even help him in this case.
Mkkayla, he has a bowl of pellets in his cage which holds approx a ½ cup of pellets max. He goes through the bowl every couple of days, he’s never eaten a full bowl – I normally have to dump the remainder out. We’ve tried removing the bowl and he protests by chewing on the bars and breaking his teeth, so it’s a choice between two evils now.
I will post more tomorrow when we get back from the Vet.
Trisha, I did stop the apple juice in January and as for the sludge, he would pee the odd time and there would be a bit of chalky sludge, which I was told was fine. He has irritable bladder syndrome – so basically anything even slight will set him off. It apparently is very similar to irritable bowel syndrome, where if the diet is even off the slightest bit it can flare up. But for Chestnut, it can be anything from a slight change in his diet, to stress, to god knows what. This is apparently genetics related, as well as his intolerance to the majority of medications that would normally help him.
He cries every time he goes to the bathroom still (since October 05) and it is only getting worse and louder as he gets older, even with the daily dose of Metacam. He drinks anywhere between 10-15 ounces of water a day, plus he gets some water from his deliberately wet veggies.
Capybara, I will ask his Vet tomorrow when we see her about the Polycitra and if she thinks he’ll tolerate it, or if it will even help him in this case.
Mkkayla, he has a bowl of pellets in his cage which holds approx a ½ cup of pellets max. He goes through the bowl every couple of days, he’s never eaten a full bowl – I normally have to dump the remainder out. We’ve tried removing the bowl and he protests by chewing on the bars and breaking his teeth, so it’s a choice between two evils now.
I will post more tomorrow when we get back from the Vet.
SHOP AMAZON