Bladder and Kidney Stones

User avatar
NYCityCavies

Post   » Wed Dec 19, 2012 4:40 pm


Hello everyone! I am semi-new as in I read a lot of posts, but I never post myself. I have a reason to post now and it is not a good one. My youngest guinea pig Jeonmani (1y 2m) started peeing blood on Sunday. I was able to take him to the vet on Tuesday, and we had an x-ray and blood work done (no results yet). He did not have any urine in him to collect for a urinalysis test. The x-ray showed a bladder stone and a stone in his left kidney. He will go for an ultrasound tomorrow to see the extent of stone in his kidney and if there are any additional stones the x-ray did not catch. The vet also prescribed TMS, just in case there is an infection we could not catch because of the inability to perform a urinalysis test. He is only eating hay on his own, so he is on critical care 4-5 times a day. I have read through many of the posts and topics on bladder stones on guinea lynx, but there is not much on stones in the kidneys. I would like to be hopeful about this situation because he is so young and he is my baby. Could anyone enlighten me from an experience about a stone in the kidney? I want to do everything I can to save him. I also want to be informed while discussing options with my vet. So far my vet has discussed removing the bladder stone, and the possible removal of the left kidney, if the right kidney is functioning fine. What other options do I have in this situation? I will add more information (blood test and ultrasound results) as it becomes available. Thank you very much for taking the time to read and possibly help me during this rough time.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Dec 19, 2012 7:50 pm


All I recall is the few people whose pigs have had them in the ureter (they move from the kidney to the ureter and sometimes collect there - these stones are very difficult to impossible to remove).

I do not recall anyone having a kidney removed due to a stone in the kidney. I wish I had more information for you.

User avatar
PinkRufus
Contributor in 2020

Post   » Wed Dec 19, 2012 9:18 pm


Here's a thread on the topic of kidney removal:
viewtopic.php?t=65394

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Wed Dec 19, 2012 10:49 pm


Ah, yes, and I'm remembering Web's Tiggy had a kidney removed:

viewtopic.php?t=56173&postdays=0&postor ... y&start=20

User avatar
pigjes
Cavy Comic

Post   » Thu Dec 20, 2012 1:22 am


Whoopy had a stone lodged in her ureter and calcifications in her kidneys too. Here's the article. Hope this helps:
https://www.guinealynx.info/records/viewtopic.php?t=193

User avatar
NYCityCavies

Post   » Thu Dec 20, 2012 12:05 pm


Update: I dropped him off at the vet this morning for an ultrasound today and the blood results were in. I was not able to get specifics on how far along, but Jeonmani has some degree of renal failure. I will wait to get the test results from the ultrasound back, but I know it is not good.

I just need to know if there is any hope at all. I know everyone says renal failure is irreversible, but is there any hope that he can live just a little longer. I know I am asking for a lot, but I am not ready to give up this fight. He is still so young.

After reading Twiggy's post I am somewhat hopeful that if it is just the left kidney, may be it can be removed. I am trying to stay as positive as can be. Thank you very much everyone!

User avatar
shiny
Supporter in '13

Post   » Thu Dec 20, 2012 2:46 pm


Our 3y 8m guinea Cloud had sudden weight loss, strong-smelling urine, loss of interest in food & being very cross with his brother in July this year. He went for x-ray & bloods which showed kidney stones in both kidneys, one worse than the other. We fed Critical Care for a few days & stabilised his weight at around 800g until the blood results came in & sadly showed kidney failure. Our exotics vet could offer us no surgical options for treatment as it was in both kidneys & Cloud was obviously in pain despite top dose of Metacam possible. We sadly made the decision to have Cloud pts. Cloud's deterioration was horribly fast.

I'm not trying to be the voice of doom or anything, just sharing my experience of this. It sounds at least more positive for you that the stone is only in one kidney for Jeonmani. I am hoping very much that your vet can offer you some options.

Since Cloud's kidney problems I have been far more aware of calcium in diet & water and have adjusted the diet of our other guinea pigs. Cloud's brother Willow has some calcium deposits in his kidneys and palate but not formed stones like Cloud had. From reading about this, it seems that these stones can run in families but I don't know if this has been shown scientifically or not. We have to give Metacam to Willow now for an unrelated condition & our vet has made us aware that Metacam long-term may not be great for his longer term kidney function but it is improving his quality of life right now.

With best wishes to you & Jeomani.

User avatar
NYCityCavies

Post   » Thu Dec 20, 2012 4:29 pm


Update: Well, I just got off the phone with the vet. The ultrasound showed a mass is blocking his right kidney, which is why it showed no sign of defect in the x-rays. His right kidney is actually functioning lower than his left currently. But, he did run another blood test today and his levels are much lower than on Tuesday. We are considering exploratory surgery to see what the mass is and if this condition can be corrected.

For now, my husband is picking him up from the vet for the night, but he will return in the morning. Tomorrow we will create a game plan and see how we will continue treatment. I am a little bit more hopeful since his kidney levels dropped and it shows they are still functioning. I will update more later when I am off of work and can find out what the Dr. told my husband.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Thu Dec 20, 2012 5:20 pm


I'm really sorry you're going through this, NYCityCavies. Having had more incidents of bladder (and in one case, kidney/ureter) stones than I care to think about, I know how frustrating and worrying it can be.

Sending good thoughts to you and Jeonmani.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Thu Dec 20, 2012 10:31 pm


Sending additional good thoughts here.

User avatar
NYCityCavies

Post   » Fri Dec 21, 2012 12:46 pm


Update: We did not take him to the vet this morning as he would only run the same test he ran yesterday and I cannot afford to run the tests everyday. We are still waiting to here back about the official ultrasound results. The ones yesterday are what the vet observed while performing the ultrasound.

I was able to obtain a copy of his blood test results and after all of my research it does not look good.

Tuesday 12/18/2012
BUN-78
Creatinine-5.8
Potassium-7.1

Thursday 12/20/2012
BUN-89
Creatinine-4
Potassium-1.9

I do not know if the different analysis machines makes a difference, but I know the levels are pretty bad regardless.

The Vet also said during the ultrasound the "bladder stone" was no longer there. This leads us to believe the brown urine with what looked like a clot of blood in it, that he passed in the morning at the vets, may have been what was causing it to look like a stone. At this point we have concluded there is sludge material in his left kidney. His right kidney is most compromised and appears to have a mass on it/in it. His right ureter is inflamed and seems obstructed by a mass that is outside his ureter (maybe a tumor/cyst/abscess, he does not know). I am hoping the official ultrasound results may make things a little clearer. The vet also prescribed him Omeprazole, Cisapride, and Buprinex. He is receiving SubQ fluids at home as well.

Jeonmani's condition did improve when we brought him home last night. He was eating vegetables (green leaf lettuce, cucumber, and red peper) on his own. I still supplemented with the critical care to keep his weight up. This morning he seemed almost like a completely different piggy. Eating on his own, moving more often, eating hay with his cage mate, and drinking out of the water bottle. He will continue to receive the critical care.

We are still debating on surgery to see about the masses on his right side obstructing the functionality of the kidney. The largest problem is the vet is on vacation starting tomorrow until Monday, January 7, 2012. I am hoping his condition continues to improve with the medicine and SubQ fluids and he will be healthy enough to perform the surgery when the Vet returns, if we decide it is the correct decision.

I would love for my baby to get better and stay with me for a little bit longer. He does not seem to be suffering or in as much pain as the last few days. Let's hope he continues on this path. If anyone has any suggestions or advice I am more than open to everything.

User avatar
shiny
Supporter in '13

Post   » Fri Dec 21, 2012 3:25 pm


So pleased to hear he is eating & moving around more.

Hopefully the break over the holiday period will be a good chance for him to gain strength after all this & you will have a good idea about how to proceed when you vet is back.

With best wishes, shiny.

Post Reply