Bladder stone, do I need to get a second opinion?

[TinyBubbles]

Hi all, it's been a while since I've checked in but oddly enough, I got an email from the forum today when I woke up wondering if I need to go for a second opinion. About a two weeks ago after cleaning by piggies' home (fresh everything) I noticed a wet spot with a tiny touch of red which I could only attribute to blood in the urine. Lucky for me, I saw who moved away from the freshly peed on spot so I knew who I needed to be concerned about. I called for an appointment with my vet to learn that the doctor I established a relationship with when I brought my piggies home has left and they had no one that saw "exotics". I was off to search for a new vet.

I found one other in town that would see my boy. I have no complaints about the doctor, they listened, took xrays, ID'ed the stone and gave me a week of antibotics in case there was an infection to go along with the stone, they gave him meds that were supposed to help stop new stones from forming (they said it was experimental but there was some evidence that it worked) and some pain meds in case I felt that he needed something before they saw him again. They approved of everything I was feeding to keep their diet low in calcium but based on what I read today I will be switching to filtered water and giving fewer pellets each day.

They showed me the xrays and where the stone was in his bladder. Said the stone was so large they didn't feel there was a chance of it moving its way into his urethra, but they wanted us to come back after 1 month to ensure no new stones were forming and that it was staying in place.

What I didn't feel so great about is that they did not want to do anything to remove the stone. They said that guinea pigs were not great candidates for surgery because it was difficult to put them under sedation and wake them back up. But I know that I've read at tons of posts here with successful surgeries.

My boy is about two and a half, he has no behavioral changes, and I don't feel that he is showing any signs of pain. Or at least I didn't until last night, there was some unexplained wheeking from my normally quiet boy... then he did the same today. Yesterday was just after I cleaned the cage so he may have been asking for his treat. But then he started again today when I wasn't in the room and I didn't hear any sounds from other areas of the house that would normally get them going.

I know only a vet can tell me what he needs, but does anyone who has dealt with this think I need to go in search of someone who will do something about the stone?

 

[Siikibam]

I’m sorry your boy is unwell. Although I have no experience of this, I would seek the second opinion of a vet who is willing to remove the stone. Unfortunately boars have a weird nook in their system in which the stone could become lodged and block it.

Someone with more experience will be along in good time. I wish your boy all the best.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear he has a stone.
Generally speaking, a stone needs to come out - but yes, a vet is the only one who can make that call in your specific situation. I would personally be looking for a second opinion.
While in one way it’s good it probably won’t go into the urethra its not good that a stone is left in there - it perhaps could still be able go block the entrance to the urethra, it might well get bigger, it will be painful and would risk damaging the bladder.

 

[TinyBubbles]

Thank you, I really appreciate the advice!

 

[Claire W]

I am very sorry that your boy has a bladder stone generally, they need to come out. While it may be too big to enter his urethra, it will almost certainly be causing him a great deal of pain I would definitely seek a second opinion. Good luck x

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you, I really appreciate the advice!

Hi

I would recommend to get a second opinion and see you can whether find a vet willing to operate and have an honest talk about the operation re. risks etc. Vets can struggle with the GA side of operating on guinea pigs since they are not necessarily trained for it.

However, larger stones don't go away on their own, unfortunately; but they keep on banging into the increasingly painful bladder walls and causing major pain and secondarily loss of appetite etc. The problem is not going away and is only going to get worse.

It is generally much easier to get a stone out of a bladder, and unless there are crystals embedded in the walls, it is actually an operation with a pretty good recovery rate. Whereas the news is rather different if a smaller stone in a boar gets into the urethra and fetches up in the awkward inglenook that boars have in it.

Fingers firmly crossed!

Tips For Post-operative Care
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

 

[Eriathwen]

I would definitely seek a second opinion, make sure you ask lots of questions about whether they've performed this surgery before and their success rate. Luckily the 1st vet admitted they struggle to aneasthetise guinea pigs safely without offering to give it a try anyway, but lots of other vets do fantastic jobs surgically with them! Vets are human and can't be good at everything, but there will very likely be another vet who has good surgical outcomes for piggies who can get your boy comfortable.

Stones really should only be left in palliative situations where the pain can be managed, leaving them too long risks adhesion to the walls making removal even harder, blockage, infection etc. not to mention bladder stones really are painful, and never being able to feel like you've emptied your bladder must be uncomfortable.

Sorry to hear you're dealing with a stone, they're not nice, fingers crossed your piggy is feeling better soon and you're able to find a vet who can do a good job if the surgery