Bladder Stone

[PigsAndRoses]

Hello,
Where do I start?.. On Monday evening I realised my neutered male guinea pig, Alfie, was squeaking whilst urinating. Tuesday morning his condition got worse, he couldn’t pee much but still squeaking. Got a vet appointment at the nearby vet. I was suspecting a UTI or bladder stone, but hoping it wasn’t a stone.

Well the vet did a urine analysis and an xray, which showed a stone and some inflamation in his bladder. We got Metacam and Baytril for the inflamation and pain. We had to choose whether we wanted the surgery or to see how he gets on with the antibiotics. The estimate for the surgery was a lot higher than we expected and higher than the average.

I phoned quite a few cavvy savvy vets and we have got an offer which is half of the price we were given at the local vets (who probably doesn’t have much experience with guinea pigs). We are worried that the price will keep going up and the stone will return, or there will be complications.

I have been syringe feeding Alfie and giving his course of medication. It has been very stressful for Alfie and for us. We know it is painful for him and he absolutely hates being syringe fed and tries to do everything in his power to go against it. I am trying to do what’s best for him.

But I just need some advice on what you have experienced with bladder stone. Or what’s the chance we can eliminate another bladder stone forming with good diet? Maybe a few success stories? Or someone that can tell me that I am doing it right, because it’s been tough.

Thank you ahead for any

 

[Janey]

I’d recommend you take him to the exotic vet for an examination as it’s far better if he has to have surgery to remove the stone if the vet has piggy experience. Some piggies are more prone to stones than others but there are some diet changes that can be made which could help - check out the care guides section.

 

[Claire W]

I am sorry to hear that your boy has a bladder stone Going ahead with surgery (the sooner the better) is absolutely the right decision. If left, it can become lodged in the urethra causing a blockage which is a medical emergency and can be fatal.

Changing his diet to a low calcium diet and filtering his drinking water can help prevent the formation of stones although some guinea pigs can be prone to them Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

 

[Wiebke]

Hello,
Where do I start?.. On Monday evening I realised my neutered male guinea pig, Alfie, was squeaking whilst urinating. Tuesday morning his condition got worse, he couldn’t pee much but still squeaking. Got a vet appointment at the nearby vet. I was suspecting a UTI or bladder stone, but hoping it wasn’t a stone.

Well the vet did a urine analysis and an xray, which showed a stone and some inflamation in his bladder. We got Metacam and Baytril for the inflamation and pain. We had to choose whether we wanted the surgery or to see how he gets on with the antibiotics. The estimate for the surgery was a lot higher than we expected and higher than the average.

I phoned quite a few cavvy savvy vets and we have got an offer which is half of the price we were given at the local vets (who probably doesn’t have much experience with guinea pigs). We are worried that the price will keep going up and the stone will return, or there will be complications.

I have been syringe feeding Alfie and giving his course of medication. It has been very stressful for Alfie and for us. We know it is painful for him and he absolutely hates being syringe fed and tries to do everything in his power to go against it. I am trying to do what’s best for him.

But I just need some advice on what you have experienced with bladder stone. Or what’s the chance we can eliminate another bladder stone forming with good diet? Maybe a few success stories? Or someone that can tell me that I am doing it right, because it’s been tough.

Thank you ahead for any

Hi!

A surgery estimate depends on where the stone is actually located and whether it or cystals are embedded in the bladder or urethral walls or not; this can make a bladder stone op, especially in boars, rather unpredictable as the biggest cost factor in any operation is the GA drug - the longer an operation takes, the more GA is needed.
Vet cost, especially operation cost have gone up a lot in recent years, driven mainly by higher running costs for stocking small amounts of a wider range of medication and more expensive medical equipment.
A guide to vets fees, insurance and payment support.
Pet costs - why do vets charge so much?

Generally, several factors tend to play into the formation of bladder stones. The angle you can address is to cut down on the calcium content in a diet. Most people are not aware that much more calcium is taken in via the water and pellets than the veg; although that also needs to be looked at. The problem is that a zero calium diet can be as damaging as a diet too high in calcium.
The other aspect is that it takes several weeks for any dietary changes to make their way through the body. Calcium absorption is a very complex process in which quite a few things can go wrong. Unless your diet is totally calcium overladen, there are usually other factors in play as well. Diet can help to mitigate those but not immediately.
You can find our diet recommendations for bladder piggies in the special diets chapter in our diet guide: Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

Bladder stone ops in boars are a bit more risky than in sows because they have a longer urethra with an awkward inglenook where passed stones tend to fetch up. If the stone is still in the bladder and loose, then the operation is pretty straight forward and has excellent recovery chances; bladder ops have got a comparatively low risk of post-op complications. If the stone is in the urethra or stuck in a wall, then the operation is a lot more complicated and comes with a correspondingly higher risk. The experience of your vet and his recovery team can make a real difference in that area.
Tips For Post-operative Care

Any operation is always a jump off the cliff for an owner. The problem is that stones don't disappear on their own and only get worse. Most piggies survive a bladder stone op, or even a second one if they the unlucky ones that suffer from fast forming stones (thankfully by far not all piggies do). A third op is usually not needed as by then the problem can usually be brought under control by dietary measures.

I hope that this helps you. All the best!

PS: Unfortunately, getting guinea pigs is the cheapest part of it all. Vet cost are by far the largest life-time budget post for any pet; there are unfortunately no cheap pets. For UK members, vet cost seem to be enormous because they are used to not having to pay for free human health care (which is paid for via higher taxes) but you basically pay for the service you get.

 

[PigsAndRoses]

Hi!

A surgery estimate depends on where the stone is actually located and whether it or cystals are embedded in the bladder or urethral walls or not; this can make a bladder stone op, especially in boars rather unpredictable as the biggest cost factor in any operation is the GA drug - the longer an operation takes, the more GA is needed.
Vet cost, especially operation cost have gone up a lot in recent years, driven mainly by higher running costs for stocking small amounts of a wider range of medication and more expensive medical equipment.
A guide to vets fees, insurance and payment support.
Pet costs - why do vets charge so much?

Generally, several factors tend to play into the formation of bladder stones. The angle you can address is to cut down on the calcium content in a diet. Most people are not aware that much more calcium is taken in via the water and pellets than the veg; although that also needs to be looked at. The problem is that a zero calium diet can be as damaging as a diet too high in calcium.
The other aspect is that it takes several weeks for any changes making their way through the body. Calcium absorption is a very complex process in which quite a few things can go wrong. Unless your diet is totally calcium overladen, there are usually other factors in play. Diet can help to mitigate those but not immediately.
You can find our diet recommendations for bladder piggies in the special diets chapter in our diet guide: Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

Bladder stone ops in boars are a bit more risky than in sows because they have a longer urethra with an awkward inglenook where passed stones tend to fetch up. If the stone is still in the bladder and loose, then the operation is pretty straight forward and has excellent recovery chances; bladder ops have got a comparatively low risk of post-op complications. If the stone is in the urethra or stuck in a wall, then the operation is a lot more complicated and comes with a corresponding higher risk. The experience of your vet and his recovery team can make a real difference in that area.
Tips For Post-operative Care

Any operation is always a jump off the cliff for an owner. The problem is that stones don't disappear on their own and only get worse. Most piggies survive a bladder stone op, or even a second one if they the unlucky ones that suffer from fast forming stones (thankfully by far not all piggies do). A third op is usually not needed as by then the problem can usually be brought under control by dietary measures by then.

I hope that this helps you. All the best!

PS: Unfortunately, getting guinea pigs is the cheapest part of it all. Vet cost are by far the largest life-time budget post for any pet; there are unfortunately no cheap pets. For UK members, vet cost seem to be enormous because they are used to not having to pay for free human health care (which is paid for via higher taxes) but you basically pay for the service you get.

Thank you so much for the reply! Definitely helped!

 

[PigsAndRoses]

So Alfie had his surgery last Friday. It all went smooth and well. He was happy in himself and was eating. He was getting gut stimulants, antibiotics and painkiller.

However, two days ago I realised he had gone downhill and he was sat with his head hanging down. His poops were stringy but that was the last day for the medications. Started immediately syringe feeding him and separated him into a smaller cage, to keep an eye on him. Weighed him and he was about 980g (lot less compared to the 1100g he went to surgery with)

I kept feeding him and took him out on the floor to maybe get him moving. Took his friend out aswell and in a minute he was happily making his bloot bloot (exploring sound) and found his way back to the big cage where they all stay originally. But when I put him back, he’s back to his lethargic self.

Yesterday we went back for a check up after the surgery and it was a different doctor. He said his wound is healing well and otherwise seems fine. He said it may be due to the antibiotics and therefore prescribed another one (marbocyl). He gave him more [dog] metacam, cisapride and prevomax.

Today he is still very sad, closing his eyes and slowly chewing bit by bit. When I stroke him (as he starts to close his eyes) he makes his exploration bloot bloot sound. He gets a bit happier when I get his friend out whilst he is fed but otherwise I’m still worried. He has gained some weight back (today he is about 1050g) and pooping very well.

I’m not sure what I’m trying to say but I am really trying to get him to feel better. Any advice?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear he isn’t feeling too well.
Personally I would not separate him from his friend. They get comfort from being with their friend and a poorly piggy needs that comfort. Separation causes stress to then and can lower the immune system.

Please do continue to syringe feed him.
Antibiotics can affect their gut (they kill the good cut bacteria) so giving a probiotic while they are on antibiotics is advisable. It can help settle their tummy

 

[PigsAndRoses]

I’m sorry to hear he isn’t feeling too well.
Personally I would not separate him from his friend. They get comfort from being with their friend and a poorly piggy needs that comfort. Separation causes stress to then and can lower the immune system.

Please do continue to syringe feed him.
Antibiotics can affect their gut (they kill the good cut bacteria) so giving a probiotic while they are on antibiotics is advisable. It can help settle their tummy

I have been giving him poo soup and he was eating the other’s poops himself. So will keep doing that!

 

[PigsAndRoses]

I’m sorry to hear he isn’t feeling too well.
Personally I would not separate him from his friend. They get comfort from being with their friend and a poorly piggy needs that comfort. Separation causes stress to then and can lower the immune system.

Please do continue to syringe feed him.
Antibiotics can affect their gut (they kill the good cut bacteria) so giving a probiotic while they are on antibiotics is advisable. It can help settle their tummy

Oh and he was only seperated for a few hours and I put him back with the others

 

[PigsAndRoses]

Also, I’m kind of worried that he’s getting too much medication. Before he had 5 types and now 4.

He was prescribed 0.7ml of metacam three times a day(for dogs),
0.5ml marbocyl once a day,
0.3ml cisapride twice a day,
0.1ml prevomax twice a day.