Hii everyone, just wondered if you could help, there's been an dark orange colour to my guinea pig's pee and I don't know what I should do about it, it's been going on for two days now. Any advice?
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Blood in pee
- Thread starter Nadia.d
- Start date
Is it coming out that colour or turning that colour once dried?
When urine hits the air and dries in bedding it begins to oxidise which makes it turn orange or rusty coloured.
Blood dries brown. And it will dry with a brown ring around the edge.
If you suspect blood in the urine, and/or there is any pain when peeing you need to take your piggy to the vet.
You also need to switch from routine weekly weight checks and instead weigh your piggy each morning. This enables you to more closely monitor hay intake. If a piggy is unwell then they may reduce the amount of hay they eat. As you can’t monitor hay intake by eye, the weight checks are important. I’d your piggy is losing weight you need to step in with syringe feeding a recovery feed.
Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
When urine hits the air and dries in bedding it begins to oxidise which makes it turn orange or rusty coloured.
Blood dries brown. And it will dry with a brown ring around the edge.
If you suspect blood in the urine, and/or there is any pain when peeing you need to take your piggy to the vet.
You also need to switch from routine weekly weight checks and instead weigh your piggy each morning. This enables you to more closely monitor hay intake. If a piggy is unwell then they may reduce the amount of hay they eat. As you can’t monitor hay intake by eye, the weight checks are important. I’d your piggy is losing weight you need to step in with syringe feeding a recovery feed.
Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Hi and welcome
Urine can take quite a few surprising colours. When it comes out of the body clear and then discolours when in contact with the air, we speak of oxidising.
Some veg can discolour urine and make it look distinctly orange when it comes out (including occasionally lettuce and grass nd not just carrots).
Tomato juice drops can look like drops of blood.
Deep red urine can be actually caused by a natural dye called porphyrin and can test free of blood. Seemingly clear urine can actually test high in blood; it usually takes a lot more blood that owners expect to actually discolour urine (bright red that dries to mid-brown).
We speak of an infection in the urinary tract (and there are several) if you notice several of these symptoms: Increasing squeaking when peeing and pooing; increasing urination and stale smelling urine. A mix of clear and deep red porphyrin pees. It usually takes several days for symptoms to become consistent.
If you want to learn more about pees and the urinary tract (with pictures), you will find this link here helpful: Wiebke's Guide to Pees and Stones
Urine can take quite a few surprising colours. When it comes out of the body clear and then discolours when in contact with the air, we speak of oxidising.
Some veg can discolour urine and make it look distinctly orange when it comes out (including occasionally lettuce and grass nd not just carrots).
Tomato juice drops can look like drops of blood.
Deep red urine can be actually caused by a natural dye called porphyrin and can test free of blood. Seemingly clear urine can actually test high in blood; it usually takes a lot more blood that owners expect to actually discolour urine (bright red that dries to mid-brown).
We speak of an infection in the urinary tract (and there are several) if you notice several of these symptoms: Increasing squeaking when peeing and pooing; increasing urination and stale smelling urine. A mix of clear and deep red porphyrin pees. It usually takes several days for symptoms to become consistent.
If you want to learn more about pees and the urinary tract (with pictures), you will find this link here helpful: Wiebke's Guide to Pees and Stones
My guinea pig seems to struggle using her back legs, her movements sound really heavy when she walks and she can't seem to sit still for long without moving them, is this anything to do with it also the only veggies they've eaten was some cabbage but the bleeding started before that.
Hi
I am very sorry.
Please see a vet as soon as possible. This sounds serious and is not your usual urine infection.
How Soon Should My Guinea Pig See A Vet? - A Quick Guide
How to contact a vet out of hours
Any sheer bleeding counts as an emergency; especially when it is combined with mobility problems and other signs of obvious discomfort/pain.
The problem could also sit in the reproductive tract, which needs checking in sows with bleeding issues from the anus. The two tracts are wrapped closely around each other and open in the same area.
There doesn't seem to be any pain however her movements sound heavy, there is no heavy bleeding but just small spots
Hi
A constant small bleed also constitutes an emergency when you read the links. If her movements do not sound or look right then something serious is going on.
Guinea pig are prey animals that are wired to suppress pain to an amazing extent. If you notice signs on pain, they are are already very ill. Heavy sounding movement and rubbing her bum is very much an indicating of some major discomfort in the lower body.
Please contact an out-of-hours vet for the ongoing bleeding from the anus.