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Bloody spots in the cage

stef.trg

stef.trg

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Kirchberg in Tirol, Austria
New year, new illnesses :( After having a rather smooth journey since Buttons recovered from her spay last year, I think there might be something sinister going on now. Over the past weeks I‘ve noticed her looking rather round & wide. Checked her over and over but she isn’t gassy at all so it‘s not bloating. Didn’t think too much of it because she‘s always been a bit wider since her pregnancy and I figured it might just be her getting older.

Until last week when I found the first pink-ish bloody spots in the cage, usually accompanied by slightly chalky pee (not gritty though). There were just 2 or 3 over the last week and she‘s already on Cystease and Rodicare Uro. I decided to keep an eye on it and really thought it was a momentary blip since I hadn’t seen any spots in a few days. Tonight I found quite a few spots, one of them very bright red (see picture). So it’s clearly getting worse. She’s showing absolutely no signs of pain when toileting and is her usual happy self. Eating, racing around, begging for food, causing mischief. With a bladder infection or even sludge/stone I would really expect some signs of pain or discomfort by now. And with how wide her belly looks my gut feeling isn‘t too good.

I will be calling my vet first thing tomorrow morning and see if I can get her booked in so we can maybe find out what’s actually going on. And here I thought 2024 was starting off on the right foot. 😢

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stef.trg said:
New year, new illnesses :( After having a rather smooth journey since Buttons recovered from her spay last year, I think there might be something sinister going on now. Over the past weeks I‘ve noticed her looking rather round & wide. Checked her over and over but she isn’t gassy at all so it‘s not bloating. Didn’t think too much of it because she‘s always been a bit wider since her pregnancy and I figured it might just be her getting older.

Until last week when I found the first pink-ish bloody spots in the cage, usually accompanied by slightly chalky pee (not gritty though). There were just 2 or 3 over the last week and she‘s already on Cystease and Rodicare Uro. I decided to keep an eye on it and really thought it was a momentary blip since I hadn’t seen any spots in a few days. Tonight I found quite a few spots, one of them very bright red (see picture). So it’s clearly getting worse. She’s showing absolutely no signs of pain when toileting and is her usual happy self. Eating, racing around, begging for food, causing mischief. With a bladder infection or even sludge/stone I would really expect some signs of pain or discomfort by now. And with how wide her belly looks my gut feeling isn‘t too good.

I will be calling my vet first thing tomorrow morning and see if I can get her booked in so we can maybe find out what’s actually going on. And here I thought 2024 was starting off on the right foot. 😢

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It's awful when it's just one thing after another. I know this too well unfortunately! Did buttons have a full spay- as in both ovaries and uterus out? Does she have a friend in the cage or is it definitely buttons? Hope the vets goes well & you find out what's going on. It's so stressful.
 
Piggies2023 said:
It's awful when it's just one thing after another. I know this too well unfortunately! Did buttons have a full spay- as in both ovaries and uterus out? Does she have a friend in the cage or is it definitely buttons? Hope the vets goes well & you find out what's going on. It's so stressful.
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I thought she had a full spay but it’s all such a haze that I‘m honestly not sure anymore if her uterus isn’t still in there. She does have her husboar in the cage but I‘m fairly sure the spots are from her - her privates were suspiciously chalky tonight when I checked her. Obviously I might be totally wrong and it’s Cornelius but I‘m taking them both in anyways so even if it is him we‘re good. Thank you, I‘ll keep you guys posted!
 
stef.trg said:
I thought she had a full spay but it’s all such a haze that I‘m honestly not sure anymore if her uterus isn’t still in there. She does have her husboar in the cage but I‘m fairly sure the spots are from her - her privates were suspiciously chalky tonight when I checked her. Obviously I might be totally wrong and it’s Cornelius but I‘m taking them both in anyways so even if it is him we‘re good. Thank you, I‘ll keep you guys posted!
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One of my pigs has has a ovary removed. The other one only the uterus came out because vet couldn't get her ovaries out easily and it was her uterus that was the problem. So might be worth asking incase uterus is still about.

Good idea taking both incase it's Cornelius. I think I've got it wrong before can be hard to tell when it's odd spots.
 
Piggies2023 said:
One of my pigs has has a ovary removed. The other one only the uterus came out because vet couldn't get her ovaries out easily and it was her uterus that was the problem. So might be worth asking incase uterus is still about.

Good idea taking both incase it's Cornelius. I think I've got it wrong before can be hard to tell when it's odd spots.
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Totally possible she still has her uterus and that’s the problem but even if that was the case, I wouldn’t let her be cut open again. She had the most horrible recovery & nearly passed away 4 times & it took close to 6 weeks of round the clock hand-feeding to get her better. In the end it was obviously worth it but I wouldn’t put her & me through it again (& neither would my vet). So it would be a case of keeping her comfortable.

I still have some hope that it’s sludge or something but my gut feeling & Buttons distended abdomen are very much against that theory. I‘m gonna try to take a pic tomorrow, she genuinely looks like she’s about to give birth. Especially after her dinner veg! 🙈 So even if the spots were to come from Cornelius I would want that belly checked out.
 
stef.trg said:
Totally possible she still has her uterus and that’s the problem but even if that was the case, I wouldn’t let her be cut open again. She had the most horrible recovery & nearly passed away 4 times & it took close to 6 weeks of round the clock hand-feeding to get her better. In the end it was obviously worth it but I wouldn’t put her & me through it again (& neither would my vet). So it would be a case of keeping her comfortable.

I still have some hope that it’s sludge or something but my gut feeling & Buttons distended abdomen are very much against that theory. I‘m gonna try to take a pic tomorrow, she genuinely looks like she’s about to give birth. Especially after her dinner veg! 🙈 So even if the spots were to come from Cornelius I would want that belly checked out.
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Totally understand not wanting to put her through that. As I had the same thought with my Pumpkin when I took her to the vets last week with bleeding & pain. She has been very unwell with cancer, hernia op, wound infection that opened her wound all in short space of time. But the good news is pretty sure it's sludge that had shown up on her x-ray previously as we are doing better with it for now since introducing more veg as she doesn't drink and cystease. So I hope it's the same for your girl.

Though my Pumpkins breathing isn't right (she's head rocking) now. Its just a rollercoaster with pigs sometimes and it's absolutely exhausting isn't it. But we love them very much. I will really be thinking of you tomorrow. Do let me know how it goes. I really hope it's not what you think.
 
Piggies2023 said:
Totally understand not wanting to put her through that. As I had the same thought with my Pumpkin when I took her to the vets last week with bleeding & pain. She has been very unwell with cancer, hernia op, wound infection that opened her wound all in short space of time. But the good news is pretty sure it's sludge that had shown up on her x-ray previously as we are doing better with it for now since introducing more veg as she doesn't drink and cystease. So I hope it's the same for your girl.

Though my Pumpkins breathing isn't right (she's head rocking) now. Its just a rollercoaster with pigs sometimes and it's absolutely exhausting isn't it. But we love them very much. I will really be thinking of you tomorrow. Do let me know how it goes. I really hope it's not what you think.
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Oh gosh, very much sounds like you and your little Pumpkin have been through the mill lately too. Poor you! It‘s very disheartening when there’s just one thing after the other and you always wonder just how much you can put their little bodies through. Wishing you and your girl all the best, hopefully you‘re through the worst now!

I will keep you updated. Vet opens in half an hour, so will give them a call then. Also managed to get a photo of my little pear this morning. At just about 900g she‘s a rather dainty girl & usually even though she‘s a bit wider she‘s a lot wider now than she usually is. We‘ll see what the vet says, hopefully I can get them in today!

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Such a worrying time for you right now, sending hugs. I hope you find out what the problem is and it’s easily treated x
 
We‘re back home and god am I glad that I brought them both. I was WAY off (thankfully)!

Turns out the spots actually are from Cornelius. At least his thickened bladder wall seems to suggest that. We did an x-ray and ultrasound on both of them, Buttons is perfectly healthy other than having some gas (we got something for that). Her bladder and uterus and belly in general look really good.

Cornelius has a thickened bladder wall but no stones and barely any sludge. So he‘s now on antibiotics, metacam & we are to continue with cystease and Rodicare Uro. My vet seems quite happy that we caught it so early so if everything goes to plan it should be done and dusted in a few days. Fingers crossed she‘s right!
 
stef.trg said:
We‘re back home and god am I glad that I brought them both. I was WAY off (thankfully)!

Turns out the spots actually are from Cornelius. At least his thickened bladder wall seems to suggest that. We did an x-ray and ultrasound on both of them, Buttons is perfectly healthy other than having some gas (we got something for that). Her bladder and uterus and belly in general look really good.

Cornelius has a thickened bladder wall but no stones and barely any sludge. So he‘s now on antibiotics, metacam & we are to continue with cystease and Rodicare Uro. My vet seems quite happy that we caught it so early so if everything goes to plan it should be done and dusted in a few days. Fingers crossed she‘s right!
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Brilliant! I'm so glad it's not serious. Also, what an amazing vets that can do scans straight away. Hope he feels better soon
 
I'm so pleased for you and them that it doesn't sound too serious. Fingers crossed the meds help and Cornelius is soon well again.
 
Piggies2023 said:
Brilliant! I'm so glad it's not serious. Also, what an amazing vets that can do scans straight away. Hope he feels better soon
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They are really good there, I can even hold the piggies myself during the ultrasound. Makes them much less stressed! He‘s currently sitting in his hay cube looking a little unhappy but that’s no surprise. He‘s very dramatic. He once stopped eating for a full day because I cut his nails. 🥲 I‘ll probably top him up with some critical care tonight, just to be sure!
 
Oh that’s good news, hope the little fella is in the mend very soon 🤞
 
Cornelius is doing okay today. His appetite has definitely taken a hit, although it’s not fully gone yet. He tucked into a bit of his dinner veg but doesn’t seem all too interested in his hay. So I will step in with syringe feeding tonight. He is thankfully bright and looks happy other than the obviously reduced appetite.
 
Taking Cornelius back to the vet at 5:30pm today as he has a rather hard upper belly, like right where his ribs end. He isn’t visibly bloated and also looks happy when bumbling through the cage. But I don’t like the firmness of his belly and I don’t want him to sail towards an acute bloat episode. I did see him eat some poop and he also pooped on my lap this morning. Granted it was only one pellet but at least I know his gut is working. Fingers crossed the vet will sort him out later!
 
stef.trg said:
Taking Cornelius back to the vet at 5:30pm today as he has a rather hard upper belly, like right where his ribs end. He isn’t visibly bloated and also looks happy when bumbling through the cage. But I don’t like the firmness of his belly and I don’t want him to sail towards an acute bloat episode. I did see him eat some poop and he also pooped on my lap this morning. Granted it was only one pellet but at least I know his gut is working. Fingers crossed the vet will sort him out later!
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Hope it goes well. How is his weeing?
 
Piggies2023 said:
Hope it goes well. How is his weeing?
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Really good! My vet gave me some of these dip stick thingies to test his wee and check for blood and I‘m happy to report that it was fully blood free this morning. Also haven’t found another bloody spot in the cage since Tuesday.:yahoo: He was just out munching some hay for the first time today too. So relieved to see him eat a little for himself.
 
The Emeprid has thankfully helped super quickly yesterday and he pooped like a champ all night. His belly is still a little bloated today but not hard anymore. He‘s still getting Emeprid for the next couple of days. It also has stabilised his appetite a little, he‘s still only eating very little but he jumps into the hay tray every now and again now. He mostly eats is his seagrass hidey, I‘m not sure what it is about those but they all seem to love it when they‘re not very well. It’s been a godsend with Buttons too last year! His weight is stable thus far so I‘ll keep up with the syringe feeding and hopefully his appetite will return quickly next week when we‘re done with the Baytril.
 
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