Cystease and metacam?

[Winniethepiggy]

Hello,

So today i got told aftwr my guinea pigs urine sample, she has high calcium content in her urine and crystals. I am going to put her on a low calcium diet, however i cannot afford to get these crystals removed or for an ultrasound. They are wanting to charge me an extortionate amount of money for this and ive already paid out over £300 for this issue to try investigate it. I also do not want to risk putting my girl under anaesthetic as shes small and shes a runt so it is even more of a risk for her. Ive heard that cystease is good for helping with bladder issues like sludge and crystals. My girl is struggling to pass these crystals which is causing her to pee blood and be in pain. So the long term thing the vets have recommended is putting her on metacam. Ive been researching and seen a lot of bad things about metacam. Ive never had an issue with it when shes been on it before. But would it be ok to administer cystease and metacam at the same time? I dont want to be giving her too many things or possibly make her worse. And would giving her oxbow urinary support treats be okay with these too? If anyone has any recommendations about what veg and fruit i can feed her that is low in calcium but can still get her enough magnesium and vit c a day then that would be appreciated.

Thank you

 

[fluffysal]

Most of the forum experts are in bed right now. I will check in the morning and bump your post if necessary.

 

[eileen]

i have two piggies that have bladder sludge.vets prescribed loxicom dog strength 0,5mls twice aday.i give one cystease capsule split in two doses eg put one capsule into an old medication pot...add one mls of water,shake the pot vigourously.give 0.5mls twice aday.keep in the fridge.
my vet precribed gabepentin 0.1mls twice aday when the loxicom did not control the pain.
ive also being syringing 15mls of water twice aday to flush the bladder.
these measures have controled the sludge in both my piggies.
filter the water and one table spoon of pellets help as well.
good luck i hope your piggie improves.

 

[eileen]

diet wise i give
8th of a salad pepper,one leaf of romaine lettuce,chunk of cucumber,2 sprigs of coriander.i stick to the combination only for my bladder pigs.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear this.

She needs a good dose of painkiller.
What is she being given?

Cystease can help coat the bladder and it is fine to give big metacam and cystease.

The issue is that the current sludge/crystals will need to come out. Anything which is tightly packed usually does require a bladder flush to remove it.
Diet can help work towards further sludge and crystals not being produced but doesn’t change what is already in there.
Giving her a wet diet and ensuring she urinates a lot will be a good idea, but with that if she is struggling to pass them then her pain really does need to be properly managed.

Pellets and water contribute most calcium into the diet rather than the veg. Ensuring pellets are kept to a minimum - no more one tablespoon per pig per day and that drinking water is filtered can really help. Veg wise the safe daily veggies are coriander, lettuce, cucumber and bell pepper.
The thing is you also have to make sure you don’t take calcium too low as that also runs the risk of causing sludge/crystal/stone issues - the calcium balance in the diet is still wrong, it’s just wrong in the other direction.

 

[Winniethepiggy]

I’m sorry to hear this.

She needs a good dose of painkiller.
What is she being given?

Cystease can help coat the bladder and it is fine to give big metacam and cystease.

The issue is that the current sludge/crystals will need to come out. Anything which is tightly packed usually does require a bladder flush to remove it.
Diet can help work towards further sludge and crystals not being produced but doesn’t change what is already in there.
Giving her a wet diet and ensuring she urinates a lot will be a good idea, but with that if she is struggling to pass them then her pain really does need to be properly managed.

Pellets and water contribute most calcium into the diet rather than the veg. Ensuring pellets are kept to a minimum - no more one tablespoon per pig per day and that drinking water is filtered can really help. Veg wise the safe daily veggies are coriander, lettuce, cucumber and bell pepper.
The thing is you also have to make sure you don’t take calcium too low as that also runs the risk of causing sludge/crystal/stone issues - the calcium balance in the diet is still wrong, it’s just wrong in the other direction.

Thank you, theyre only going to be putting her on metacam. Weve tried her with baytril before for 2 weeks and it did nothing, she just peed blood again after she came off. So it looks like its going to be a long term issue.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Baytril, or any antibiotic, is only going to work is there is an infection. Sludge and crystals are not something an antibiotic is going to cure.
The sludge does need to come out (and as I say if it is tightly packed it usually has to come out surgically) and steps need to be taken to find the right balance of calcium intake in the diet.

 

[eileen]

Dakotas sludge was very tigtly packed.with 15mls of filtered water syringed twice aday,pott citrate 0.3mls cystease two capsules for 4 weeks,1 capsule aday there after.gabapentin 0.1ml when in severe pain.loxicom 0.5mls dog strength twice aday.this regime will be for life.
This intervention has eliminated Dakotas sludge.she has had an xray 8 weeks after the first symtoms appeared.No bladder flush at all.my vets preferes to try fluid challenges as the first line of treatment to giving bladder flushes.
this is my experience on two piggies first hand,very current cases.