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Specialist Fortekor and AKI

Ali_x

Ali_x

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Nov 20, 2016
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Location
Wiltshire
Hey everyone

following on from my last post about Teddy displaying symptoms of a UTI or cystitis, he’s still on his treatment, he hasn’t got worse but also hasn’t got better.

I’m taking him to the vets tomorrow, he may have to have an X-ray which will diagnose if he has a stone. There are increased risks with that as he has heart failure but at the same time I can’t leave him if he has kidney stones as this will get worse for him.
In the mean time the vet has advised to carry on with his heart meds.
He is having 0.6ml furores or Lasix BD and Fortekor tablets 2.5mg OD... just wondered what advice is on these drugs with the kidneys, I know they’re not good for the kidneys long term but also we have to keep the heart failure under control as much as possible. I Wondered if anyone has any advice on taking these medications while his kidneys aren’t working so well?
also if anyone has been in the same situation with having a heart failure pig with kidney stones and what experience they had, that would be helpful.. thanks!
 
Poor piggy, I think you need to discuss with the vet whether his medication could be adjusted at all, both fortekor and furosemide manage the heart symptoms by acting on the kidneys to help get rid of excess fluid and salts. So the heart meds could be putting some strain on his kidneys and causing him to become dehydrated. But of course the heart meds are essential... maybe ask the vet if a slightly lower dose could be used?
Best of luck anyway x
 
PigglePuggle said:
Poor piggy, I think you need to discuss with the vet whether his medication could be adjusted at all, both fortekor and furosemide manage the heart symptoms by acting on the kidneys to help get rid of excess fluid and salts. So the heart meds could be putting some strain on his kidneys and causing him to become dehydrated. But of course the heart meds are essential... maybe ask the vet if a slightly lower dose could be used?
Best of luck anyway x
Click to expand...

thanks, he’s gone in for X-rays today to rule out bladder stones, they’ve taken a urine sample and bloods as well. If he has to have surgery, that’s obviously my priority at the moment, then I’ll discuss the heart meds. It’s a tricky balancing act I know, but I don’t want him in pain with stones, if he has them so bottom line is, I would attempt surgery for him, to give him a chance.

xx
 
Just an update to this, they have found a stone in his bladder, they said it’s not an emergency as it’s not in his urethra and he’s able to empty his bladder. She wants me to push fluids and encourage him to wee more, as she said there’s a chance it can dissolve and come out itself, with pain relief and some calming meds. She has taken bloods and urine, she said if his kidneys are too poor, then it wouldn’t be in his best interest to operate as prognosis is poor anyway. So it would be palliative/conservative approach.

I hope I’m doing the right thing in agreeing with this, she is an exotic vet and is very knowledgable so I trust that plan.

I just don’t know how much longer I have with him but I’ll make the most of every day I have.
Xx
 
I’m so sorry, I can’t advise about your decision, only that you would not want to keep him in pain x
 
I’m so sorry. I can’t advise either but I also know you wouldn’t want him in pain.

I’m afraid I’ve never heard of a stone dissolving by itself. Is if a big stone?
 
Claire W said:
I’m so sorry. I can’t advise either but I also know you wouldn’t want him in pain.

I’m afraid I’ve never heard of a stone dissolving by itself. Is if a big stone?
Click to expand...
She showed me the X-ray, not sure if it’s a big stone in relation to everything else, it’s in the bladder but close to the urethra, she said if I push fluids it sometimes breaks apart and he could wee it out. I’ve got to change his diet and give him
More watery fresh food, which he gets anyway and pushing fluids. Just got to wait for blood and urine results. He seems fine in himself, still asking for his food when it comes, so I’ll let him guide me with what to do.

xx
 
Ali_x said:
She showed me the X-ray, not sure if it’s a big stone in relation to everything else, it’s in the bladder but close to the urethra, she said if I push fluids it sometimes breaks apart and he could wee it out. I’ve got to change his diet and give him
More watery fresh food, which he gets anyway and pushing fluids. Just got to wait for blood and urine results. He seems fine in himself, still asking for his food when it comes, so I’ll let him guide me with what to do.

xx
Click to expand...

Fingers crossed for you both xx
 
So the bloods have actually shown that his kidneys are ok, so surgery is an option for him if needed. The vet isn’t keen on surgery if we can help it because of the risks, she says the urine and bloods show infection markers present, she’s hoping that as well as anti inflammatories and the cysta calm will help conservatively manage it.
So he’s weeing good amounts normally, but then occasionally he has a small pinky colour wee indicating blood, she thinks it may be where he’s inflamed from the infection.
So I guess now I know surgery is an option, I’ll judge if he’s getting worse, that’s what the vet wants me to do, as well as push fluids and change his diet.
I don’t know if anyone else has been in this situation with surgery options?
Thanks! Xx
 
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