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Guinea pig in pain

A

andthislittlepiggie

New Born Pup
Joined
Apr 9, 2019
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Location
Lichfield UK
Hey everyone,
Just after some advice or to see if anyone has had similar experience, as we’re at a bit of a loss.
Our 2.5 year old Bruce is in a lot of pain every time he poops (which is obviously a lot!). We took him to the vet just over a fortnight ago and he was prescribed baytril, along with loxicom, emeprid, and cisapride (he has long standing gut issues every now and then ever since his dental issues last year). The vet was ruling out UTI/ bladder stones/ gut issues. His poops were and still are perfectly formed.
He didn’t improve so we took him back last Thursday, the vet said take him off the baytril but continue with pain and gut meds. They did an ultra sound and his bladder was small, no sign of stones, no sign of any issue.
Today he remains in pain still, and seems even more frequent/ louder squeaks.
We know he’s in pain as he’s squeaking when pooping but also all fluffed up and arched back. I’ve contacted vets today to book him in again, but just posting on here too in case anyone else has any experience or advice. I hate seeing him in pain and am at a bit of a loss…. He’s still eating and drinking and moving around, generally happy between poops but just not his usual zoomies, lost about 50g over a couple of weeks.
 
I'm very sorry to hear your piggy is struggling.

Could you get a second opinion?

I found that supplementing with Cystease very much helped my bladder piggy.

I do hope you get some answers soon 🤞
 
andthislittlepiggie said:
Hey everyone,
Just after some advice or to see if anyone has had similar experience, as we’re at a bit of a loss.
Our 2.5 year old Bruce is in a lot of pain every time he poops (which is obviously a lot!). We took him to the vet just over a fortnight ago and he was prescribed baytril, along with loxicom, emeprid, and cisapride (he has long standing gut issues every now and then ever since his dental issues last year). The vet was ruling out UTI/ bladder stones/ gut issues. His poops were and still are perfectly formed.
He didn’t improve so we took him back last Thursday, the vet said take him off the baytril but continue with pain and gut meds. They did an ultra sound and his bladder was small, no sign of stones, no sign of any issue.
Today he remains in pain still, and seems even more frequent/ louder squeaks.
We know he’s in pain as he’s squeaking when pooping but also all fluffed up and arched back. I’ve contacted vets today to book him in again, but just posting on here too in case anyone else has any experience or advice. I hate seeing him in pain and am at a bit of a loss…. He’s still eating and drinking and moving around, generally happy between poops but just not his usual zoomies, lost about 50g over a couple of weeks.
Click to expand...

Could you please try and see another vet for a second opinion?

If all urinary tract issues have been excluded, you are most likely left with a sterile (i.e. non-bacterial) interstitial (i.e. recurring) cystitis) or sterile IC. Because of its nature, sterile IC cannot be cured by antibiotics and can only be managed with metacam for the pain and inflammation and glucosamine (which is classed as a food supplement and not as a medication) since sterile IC seems to affect especially the natural glucosamine layer on the walls of the urinary tract, which prevents the very corrosive urine from coming into contact with raw tissue. In milder cases, oral glucosamine (like mixing the contents of 1 capsule of feliway cat cystease with 2 ml of water to be given in one go or in two lots every 24 hours) or in more severe cases as glucosamine-based cartrofen (this is a prescription-only medication), either oral or via injection.

While sterile IC has unfortunately become a lot more common over the last decade, it is still virtually unknown outside vet circles that see guinea pigs on a very regular basis. We see IC cases rather regularly on here as a port of call for desperate owners like you.

I've currently got two IC piggies myself.

More information: Links - Interstitial Cystitis - Guinea Lynx Records
Our recommended vets locator: Recommended Guinea Pig Vets












































































































































































































































Links - Interstitial Cystitis - Guinea Lynx Records
 
Wiebke said:
Could you please try and see another vet for a second opinion?

If all urinary tract issues have been excluded, you are most likely left with a sterile (i.e. non-bacterial) interstitial (i.e. recurring) cystitis) or sterile IC. Because of its nature, sterile IC cannot be cured by antibiotics and can only be managed with metacam for the pain and inflammation and glucosamine (which is classed as a food supplement and not as a medication) since sterile IC seems to affect especially the natural glucosamine layer on the walls of the urinary tract, which prevents the very corrosive urine from coming into contact with raw tissue. In milder cases, oral glucosamine (like mixing the contents of 1 capsule of feliway cat cystease with 2 ml of water to be given in one go or in two lots every 24 hours) or in more severe cases as glucosamine-based cartrofen (this is a prescription-only medication), either oral or via injection.

While sterile IC has unfortunately become a lot more common over the last decade, it is still virtually unknown outside vet circles that see guinea pigs on a very regular basis. We see IC cases rather regularly on here as a port of call for desperate owners like you.

I've currently got two IC piggies myself.

More information: Links - Interstitial Cystitis - Guinea Lynx Records
Our recommended vets locator: Recommended Guinea Pig Vets












































































































































































































































Links - Interstitial Cystitis - Guinea Lynx Records
Click to expand...
Thank you that’s so helpful. He is currently at the vets (same one) as we speak, but we also have a new vets booked for Monday as we are relocating/ moving house on Friday and I wanted to make sure he was seen straight away in the new area for a check up. If we have no luck with that second opinion, I’ll drive him a couple hours to the cat and rabbit in Northampton as we trust them more than others and they know him for dental work…

thanks again for your help. I find it such a shame knowledge about guinea pigs is lost in most vets, we had such an awful time with his dental issues last year, seeing 3 different vets (one vet telling us to put him down when he was perfectly treatable) i’ve lost trust in some vets. Just so grateful for this forum - thank you :-)
 
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