guinea pig leaking pee and possible blood in urine

[eloquenteevee76]

my guinea pig has had a wet bottom for a couple days (i wanted to check if it was just her sitting in her wee though) and now she seems to be peeing small amounts and i saw red in her wee. could this be blood or is there any other reason?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi
Please see a vet in the coming week for a potential infection if symptoms firm up (squeaking when peeing) or if you notice the weight gradually going down in the coming days. Please switch to weighing daily first thing in the morning for best day to day comparison.

The red colour has the maroon shade that indicates a natural dye called porphyrin, which is characteristic for the onset of either a bacterial urine infection (UTI) or a sterile (i.e. non-bacterial) cystitis. If you have a sow, your vet should ideally also check the reproductive tract (womb) for an infection.

It does actually take surprisingly large amount of blood to discolour urine so I cannot tell you whether there is blood or not; that would require testing. The urine is however quite diluted, so the kidneys may also need a check unless your piggy is naturally a strong drinker or if her consumption has - weather unrelated - changed. This weekend doesn't count because the humid heat spike can change the fluid intake temporarily in some piggies.

This is not an emergency.

Here is some more practical information:
Wiebke's Guide to Pees and Stones
All About Drinking And Bottles
Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support

 

[eloquenteevee76]

thank you so much!

 

[eloquenteevee76]

also do the red pees always lead to the onset of a uti? or can it be fended off with lots of water and such?