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Pain when weeing don't know what to do!

JoannaMarie

JoannaMarie

Junior Guinea Pig
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Nottingham, UK
My pig Alan has always had issues with his penis, mainly due to his long hair. Every few weeks he would start crying when he wees, i would then cut his hair on his tummy, clean his penis, and when necessary remove sperm rods (eeew!). He would then always stop crying and go back to normal. A month or two ago he kept crying even after I did the usual clean up. I took him to the vets who found blood in his urine so went on 10 days of baytril, but he was still crying so I took him back for a bladder scan. The vet found no evidence of stones or sludge on the scan, and suggested I go to a guinea pig specialist to investigate further. I have an appointment at Alfreton vets with Ellie next Saturday (i live miles away and cant have time off work to get him in sooner). However last week he got worse so I took him to my usual vet who has given him another short round of baytril and metacam. He is absolutely ok in himself. He is eating, running around and rumble strutting at my other pig (Monty) and hasn't lost any weight but he is still in so much pain when he wees. I am so upset to see him in pain I want to cry. I don't know what to do for him. Have you got any advice? The pig I had before Monty (Ted) had kidney stones and died after a long and brutal battle so I am so frightened it is that. I love my pigs so much.
 
JoannaMarie said:
My pig Alan has always had issues with his penis, mainly due to his long hair. Every few weeks he would start crying when he wees, i would then cut his hair on his tummy, clean his penis, and when necessary remove sperm rods (eeew!). He would then always stop crying and go back to normal. A month or two ago he kept crying even after I did the usual clean up. I took him to the vets who found blood in his urine so went on 10 days of baytril, but he was still crying so I took him back for a bladder scan. The vet found no evidence of stones or sludge on the scan, and suggested I go to a guinea pig specialist to investigate further. I have an appointment at Alfreton vets with Ellie next Saturday (i live miles away and cant have time off work to get him in sooner). However last week he got worse so I took him to my usual vet who has given him another short round of baytril and metacam. He is absolutely ok in himself. He is eating, running around and rumble strutting at my other pig (Monty) and hasn't lost any weight but he is still in so much pain when he wees. I am so upset to see him in pain I want to cry. I don't know what to do for him. Have you got any advice? The pig I had before Monty (Ted) had kidney stones and died after a long and brutal battle so I am so frightened it is that. I love my pigs so much.
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Hi! Would your vet considering interstitial cystitis (IC)?

It is a chronic/recurring non-bacterial inflammation of the bladder walls that cannot be cured by an antibiotic. the symptoms are the same as for UTI and bladder stones/sludge. it can only be diagnosed by default as we do not know what is causing it. it has become much more common in the last decade.
For the same reason, it can also not be healed. The good news is that it is eventually going away on its own and that it is not causing bladder stones or shortening the life span. But it is usually a matter of 1-3 years before it goes away again and it is not the nicest of times.
However, if it is any consolation for you, my Nerys who presented like your boy had nearly 3 years of IC but then lived for another 3 years without any bladder issues whatsoever. She died aged 8 years.
My Caron had IC for 1 1/2 years and lived free of it for the next nearly 2 years; she died as one of the longest lived from her large rescue from a particularly horrible place.

Treatment is with metacam (an anti-inflammatory as well as a painkiller), a glucosamine-based food supplement like cystease, which helps to strengthen the natural glucosamine coating of the bladder walls and a diet that is free of root veg, lettuce and grain. We can only manage the symptoms and try to remove as many triggers as possible that we suspect could be involved.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
 
Thank you for your response it was very comforting. Alan went to see the guinea pig vet Ellie today and she has diagnosed IS as there were no signs of stones or UTI but there was blood in his urine. He is on a high dose of Metacam to help ease the pain and take down swelling and also given Cystophen. Ellie was great at Alfreton Vets. Thanks again for your reply.
 
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