Possible Interstitial Cystitis

[Federica93]

Dears,
I need your advice...
About a month ago my 6-year-old started having very smelly pee with sand.
The vet did an RX on her and it turned out to be vesical sludge.

She then gave her Enrocat (Enrofloxacin) for 10 days and the odor reduced, but then it returned a week after the antibiotics were stopped.
We did another RX (at 10 days of antibiotics) and the sludge has practically disappeared, although I still find some sand in her bed, but very little.
So, we did a urinoculture, and I am awaiting the results...Also the vet prescribed a supplement of Niruri (Phyllanthus niruri) 3 times a week and Meloxicam as needed.

Since she has had this problem, she has lost 80-90 g in weight and stands at 680 g (on average she weighed 750-800 g; she has never been very heavy)

On this forum I read about interstitial cystitis and I am thinking of purchasing "Feliway Cystease" (in Italy we don't have this product, but I can buy from UK)
Could this help? Does anyone have experience with similar cases?

thanks at all!

 

[ScrufflesRules]

Bump

 

[Federica93]

Dears
The urinoculture result is positive for Staphylococcus aureus (resistant for Enrofloxacin but sensibile for Bactrim).
Now the vet has prescribed Bactrimel (or Bactrim) for 15 days, but I am very worried about the other pig because I don't know if the infection can infect him (the vet assumes not).

 

[Gem789]

Dears
The urinoculture result is positive for Staphylococcus aureus (resistant for Enrofloxacin but sensibile for Bactrim).
Now the vet has prescribed Bactrimel (or Bactrim) for 15 days, but I am very worried about the other pig because I don't know if the infection can infect him (the vet assumes not).

An infection of the bladder can't be passed to another piggie as far as I am aware

 

[Federica93]

An infection of the bladder can't be passed to another piggie as far as I am aware

Yeah, my vet confermed.

 

[Gem789]

Yeah, my vet confermed.

Hope the bactrim works and your guinea pig is feeling better soon.

 

[Wiebke]

Dears,
I need your advice...
About a month ago my 6-year-old started having very smelly pee with sand.
The vet did an RX on her and it turned out to be vesical sludge.

She then gave her Enrocat (Enrofloxacin) for 10 days and the odor reduced, but then it returned a week after the antibiotics were stopped.
We did another RX (at 10 days of antibiotics) and the sludge has practically disappeared, although I still find some sand in her bed, but very little.
So, we did a urinoculture, and I am awaiting the results...Also the vet prescribed a supplement of Niruri (Phyllanthus niruri) 3 times a week and Meloxicam as needed.

Since she has had this problem, she has lost 80-90 g in weight and stands at 680 g (on average she weighed 750-800 g; she has never been very heavy)

On this forum I read about interstitial cystitis and I am thinking of purchasing "Feliway Cystease" (in Italy we don't have this product, but I can buy from UK)
Could this help? Does anyone have experience with similar cases?

thanks at all!

Hi

Sorry that your thread has fallen off the list. It can happen when the forum is lively and we get lots of alerts.

I am very sorry but hopefully the bactrim will do the trick. It may need a longer course than the baytril/enrofloxacin though so please ask your vet for a second course if symptoms persist.
Your companion may pick up the infection but if they are healthy, their immune system should get on top of it and fend it off.

Sterile (i.e. non-bacterial) IC is not a result of any stones or sludge in the bladder and it is usually identified by a lack or - more commonly - a low count of bacteria despite the presence of infection symptom markers like higher protein and blood in the urine (although the urine can look clear). Flares are characterised at the onset by intense dark red coloured urine (this happens from a natural dye call porphyrin); they can or cannot test positive for blood. Squeaking when peeing is also usually present.

 

[Federica93]

Hi

Sorry that your thread has fallen off the list. It can happen when the forum is lively and we get lots of alerts.

I am very sorry but hopefully the bactrim will do the trick. It may need a longer course than the baytril/enrofloxacin though so please ask your vet for a second course if symptoms persist.
Your companion may pick up the infection but if they are healthy, their immune system should get on top of it and fend it off.

Sterile (i.e. non-bacterial) IC is not a result of any stones or sludge in the bladder and it is usually identified by a lack or - more commonly - a low count of bacteria despite the presence of infection symptom markers like higher protein and blood in the urine (although the urine can look clear). Flares are characterised at the onset by intense dark red coloured urine (this happens from a natural dye call porphyrin); they can or cannot test positive for blood. Squeaking when peeing is also usually present.

At the moment, his partner has no symptoms. He is younger (3 y.o.) and certainly his immune system is more active.
At the moment the only symptoms she has are smelly pee and sludge, but fortunately she eats/drinks and is active.

 

[Wiebke]

At the moment, his partner has no symptoms. He is younger (3 y.o.) and certainly his immune system is more active.
At the moment the only symptoms she has are smelly pee and sludge, but fortunately she eats/drinks and is active.

He may pick it up from scent marking but it shouldn't lead to an acute infection; to be honest if he is not showing any symptoms now, it is unlikely that he will since the problem has been around for several weeks now.

I would however recommend to clean the cage/change the bedding more regularly than usual though.

 

[Federica93]

Hi

Sorry that your thread has fallen off the list. It can happen when the forum is lively and we get lots of alerts.

I am very sorry but hopefully the bactrim will do the trick. It may need a longer course than the baytril/enrofloxacin though so please ask your vet for a second course if symptoms persist.
Your companion may pick up the infection but if they are healthy, their immune system should get on top of it and fend it off.

Sterile (i.e. non-bacterial) IC is not a result of any stones or sludge in the bladder and it is usually identified by a lack or - more commonly - a low count of bacteria despite the presence of infection symptom markers like higher protein and blood in the urine (although the urine can look clear). Flares are characterised at the onset by intense dark red coloured urine (this happens from a natural dye call porphyrin); they can or cannot test positive for blood. Squeaking when peeing is also usually present.

How quickly does the antibiotic take effect?

I am almost on day 6 and the urine still stinks, although less.
I read on this forum that it can take up to 3-4 weeks of Bactrim therapy....

 

[Wiebke]

How quickly does the antibiotic take effect?

I am almost on day 6 and the urine still stinks, although less.
I read on this forum that it can take up to 3-4 weeks of Bactrim therapy....

An antibiotic takes about 5 days to full efficiency, then stays on fully efficiency until the end of the course after which is gradually peters out over the course of ca. 5 days. If Bactrim has doesn't have much of an impact at full efficiency, then you are much more likely dealing with a non-bacterial (i.e. sterile) infection.

Please accept that the current prevalence of sterile IC in indoors piggies has been only gradually emerging over the last 15 years or so and that the advice in older threads has to be seen against that backdrop. It could only reflect the fact that bactrim is a bit more effective on faecal bacteria in the urinary tract but that it is not able to cure a major absence of bacteria.

What you are currently seeing is that your piggy has likely got the frankly more common small amount of faecal bacteria in the urinary tract picked up by scent marking (hence the slight improvement) but that there is going to be no major bacterial urine infection because the bactrim should have had more impact by now. Very few piggies have no faecal bacteria at all in their urinary tract.

 

[Federica93]

An antibiotic takes about 5 days to full efficiency, then stays on fully efficiency until the end of the course after which is gradually peters out over the course of ca. 5 days. If Bactrim has doesn't have much of an impact at full efficiency, then you are much more likely dealing with a non-bacterial (i.e. sterile) infection.

Please accept that the current prevalence of sterile IC in indoors piggies has been only gradually emerging over the last 15 years or so and that the advice in older threads has to be seen against that backdrop. It could only reflect the fact that bactrim is a bit more effective on faecal bacteria in the urinary tract but that it is not able to cure a major absence of bacteria.

What you are currently seeing is that your piggy has likely got the frankly more common small amount of faecal bacteria in the urinary tract picked up by scent marking (hence the slight improvement) but that there is going to be no major bacterial urine infection because the bactrim should have had more impact by now. Very few piggies have no faecal bacteria at all in their urinary tract.

Vet done urinoculture and result was positive for Staphylococcus aureus.
The antibiogram showed a sensitivity for Bactrim and vet has prescribed Bactrimel (or Bactrim) for 15 days.

 

[Wiebke]

Vet done urinoculture and result was positive for Staphylococcus aureus.
The antibiogram showed a sensitivity for Bactrim and vet has prescribed Bactrimel (or Bactrim) for 15 days.

Sorry, I am very tired this morning.

Just continue with the treatment and let your vet know how you are getting on; especially if there is only a partial progress. It may indeed take longer to clear out staphylococcus aureus as it is a tougher bug compared to your usual bacteria.

Please accept that none of us on here is a veterinarian and that we do not necessarily know the answers or have experience with more unusual diagnoses - keeping in mind that diagnostics have expanded massively for guinea pigs in just a very few years.

 

[Federica93]

Sorry, I am very tired this morning.

Just continue with the treatment and let your vet know how you are getting on; especially if there is only a partial progress. It may indeed take longer to clear out staphylococcus aureus as it is a tougher bug compared to your usual bacteria.

Please accept that none of us on here is a veterinarian and that we do not necessarily know the answers or have experience with more unusual diagnoses - keeping in mind that diagnostics have expanded massively for guinea pigs in just a very few years.

Yes, I will try to contact the vet tomorrow and inform her.

 

[Federica93]

Dear,
We did another urinoculture and the result was negative (no bacteria was detected).
The urine still smells a little stronger, the vet suspects it is because of the sludge.
He suggested to use of glucosamine and Phyllanthus nirur, do you think it can help?

 

[Wiebke]

Dear,
We did another urinoculture and the result was negative (no bacteria was detected).
The urine still smells a little stronger, the vet suspects it is because of the sludge.
He suggested to use of glucosamine and Phyllanthus nirur, do you think it can help?

Glucosamine is the substance that is coating the walls of the urinary tract. It will take some time to build up (usually a few weeks) but it will help to repair the damage sludge has been doing to the bladder walls and considerably add to the overall comfort/lessening of pain.

Phyllanthus nirur is the active ingredient in chanca piedra, a herbal preparation. You may find more information on chanca piedra when googling. In our own forum experience it has been occasionally used by vets dealing with inoperable bladder stone piggies but it to my knowledge it has never worked out.

 

[Federica93]

Glucosamine is the substance that is coating the walls of the urinary tract. It will take some time to build up (usually a few weeks) but it will help to repair the damage sludge has been doing to the bladder walls and considerably add to the overall comfort/lessening of pain.

Phyllanthus nirur is the active ingredient in chanca piedra, a herbal preparation. You may find more information on chanca piedra when googling. In our own forum experience it has been occasionally used by vets dealing with inoperable bladder stone piggies but it to my knowledge it has never worked out.

Noted, we try!

 

[Federica93]

Glucosamine is the substance that is coating the walls of the urinary tract. It will take some time to build up (usually a few weeks) but it will help to repair the damage sludge has been doing to the bladder walls and considerably add to the overall comfort/lessening of pain.

Phyllanthus nirur is the active ingredient in chanca piedra, a herbal preparation. You may find more information on chanca piedra when googling. In our own forum experience it has been occasionally used by vets dealing with inoperable bladder stone piggies but it to my knowledge it has never worked out.

How much weeks does glucosamine need to work?