Post-neutering UTI | Urinary Stone? Please advise!

[MoruMum]

Hey everyone,

New here and seeking advice about our pig, Squeak.

He got neutered on Sep 21, recovered well with 3 days of Metacam. All seemed good—eating, pooing, and peeing nicely.

On day 9 post-op, he started hunching and crying at night. No blood in pee, slightly softer poo. First time he's shown any issues at 3 years old.

Took him to the emergency vet at Royal Vet College in Potters Bar. Not an exotic specialist, but suspects cystitis or UTI due to pain urinating post-op and stress.

Prescribed Metacam for 48 hours, then Baytril 0.5ml twice a day if no improvement.

-One dose of Metacam, no change. Should I start Baytril now?
-Local exotic vet is part-time (1 day a week). During emergency consult, advised to see exotic vet again. Should I ask for a referral to another specialist?
-Any similar experiences post-neutering?

Thanks!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome to the forum and I’m sorry to hear this.

Metacam is a painkiller. Whether one dose is going to make any difference is going to depend on which version you’ve been given (cat or dog version) and what size the dose is. It’s dosed by weight and clinical need, with piggies having a faster metabolism and able to take a decent dose twice a day is the need is there.
Baytril is an antibiotic.

It’s also important you follow post op care tips.
Switch from the routine lifelong weekly weight checks and instead weigh him daily. This is the only way to ensure a piggy is eating enough hay. Make sure to step in with syringe feeding if there is any weight loss above normal fluctuation.

Definitely return to a knowledgable vet if the painkillers and antibiotics aren’t making any difference.

The guide below explains neutering in more detail along with possible post op complications.

Neutered / De-sexed Boars And Neutering Operations: Myths, Facts and Post-op Care

The guides below are our emergency care and weight guides

Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
Weight - Monitoring and Management

I hope he is ok

 

[MoruMum]

Thank you.
He was prescribed Metacam for dogs 0.16ml twice a day. He is around 1.4kg.
He is eating and drinking well so far but currently hesitant to move about (possibly because it is painful in the bladder area?)

Should I give Baytrill as well now (0.5ml twice a day) - was told to wait for 48 hours with just metacam but probably makes sense if I start Bay trill now?

His cage mate passed away this August. They were both used to be school guinea pigs. But we felt so sad for Squeak that we adopted him, as we used to take care of the pair during the holiday. But now he is alone, we were advised by the charity organisation that he needed to be neutered before he can have a new cage mate.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you.
He was prescribed Metacam for dogs 0.16ml twice a day. He is around 1.4kg.
He is eating and drinking well so far but currently hesitant to move about (possibly because it is painful in the bladder area?)

Should I give Baytrill as well now (0.5ml twice a day) - was told to wait for 48 hours with just metacam but probably makes sense if I start Bay trill now?

His cage mate passed away this August. They were both used to be school guinea pigs. But we felt so sad for Squeak that we adopted him, as we used to take care of the pair during the holiday. But now he is alone, we were advised by the charity organisation that he needed to be neutered before he can have a new cage mate.

We can only advise you to do as the vet says.
However if there is a UTI, abscess or any kind of infection then he will need antibiotics.

I’m sorry to hear his cagemate passed away.
I assume he is going to be bonded with a sow then?
He wouldn’t have needed to be neutered to be bonded with another boar. (Neutering doesn’t change their behaviour, it only stops pregnancies).

 

[MoruMum]

Yes that is the plan to be bonded with a sow.
I agree with you that we thought we could bond with another boar but this organisation was adamant that it would make is very difficult to bond a boar with another boar. I regret putting my Squeak through this. But we can only hope he recovers well.

Currently he is eating well (was quite excited to be given some cucumber) and saw him move about away from the poo and wee area where I can now clean up thoroughly.

However just checked - as he was sitting in one position pooing and peeing, it had a stronger than usual smell (still no blood or calcium deposit in the pee). Does UTI cause stronger pee smell? I am worried that because he was sitting on it for a while this will cause the infection (or worsen it).

 

[Piggies&buns]

Yes that is the plan to be bonded with a sow.
I agree with you that we thought we could bond with another boar but this organisation was adamant that it would make is very difficult to bond a boar with another boar. I regret putting my Squeak through this. But we can only hope he recovers well.

Currently he is eating well (was quite excited to be given some cucumber) and saw him move about away from the poo and wee area where I can now clean up thoroughly.

However just checked - as he was sitting in one position pooing and peeing, it had a stronger than usual smell (still no blood or calcium deposit in the pee). Does UTI cause stronger pee smell? I am worried that because he was sitting on it for a while this will cause the infection (or worsen it).

I'm sorry to hear that.
Bonding boars is no more difficult than any other bonding in that every bond relies on character compatibility and without compatibility any bonding, regardless of the sexes of the piggies, will fail.

Make sure you weigh him so you can watch hay intake. It is the most important part of food intake and can’t be gauged by eye. Eating veg doesn’t count for a whole lot if the hay intake has reduced at all.

A UTI can cause a fishy, stronger smelling urine. The vet can check for the presence of bacteria in the urine.

 

[MoruMum]

Ok thanks.
Will keep an eye on the weight and hay intake.

Just checked- His bum is dirty as he was sitting on his poo and pee last night. Does he need to be washed? I feel as much as I want to clean his bum in warm water I dont want to stress him and also he just had surgery 9 days ago and worried about the area.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Ok thanks.
Will keep an eye on the weight and hay intake.

Just checked- His bum is dirty as he was sitting on his poo and pee last night. Does he need to be washed? I feel as much as I want to clean his bum in warm water I dont want to stress him and also he just had surgery 9 days ago and worried about the area.

Try wiping with a damp cloth. If that doesn’t work, a gentle bum bath with plain water.

How long is his course of antibiotics and painkillers?

 

[MoruMum]

OK, will try. He will absolutely hate any handling never mind bath.

Metacam 0.16ml twice a day on day 1, then 0.08ml every 24 hours for 4 days.
Baytrill 0.5ml twice a day for 5 days

I just gave him some fresh raspberry leaves - I read it was good for minor UIT for guinea pigs. Better than not trying....

 

[Piggies&buns]

OK, will try. He will absolutely hate any handling never mind bath.

Metacam 0.16ml twice a day on day 1, then 0.08ml every 24 hours for 4 days.
Baytrill 0.5ml twice a day for 5 days

I just gave him some fresh raspberry leaves - I read it was good for minor UIT for guinea pigs. Better than not trying....

Once a day is not usually enough painkillers for piggies. They can take higher doses and need to have them twice a day. They metabolise pain meds in around 12 hours.
However it is prescribed on a sliding scale according to clinical need. Dog is three times stronger than cat and at 0.08ml once a day it is quite low but perhaps the vet doesn’t think he’s in much pain? UTIs (if that is what he has) can usually be quite painful

I would discuss all this with a knowledgeable vet.

 

[MoruMum]

@Piggies&buns
A quick update:
We had an amazing luck - the exotic specialist at our vet was working during the weekend (she only works 1 in 5 weekends, so that was amazing) and I took our Squeak to see her.

She agreed that Metacam dose is too low and modified to the following dosage:
Metacam for dogs 0.5ml twice a day for 5 days
Baytrill (the same dosage 0.5ml twice a day) but 7 days instead of 5 days.

During the consultation, she took an x-ray and thank goodness that she confirmed there is no gall stones. So UTI is the diagnosis.
She also gave him a one-off dose of mild opioid (buprenorphine i think).

He has lost weight from 1.4kg to 1.2kg over 10 days, and the vet says it is expected after the neutering.
Was told to monitor and bring him if he develops diarrhoea.

This morning:
Squeak eats well. Moving. Poo tear-drop shape slightly on a softer side but not watery diarrhoea. Have given him Pro-C probiotics for small animals a small amount.
Last time I saw him, he was sleeping on a pile of hay.

Fingers crossed he will recover.
Does UTI guinea pigs have good prognosis?
Do you know if there is a really good probiotics for guinea pigs?

Really appreciate all the advice and support. I will keep you all updated.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I'm glad the vet was able to see him.
I’m also glad he’s on better pain relief.

He’s a good size but you don’t really want to see any weight loss.
You need to weigh him at home each morning so you can monitor his hay intake closely. (Weight checks should be carried out every week as part of lifelong routine care, but you switch to daily weight checks during periods of illness or in this case recovery from surgery).
A 200g weight loss is not what you want and requires you to step in with syringe feeding to ensure he doesn’t lose any more.
(50g weight loss is the point at which you need to step in).

A UTI is usually easily dealt with a good course of antibiotics. If you get towards the end of the course and you aren’t seeing improvement then go back to the vet - sometimes a course can need to be much longer.

Pro C is absolutely fine. Fibreplex is the other good one (and is the one I use).
Don’t give the probiotic at the same time as an antibiotic dose - always ensure you leave a 1-2 hour gap between them.

Weight - Monitoring and Management
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

 

[CherryCoke_x]

Oh, poor Squeak, what an ordeal for him and you! I am so glad you could see your specialist; thank goodness it was their weekend.
I have all my fingers crossed for a speedy recovery, and I really hope you are ok; we all know how stressful it is with a poorly animal.

x

 

[MoruMum]

Thank you!
A quick update:
1 week has passed and Squeak has now completed a course of antibiotics (phew.. he did not like being administered one bit - now he is scatty all over because he is worried next time I am there he will get a medicine).

His poo looks healthy, he pees without crying and it is all clear.
He is eating | squeaking | popcorning (especially when I do brand-new hay change).

Today is the first day without the antibiotics and Metacam, so fingers crossed that he continues to stay like this so that we can soon find him a lovely cage mate.

 

[MoruMum]

Bad news I think the UTI is recurring. I have made an appointment to the vet (luckily today is her last day of the week and I managed to squeeze myself in).

When Squeak poos, he seems to make a very gentle wheeking sound.
I have attached a video.

IMG_6319 on Vimeo

<iframe src="IMG_6319 on Vimeo" width="640" height="564" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Poo doesn't look that great either. Sometimes round and healthy and other times a teadrop shape.

Was told to take a urine sample but I can only get a small drop of it (literally a drop).

Do you think it is a recurring UTI?
He was previously on Baytrill (0.5ml twice a day) but would there be a different one that the vet might prescribe?

I don't know much about guinea pig medicine, but when my cat had some infection the vet has given my old kitty one a day injection that lasted one week to avoid stress to the animal. Would there be something like that? I will ask my vet these questions but if you have any ideas I would be most grateful. I don't know what I would do without this forum!

 

[MoruMum]

Picture of the poo... apologies it's not very nice....
As you can see some are smaller and teardrop shape. When he poos in his house, they are generally round when I clean them. So its a mixture of the poo at the moment...

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear that.

There are a couple of possibilities. Either it wasn’t dealt with fully last time, some bacteria remained and have now multiplied again enough to cause symptoms (5 days is quite short for a UTI treatment. 7-10 days is more normal and in some stubborn cases treatment lasting several more weeks); or it wasn’t a UTI.

Antibiotics are generally given orally twice a day. I’ve not heard of infections being given and lasting that long

 

[MoruMum]

Thank you for the reply.

So last time's Baytrill course was 7 days (initially at the RVC, it was 5 days by my exotic vet extended to 7 days.

A quick update:
Did a urine test: No blood, small amount of protein but my vet says it is normal for a boar.

We ruled out gall stones last week and the vet says the most likely may be the early onset or UTI from the last time. But since there was no blood, she told me to give Squeak Metacam for the next 2–3 days. By next week if the condition worsens, then we will do a urine test and do a culture. Most likely she will prescribe Septrin.

Weight stays around 1.2kg for now.
Eating well, pooing well (except it is small and sometimes tea-drop shaped).
As his willy area is dirty with urine, we will clean him with cotton wool and warm water.

Will keep you updated.