Red/Pink Urine?

[beckyv]

I'm following this- as have had a similar experience with my male guinea pig. Had ultrasound and tests - all okay. They gave him medicine incase of a UTI and that stopped bleeding. However started again a few weeks later. We had given him some red pepper and tomato so thought it could be that. Have stopped that now for about 4 days and there is still small amounts of red in cage - at random times.

Please let me know if anything works for you and your piggie.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I'm following this- as have had a similar experience with my male guinea pig. Had ultrasound and tests - all okay. They gave him medicine incase of a UTI and that stopped bleeding. However started again a few weeks later. We had given him some red pepper and tomato so thought it could be that. Have stopped that now for about 4 days and there is still small amounts of red in cage - at random times.

Please let me know if anything works for you and your piggie.

The post you originally commented on was dated 2021. While older threads still contain valuable information, It’s best for you to have your own thread so you can receive ongoing support and advice to your specific situation.

If all other bladder issues (UTI, stones, sludge) have all been ruled out, then the next possibility is sterile cystitis. It may be suppressed by antibiotics but not cured as it is not a bacterial issue. It’s a condition similar as seen in cats so please do speak to your vet about it.
Treatment, after diagnosis, is daily painkillers and glucosamine. The dosage is which is based on a maintenance dose to keep your piggy comfortable and is then temporarily increased during a flare.
It’s also worth checking the diet to ensure it isn’t too high in calcium, ensuring pellets are kept limited to one tablespoon and drinking water filtered.
Most calcium comes into the diet via pellets and water particularly in a hard water country like the UK. High calcium veggies such as kale, spinach, parsley should be limited.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

Below is our information on infections of the urinary tract, including the lesser known but now much more common sterile cystitis (or its older name interstitial cystitis, IC). You may find it helpful in understanding your experience. The word 'sterile' refers to the fact that sterile cystitis is not bacterial and that therefore antibiotics can at the best suppress it only temporarily but they cannot cure it. Cavy sterile cystitis needs to be managed.
But the fact that antibiotics have been able to suppress it temporarily also tells me that you are thankfully dealing with the mild to medium range of it.

We can help you with further support once you have got a diagnosis.

Wiebke's Guide to Pees and Stones

Here are our diet recommendations

Thread 'Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets'

Jul 14, 2014

1 The recommended ratio of food groups
2 Hay and fresh grass
3 Vegetables, fresh herbs and fruit with an illustrated balanced sample diet
4 Special dietary needs
- Urinary tract infections, bladder stones and sterile IC (non-bacterial interstitial cystitis)
- Diabetes and long term digestive problems
- Impaction in boars
- Pregnancy and nursing dietary tweaks (only visible to registered members who have accepted our no intentional breeding policy)...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 6
• Forum: Diet

• 

 

[weepweeps]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

 

[jadielin]

I'm following this- as have had a similar experience with my male guinea pig. Had ultrasound and tests - all okay. They gave him medicine incase of a UTI and that stopped bleeding. However started again a few weeks later. We had given him some red pepper and tomato so thought it could be that. Have stopped that now for about 4 days and there is still small amounts of red in cage - at random times.

Please let me know if anything works for you and your piggie.

Hi there!

This post was made when my girl and strange on/off red and pink urine which seemed to go away after a day. The vet couldn’t find any cause other than just some random inflammation.

However, right now I am dealing with the same problem as you. About two months ago my girl was peeing blood (not pink/red tinged urine). I took her to the vet and they did all the tests - no stone (but a small speck in her bladder) but an infection. She was on antibiotics for 7 days.

About a week later, the blood returned. They prescribed me two antibiotics for 10 days and this seemed to help. I gave a few extra doses as my girl loves to spit some out (every single time).

Now, three weeks later - she was crying when peeing and the blood is back. She’s now on antibiotics and metacam (if she will take it) again.

This most recent appointment I had, they seem to have a theory. In her X-Ray from about two months ago there was a small speck in her bladder and they weren’t sure if it was a stone, but if it was it would be small enough for her to pass. The vet advised that bladder stones have dents/divots that can hold bacteria inside. So even though the antibiotics could help her bladder, the infection can reoccur because it’s hiding in the stone (even if small). My vet believes she has now passed the little stone (there was a laceration on her urethra which could also be the source of the blood). So I’m hoping now that it’s been passed, these final antibiotics will kick the infection.

I’m not sure if this helps but I feel your pain! I hope your baby is okay

 

[beckyv]

Hi. I have 2 male guinea pigs and about a month ago we had them checked out at the vets as there was blood in their cage. The vet did external examination , checking feet, ears, teeth etc and felt for abnormalities and bladder stones but couldn't feel anything.

We took them back to have a scan to see for stones incase the vet had missed them and also to do a urine test to check for UTI. The scan showed nothing- so no bladder stones. She could not get a urine sample from our boys but gave us some antibiotics for them to rule it out as she couldn't see what else it could be. They took for a week and all cleared up.

We started giving them red veg again in their diet , red pepper and tomato but noticed the red again. I know some.foods can cause this, so we stopped and have stopped for about a week now, just sticking to green veg, science selective nuggets and hay. The red in urine has still continued- can it be stained red for this long or could It be something else.

Has anyone had a similar situation?

We started feeding them some red veg again in their diets and since then noticed red urine.

 

[beckyv]

Hi there!

This post was made when my girl and strange on/off red and pink urine which seemed to go away after a day. The vet couldn’t find any cause other than just some random inflammation.

However, right now I am dealing with the same problem as you. About two months ago my girl was peeing blood (not pink/red tinged urine). I took her to the vet and they did all the tests - no stone (but a small speck in her bladder) but an infection. She was on antibiotics for 7 days.

About a week later, the blood returned. They prescribed me two antibiotics for 10 days and this seemed to help. I gave a few extra doses as my girl loves to spit some out (every single time).

Now, three weeks later - she was crying when peeing and the blood is back. She’s now on antibiotics and metacam (if she will take it) again.

This most recent appointment I had, they seem to have a theory. In her X-Ray from about two months ago there was a small speck in her bladder and they weren’t sure if it was a stone, but if it was it would be small enough for her to pass. The vet advised that bladder stones have dents/divots that can hold bacteria inside. So even though the antibiotics could help her bladder, the infection can reoccur because it’s hiding in the stone (even if small). My vet believes she has now passed the little stone (there was a laceration on her urethra which could also be the source of the blood). So I’m hoping now that it’s been passed, these final antibiotics will kick the infection.

I’m not sure if this helps but I feel your pain! I hope your baby is okay

Thank you so much for this. Might see if we can get some more antibiotics!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you so much for this. Might see if we can get some more antibiotics!

Please do see both mine and Wiebke’s reply regarding the potential for it being sterile cystitis given a couple of rounds of antibiotic have already not resolved l the issue. If it is not a bacterial issue and is in fact sterile cystitis then additional antibiotics will not help

 

[beckyv]

Please do see both mine and Wiebke’s reply regarding the potential for it being sterile cystitis given a couple of rounds of antibiotic have already not resolved l the issue. If it is not a bacterial issue and is in fact sterile cystitis then additional antibiotics will not help

Thank you- they've only had one round of antibiotics which helped initially. I'm currently doing some research on sterile cystitis as had never hears of it. So thank you