• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Specialist Monty Is At The Emergency Vet - Please Help!

Zelsi

Zelsi

New Born Pup
Joined
Nov 23, 2016
Messages
56
Reaction score
41
Points
220
Location
Oxford, United Kingdom
I took Monty to the vet yesterday for a CT scan to find out what was causing his mysterious "hooting" and wheezing noises when breathing. A few hours after coming home he clearly wasn't okay.

I took him back again last night and they found he had gut stasis and some bloat from not eating enough. He also had smelly / cloudy urine and was struggling to urinate. They admitted him and as I type this he is still at the hospital.

The vets say he is improving slowly, his gut is moving and the bloat has reduced. He's been nibbling some veggies as well however his bladder his very sore and he is still struggling to pass urine.

They have said it might be a UTI - he is already being treated for this with antibiotics - OR a bladder stone. A bladder stone would mean an x-ray and potentially using a catheter or having surgery to relieve the problem.

Guinea Lynx :: UTI
Guinea Lynx :: Bladder Stones

I hate to say this but I am stuck in this awful position because I don't want to stress him further but also I want him to heal and for him to get the right treatment.

I know with any pet the owner must take responsibility and pay the costs of treatment but the bills are adding up and I'm now starting to worry I can't help him any more. His CT and consultation came to £750 and the current approximation for his admittance to the hospital is at £550. If they want to do an x-ray this will add to the cost, and with surgery there will be an even bigger bill plus risk to Monty.

Trying to make a decision for him feels impossible and I have nowhere to turn to help me with his vet bills. I feel awful for even worrying about the money but I'm posting for help. Please if anyone has any suggestions or can help me I would appreciate it so so much. I want to help him.

20180124_190132.webp
 
Have you tried discussing a payment plan with your vet?
Alternatively there’s PDSA.
I don’t know if either will be a solution but hopefully some other forum members have more experience.
So sorry you and Monty are having such a rough time
 
Hi, I'm not sure what the situation would be for you but when I had lots of issues with my cats being at the vets and racking up hellish vet bills into the hundreds, I was very honest with the vets and said I want to get him treated but the money saved is running out fast.

Sometimes vets will give you a lot of options of what they want to do and if you let them know money's a bit tight at the moment they will go down the route of doing the tests they think are most important first and will likely solve the problems then move onto the explorative treatments afterwards instead of at the same time.

Maybe this is an option at your vets?
At the end of the day you can't pay for a treatment that you just don't have the money for and it's not fair of the vets to pile lots of tests that are not absolutely necessary on your little guy either,

I sometimes feel like my vets try to shame me into paying for a treatment that a second opinion will later tell me isn't even a concern for them? So where's the truth?

Do you trust this vets opinion?
If you do be honest and let them know the situation and maybe they can help you decide which tests are most important for your piggie to get better x
 
Cost would be greatly reduced if he was being cared for at home, if that is an option. The emergency vets I saw with Leonard wanted £500 just to keep him in, give him fluids, painkillers and antibiotics. They did not even diagnose his UTI, just wanted to keep him until we could get him seen by our own vets in the morning. His injections etc ended up being £220 in the end and £175 was purely for walking in the door at midnight. So thats a few hundred you could possibly save.

If you look into the PDSA route, make sure you register with them before taking him in and if you're entitled to the reduced cost services, make sure thats on your accounts before going, because once you're in and being seen they wont apply it..as I found out to my cost!

Then there is how likely your vet believes a stone is, Leonard was given a week on antibiotics to see how he went before we would try checking for a stone (only sooner if he didnt improve/got worse) so if it's only a UTI and an xray isnt needed right this moment, that could save a little money. He went from deaths door to perfectly fine again in about 24 hours, so an xray would not only of been a waste of money, it would of been unnecessary stress on top of everything, so they might be willing to see if the antibiotics work before proceeding with that.

Best thing you can do is talk to your vet and explain your concerns and ask if they would consider a payment plan.
 
Unfortunately the PDSA won't help with this case as it's already ongoing plus I am not any schemes that "prove" a lack of funding i.e. job seekers or benefits.

Regarding Monty's situation before he had the CT scan he was pretty much fine. After the scan we took him home where he would be most comfortable. He was nervous, skittish, lethargic and just wanted to hide in a corner. I gave him time and was able to syringe some water and critical care, he was nibbling bits of hay and food but nowhere near enough. The next day he wanted nothing to do with his dinner - or his favourite veggies! There was also an overpowering stench from his urine. When I picked him up to have a look he clearly was really unwell so I took him to the vet last night.

He stayed with the vet because of gut stasis and bloat, as well as the severe pain from his bladder. Today he is slightly improved but his bladder is still very uncomfortable. While I could take him home I don't think he'd make it because of how sick he looked when I dropped him off last night. He's on a variety of different medications as well as fluids.

So regarding the UTI / bladder stones situation the vet says it could be either - they're not ruling it out or saying it's unlikely. They cannot feel one from examination but have told me if he has one it would show on x-ray. The thing is, like @Eriathwen said this is extra stress and cost. Personally I suspect he has a UTI from stress / weakened immune system. He was absolutely fine the day before the scan so a "sudden bladder stone" that has resulted him in severely struggling to urinate seems odd to me.

They are keeping him for 3 days as per our agreement, mostly due to his gut stasis (as that is pretty much fatal without vet intervention) so we're keeping him on antibiotics to see how he goes. I'm happy to pay for what I've agreed with the vets so far, the question is additional diagnosis for a possible bladder stone.

I must say that despite all the meds he hasn't improved significantly, and it's been about 18 hours. Although he is stable.
 
I've spoken with my vet and it would be another £110-£140 for the x-ray. However there are a lot of emergency cases at the moment and if the x-ray showed a stone they wouldn't treat it until tomorrow any way.

So with that in mind I've asked them to hold off and just keep taking care of him for now.

He is eating moderately, not as much as we would like, and he will move around a little bit. He is in quite a lot of discomfort around his bladder area still so we'll see if the antibiotics have had any effect by tomorrow.

The only concern is they have noticed blood in his urine which might indicate the infection has become more severe (or that it is is a bladder stone).

Also I did ask about the "sudden bladder stone" concern and he said that he may have been hiding it and the increased stress of being in hospital has worsened it causing it to be a more obvious illness.

We won't know for sure so we'll see how he goes and fingers crossed tomorrow he's perking up. But he is stable.
 
Some vets will offer a payment plan. Not sure if that would be an option at your vets? My vets don't but do have a leaflet about a company that offer credit for vet bills.
 
Good news! I spoke to the vet and Monty is doing very well. He is eating more, brighter and more alert as well. He's urinating and pooping like usual so his infection is improving. No signs of blood in the urine today and he's feeling a lot more comfortable.

His symptoms have improved dramatically and the medication seems to be working.

The vets are going to do an x-ray to rule out any bladder stones and then he should be clear to come home - but we're going to let him stay with the vet 1 more day before he comes home just to make sure he's 100% ready and doesn't deteriorate.

I've mentioned to them that we may need to put a payment plan in place also the rescue where I got Monty from are offering to help with £150 of the costs so it looks like things are looking up.

Some people have told me to give up on him (not on this forum of course!) and I'm glad I didn't listen to that advice - he's getting the best care and hopefully he will pull through.
 
Another quick update - his x-ray is also clear! So he is on the road to a full recovery and I will be taking him home tomorrow. I've agreed with the vet that it's better to be safe than sorry so he's going to stay for another 24 hours to make 150% sure he's absolutely ready to come home.

I'm so glad I've done all of this for him, regardless of the cost. I really do love my piggies and I'm banging my head against the wall for not having insurance but I've saved his life and that's what counts.

Regarding insurance - has any one got advice / suggestions / experience to share with me? I'm thinking it might be a good idea to consider it long term.
 
Glad to hear good news about Monty - hope things continue to go well.
I don’t have insurance for the piggies - in the little literature I’ve seen it didn’t look as if there was insurance for animals smaller than rabbits.
The only company I know of is Pet Plan.
 
Merab's Slave said:
Glad to hear good news about Monty - hope things continue to go well.
I don’t have insurance for the piggies - in the little literature I’ve seen it didn’t look as if there was insurance for animals smaller than rabbits.
The only company I know of is Pet Plan.
Click to expand...

I've heard of ExoticDirect but it looks like it's at least £200 per year for one of my pigs alone which seems... steep. It does cover up to £2000 so in this particular case with Monty it would have helped a lot. Although there is an excess is £65 so in general I'll be paying most bills.

Honestly I've never really bothered with insurance because a lot of the time the piggy just doesn't make it or it's not covered or there's never a problem or it's one of these random, out of the blue problems that is just unlucky.
 
I am so pleased to hear Monty is doing well.
I think Exotic Direct are the only insurance company that cover guinea pigs. I don't have insurance but after spending over £1000 on vets fees in October I did consider it. With four piggys and 2 of my boys being over 3yrs old that is about a years premiums and hopefully I won't get 2 pigs needing scans, xrays, overnight stays in the same year again! I have a savings account and I put away what I can each month for vet fees, it took a hard hit in October but I'm adding a bit extra when I can at the moment to build it back up. As you say with a £65 excess most health checks wouldn't be covered it's only when you get into the tests and scans you wish you'd had it. It's a hard decision to make.
 
So Monty is still struggling. We suspect he got cystitis in the end (and gut stasis / bloat as a result of the pain and discomfort associated with that). While we have this all under control he is on quite a lot of medication to keep him going. The medication is set to be finished on Friday evening so he still has a few days to go.

meds.webp

He seems a lot happier, he is moving around and nibbling some hay and occasionally veggies. He is urinating although not "normally" i.e. he does strain a little but doesn't appear to be in a lot of pain or discomfort (cystitis). He is also pooping but the poops are like miniature pellets (probably due to lack of eating enough veggies).

He has however had significant weight loss. Initially (before he got sick) he was 1330g. Weights so far:
  • Sunday 1300g
  • Monday 1255g
  • Tuesday 1208g
I phoned the vet earlier to give him an update and as of today I am bumping up the Oxbow to 4x a day at 15ml each as we have concerns over the weight loss. I will do this for the next two days and weigh him Wednesday and Thursday before I speak with the vet again on Thursday to discuss how he is doing, whether to alter his medication or if he needs to go back there for further monitoring.

I'm not sure I have any questions or need any advice because it's all up to Monty now, I'm doing everything I can for him it's just a case of giving him time to recover.

I've tried ALL the foods I can think of that he has eaten / might like and he's incredibly picky and only eats little and rarely. e.g. he might eat a bit of lettuce or half a slice of cucumber or a bit of grass. Not enough, hence the added Oxbow feeding.

EDIT: Monty went to the vet last week on Wednesday for a CT scan to identify the cause of his breathing problems. He then went back to the vet Thursday because he didn't look like he was doing very well (reacted very badly to his experience at the vet, we believe). He stayed with the vet until Sunday (due to gut stasis, bloat and cystitis) when I picked him up and has been at home since then.
 
If he's still a bit bloated then that can put them off eating, because it can be painful and they feel full. Try giving him more floor time, sometimes the extra running around can jiggle things around and get the gas out.

Personally I'd swap the Vitamin C to a probiotic or use Fibreplex in addition to the Vit C. Sulfatrim is usually handled well but antibiotics can put them off food a bit, so it's worth covering that just in case.

All you can whilst he's not eating is continue with the handfeeding. Get as much into him as you possibly can. You could try Critical Care and Supreme Recovery. But also offer him softened nuggets.

It can be a waste of veg but I'd continue to offer him his dinner each day. If it's there he might be tempted.

It sounds like he's in great hands and he has the best chance of a full recovery with you.

Oh, I just thought! Readigrass isn't great for them to eat all of the time but pigs I've had that have been off their food usually like having a go at Readigrass.
 
Jaycey said:
If he's still a bit bloated then that can put them off eating, because it can be painful and they feel full. Try giving him more floor time, sometimes the extra running around can jiggle things around and get the gas out.

Personally I'd swap the Vitamin C to a probiotic or use Fibreplex in addition to the Vit C. Sulfatrim is usually handled well but antibiotics can put them off food a bit, so it's worth covering that just in case.

All you can whilst he's not eating is continue with the handfeeding. Get as much into him as you possibly can. You could try Critical Care and Supreme Recovery. But also offer him softened nuggets.

It can be a waste of veg but I'd continue to offer him his dinner each day. If it's there he might be tempted.

It sounds like he's in great hands and he has the best chance of a full recovery with you.

Oh, I just thought! Readigrass isn't great for them to eat all of the time but pigs I've had that have been off their food usually like having a go at Readigrass.
Click to expand...

So with the medication he is on Ranitidine three times a day which is to get his gut moving the Vitamin C is there because he's probably not getting enough. The medication Monty is on has been prescribed and dosed by the vet so I wouldn't change it without their advice. Although I thought Ranitidine was a probiotic (to help his gut) and he has it 3 times a day - if not then I can ask the vet for a probiotic.

His urine has been cultured so once we get the results we may change his antibiotic to make sure he's on the right one for his infection.

The Oxbow Critical Care is probably what's keeping him going. I'm assuming 15ml / 4 hours is a reasonable amount (i.e. he won't be too full or unable to eat it)?

Regarding his pellets they are just in a bowl as usual - do you think I should make them a bit mushy instead?

He is getting fresh dinner every day but in general he only eats maybe 2 things which is barely anything. No interest tonight either :(

Also... earlier I noticed he was peeing and he squeaked / strained while doing it so he's obviously still struggling quite a lot despite everything we're trying to do... Not sure if there's anything else I can do to help him, he's due his medication in 2 hours so hopefully that makes him feel a bit better.
 
@Zelsi I didn't recommend changing or swapping any of his medication. You need to follow your vets instructions. Probiotic is a supplement and can be bought in a pet shop or online. It can be used alongside antibiotics, usually an hour or so afterwards to help maintain the correct balance of gut flora. Ranitidine is a medicine so that needs to be continued until the vet tells you to stop.

It's hard to know what volume of Oxbow Critical Care to give, it all depends on the individual pig. I remember reading years ago that 120ml per day is needed for a 1kg pig. But, as long as they are maintaining weight then that's enough.

It might be worth giving him both versiins of pellets, his usual and a portion mushes up. He can then choose if he wants some. I tend to find that when I have an ill pig I go overboard with the variety of stuff I leave for them, but I'd prefer for them to have the choice and hope that something tempts them.

The Metacam should help with the pain but if he's really struggling you could ask the vet for something stronger.
 
Oh my your little guys been through a lot and so have you. Keep Strong. Massive Vibes from my piggies to Monty
 
Sending lots of vibes to your little dude.

What vet are you using please? Always good to have recommendations
 
Jaycey said:
@Zelsi I didn't recommend changing or swapping any of his medication. You need to follow your vets instructions. Probiotic is a supplement and can be bought in a pet shop or online. It can be used alongside antibiotics, usually an hour or so afterwards to help maintain the correct balance of gut flora. Ranitidine is a medicine so that needs to be continued until the vet tells you to stop.

It's hard to know what volume of Oxbow Critical Care to give, it all depends on the individual pig. I remember reading years ago that 120ml per day is needed for a 1kg pig. But, as long as they are maintaining weight then that's enough.

It might be worth giving him both versiins of pellets, his usual and a portion mushes up. He can then choose if he wants some. I tend to find that when I have an ill pig I go overboard with the variety of stuff I leave for them, but I'd prefer for them to have the choice and hope that something tempts them.

The Metacam should help with the pain but if he's really struggling you could ask the vet for something stronger.
Click to expand...

Ah sorry the tone of my reply wasn't great. Apologies.

I will have a chat with him about the probiotic. His weight seems to have gone up today at 1232g which is weird so we're monitoring him for a further 48 hours.

It looks like he just doesn't want anything to eat right now so I'll keep syringing and hand feeding to encourage him to try. Hopefully he perks up soon otherwise it might be back to the vet.

Also his culture came back and the type of infection he has is resistant to some antibiotics but the Sulfatrim he is on is very good at tackling this specific one, so that's good news!

Thanks every one for your kind messages. I'll keep you posted.
 
sport_billy said:
Sending lots of vibes to your little dude.

What vet are you using please? Always good to have recommendations
Click to expand...

https://www.gwexotics.com are specialist exotic vets (birds, guinea pigs, rabbits, snakes, frogs etc.) and were acquired by At Vets Now, we treat thousands of pet emergencies each year. but the vets are the same it's just a different company now.

When I had the consult it lasted 30-45mins and they checked EVERYTHING. Walking, heart, lungs, bladder, gut, anus, penis, temperature, signs of discharge, fur, weight, eyes, mouth etc. Very thorough.

I go to the Swindon clinic which is a 24/7 fully equipped hospital.

For pricing if anyone's wondering (this is from what they told me / my experience but it might vary depending on the pet!)

Consultations
Referral case - £150
Client - £57
Out of hours referral case - £250
Out of hours client - £150

Treatments
CT Scan - £750
X-ray - £100
12 hour monitoring / staying with the practice - £50

EDIT: Regarding out of hours the ONLY extra cost is the consultation. So if a pet needs any treatment like medication or scans there's no "extra cost" for it being out of hours, the standard price applies.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top