Suspected Bladder Stones - Xray Or Ultrasound Scan?

[Toni D]

Hi, I've not posted for a while but I pop back to read posts now and then and recommend the forum to others. I have a boar piggy with suspected bladder stones (blood in urine not improving with Sulfatrim and now squeaking when peeing). I have a vet appointment this morning as vet wants to do an ultrasound but wherever I read it says piggy should have an x-ray. I want to insist on an xray - is this correct? I'm heading off for the appointment at 9am UK time. Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[DM030819]

My boy always has an xray. Maybe your vet prefers a scan as they'll do that consciously, they might not do conscious xrays

 

[Toni D]

Thank you Does your boy have his xray conscious? I'm sure the first vet I saw said they could do an xray with piggy conscious.

 

[lauraboara]

They may, you can ask, but my vet does not like them conscious for suspected bladder stone X-rays because you need more than one angle to find out more about where it is and they may need to manipulate the back legs out of the way. That sounds weirder than it is I think! They should be able to use just a whiff of gas for X-rays tho, not major drugs.

 

[Claire W]

My vet prefers to scan first (as they do that conscious) and will then X-ray if necessary.

When my piggies have needed to be sedated for an X-ray, only a whiff of gas has been used and not a full GA.

It's also wise to remember that scans and X-rays can look for different things. Scans can show thickened bladder walls and female reproductive problems (by scanning the womb and ovaries) which an X-ray won't show, but an X-ray can show stones which a scan may miss

Thankfully, all has come back clear recently.

But if you would rather go straight for an X-ray, your vet should respect this

Fingers crossed for your boy xx

 

[Toni D]

Thank you for all your replies. Mystery boar has no sludge in his urine. I am going to ring shortly to ask if they do conscious xrays. I'm still uncertain what to do.

 

[lauraboara]

Only you can decide after discussing with vet but at least you know what other vets are doing. I would encourage you to crack on with the X-ray after talking to your vet if it was me, it is better to know either way and then you can plan. You can have no sludge in the wee if the calcium is clumping on the stone/ bladder wall. Or it might not be stones! All the best for your boy. X

 

[Claire W]

Only you can decide after discussing with vet but at least you know what other vets are doing. I would encourage you to crack on with the X-ray after talking to your vet if it was me, it is better to know either way and then you can plan. You can have no sludge in the wee if the calcium is clumping on the stone/ bladder wall. Or it might not be stones! All the best for your boy. X

I agree. When Ellen was passing pure blood late last year, I insisted on having a scan and an X-ray done on the same day just to check for everything.

Thankfully everything came back normal but I needed the peace of mind if anything else.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for all your replies. Mystery boar has no sludge in his urine. I am going to ring shortly to ask if they do conscious xrays. I'm still uncertain what to do.

Fully conscious x-rays and scans can result in unclear readings, so many vets prefer a whiff of gas - not a full GA, just a touch of sedation. Please discuss it with your vet. You are likely to have to pay the full price anyway.

But it is definitely the stage where a scan or x-ray is indicated. Both do work. X-rays can be clearer, but they are harder on the body.

 

[Elwickcavies]

I agree with @Wiebke. I've always had X rays from two angles for bladder stones, with a quick whiff of gas for a bit of sedation, which doesn't have the same effects on the pig as a GA. Your vet will have a preference for ultrasound or X-ray. My vet prefers to use X ray for bladder stones as they show up well.

 

[lauraboara]

I agree with @Wiebke. I've always had X rays from two angles for bladder stones, with a quick whiff of gas for a bit of sedation, which doesn't have the same effects on the pig as a GA. Your vet will have a preference for ultrasound or X-ray. My vet prefers to use X ray for bladder stones as they show up well.

Had I not already said that further up this thread?

 

[lauraboara]

Any news on your boar @Toni D

 

[Toni D]

Sorry for late reply, I had to pick up my piggy, Oliver, at 5.20pm but didn't get seen until 6pm, then home and tea, etc.. Anyway the bottom line is no stones detected but the rest is as yet to be resolved.
When I took Oliver to the vets last Thursday it was a rush job as he had blood in his urine so I wanted to see a vet and get antibiotics started asap. I knew the G.Pig savvy vet was at a different branch but they had no appointments until the following evening. So I went to a nearby branch; which did an excellent job treating my cat almost 2 years ago. I told the young vet that I didn't want Baytril but wanted Septrin (now replaced by Sulfatrim) and was duly given some. She said give for one week but Guinealynx recommends two weeks.
I thought I should allow a few days for it to start working but then yesterday he squeaked in pain when urinating and it was still as bloody so I rushed him back (I should've tried the other G.Pig savvy branch but hindsight is a wonderful thing). I asked for pain relief and he was given an injection and it was suggested he have an ultrasound today.
I read various posts and noted other piggies had xrays for bladder stones so then I posted on here about the xray/ultrasound dilemma. Unfortunately I only saw a nurse at the vets this morning but I raised questions about why he was having an ultrasound not an xray and said he must not be given full anaesthetic for either. I said presumably the vet had reasons for opting for ultrasound but that I just wanted to raise the question and that Oliver should be given whichever was correct.
I heard nothing until I went to pick him up. The vet said he had given both an xray and an ultrasound. No stones could be seen on the x-ray but that the ultrasound showed tiny flecks of something (possibly grit) floating around. Then he said "I am not a guinea pig expert so I don't know what that means". I said "but you do have a guinea pig expert at your other branch". "Yes" he said. "Perhaps you should book a consultation with her as she will have access to all the records". He then said that Oliver definitely had a urine infection and I should continue with the Sulfatrim and gave me a bottle of Metacam. He has given me the Metacam for dogs 1.5mg/ml and said the dose is 0.66ml for Oliver at 1020g. That seems an awful lot of Metacam? Does anyone know what the dose should be please?
When I was handed Oliver back I opened his carrier and his head was full of tiny hay chaff which was also in his eyes so I took him out, cleaned his head and wet my finger to get the hay out of his eyes. Luckily I got it all out quickly.
I am going to ring the G.Pig savvy vets and ask if I need to book a consultation to have the ultrasound interpreted or can they advise me without the consultation. Today's vet did not charge a consultation fee but I am pretty shocked that he undertook a scan and then could not interpret it or undertake to consult a colleague regarding the results. The bill for today was just under £100. Bills before that came to c.£40. I'm exhausted!

 

[lauraboara]

Glad to hear that there were no obvious stones but sorry you don't feel you have got much further. I think speaking to the other more savvy vet sounds v good idea. My vet would normally show me X-rays on screen and talk through findings. Hope you get some more answers but bladder issues can be tricky to pin down so sometimes you have to rule things out to get to the answer - which actually you are doing even if it feels hard work!

 

[Toni D]

I am relieved he doesn't have stones and that he has antibiotics and pain relief. I worried all day yesterday, I even panicked that I might have overdosed him on Metacam but he was eagerly awaiting his veg this morning (phew). I will ring the other vet shortly and post when I have further news worth reporting. I'm grateful for everyone's support and advice.

 

[Toni D]

Oliver is still passing blood in his urine - no improvement but no squeaking in pain. I had a consultation with the guinea pig savvy vet today and she was very good but hadn't been sent the x-ray or scan pictures. She is chasing them up to check them herself. She has put him on a different antibiotic (Merbocyl P 5mg tablets) and wants to do a urine test in a week. She has slightly reduced his Metocam dose. Oliver is bright and happy and eating well but has started hiding when he thinks it is medicine time. Once medicine time is over he is chewing the bars for his veg to arrive!