UTI - how long until start seeing obvious improvements?

[Daniross95]

Hi all,

I need some guidance from people with similar experiences.

My guinea pig was diagnosed with a UTI and has been given some antibiotics. He was given his first dose at about 10am on Tuesday and it's now Thursday 5pm and he's due his next (evening) dose which will complete the 3rd full day of antibiotics, about 2& a half days since diagnosis.

He's still squeaking when urinating & has blood in his wee - shouldn't these symptoms have gone away by now? I'm a bit concerned that they are still here.

He's generally perked up slightly. We have been given 7 days worth so still have 4 days to go, just wondering when they should usually stop squeaking when weeing and stop showing blood in their wee?

The vet said we can call back if needed but thought I'd check with others before doing so!

Thanks

 

[Piggies&buns]

No you wouldn’t necessarily have seen all symptoms stop by now.
You need to wait for the whole course to be completed. An actually, 7 days may not be long enough, 10 days could be needed.

Is he on painkillers too?

 

[Daniross95]

No you wouldn’t necessarily have seen all symptoms stop by now.
You need to wait for the whole course to be completed. An actually, 7 days may not be long enough, 10 days could be needed.

Is he on painkillers too?

Thanks for your quick response!

I'll keep an eye on him, I get him our every few hours for feeding so I'll wait for him to wee each time so I can see the colour.

They didn't prescribe the painkillers as they were cautious of an underlying kidney issue and didn't want to impact that, so he's probably still in a lot of pain I guess? Just didn't think he would be after 5 doses!

I've had a guinea pig with a UTI before & they prescribed 10-14 days, so I was surprised it was only 7 given. I'll call up after the 7 days and see if it can be extended.


Thanks

 

[Daniross95]

Also I've started given him cystease in his food syringe to see if this helps as have seen some posts about it!

 

[Piggies&buns]

A UTI is very painful. I can appreciate the caution but I’m still surprised he isn’t on painkillers

 

[Daniross95]

A UTI is very painful. I can appreciate the caution but I’m still surprised he isn’t on painkillers

he did say we could call if we felt he needed them so perhaps I can see in the morning if he's still in pain! When would you usually suspect the pain and bloody urine to subside?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi

You may find this link here interesting if the UTI doesn't clear - which usually takes longer than a week. Please see your vet if there is any deterioration during the course, as that would indicate a stronger sterile cystitis . A milder sterile cystitis will usually react to antibiotics but come back.
Wiebke's Guide to Pees and Stones

 

[Daniross95]

Hi

You may find this link here interesting if the UTI doesn't clear - which usually takes longer than a week. Please see your vet if there is any deterioration during the course, as that would indicate a stronger sterile cystitis . A milder sterile cystitis will usually react to antibiotics but come back.
Wiebke's Guide to Pees and Stones

Thank you so much, that's super helpful! Feel a little more reassured that it takes more than a few days to go entirely!

 

[Daniross95]

Hi, just an update from me.

Bumble has improved a lot! He is back to being active, and looks a lot more comfortable when he's trying to relax. He's drinking and eating. I wouldn't say 100%, but certainly getting there. We are on the last day of antibiotics.

He no longer has blood in his urine which is good, the only lasting symptom he has is squeaking when he goes for a wee. But comparatively to before, it doesn't phase him very much, whereas last week once it happened he would sit in his house and keep to himself after.

Do you think the vet would be ok with me asking for more antibiotics without having to pay for another consultation? They're quite expensive (£55) and I just want to make sure the infection is gone / well on its way out because as mentioned previously 7 days isn't very long.

What are your thoughts / experiences with this?

Thanks
Dani

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m glad he is improving.
If he is still showing signs of pain, then please do speak to the vet about next steps given he is still squeaking when peeing.
Whether your vet will prescribe anything further without the need for another consultation is a decision for them to make.

 

[Daniross95]

I’m glad he is improving.
If he is still showing signs of pain, then please do speak to the vet about next steps given he is still squeaking when peeing.
Whether your vet will prescribe anything further without the need for another consultation is a decision for them to make.

Thank you! Will do! Just very strange everything else has improved

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you! Will do! Just very strange everything else has improved

Do note that seemingly clear urine can in fact still contain some blood so he may simply not quite be fully recovered yet

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, just an update from me.

Bumble has improved a lot! He is back to being active, and looks a lot more comfortable when he's trying to relax. He's drinking and eating. I wouldn't say 100%, but certainly getting there. We are on the last day of antibiotics.

He no longer has blood in his urine which is good, the only lasting symptom he has is squeaking when he goes for a wee. But comparatively to before, it doesn't phase him very much, whereas last week once it happened he would sit in his house and keep to himself after.

Do you think the vet would be ok with me asking for more antibiotics without having to pay for another consultation? They're quite expensive (£55) and I just want to make sure the infection is gone / well on its way out because as mentioned previously 7 days isn't very long.

What are your thoughts / experiences with this?

Thanks
Dani

Hi

Glad that Bumble is better. All you can do is give the clinic a call.

 

[Daniross95]

Thank you both!

 

[Tory93]

Glad your little man is doing better. I don't see any harm in asking for an extension, some practices do some don't without a consult - definitely worth asking. Good luck

 

[Daniross95]

Glad your little man is doing better. I don't see any harm in asking for an extension, some practices do some don't without a consult - definitely worth asking. Good luck

Thank you! I called the practice up earlier and the vet who saw to him isn't in until tomorrow so they're going to ask / call me back. Hopefully they can just extend it and then bring him in after that if he's still not 100% seems pointless paying for another consultation without trying extending the antibiotics considering he's already made a big improvement so far

 

[Daniross95]

Hi all, just to let you know the vets have confirmed they are happy to extend the course by 7 days but will have to bring him in after that if it's still not resolved but hopefully he gets back to normal. He's so nearly there and last night I spotted him eating pellets from the bowl and happily munching hay for a while!

 

[Daniross95]

Just collected this wee from Bumble this morning. Would you say it's not got blood in or is it usually hard to tell? When we did take him to the vets he did a wee and it was bright pink/reddish. What are your thoughts on this one? He does still squeak when he wees though.

 

[Wiebke]

Just collected this wee from Bumble this morning. Would you say it's not got blood in or is it usually hard to tell? When we did take him to the vets he did a wee and it was bright pink/reddish. What are your thoughts on this one? He does still squeak when he wees though.

Hi

Only urine testing will tell, sorry. The colouration is very much within the normal range of oxidising pees (orange to rusty shades).

Please try not to obsess about bloody pees.

 

[Daniross95]

Hi

Only urine testing will tell, sorry. The colouration is very much within the normal range of oxidising pees (orange to rusty shades).

Please try not to obsess about bloody pees.

Thanks How come the urine was full blown pink when he was at the vets?

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks How come the urine was full blown pink when he was at the vets?

Stress. This is not uncommon.

 

[Daniross95]

Hi everyone, an update on Bumble. He is improving and eating more and now starting to put weight back on. However he is STILL squeaking - I need to work out if this is definitely when he's weeing but it can be hard to tell. There's no hunching or anything like that.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone, an update on Bumble. He is improving and eating more and now starting to put weight back on. However he is STILL squeaking - I need to work out if this is definitely when he's weeing but it can be hard to tell. There's no hunching or anything like that.

All the best. I am glad that Bumble is feeling much better in himself.

If symptoms return again once the antibiotic stops, then Bumble needs checking for either stones/sludge or the low bacterial count that characterises a sterile (i.e. non-bacterial) cystitis.

In either case, you may want to consider glucosamine to help replenish the natural coating of the urinary tract walls, which keeps highly corrosive urine from coming into direct painful contact with raw tissue - either by banging into and scratching the bladder in the case of stones/sludge or by thinning in the case of a sterile cystitis. It is this direct contact which causes the same sharp, burning sensation when peeing that you experience with a human cystitis. I am recommending considering this because of the ongoing squeaking.

It takes a few weeks for the glucosamine to build to up. Glucosamine is classed as a food supplement and not as a medication.
We recommend Feliway cystease cat bladder capsules for ease of dosage if you are in the UK or a comparative supplement in your country. Cats are the other pet species with bladder issues because both species have rather alcaline urine; cats also have their equivalent in feline sterile cystitis (FSC).