UTI

[Eagor]

I noticed blood in 3 year old female guinea pig - the vet examined her on Friday and said its possibly a UTI (she did show signs of discomfort when he examined her abdomen but i haven't noticed any extra squeaks when she wees). She was prescribed 0.12 ml of Loxicom once a day for 5 days and 0.12ml of Bayril 2.5% twice a day for five days. We are now halfway through the course and although she seems a little brighter in herself, she still has blood in her urine. The vet said if there isn't any improvement Monday/Tuesday to contact them again for x-rays for possible stones. From reading info on UTI's it seems that the antibiotics are prescribed for a longer period of time. i am worried that if i haven't been given a long enough course they will not have had chance of working. i don't think xray's / operation for stone removal is a financial option for us and would hate to have not given her enough antibiotics to work.

thank you kindly for any advice you can give me regarding this matter.

 

[Siikibam]

@Wiebke @VickiA @Piggies&buns
Sorry to hear your girl is unwell. The above tagged members know more so I'll let them answer. Hope she is on the mend soon.

 

[Eagor]

@Wiebke @VickiA @Piggies&buns
Sorry to hear your girl is unwell. The above tagged members know more so I'll let them answer. Hope she is on the mend soon.

Brilliant, thank you for your assistance

 

[Wiebke]

I noticed blood in 3 year old female guinea pig - the vet examined her on Friday and said its possibly a UTI (she did show signs of discomfort when he examined her abdomen but i haven't noticed any extra squeaks when she wees). She was prescribed 0.12 ml of Loxicom once a day for 5 days and 0.12ml of Bayril 2.5% twice a day for five days. We are now halfway through the course and although she seems a little brighter in herself, she still has blood in her urine. The vet said if there isn't any improvement Monday/Tuesday to contact them again for x-rays for possible stones. From reading info on UTI's it seems that the antibiotics are prescribed for a longer period of time. i am worried that if i haven't been given a long enough course they will not have had chance of working. i don't think xray's / operation for stone removal is a financial option for us and would hate to have not given her enough antibiotics to work.

thank you kindly for any advice you can give me regarding this matter.

Hi and welcome

How piggy savvy is your vet?
Recommended vets UK: Vet Locator
Recommended vets in some other countries: Guinea Lynx :: GL's Vet List

How much is your sow weighing? Those dosages are extremely low for an adult guinea pig.
Baytril is normally 0.4 ml twice daily and loxicom 0.25 ml (dog) or 0.75 ml (cat) for the average 1 kg piggy.

 

[Eagor]

Hi and welcome

How piggy savvy is your vet?
Recommended vets UK: Vet Locator
Recommended vets in some other countries: Guinea Lynx :: GL's Vet List

How much is your sow weighing? Those dosages are extremely low for an adult guinea pig.
Baytril is normally 0.4 ml twice daily and loxicom 0.25 ml (dog) or 0.75 ml (cat) for the average 1 kg piggy.

When the vet weighed her on friday she was just under 1kg.

Its the dog Loxicom she was given so they are both almost half the doses that you have said

 

[Wiebke]

When the vet weighed her on friday she was just under 1kg.

Its the dog Loxicom she was given so they are both almost half the doses that you have said

Please be aware that there are several urinary tract problems that present with very similar symptoms:
- bacterial urine infection (UTI)
- bacterial cystitis (bladder infection)
- stones or sludge
- sterile interstitial cystitis (Sterile IC) (non-bacterial recurring bladder infection)

Normally a vet will work their way down the list. The two first issues respond to antibiotic treatment although it may require a higher dosage at least of the antibiotic and potentially a longer course.
The second step if that has not been successful is to check for stones in the urinary tract (bladder and urethra, more rarely kidney stones; bladder sludge). Stones will need operative removal and so will a bladder packed tightly with sludge.
If all these issues have been excluded, then what is left is a sterile IC, which generally can only be diagnosed by default and which is not widely known outside vets that deal with guinea pigs on a very regular basis. It has become a lot more common over the last decade though. Management is similar to feline sterile cystitis (FSC) with metacam and plenty of glucosamine to support the natural glucosamine coating of the walls of the urinary tract which are badly affected. Like FSC it cannot be healed and will hopefully eventually go away on its own.

Please be aware that more calcium in the diet is coming from unfiltered water and pellets (even low calcium ones) than from calcium high veg, so it may be best if you checked your diet. Our comprehensive diet guide also contains a chapter for guinea pigs with urinary tract problems. Again, it is just a supportive measure to minimise the risk of bladder stones and bad IC flare ups.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

I hope that this helps you?

 

[Eagor]

Thank you for your advice. I;l wait and see what the next two days bring and then re-visit the vets. I'm not confident she was prescribed a high enough dose of antibiotics for a long enough time so i will raise it with the vet ... but fingers crossed that wont be necessary.