UTI

[welly]

Urine infection is a common one but it won't clear up on its own. Sometimes you see a bloody pee and then clear for a bit, so you think it might just be a one-off but usually it's not! A wet or dirty looking bottom is another symptom, as well as the hunching and/or squeaking when she pees. Start to weigh her more regularly to make sure she's eating enough. We've had a few UTIs... one vet thinks they occur in the girls because they scent mark by wiping their bits on the ground. But it's not something that's 'catching' - they don't catch this type of infection from their cage mate.

A second cause can be stones in the bladder or urethra (which girls can sometimes pass... I've come to the opinion that they probably pass a lot more than we realise!) so your vet might also talk about an x-ray. But my vet will usually see if the symptoms clear up with a short course of antibiotic and painkiller first, then think about x-rays. If the symptoms do clear up and I take piggy back for a check they will have a poke at the bladder... any tenderness and they want the x-ray to check, but if piggy seems fine we usually let it go. However different vets can do things different ways!

Good luck at the vet and let us know how you get on. If you don't have a vet you could try looking on the green bar at the top for a list of vets round the country that have been recommended?

Hi I'm hoping to get some advice please. My Boris nearly 5 years old has had 2 UTIs with 2 weeks between. the thing is ive noticed blood on his white blanket one day then nothing for a week then another blood spot. I'm worried its something I'm doing or not doing. Is it like once you have had one then your they will reoccur. if i take him to vet it will like I'm a nightmare owner which i dont care about if he needs a vet.

 

[Free Ranger]

Hi @welly and Boris
UTI can occur on its own and it can come back after a course of antibiotics. A genuine bacterial infection can cause symptoms as described above - these should stop within a day or so of starting antibiotics (but always complete the course!) Sometimes piggy is better but then symptoms return after the course is finished. This suggests that the offending bacteria haven't been completely wiped out by the antibiotic but the vet might just prescribe a second course rather than an alternative antibiotic. In the UK they usually offer Baytril as the first choice but others are available. One of my pigs had such a stubborn UTI once that even after over 2 weeks on Baytril (which stopped her symptoms within 36 hours) the infection returned. She just got prescribed another 2 or 3 weeks - same thing happened and this time it stayed away. So his "2 UTIs" might just be one that didn't quite clear with antibiotics? I hope they gave you metacam or loxicom painkiller/anti-inflammatory for him too... it can sting to pee. I'd certainly go back to the vet. But there are a few other things they might want to check for:-

My George got his first and only UTI at a time when he was quite stressed about his cage mate being unwell and he was developing both arthritis and impaction which I didn't spot at first. So he was laying in one place a lot because his knees were stiff and the immobility didn't help him clear his back end so he was muckier than usual and lying in it! Result - UTI, which was treated effectively with a short course of baytril. But George is also now on daily metacam and takes glucosamine (in the form of oxbow joint support lozenges) which have helped him so much with his mobility. And he's unbunged every night! I only mention this because you have an older boy and it's worth having a vet check him over for arthritis (vet said George's knees 'creaked'!) and impaction... you can check for that yourself if you don't mind poking round his bum! It occurs in about 10% of older boys.

UTI can be a trigger for the formation of stones and calcium grit so if he is peeing freely for a few days but then you see a splodge of proper blood I'd be thinking about that. The vet can x-ray to identify these as they light up white. They will probably give him a good examination first and give his bladder a bit of a poke to see if it is tender. X-ray doesn't hurt them at all - but if the vet wants to use anaesthetic ask for more details about what type and how long he'd be under because he's getting on a bit. Don't panic too much about stones yet: they may find nothing, or they may find traces of sludge which he'll be able to pee out. Poor George had a stone develop in his penis earlier this year and it was a whopper that actually significantly blocked the tube but the vet just squeezed it out! Luckily for all it was rounded - some can be spikey and painful. The glucosamine mentioned earlier is also a useful supplement for battered bladders - piggies with something called Sterile Interstitial Cystitis (cystitis without bacterial infection that flares us every now and again) benefit from taking it. My fat girl who occasionally squeaks with gritty pee for a day or so has a 'George Lozenge' when he does, to try and protect against bladder damage.

So I guess what I'm saying is go back to the vet and be prepared for a second run of antibiotics, a good exam and maybe an x-ray. Antibiotics and metacam have to be prescribed if they are necessary, but the oxbow glucosamine can be bought online (amazon or similar) as it is just a food supplement. If you decide to add it into his diet you likely won't see any significant changes for 2-4 weeks as it takes a while to 'work'. After 2 my George seemed a bit more mobile but after a month on it I saw him scamper for the first time in ages!

Good luck Boris, and let us know how you get on x

 

[welly]

Hi @welly and Boris
UTI can occur on its own and it can come back after a course of antibiotics. A genuine bacterial infection can cause symptoms as described above - these should stop within a day or so of starting antibiotics (but always complete the course!) Sometimes piggy is better but then symptoms return after the course is finished. This suggests that the offending bacteria haven't been completely wiped out by the antibiotic but the vet might just prescribe a second course rather than an alternative antibiotic. In the UK they usually offer Baytril as the first choice but others are available. One of my pigs had such a stubborn UTI once that even after over 2 weeks on Baytril (which stopped her symptoms within 36 hours) the infection returned. She just got prescribed another 2 or 3 weeks - same thing happened and this time it stayed away. So his "2 UTIs" might just be one that didn't quite clear with antibiotics? I hope they gave you metacam or loxicom painkiller/anti-inflammatory for him too... it can sting to pee. I'd certainly go back to the vet. But there are a few other things they might want to check for:-

My George got his first and only UTI at a time when he was quite stressed about his cage mate being unwell and he was developing both arthritis and impaction which I didn't spot at first. So he was laying in one place a lot because his knees were stiff and the immobility didn't help him clear his back end so he was muckier than usual and lying in it! Result - UTI, which was treated effectively with a short course of baytril. But George is also now on daily metacam and takes glucosamine (in the form of oxbow joint support lozenges) which have helped him so much with his mobility. And he's unbunged every night! I only mention this because you have an older boy and it's worth having a vet check him over for arthritis (vet said George's knees 'creaked'!) and impaction... you can check for that yourself if you don't mind poking round his bum! It occurs in about 10% of older boys.

UTI can be a trigger for the formation of stones and calcium grit so if he is peeing freely for a few days but then you see a splodge of proper blood I'd be thinking about that. The vet can x-ray to identify these as they light up white. They will probably give him a good examination first and give his bladder a bit of a poke to see if it is tender. X-ray doesn't hurt them at all - but if the vet wants to use anaesthetic ask for more details about what type and how long he'd be under because he's getting on a bit. Don't panic too much about stones yet: they may find nothing, or they may find traces of sludge which he'll be able to pee out. Poor George had a stone develop in his penis earlier this year and it was a whopper that actually significantly blocked the tube but the vet just squeezed it out! Luckily for all it was rounded - some can be spikey and painful. The glucosamine mentioned earlier is also a useful supplement for battered bladders - piggies with something called Sterile Interstitial Cystitis (cystitis without bacterial infection that flares us every now and again) benefit from taking it. My fat girl who occasionally squeaks with gritty pee for a day or so has a 'George Lozenge' when he does, to try and protect against bladder damage.

So I guess what I'm saying is go back to the vet and be prepared for a second run of antibiotics, a good exam and maybe an x-ray. Antibiotics and metacam have to be prescribed if they are necessary, but the oxbow glucosamine can be bought online (amazon or similar) as it is just a food supplement. If you decide to add it into his diet you likely won't see any significant changes for 2-4 weeks as it takes a while to 'work'. After 2 my George seemed a bit more mobile but after a month on it I saw him scamper for the first time in ages!

Good luck Boris, and let us know how you get on x

I will and thank you, last time the vet gave in two injections then another 2 on the next 2 days. He only gave him 2 last time and thats what worries me it clears up then comes back for one day the week after. I will take him back to vet and ask more questions. Thank you will let you know how Boris gets on

 

[Free Ranger]

Were the injections antibiotics? Or painkiller? Or something else?
I ask because personally I've not had antibiotic injections for routine treatments and the only painkilling injections have been opioid in quite extreme circumstances... I usually get things orally, to be given once or twice a day, but every vet is different. @Piggies&buns can I just tag you in to have a look at the reply to this as it might be beyond my vet experience...

 

[Piggies&buns]

I think Free Ranger has mentioned the things I’d be thinking -

a UTI which hasn’t been properly cleared by the first round of antibiotics
or something like stones

The fact he was given injections I’m finding curious. Normally treatment for a UTI is a course of oral antibiotic given twice daily for 7-10 days (sometimes stubborn infections, for longer). An oral painkiller also given twice a day.

Ive moved your post to its own new thread so you can receive individual attention and ongoing advice.

 

[welly]

Were the injections antibiotics? Or painkiller? Or something else?
I ask because personally I've not had antibiotic injections for routine treatments and the only painkilling injections have been opioid in quite extreme circumstances... I usually get things orally, to be given once or twice a day, but every vet is different. @Piggies&buns can I just tag you in to have a look at the reply to this as it might be beyond my vet experience...

Yes and thank you for you help

 

[welly]

thank you all for your advice everyone and will post when vet visit done next time