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Post by clairfo on Jul 24, 2012 20:27:58 GMT
Hi, I have a guinea pig which the vet suspects has a nasty UTI. I took her to the vet last Friday as she was presenting with a very very wet bum and it was extremely smelly. She is a a white pig but her whole back end was wet and stained brown/orange with what we think is wee. Vet gave her 0.7 baytril to take daily and due to go back a week later. In the mean time I have seperated her from the other two girls and put her in her own hospital cage which is side by side with her friends. She is on newspaper which I change twice daily or whenever it looks wet to try and keep her dry. I am wiping her bottom area twice a day with cotton wool pads and warm water and then after drying putting on sudocrem to help with the nasty urine scalds and sores she now has because she was sitting in her own wee. When it looks very wet I have given her a bath and washed the area in a mild shampoo. Shes eating her veggies and hay and some pellets. Shes a quiet in herself and not as full of beans as she usually is but today for the first time in 4 days I heard her week for her dinner. Am I doing the right thing for her? There doesnt seem to be much improvement, shes still very wet and smelly but I dont know what else to do for her. Anyone else got experience of UTIs to offer some advice? I hate seeing her looking so down. Any advice welcome.
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Post by canadiancomforts on Jul 24, 2012 20:38:58 GMT
I would maybe move her onto white (or light coloured) towels. This will pull moister away from her, I'm not a huge fan of newspaper because no matter how many times you change it, she may still sit in her pee for a small amount of time. (IMO). Have you tired giving her some cranberry juice (unsweeted natural stuff)? How long is your vet going to keep her on the meds? It may take more than a week to clear up. Here are some good links for both the UTI and Scalding: www.guinealynx.info/uti.htmlwww.guinealynx.info/urine_scald.htmlThe site is great.. forum is not so friend (just to warn yah).
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Post by clairfo on Jul 24, 2012 20:45:08 GMT
Ah yeah, over the last couple of days I have noticed that the paper is getting wetter and wetter despite trying to change it as often as I can. Would puppy pads or vet bed be ok if not towels? shes got a habit of chewing towels. She has a cuddle cup and Im swapping them over and washing them everytime they get wet too. Just thought she might not be dripping as much fowl smelling wee/discharge by now but its still soooo smelly and brown/orange colour when I wipe her. Ive checked both links Vet hasnt said how long, I assume until its cleared up.Im not sure baytril is the best thing for her as Ive read its not the most affective for UTIs. Haha Ive had experience with the forums, Im not new to this one but I forgot my log in details so created a new account.
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Post by canadiancomforts on Jul 24, 2012 20:55:15 GMT
Yah I'm along time member at that forum and hate the way people act there so I found this one.
Puppy pads or vet bed would work Vet bed more than the pads. Bactrim has been what my vet has given in the past for UTI. Try the cranberry juice, it may help to speed things up. Just hand feed it to her a few times a day, say 1-3 CCs each time.
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Post by clairfo on Jul 24, 2012 21:00:41 GMT
Ok thanks Ill try and get her some vet bed tomorrow - My car is being fixed so not sure I can get to pets at home so fingers crossed I can get some from the local pet shop. If not I know I can get pads so maybe that will have to do until I can get to p@h. Ill talk to the vet about trying her with some different meds and try and get some cranberry juice. Shes not keen on anything that comes from a syringe haha especially as she thinks shes gonna get baytril. that stuff must taste grim. She is so swollen in that area it must be so uncomfortable for her the vet said if its not a UTI then it could be a womb infection. Theres a difinite wee smell though so Im praying it is a UTI not a womb infection as an operation wouldnt be good for her
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Post by canadiancomforts on Jul 24, 2012 21:40:55 GMT
From everything you said it sounds to me like a UTI but I'll cross my fingers for you
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Post by clairfo on Jul 24, 2012 21:43:21 GMT
thank you I just seem to be at a loss with how to keep her bum dry to help her heal. I think if I could help her stay dry we would start to see more improvments but shes just sitting in it despite being changed often.
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Post by Kayleigh on Jul 25, 2012 6:53:41 GMT
Id advise giving cranberry juice to her and cystopurin (cystitis remedy from chemist) Just incase its cystitis (did the vet mention this as another possibility)
As for keeping her bottom dry it will take time, UTI can be a pain! But keeping the area clean and dry is important, i would put her on soft cotton towels with paper beneath just to keep it soft.
And keep up the antibiotics!!
Kayleigh
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Post by Kayleigh on Jul 25, 2012 6:54:39 GMT
Oh and just attach a small bottle with cranberry juice onto her cage, this way she can get it herself and you dont need to force it on her. Im yet to come across a pig that refuses this!
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Post by clairfo on Jul 25, 2012 9:57:26 GMT
Thanks Kayleigh. I will try and attach a small bottle later on today. Ive given her bottom area a good clean with cotton wool pads and water this morning. She doesnt appear to be as wet today...hoooorah! Her tummy and legs have dried out now but are still very heavily stained. She still has a wet patch round the area though. Think she must be feeling a little better she was standing on her back legs trying to see into the other girls cage next to hers. Something she hasnt been at all interested in since we moved her (and she is a very nosey little thing). Shes not got puppy pads under some fleece. Wasnt going to bother with the fleece but shes trying to eat the puppy pads so had to make sure they were covered. Fingers crossed this keeps her dryer than the newspaper which she was making really wet then lying in only under the house section of her cage.
Kayleigh the vet didnt mention cystitis. She wasnt entirely sure what was wrong with her as she was just so wet and smelly when I brought her in to see the vet that she wasnt sure if it was her bladder/UTI or womb that was causing the problems. Im pretty convinced now its a UTI as theres a very strong wee smell and shes perking up a little now on the meds. Shes starting to become her fiesty self when taking them too - had to use the trusty towel wrap this morning something i havent had to use yet on her.
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Post by clairfo on Jul 25, 2012 14:36:45 GMT
Well she likes chewing puppy pads.... despite my best efforts to attach the fleece with clips the best I could. Its a shame if i have to go bk to just newspaper for her as the pads work really well at absorbing her wee. in fact shes much dryer today and that must because of 1 of two reasons.
1) its soaking up the wee and shes not sitting in it for a long time
2) shes not weeing as often as she was because shes not familiar with the fleece.
there is a 3rd possible.... that the newspaper made it look like she was weeing lots because it was spreading out rather than soaking up.
thoughts?
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Post by Kayleigh on Jul 25, 2012 18:13:01 GMT
Maybe try paper with towels on top, that way the towels will soak up urine aswell as the papers.
Is the urine still holding a strong odour?
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Post by clairfo on Jul 25, 2012 21:50:43 GMT
haha the pig has made me laugh tonight... shes clearly told me what she wants...
I had the area under her house with fleece and a puppy pad and the other half of the cage newspaper. I came into the kitchen to see her trying to drag the newspaper into the house... Ive now put a layer of paper over the fleece lol.
Her wee and her bottom are still quite smelly. I noticed her bottom area is a little scabby today where the scalds are starting to heal. she is very very swollen in that area though. never seen it quite that enlarged before.
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Post by clairfo on Jul 26, 2012 9:39:55 GMT
I cant keep her bottom area dry
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Post by Kayleigh on Jul 26, 2012 11:27:53 GMT
The only thing i can think off to help is keep her off newspaper and only put towels in. How large is her cage area. Blow dry her bottom area too. Apply sudocrem to any sore patches and keep going with this until the infection clears. Defo try cystitis remedy from chemists just to narrow it out.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using ProBoards
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Post by clairfo on Jul 26, 2012 21:34:48 GMT
This is my cage www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?q=ferplast+double+guinea+pig+cage&hl=en&prmd=imvns&psj=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1366&bih=667&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=15363342078305484034&sa=X&ei=drcRUOG9GOHC0QXR3IAg&ved=0CEoQ8wIwAA however at the moment I dont have the stacked. the sections are side by side on the floor, one with the poorly girl in and the other with her 2 cage mates. With cleaning her up twice a day shes not as wet but shes still wet. Back to vet tomorrow night. See what they say. Im reluctant to try towels as she chews them and pulls the threads out. lol shes a bit naughty my little pig
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Post by Kayleigh on Jul 27, 2012 7:07:40 GMT
Let us know what the vet says. To stop her chewing the towels, put fresh grass, hay and even readi grass in to keep her busy! Hopefully the vet can give you something a little stronger to help clear the infection.
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Post by clairfo on Jul 27, 2012 17:13:14 GMT
Vet was pleased with the progress. Says she definitely looks brighter and isnt as bloated as she was or as wet. Given enough baytril for another two weeks at one dose of 0.7 daily. Just gonna have to keep up the daily routine, wiping and cleaning out the cage twice a day for a while yet.
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Post by clairfo on Jul 27, 2012 17:20:09 GMT
Oh i noticed her poos are quite soft as well today and there was some gooey orangey coloured goop on one of them... pretty gross lol
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Post by canadiancomforts on Jul 27, 2012 18:55:23 GMT
That happens with baytril. go find some probiotics for her. basically the baytril is killing all bacteria, good and bad. Which is buggering up her digestive system. Some Probiotics (NOT dairy as that will make it worse) will help clear up that issue.
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Post by clairfo on Jul 27, 2012 19:00:24 GMT
ill nip to p@h tomorrow to get some for her
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Post by Kayleigh on Jul 28, 2012 7:42:15 GMT
You'll get probiotics from the supermarket/pharmacy, will be cheaper too!
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Post by clairfo on Jul 29, 2012 13:30:33 GMT
The red patches of skin around her bits and between her legs now have developed sores where it is cracked and bleeding. it looks quite weepy. poor little girl must be so uncomfortable
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Post by Kayleigh on Jul 29, 2012 14:57:11 GMT
Keep the area as clean as you can and apply a sudocrem to her. Is there any sign of improvement?
Have you tried the treatment for cysitits?
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Post by clairfo on Jul 29, 2012 16:11:57 GMT
No not yet but I have some, how much do I give her? I have ordered two sheets of vet bed too
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Post by Kayleigh on Jul 29, 2012 16:45:13 GMT
Id start with 0.2 ml once a day just to be safe. But im sure many give 0.5ml. It all depends on the weight on her.
The important thing is to make sure shes eating/drinking. Is she taking cranberry juice?
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Post by clairfo on Jul 29, 2012 17:58:37 GMT
Just to be clear which type of the cystitis medication do you mean? I have the human type that comes in powder sachet you mix with water... Is that ok? Do I mix one up then just draw out 0.2?
Shes eating and drinking. Ive attached a small bottle of cranberry juice and shes had a good sniff at it and licked it a couple of times but not actually had a drink from it yet. Shes eating all her veggie dinner and in the last few days has been wheeking for it - something she wasnt doing when she was really wet. She eating a good amount of hay. im keeping the rack topped up with a good quality timothy hay and shes got a handful of loose hay either in the corner or in a tube for her to nibble on. I remove this tho everytime i clean the cage as she does like to wee on it lol. Shes nibbling pellets but not really eating as much of them as she did before she was poorly.
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Post by clairfo on Jul 29, 2012 18:07:53 GMT
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Post by clairfo on Jul 29, 2012 18:25:08 GMT
She bloomin loves the stuff!!! found on a different website that the idea is you split the sachet into three and then give over three days. Ive mixed it with water and a little cranberry juice and shes willingly drank it. good girl lets hope this helps.
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Post by Kayleigh on Jul 29, 2012 19:19:47 GMT
Yes just the human stuff. Mix and feed, If that helps thats good. Is she bloated? passing faeces ok?
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