I think Honey has cystitis

[honey]

My Honey is leaking very strong smelly wee and her vulva is swollen, I think she has cystitis, she is weeing fine and no blood, the only thing that concerns me is that she may have a bladder stone and due to her age 5 1/2 I really don't know what to do,
Ive had sows before with bladder stones but have been successfully removed as they are younger. she is eating fine and her usually self, she doesn't squeak with pain or anything, I just don't kno what to do, Ive just had my eyes lasered to and I'm unable to drive at the moment, why do things happen like this at complicated times, oh god

Is there anything that I can start giving her to help, I know of pearl barley, but again I have non in at the moment.

Any help would be much appreciated.

[abby]

Hi, i've had this myself lots so she has my sympathy. Peter Gurney has 2 pages of advice on this (copied below). You can use human treatments, 1 sachet lasting 3 days for a guinea.

www.oginet.com/pgurney/cystitis.htm
CYSTITIS
This is more common in sows than in boars but occasionally boars can suffer from this condition. The symptoms are squeaking as urine is passed. Be aware that these symptoms can also be indicative of stones in the bladder, particularly in males, and it is advisable that these be x rayed.

One of the best treatments is any of the over-the-counter formulas for humans that suffer from cystitis and which are based on sodium citrate. One sachet is enough for a three-day treatment for a guinea pig. You divide the contents into three, each portion being mixed with fifty ml of water, about an egg-cupful. Syringe this to the patient during the day, little and often. I usually find that they will take about six ml at a time without any difficulty. Usually, after a couple of days, this will do the trick but it is worth giving the third day’s treatment.

As with humans, sometimes simply using cranberry juice over a few days will cure the problem. Some absolutely love it some hate it.

If these over-the-counter medicines fail then it may be necessary to use the antibiotic TRIBRISSEN or BAYTRIL.

[Dawn - Admin]

Yes I too follow Peter Gurneys advice I find the piggies like barley water & also will eat the barley once its cooled down.

[honey]

Thank you abby,

Im sure she has cystitis, Im going to go out today and get a sachet for her asap.

Hopefully this will do the trick for her.

[celia]

Hi just a word of warning because you said her vulva is swollen it could be a stone , ruby my abby who passed the stone had a swollen vulva unknown to me because i have never had a pig with a stone before i missed that sign . Ruby passed that stone by herself , i have an other pig inside at th mo with the same symptoms as your pig but she passed sludge even though xrays proved nothing was in her bladder 2 weeks ago . I have used the cystitis remedies before and they have worked great , hope your pig recovers well x

[honey]

I think to be honest Honey has a bladder stone, her vulva is still swollen and I think the cystitis is a secondary symptom of the stone.

I'm treating her at the moment for the cystitis but her vulva is still swollen and hard like a stone is in there, shes still weeing fine and doesn't squeak out in pain.

I think the stone is too big to be passed so it will be a trip to the vets, but it concerns me putting her under anesthetic because of her age, other than this shes fighting fit tho.

Mind you having said its too big to be passed I saw the size of ruby's stone, that was one big stone Celia.

[celia]

It was my first pig with a stone so i did not know how serious it was or the symptoms but i phoned the emergency vet who told me to go to my own vet in the morning ( they must have thought it would just be cystitis ) and luckily Ruby passed that stone herself over night