Guinea Pig Bladder Stones

Here we can see, “Guinea Pig Bladder Stones”

Bladder stones are one of the health issues that guinea pigs are susceptible to. Bladder stones in guinea pigs are a painful disease that can be fatal. So if you see your pig has bladder stones, don’t ignore them.

What Are Uroliths?

Uroliths, or bladder stones, are a type of urolith. Guinea pig bladder stones can be large or little, and they can either stay in the bladder or get caught in the urethra. Some stones are small enough to flow through your guinea pig’s urine, while others can get caught in the urethra or cause irritation to the bladder tissue.

Uroliths are uncomfortable, can produce bloody urine, and even prevent a guinea pig from urinating if they become lodged. Little stones must be surgically removed if they cannot be urinated out.

What Causes Uroliths in Guinea Pigs?

Urine’s pH can fluctuate, and when it does, minerals and proteins in the urine can cause crystals to form inside the bladder. These crystals can eventually clump together and form uroliths, which are stones. Diet and water intake may have a role in bladder stone formation in guinea pigs, but we don’t know 100% of the time what causes bladder stones to form in these animals, just as we don’t know 100% of the time in humans.

Is it Possible to Prevent Bladder Stones?

It’s tough to tell how to avoid bladder stones because we don’t know what produces them. You can begin by ensuring that your guinea pig’s nutrition is as healthy as possible. Make sure your cavy has access to clean water and that they drink it. Stones are less likely to form in urine that is more dilute. You can also lessen the risk by having your guinea pig spayed or neutered.

How to Detect a Urolith in a Guinea Pig

Your pig may have a urolith if they are peeing blood, have a sore tummy, or are not urinating normally. After a physical examination and potentially a urinalysis and radiographs, an exotics vet will be able to positively diagnose your guinea pig with bladder stones (x-rays).

A radiograph should reveal the presence of a stone, and a urinalysis will reveal whether there is an infection in the bladder, blood, or crystals that need to be addressed. Never dismiss anything your guinea pig does that is out of the ordinary. It’s essential to have your pig checked out by a vet if you suspect anything isn’t quite right, even if you can’t put your finger on it. They’ve been taught to look for the stuff you don’t.

When a Guinea Pig Gets a Bladder Stone, What Should You Do?

Several things may influence your choices. If your canine companion has one or more bladder stones too huge for him to urine out, surgery is the only way to save him. Even if he doesn’t have a problem when the stones are detected, he will eventually, and he is most likely in continual discomfort. If surgery is not a possibility, the only other alternative is euthanasia.

Suppose a stone is trapped in the trigone (the area where the bladder meets the urethra) or the urethra. In that case, your veterinarian may try to remove it under sedation or push it back up into the bladder with a catheter so that your guinea pig can urinate for the time being or before surgery. However, when a stone damages the urethra, pee cannot exit the body.

Uroabdomen is a dangerous condition in which urine backs up and enters the guinea pig’s abdomen. There is no way to know where all the tears in the bladder or urethra are at this time. Thus euthanasia should be chosen.

If the stones are small, your veterinarian may recommend increasing your pig’s water intake to wash them out before they get too large for him to handle.

Guinea pigs with stones should be treated as comfortably and stress-free as possible, regardless of their unique bladder stone problem. Bring your guinea pig to the clinic with you, provide UVB illumination during the day, and ask your veterinarian for guinea pig-specific pain meds and anti-inflammatories. Giving your guinea pig a little extra TLC can help them get through this.

User Questions

What foods cause bladder stones in guinea pigs?

Foods high in oxalate include spinach, parsley, celery, and strawberries. In addition, vitamin C may help lower oxalate levels in the urine. Guinea pigs require vitamin C in their diet because they cannot make it on their own; nevertheless, high quantities should be avoided in guinea pigs prone to calcium oxalate stones.

Why is my guinea pigs pee red?

Why is the urine of my guinea pig red? Although red urine in guinea pigs can be created by plant pigments and has no impact on the animal’s health, it can also be caused by a urinary tract disease. Red urine is frequently excreted after eating vegetables, including cabbage, broccoli, and dandelions.

Why does my guinea pig’s pee have a white substance in it?

Due to calcium carbonate and ammonium phosphate crystals, guinea pig urine is typically thick, hazy, and white. Urolithiasis is frequent in guinea pigs from middle age through elderly age. Females are more typically affected and are more susceptible to ascending UTIs than males, which could be a risk factor.

Why do guinea pigs lick their pee?

Is there any significance to this behavior, or is it insignificant? For example, piggies will lick pee if it contains critical information (pheromones) about another piggy’s state or health.

Why does my guinea pig keep backing up and peeing on me?

The major reason guinea pigs pee on people is that they can’t hold it, but some of the same reasons guinea pigs spray each other could also apply to peeing on people. Furthermore, if a guinea pig does not enjoy being held, it may turn to pee to be freed.

Conclusion

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