JULY 5, 2016. "For the past 7 days, Whisky squeaked several times a day and night," Mr Ho, a divorced senior citizen said solemnly. "I thought he sought attention---like pre-schoolers throw tantrums to get parental attention.
"But he drinks about 50% less water. His stools are normal but there are smaller stool sizes now.
"I took leave from my gardening job to bring my guinea pig to you for a check-up! I pray he is not in serious bad health."
X-ray showed a bladder stone. The urine test showed blood and bacteria. Whisky had a urinary tract infection. Mr Ho took him home to hand feed the medication, Critical Care and water for the next 7 days. A review as regards surgery to remove the bladder stone would be done on the 8th day.
X-ray showed the stone had lodged inside the urethra, obstructing any flow of urine. Hence he could not pee. I palpated his bladder which was a hard golf ball in size.
Whisky would soon die of a ruptured bladder or kidney failure due to the backflow obstruction of urine. An emergency surgery was needed but the anaesthetic risk was so much higher now.
The cystotomy surgery was a success. I incised the bladder wall and extracted a small stone of 4-5mm in diameter lodged tightly inside the urethra.
However, Whisky passed away the next day. Mr Ho was very sad. Whisky was cremated. He kept the ashes in the urn.
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2021/04/2016-guinea-pig-has-urinary-stone-in.html
PART 2. Another video will discuss: HOW TO PREVENT URINARY STONE FORMING IN YOUR GUINEA PIG? Part 2. Prevention.
MORE INFORMATION AND VIDEOS IN THIS BLOG:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2021/04/3856-3855-final-video-production-how-to.html
22 APR 2021. Veterinary Stories by Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow).HOW TO PREVENT URINARY STONE FORMING IN YOUR GUINEA PIG? Part 1. Diagnosis and treatment.
JULY 5, 2016.
"For the past 7 days, Whisky squeaked several times a day and night," Mr Ho, a divorced senior citizen said solemnly. "I thought he sought attention---like pre-schoolers throw tantrums to get parental attention.
"But he drinks about 50% less water. His stools are normal but there are smaller stool sizes now.
"I took leave from my gardening job to bring my guinea pig to you for a check-up! I pray he is not in serious bad health."
Mr Ho worked for a landscaping company as a gardener, trimming and caring for plants and flowers of big shopping malls. He was not your usual old man as he is fashionable.
He wore a face mask to protect himself from inhaling fine dust and soil as Covid-19 virus was not present in 2016.
A broad brim hat to shield his sun-tanned face from the harsh sunlight. He was not the stereotypical frail and vulnerable old people.
"The
guinea pig does not cry for attention many times a day," I
palpated the 17-month-old male. Whisky shivered and moved away when I
palpated the back half of his abdomen. This is where his bladder was
located. I X-rayed his abdomen.
"Whisky was crying for
help, actually," I told Mr Ho. "The pain was intense and
that was why he sought you out for help!
"Whisky has a
urinary tract infection as evident by the presence of reddish-brown
urine seen when he was warded overnight. X-rays show a bladder stone
floating inside his bladder."
"I was too busy
at work," Mr Ho shook his head. "Hence I delayed for 7
days. Can he be operated to get the stone removed?"
"Not now," I advised. "Whisky has urinary tract infection and weight loss. He has to regain his health before a surgery to remove his bladder stone is to be done. He is not fit for anesthesia. He will die if he is operated today.
Feed him antibiotics,
painkillers and Critical Care by hand. Also around 500 ml of water a
day 6 times a day. Whisky will be reviewed 7 days later."
X-ray showed a bladder stone. The urine test showed blood and bacteria. Whisky had a urinary tract infection. Mr Ho took him home to hand feed the medication, Critical Care and water for the next 7 days. A review as regards surgery to remove the bladder stone would be done on the 8th day.
JULY
13, 2016.
However on the 8th day, Whisky could not walk.
He could not pee too. He had not been eating by himself for the past
8 days. Mr Ho had to hand feed him.
X-ray showed the stone had
lodged inside the urethra, obstructing any flow of urine. Hence he
could not pee. I palpated his bladder which was a hard golf ball in
size.
Whisky would soon die of a ruptured bladder or
kidney failure due to the backflow obstruction of urine.
An
emergency surgery was needed but the anaesthetic risk was so much
higher now.
"Most likely, Whisky would die on the operating table. "You have to make the decision," I informed Mr Ho of the complications and a high probability of death on the operating table. He signed the anaesthetic and surgery consent form for the operation.
The cystotomy surgery was a success. I incised the bladder wall and extracted a small stone of 4-5mm in diameter lodged tightly inside the urethra.
However, Whisky passed away the next day. Mr Ho
was very sad. Whisky was cremated. He kept the ashes in the urn.
I
sent the urinary stone to the Minnestoa University Veterinary School
to be analysed. It was a calcium carbonate stone.
Stones are
usually formed as a result of feeding an unbalanced high calcium and
protein diet. Obesity, drinking less water or withholding urine for
long periods of time before peeing may be contributing factors.
END
OF PART 1. MORE INFORMATION AND VIDEOS IN THIS
BLOG:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2021/04/2016-guinea-pig-has-urinary-stone-in.html
Another
video will discuss: HOW
TO PREVENT URINARY STONE FORMING IN YOUR GUINEA PIG? Part 2.
Prevention.
MORE
INFORMATION AND VIDEOS IN THIS
BLOG:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2021/04/3856-3855-final-video-production-how-to.html
-------------------
video summarises the progress of the two consultations
- stone in the bladder and then in the urethra 8 days later
July 2016. Urethral obstruction
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2016/07/2975-1-year-old-guinea-pig-has-stone.html
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2019/02/3432-guinea-pig-has-bladder-stone-and.html
