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Bladder stones, also known as uroliths, are a very serious and painful condition that occurs in many animals, including guinea pigs. The “stone” itself is actually a collection of tiny crystals that get stuck in the bladder (where urine is stored) or even in the urethra (where urine exits the body). Since this condition can lead to pain, bleeding, psychological stress and even death, your pig should get a full checkup from the veterinarian as soon as possible, as soon as you suspect that it may have bladder stones. Unfortunately, after the stone has formed, the actual treatment options are limited and guinea pigs are particularly susceptible to them. This article covers just about everything you need to know about the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of bladder stones in guinea pigs.
What causes a bladder stone?
There are several factors that affect the formation of bladder stones. A sudden change in urine acidity (measured as pH) appears to play an important role. Too much calcium oxalate in the diet (a common ingredient in spinach, parsley, and strawberries) can contribute to crystal buildup. Genetic factors also significantly increase the risk of bladder stones, which means that some pigs are simply more prone to it than others. Another mechanism that can increase the likelihood is poor urinary tract health, including having a urinary tract infection.
How these factors interact and affect each other is still a mystery. Perhaps every pig is a little different. But regardless of risk factors, a bladder stone usually develops the same way every time. As the risk factors combine, small minerals and proteins form tiny crystals in the bladder, which then turn into one or more stones. There are several types of stones, each with a different chemical composition, but these specific details are not important for the purposes of this article.
What are the symptoms of a bladder stone?
Symptoms of a bladder stone can start imperceptibly, even ambiguously, and then gradually develop into something more serious. Your guinea pig may start to experience abdominal pain (which is sensitive to touch) or a change in the frequency of urination (to the point where it may not urinate at all). This can cause the pig to neglect other aspects of its life if it urinates frequently. Blood in the urine is also a very common symptom. The pig may squat or even squeal in pain when it tries to urinate. A urinary tract infection is often associated with a stone in the bladder and is sometimes diagnosed at the same time.
If the stone is still small and gradually forming, you may not notice many symptoms at all. But once it really starts to develop, the condition can get pretty serious. The worst possible outcome is a stone stuck in the urethra. This can lead to acute renal failure, sepsis, and hyperkalemia (elevated levels of potassium in the blood). Death will come in a few days. Fortunately, simply knowing the signs of a bladder stone and examining your pig frequently for symptoms will go a long way toward avoiding worse outcomes.
How is a bladder stone diagnosed?
If your guinea pig begins to experience any of these symptoms, the first step is to contact your veterinarian immediately. They usually do a complete physical examination with urinalysis and x-rays. A urinalysis can determine the presence of crystals (along with blood or signs of a bacterial infection) in the urine, while an X-ray (or alternatively, ultrasound) is usually the best way to analyze the composition and location of the stone. Some stones may be too small to be identified at first, but the veterinarian should have ready-made alternatives for these specific cases.
How is a bladder stone treated?
A stone in the bladder is one of the most difficult diseases that must be properly treated in a guinea pig. Unlike other animals, the stone cannot be dissolved with drugs, and if left untreated, it usually gets worse over time. If the stone is still quite small, it can be washed naturally with increased water intake, although it will hurt a little for the pig. A diet low in calcium, medications, or other advice prescribed by your veterinarian can interfere with further growth. If there is a urinary tract infection that is promoting the growth of stones, your veterinarian may also prescribe antibiotics to fight it. This is why it is important to identify a bladder stone as soon as possible. It is easiest to deal with if it is diagnosed at an early stage of progression.
However, if the stone is too large to flush with urine, surgery may be the only option. The surgeon will try to make an incision and manually remove the stone. However, this procedure can become much more complicated when the stone moves from the bladder into the triangle (the path that leads to the urethra) or into the urethra itself. In a worst-case scenario, the stone can rupture an opening in the wall of the urethra, causing urine to flow back up into the abdomen rather than out of the body. If the damage is severe enough, sometimes euthanasia is the only option.
It should be noted that euthanasia is only necessary in a small minority of cases. As long as you take all the necessary precautions to avoid a bladder stone, the condition rarely gets so serious. Unfortunately, some guinea pigs have a natural tendency to develop frequent bladder stones, and despite your best efforts, the problem can recur. In such cases, your veterinarian will help you make the right decision about the need for further treatment. If the drop in quality of life is too great, then euthanasia may again be the best course of action.
How to avoid bladder stones
It should be emphasized that a stone in the bladder is a difficult condition. Since we still do not know exactly how risk factors interact and contribute to their formation, there is no correct treatment or recipe for how to avoid them. There are several factors that affect bladder stones that you simply cannot control. Fortunately, there are several things you can control.
One of the most important is your guinea pig’s diet. Try to limit your intake of calcium and / or oxalates from foods such as spinach or strawberries. You don’t have to completely eliminate these foods from your diet, but limit them to one or two servings per week. A well balanced diet with lots of different foods that is nothing special should be sufficient. Salad is usually a very good all-round healthy choice as a dietary staple and is low in calcium. Make sure the pellets you buy are also free of excess calcium; dietary supplements are also completely unnecessary unless recommended by a veterinarian. Nutrients from the normal diet should be good enough in almost all cases to satisfy your pig without over-consuming it.
Another important thing to keep in mind is urinary tract health. Many owners neglect this aspect of pig care until it’s too late. This is very bad because it can lead to numerous health complications in
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e future. To improve urinary tract health, wearers should provide plenty of clean drinking water at all times of the day to promote regular healthy urination. Multiple pig cages may also require multiple water bottles as one pig may prevail over one water bottle.
Another thing you will want to do is provide a clean, dry bedding that is changed quite often, perhaps about once a week. Leaving the bedding wet and dirty may simply stimulate the growth of bacteria in the cage. This, in turn, increases the likelihood of a urinary tract infection, which is closely associated with the development of bladder stones. Trimming the hairs around the croup can also help limit bacterial growth.
Since genetics are thought to play an important role in the formation of bladder stones, you can reduce the likelihood by choosing a guinea pig with no family history of the condition. Reliable and high quality breeders will always closely monitor the health of their guinea pig breeding stock, often with tests and evaluations. Never trust a breeder or store that cannot confirm the source of their pigs.
Random or uncontrollable factors will always play a significant role in the health of any animal. But if you take these precautions seriously and constantly watch for signs of progressive disease, you can significantly reduce the chances of serious complications or crises caused by bladder stones.
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