[Gpdd] HEALTH-- stones or uti?

[Jenni]

Hi Leah & Brownie Bear!!

Leah, I'm nervous about Beethoven right now.  After all the years of reading
about the stone issue with so many piggies on the GPDD...I've always felt
comfortable about my vet, but I'm so nervous now...

Beethoven is squeaking when he's peeing.  It's been going on for over a week
now.
Started last Thur., our vet is "popular" so couldn't get him in on appt.
until whee sneaked him in with Mr.Whiskers, our rat's, appt (he's being
treated VERY successfully by the same vet now) on Tue. last wheek.

Since Beethoven's urine doesn't appear to have blood in it, the vet said he
doesn't want to put him on antibiotics for an UTI because he said it can
really screw up his intestinal flora (if it's just crystals, an antibiotic
wouldn't help anyway would it?)...he didn't actually test the urine...I told
him I was concerned it was crystals or stones...he palpated his abdomen
really carefully and said his kidneys were not causing any discomfort so
that was good.  Beethoven managed to pee right before the vet came in to the
room, of course, so his bladder was probably empty then.

I showed him some cranberry stuff I had been giving to him in case it was a
UTI, he said to keep giving it...but if it's crystals perhaps instead of
UTI, cranberry won't help, I think from my reading...I quit giving it a
couple days ago.  Want to try something else.  Think I remember reading
something about Polycitra, anyone have any info?  I have access to it if it
can help.  (I work in a hospital pharmacy.)

He didn't suggest x-rays, and I didn't ask about it, I guess I just wanted
it to all go away...but Beethoven is still squeeking and it's Sunday.  I
don't know what to do.  He's still eating and purring, etc.  but it seems to
me that he mostly wants to eat hay and veggies only and doesn't seem to be
eating his Cavy Cuisine pellets.  I used to have to refill every day!  Now
he's not eating them, but at least he's still eating hay, etc. But it's a
behavior change that's got me on alert.  His urine does smell strong.

I printed out a short "article" about doing xrays without anaesthetic from
CCT, should I get xrays?!  What is that herb that Brownie Bear is
recommending?  And how do you give it?  I'm also considering that "barley
water" treatment Peter Gurney talks about.  Maybe I'll e-mail him also...Was
BB on an antibiotic?

I've been thinking about ordering Critical Care to have "on hand in case of
emergency" for awhile, since Beethoven is now 4 years old...by the time they
get sick, too late to order and get it quickly enough!  Now this is going
on...he's still feeling well, but I don't want to give him a chance to "turn
the corner" and go downhill before I treat him aggressively...then again, I
don't want to do the wrong thing and bring on a condition by jumping the gun
and doing something that isn't neccessary...

I haven't wanted to share my worry with Joe, because Mr.Whiskers is finally
coming along so great with his inner-ear infection (whee thought he was
going to die, but now a full recovery seems very possible).  Whee've been so
stressed over that, and now this. If Beethoven starts to "look" sick, I'm
going to freak out.  I want to make progress NOW before it becomes a life or
death issue!  I read ALL the what-if letters and I don't want to be the
next.

Well, sorry about rambling on...I wanted to write to you right away, because
I'm hoping to act on this today, while I have the day off and time to figure
out what to do.  I think I'll start to gather information also to print out
and take with me to the vet...I'll call to make an appt. tomorrow, hopefully
he can be seen this wheek.  This is the ONLY vet in this area that knows
anything about guineas and small animals.

I can't just sit and do nothing and wait to see what's going to
happen...he's still squeeking.  I'm sending this to the GPDD also, Leah.  I
know this subject has come up over and over on the digest...I should have
saved all the "advice" over the years!

Any advice and personal experiences VERY welcome!!!  Please feel welcome to
send directly to my e-mail address!  I will be monitoring my mail throughout
the day!

Thank you everyone...you guys know how much whee love our piggys...

                                          Jenni & Beethoven

p.s.  If you missed our album release announcement,  check out the band's
website and song at:  www.jeffthewebguy.com/beethoven