[Gpdd] Nicky the miracle guinea pig

[debrastory at aol.com]

Dear GPDD Friends:

I just had to share my recent miracle story with all of my fellow guinea pig friends.  Nicky was diagnosed with a bladder stone  about two weeks ago after taking antibiotics for a short time for a UTI and getting X-Rays taken.  My veterinarian was filled up with surgeries for the coming week so Nicky could not have his bladder stone surgery done for another week.  I was worried to death for the entire week, because Nicky kept squeaking when he peed or pooped and he kept losing more and more weight.  I asked for pain medicine for him, but the vet said that he did not want him to have it because it might keep him from knowing when he had to pee.  He did not want to take a chance on that.  I had not ever heard of that happening, but he would not budge on that, so I had to accept it and move on.  He is the only exotics vet in my area, and he had performed surgery on three other of my guinea pigs earlier, so I did not want to antagonize him.  Well, Nicky went in for his surgery this morning at 8 o'clock.  I met with the vet before surgery to have Nicky checked out again, X-Rayed again, and  to discuss if he was still a candidate for surgery after losing so much more weight.  During the exam, the vet found a painful spot up higher than his bladder and feared that the stone might be in the urethra. The first set of X-Rays a week ago had definitely showed a stone, but the exact location was not very clear.  I was devastated, but we went ahead and took the X-Rays again to be sure.  Well, much to my absolute delight, the vet came back and said that he took three X-Ray views and the stone did not show up on any of them!  He evidently passed the stone or it dissolved!  I could not believe it - what a miracle!  It is so unusual for a male to pass a stone.  The vet said that the squeal of pain during the exam could possibly have just been because Nicky was getting very scared and aggravated at being palpated so much.  I am supposed to take a urine sample in over the next day or two to be sure the infection has cleared up, and then we pray that he will gain his weight back and remain stone free.  Needless to say, the Story Piggies and I are all celebrating today.  The piggies got extra lettuce all around to help Nicky celebrate.  What a miracle!  The vet said that Nicky is only the second guinea pig that he has seen over all of the years he has been doing surgery on pigs that has passed a stone before surgery.  Maybe it was meant to be that Nicky did not get in for surgery last Monday.  If he had, he probably would have had to have the surgery.  I don't think the stone passed or dissolved until later in the week. We are now considering possible supplements to help Nicky stay stone free.  If anyone has had experience with Potassium Citrate or other supplements, please let us know.  The vet would not give me a prescription for Polycitra. He does not believe in it, but Potassium Citrate is available over the counter.  I am also considering Shilintong.  Any advice on the subject would be greatly appreciated.  All of the Story Piggies are all on low calcium, low oxalate veggies, etc.  We also use Timothy Hay and Timothy Pellets, so their diet is already good.  I recently changed to Brita filtered water rather than tap water.  Wheeeeeeeeks To All!

Debra and The Story Piggies