[Gpdd] [HEALTH] Bladder or kidney stone

[Ann Evans]

Dear Lynn,
No one has unlimited amounts of money to spend on health care or 
anything else.. We all have to make personal choices as to how we are 
going to spend money. Briefly let me summarize what you said. First of 
all we do not have a diagnosis for Eve. If Eve has stones you can not 
afford stone surgery. Therefore why even bother to get an xray? 
Personally I have palpated many a stone in the urethra or bladder of a 
female and have been able to remove it using a local anaesthetic and a 
tiny surgical spoon to scoop it out. Often there are many small stones 
or gravel that can be removed in the same manner. By the way I am just a 
scientist and rodentologist who has taken hundreds of xrays of piggys, 
especially for stones. I do not know why your vet does not feel 
comfortable taking an xray to detect stones that are basically made of 
the same minerals bones are made of. But at least your vet is being 
honest with you. If you have another female piggy possibly you can bring 
in both piggys and let the vet examine the urethral opening and feel for 
any swelling in the neck of the urethra. A swelling is almost always a 
stone. But Eve does not need an xray because even if she has a stone you 
can not afford the surgery to remove it. Treating her for stones should 
not harm her.  I do not know of any drug that has been proven to 
dissolve stones in cavies. However, I know that Rowatinex does dissolve 
stones in humans. Both my sister and two friends use Rowatinex to 
dissolve kidney stones. They resorted to using it after they had 
unsuccessful surgery and procedures to remove kidney stones. The dose is 
one gel cap a day. As Penny said go to Piggyville.com and read about 
stone pigs. Also hydrangea root extract is used in humans and cavies to 
treat and prevent stones. Penny mentioned the undercover blog post 
suggested 1.0 ml twice a day for one week then 1.0 ml once a day for a 
week or until the stone passed then 0.2 ml once a day for life. I have 
used hydrangea root extract at these concentrations in my own stone 
piggys for years. In their case the stones were removed but I was 
successful in preventing them from forming again. Both Rowatinex and 
hydrangea root extract are anti-inflammatories. Thus they help with pain 
and can help stones pass. They also prevent the stones from growing. I 
would dilute the hydrangea root extract with juice to make it taste 
better. Stones can also adhere to the bladder or the wall of the 
urethra. Using a Niagara massage pad can break these adhesions and also 
prevent stones from forming or growing. Again go to piggyville.com for 
more information. I would also keep her on childrens ibuprofen 0.4 ml 
twice a day for pain. No Metacam. You have nothing to loose by trying. 
But if you feel that it is best to help stop her pain by helping her 
over the bridge that is an extremely personal decision and one that is 
just as valid as trying any of the remedies that I have suggested.

Sincerely,

Ann and the Rescued Piggys of Piggyville, Tampa Florida USA.