Urine (please help) Worried about dried blood or dried pee

[advil zyrtec]

I noticed some calcium deposits and pee stains in my guinea pigs' fleece. Most of the deposits looked normal, white-ish, a little yellow. There were some orange pee stains, but it's normal for some pee to turn an orange color.

What worries me is that I notice a dark spot in the center of the calcium deposit. I see a few.

It's like a dark orange/brown spot in the center of a light yellow spot.

I know it might be blood, but dried blood is brown, and I'm not sure if the dark spot is brown or orange. I don't hear any squeaking while peeing, and the dark spots only occur where my piggies' pee and poop the most, other areas with pee stains and calcium deposits are normal looking, so it might just be a poop stain.

I've seen both of my piggies pee before, and I didn't see them pee any blood.

Is it normal for the center of a pee stain to be darker? Does pee normally dry up that dark? Is this more likely to be a UTI or a bladder stone? Do piggies with a UTI or bladder stone pee blood almost every time they pee, or does it happen occasionally?

Do you guys have any pictures you could send me of normal looking pee stains and pee stains with dried blood? That would be helpful.

Thanks

 

[advil zyrtec]

I show you guys a picture if you want, but it's night rn and the lighting might mess up the picture

 

[bpatters]

@advil zyrtec, please pick ONE thread and keep all questions about your pigs on the same thread. The more we have to chase around the forum to see what else may be pertinent to your current question, the poorer answers you'll get. If we can just look in that one thread, it's much easier to know everything that might be important.

You post your pictures, and then we'll let you know what we think.

 

[advil zyrtec]

What do you guys think about these pictures?

The first picture is causing my concern but the second one is probably just some pee/poop stains(they poop in that area the most).

 

[scoottie]

Guinea pig urine when it oxidizes will change to a orange/brown color like what the pictures looks like

 

[advil zyrtec]

Does it look serious to you or am I just being paranoid like always
Can pee really change into a color that brown and dark like the one in the first pic?

 

[scoottie]

Yes pee really does change that color. My boys pee does it too. This person was wondering the same thing perhaps going through it may help ease you. https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/is-this-normal-coloured-pee.106825/ . I read through guinealynx all the time it really helps make sure that I am doing everything right for my guys. https://www.guinealynx.info/normal.html

 

[bpatters]

I don't see anything to worry about.

 

[advil zyrtec]

I have another question. Today this morning I refilled my boys' hay. Usually they run around and popcorn when they hear the sound of the bag, but they seemed off. They looked excited to eat hay but they didn't act like they always do. When I added their pellets, my boys were just poking their heads out of their hideys. They usually run up to their bowl, but they just stood there. After a few seconds they walked up to the pellet bowl and only one of my guinea pigs ate a little bit of pellets. I knew something was off, so I decided to see how they would react to an Oxbow simple reward treat. Both of my boys walked to the cage and looked excited, but they didn't shove their mouths through the grid holes and they didn't climb the grids as much as they used to. They both ate the treat when I gave it to them, so that's a good thing. I'm really confused as to what is with my piggies. I can't spot any other problems, they don't have any abnormal eyes or noses, they didn't have a hunched posture when they were eating hay, and they even ate hay for a good period of time before they went into their hideys. The only thing that is something to note is that my boys are lying down in their sleeping positions on their side with their eyes half closed. They just seem very tired and lazy at the moment and that doesn't seem right. I could be overreacting, but my piggies never act like this, and they never have their eyes almost shut when they're sleeping. Should I see a vet? I can go soon but I am busy later in the day. What do you guys think this is? Can guinea pigs just act a little lazy on some days?

 

[advil zyrtec]

Update: I prepared them some cilantro, they wheeked a little, and one of the piggies jumped onto the cage. He actually jumped right into the cage when I had veggies. Both piggies groomed themselves a little and went to munch on some hay. Everything seems fine right and my boys don't have their receding eyes anymore. I weighed both of them and they didn't lose any weight from 2 weeks ago. I also added new tunnels and hideys to see if they would get energized and they both happily explored their new caged and even popcorned, so can someone explain why my piggies had their eyes half closed and seemed so lethargic before? When my piggies were had their eyes squinty and receding, does that just mean they almost trust me enough to completely close their eyes, or does it mean something is up?

 

[bpatters]

They're pigs. You need to notice and pay attention to patterns of behavior, and indicators of somethng being really wrong (diarrhea, can't walk, can't see, etc). One off things can just be that something has weirded them out and they're a little spooked.

Just relax and enjoy your pigs. If you obsess over them all the time, you won't enjoy them very much, if at all.