Urine Blood in Urine.. Help! stone for 3rd time.

[Morning_shadow]

Hello,

So I have had this bladder stone problem for some time now. My guinea pig had two surgeries last year for bladder stones. They are made of calcium carbonate. Recently in Dec. I found out that yet a 3rd stone came.. So changed his diet yet again and giving him more liquids through syringe along with Uriflow which I found to be pretty good. But 3 weeks ago he started peeing with blood and crying. Last night I realized that the pee is now pretty dark and he is crying a lot more. I don't know what to do.. How do I know when it is time to put him down? Should I do another surgery? THe first one cost me $800. The Second with asking the vet to please lower it cost me $700. and she told me if it comes back a 3rd then the price is same. She has no solution for me other than surgery.. I hate seeing him suffer like this. He still acts the same though and eats a lot..

 

[Nicolene]

I'm very sorry to read this. My Snickerdoodle was the exact same case as yours. Except that we only did one surgery last year and his came back in Dec too. We kept him comfortable with antibiotics and pain meds for a few weeks until he became very inactive 2 days ago, and then we had him put down this morning. I'm SO so very relieved that he is no longer in pain. He seemed to know what was going on and he looked so peaceful.

I can't tell you what to do, and I do know that I don't regret that first surgery for a second, because he was so happy afterwards. But it does come back, and at some point you'll have to call it. I also know know that I probably won't do stone surgery on any pig ever again. I would rather send them off before the pain gets too bad.

Whatever you decide, I wish you the best from the bottom of my heart.

 

[Morning_shadow]

Your piggie's story made me cry.. I am so sorry for your loss. I hate seeing him in pain but I was just considering a 3rd surgery on him tomorrow.. I do know that this can come back but I don't think I can let go of him yet..

 

[Nicolene]

I understand. You have to do what you feel will bring him the most relief and you the least amount of guilt. I don't regret our choice. We agreed that there would be no more surgeries before it even returned. So when the time came we knew what to do. Picking a "when" was still hard, so I emailed a member named "Paula" who has experience with stones about "when" we should put him down. She said if I'm asking it's not time yet, and that we would know when the time came. It's true. I knew Tuesday night. I am at peace now that Doodles has peace.

If you feel like you won't feel like you did everything you could if you put him down now, then do the surgery. But try to keep your heart pointed to what's best for HIM.

 

[Nicolene]

I thought of you first thing this morning, what did you decide? Either way, will be thinking of you.

 

[foggycreekcavy]

It's a tough call to make. It seems as though some pigs are just prone to getting stones. It seems unfair to make them go through surgery after surgery, doesn't it? And yet we love them so much we want to give them any chance.

I would completely understand a decision to say goodbye at this point.