urethral urolith in a guinea pig

Re: urethral urolith in a guinea pig

HMC — Sat, 09 Aug 2014 09:59:01 GMT

I was all prepared to do the op yesterday, then the guinea pig died on Thursday night.

Re: urethral urolith in a guinea pig

Suzanne Kelly — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 00:37:27 GMT

Put the pig under a good GA. Have him on his back. Give the penis a wash with dilute hibi as guinea pig willies are always fairly crusty. Gently extrude the penis completely and gently draw it caudally. Have a well lubricated tomcat catheter or a small dog catheter ready. You can fit a surprisingly large bore catheter into a guinea pig urethra. Pigs have a blind sac thing that houses two mad looking spiky bits, you don't want to go in there. Stay as close to the top of the penis as you can. It'll be ventrally on the pig but dorsally as you're looking at it if I'm not confusing you more. Be gentle and it should just pop in really easily. Best of luck!

Re: urethral urolith in a guinea pig

Glenn Hodgson — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 23:06:42 GMT

Word of caution.

I have operated on one that was an adhesed knightmare to shift.

I have removed urethral and urethral stones from g.pigs readily, but the one adhesed urethral stone was very very difficult. Put aside lots of time. I would have liked one on those pizo urethral tips in hindsight, if would fit? In future I would try to retrograde flush pre surgically. If not possible I would stop and referr if at all possible!

Re: urethral urolith in a guinea pig

Marie Kubiak — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 20:39:50 GMT

Hi,

male GPs have blind ending pouches around the urethra and I really struggle to catheterise them - see http://www.readcube.com/articles/10.1038/laban0707-20.

Ideally retrograde flushing and a cystotomy is the way to go, cystotomy is very simple and relatively well tolerated in GPs.

If you can't get a catheter in and it is urinating around the stone then there is still a chance that it could pass it - it is surprising how large stones can be passed but there is also the risk that it could lodge within the penile urethra where it turns and narrows. At least this may bem ore accessible though for surgical removal! I haven't had to operate on a urethral stone as yet, the only one we felt we really had to go in with then managed to pass it after a midazolam pre-med!

Marie

Re: urethral urolith in a guinea pig

HMC — Tue, 05 Aug 2014 15:08:54 GMT

PS he is a male